Aegirocassis benmoulae

A digitally colored version of the original, which can be viewed here: http://sounder1995.blogspot.com/2015/04/aegirocassis-benmoulae.html

Aegirocassis benmoulae (Van Roy, Daley, & Briggs, 2015)
Stem-Arthropoda
Dinocaridida?
Radiodonta
Anomalocarida
Hurdiidae

Early Ordovician
Morocco

Length: 2 m

This filter feeding species of anomalocarid was the arthropod equivalent of a whale and the largest animal of her time.

Sunday, April 26th, 2015

Dilophosaurus wetherilli

A digitally colored version of the original, which can be viewed here: http://sounder1995.blogspot.com/2014/12/dilophosaurus-wetherilli.html

Dilophosaurus wetherilli (Welles, 1954)
Dinosauria
Theropoda
Dilophosauridae

Early Jurassic
Arizona, United States

Length: 7 m

The frilled and KY jelly spitting terror of greedy fat tech nerds everywhere was larger and less ridiculous in real life.

April 25th, 2015.

Aegirocassis benmoulae

Aegirocassis benmoulae (Van Roy, Daley, & Briggs, 2015)
Stem-Arthropoda
Dinocaridida?
Radiodonta
Anomalocarida
Hurdiidae

Early Ordovician
Morocco

Length: 2 m

This filter feeding species of anomalocarid was the arthropod equivalent of a whale and the largest animal of her time.

Thursday, April 23rd, 2015

Anomalocaris saron

Anomalocaris saron (Hou, Bergstroem, & Ahlberg, 1995)
Stem-Arthropoda
Dinocaridida?
Radiodonta
Anomalocarididae

Early to Mid Cambrian
Chengjiang, Yunnan, China

Length: 2 m

At a time when most animals could fit in the palm of your hand, this close relative of arthropods was the largest apex predator of her time.

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015

Dunkleosteus terrelli

A digitally colored version of the original, which can be viewed here: http://sounder1995.blogspot.com/2014/08/dunkleosteus-terrelli.html

Dunkleosteus terrelli (Lehman, 1956)
Gnathostomata
Placodermi (paraphyletic)
Arthrodira
Dunkleosteidae

Late Devonian
Northern Hemisphere

Length: 10 m

Armed with sharpened bone instead of actual teeth, this giant armor plated fish was the largest apex predator of her time. Her kind (Placoderms) were also the first animals to reproduce through internal fertilization (sex).

Monday, April 13th, 2015

Atopodentatus unicus

Atopodentatus unicus (Cheng et al., 2014)
Sauropsida
Diapsida
Sauropterygia?

Middle Triassic
Yunnan, China

Length: 3 m

Her bifurcated premaxilla (split upper jaw) likely evolved for filter feeding, but honestly, your guess is as good as mine.

Sunday, April 12th, 2015

Hatzegopteryx thambema

A digitally colored version of the original, which can be viewed here: http://sounder1995.blogspot.com/2015/02/hatzegopteryx-thambema.html

Hatzegopteryx thambema (Buffetaut, Grigorescu & Csiki, 2002)
Sauropsida
Diapsida
Archosauria
Avemetatarsalia
Pterosauria
Pterodactyloidea
Azhdarchoidea
Azhdarchidae

Late Cretaceous
Romania

Wingspan: 11 m

Standing as tall as a giraffe and tied with Quetzalcoatlus for being the largest flying animal ever, this giant of the skies towered above all other denizens of Hateg Island, an island of dwarf dinosaurs.

Saturday, April 4th, 2015

Arthropleura armata

Arthropleura armata (Meyer, 1853)
Arthropoda
Myriapoda
Diplopoda (Millipedes)
Arthropleuridea

Early Carboniferous to Early Permian
Northeastern North America and Scotland

Length: 2.6 m

One of the largest arthropods of all time, she grazed the jungles that once covered North America and Scotland.

Friday, April 3rd, 2015