Scientists say that although millions of living things have been discovered on earth, this is a very small proportion and there are millions more living things still waiting to be discovered. Although humans generally think that the entire order of the world belongs to them, when we consider the millions of living things living with us, humans are quite a minority.
Based on an easy knowledge we learned at school, the living world is divided into five realms. But, as will be seen in the content a little later, some creatures have such strange appearances and features that they cannot be safely included in even a random class.
Here, we have compiled the animals in our content that you will be surprised to have lived in the past, and that you may sometimes think that their generation is extinct.
Different animals that look like they just came out of fantasy movies and we can’t even believe they’re alive:
- Titanoboa
- Gliptodon
- Helicoprion
- Archelon
- Dunkleosteus
- Opabinya
- Quetzalcoatlus
- Hallucigenia
- Mossosaur
- Entelodon
- Archaeopteryx
Contents
Even bigger than the Anaconda: Titanoboa
Even bigger than the Anaconda, the world’s largest snake with its frightening size There is an extinct snake: Titanoboa. This giant snake, which lived 58 million years ago in the jungles of South America, could reach a length of 14 meters and a load of 1 ton.
Titanoboas, which are thought to be poisonous, as expected from such a frightening image, are not poisonous, but the pressure they can apply by enveloping their prey, thanks to their size, is much more lethal. So much so that scientists have explained that a Titanoboa can exert pressure, similar to being crushed under a steel bridge.
A creature resembling a turtle with a funny appearance: Gliptodon
Resembling an armored and huge tortoise, Gliptodons became extinct about 10,000 years ago. Glyptodons, which attract attention with their funny scenery, were discovered to be 3.5 meters long and 2 tons in weight.
The most striking features are the structure of their shells and tails. Each Gliptodon’s shell and tail have a unique armor-like pattern, just like fingerprints.
Teeth structure not seen in any other living thing: Helicoprion
There is an extinct type of shark that lived even before dinosaurs: Helicoprion. The most striking feature of the helicoprions is their teeth, which is what the name means, and which looks like a spiral saw. Although the body of these shark species, which lived 280 million years ago, looks very familiar, the spiral tooth structure is unlike any other living thing. As one might think from its view, each protrusion in the spiral is not just another tooth, on the contrary, it is in a monolithic state. So it’s all an extension of the helix.
When the tooth fossils of the helicopyron were first found, it was not understood what they were, and it was thought that it was a cephalopod spiral-structured creature called ammonite. However, after the protrusions on this spiral structure were noticed, this creature was named Helikoprion, which means spiral and saw in Greek.
The largest of the sea turtles: Archelon
The largest genus of sea turtles, the extinct Archelon, has a gigantic appearance as it can reach twice the size of a human. Archelons, thought to have lived between 66 and 100 million years ago, typically resemble a sea turtle, but have particularly strong forelimbs.
A creature that draws attention with its armored appearance: Dunkleosteus
Dunkleosteus is a strange-looking fish with an armored structure, thought to have lived 358 million years ago. Its length can reach 10 meters and its load can reach 4 tons, which can be equivalent to an average of 3 cars. The most striking features of Dunkleosteus are their jaw structures. Apart from the strong jaw structure, contrary to what one might think, their face is relatively slow for a large breed fish, but they are quite suitable swimmers. Dunkleosteus, whose fossils have been found in places such as North America, Morocco and Belgium, may also be in the middle of the first types that can perform egg fertilization, which is also seen in some contemporary sharks.
Five eyes, two mouths, a proboscis and a creature: Opabinia
One of the strangest-looking creatures on the list, Opabinias are an extinct arthropod. These creatures, which were thought to last lived 487 million years ago, have a rather small and even sympathetic appearance with an average length of 6 centimeters. Apart from a fan-shaped tail and segmented body, it had unusual features such as five eyes, two mouths, and a proboscis.
One of the largest flying animals: Quetzalcoatlus
Quetzalcoatlus, one of the largest known flying animals, has an unusually long neck. Its name comes from the ‘feathered serpent’, which is mentioned in the legends of the local peoples of Central America. Its fossils have been found in North America. It also has a long beak that is as surprising as its length. Its beak is quite pointed and long, which allows it to swallow its prey without chewing it because it has no teeth.
Like a sea worm with its fantastic appearance: Hallucinogen
With a length of about 3 centimeters and at least 9 pairs of legs, a fantastic looking creature: Hallucination. Hallucinogens, to put it briefly, are sea worms. Its most striking feature is the long needle-like pointed structures on the upper parts of its body. There are also uncertainties about exactly which type of living thing it is due to the fact that it has one of the strangest appearances in the evolutionary process. It is also thought that it fed on sponges, since its fossils are generally found on sponges.
It’s a hybrid of crocodile and shark: Mossosaur
A carnivorous creature that roams all over the world: Mosaur. Since the first fossils of these creatures were found in a river called Maas, which is within the borders of the Netherlands, Belgium and France, Mosazor, which means Maas River lizard, is given. With its crocodile-like head and long fin tail, it has a rather scary but fantastic appearance. All four of its limbs under its body are shovel-like, making it much easier for it to swim. Having a look like a mix of dinosaurs and crocodiles, Mossasaurs, although living underwater, were closest to the surface of the water and breathed air just like whales.
An animal that deserves the name ‘hell pig’: Entelodon
Hell pig has scary names like terminator pig, and its generation that deserves this name due to its appearance is extinct Entelodons, which are animals, are thought to be one of the creatures with the highest level of aggression among the animals discovered to date. It has a long, broad head, strikingly prominent cheekbones, and a short but sturdy neck. Although its landscape resembles a pig, it is estimated that it is more closely related to whales and hippos, according to research.
One of the oldest known birds: Archaeopteryx
One of the biggest indicators of the transition between flightless feathered dinosaurs and modern birds. This creature is one of the oldest known birds. It was thought to have lived in southern Germany about 150 million years ago. It has a fantastic appearance and also has a small body and large wings compared to its body.