A-Z of Prehistoric Animals

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Timeline of Prehistoric Animals

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Daeodon

Daeodon was one of the largest entelodonts, living in North America during the late Oligocene and early Miocene. It had a huge skull, powerful jaws, and a muscular build, making it a dominant omnivore and likely a top scavenger.

Doedicurus

Doedicurus was a heavily armored mammal related to armadillos, living in South America during the Ice Age. It had a large, domed shell and a spiked tail used for defense against predators.

e

Entelodonts

Entelodonts were massive, pig-like omnivores that lived during the late Eocene to Miocene. They had a huge head, strong jaws, and a bulky body, making them a formidable scavenger and predator.

Embolotherium

Embolotherium was a rhino-like herbivore from the Eocene of Central Asia. It had a large, bony crest on its head, possibly used for display or sound resonance, and browsed on soft vegetation.

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Gastornis

Gastornis was a giant, flightless bird that lived in Europe and North America during the Paleocene and Eocene. It had a massive beak and imposing size, and may have been herbivorous or omnivorous.

Gomphothere

Gomphothere was a large, elephant-like mammal that roamed the Americas during the Ice Age. It had a long trunk and distinctive tusks, which it used to dig for roots and strip bark from trees. Unlike modern elephants, some species had four tusks and a flatter skull, helping them adapt to diverse environments.

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Hyaenodon

Hyaenodon was a large carnivorous mammal that lived from the Eocene to Miocene epochs. It had a long skull with powerful jaws and was a dominant predator in its environment, capable of crushing bone with ease.

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Indricothere

Indricothere was the largest land mammal ever to exist, living during the Oligocene. It was a hornless relative of the rhinoceros, with a long neck and massive body, feeding on treetop vegetation.

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Macrauchenia

Macrauchenia was a long-necked, hoofed mammal from South America, resembling a camel with a short trunk. It lived from the Miocene to the Ice Age and grazed in open grasslands.

Mammoth

Woolly Mammoths were a giant, shaggy elephants that lived during the Pleistocene. they had long, curved tusks and a thick coat of fur, helping them survive in icy environments across Eurasia and North America.

Mastodon

Mastodon was a shaggy, elephant-like mammal that lived across North America during the Ice Age. It had straight tusks and a low, sloping skull, which helped it browse on shrubs and trees. Unlike mammoths, mastodons had cusped teeth suited for chewing tough vegetation in forested environments.

Megaloceros

Megaloceros was a giant deer that lived across Europe and Asia during the Ice Age. It had enormous, wide-spreading antlers and a strong, muscular build, which it used for display and defense. Often called the "Irish Elk," it grazed in open woodlands and meadows, feeding on grasses and shrubs.

Megatherium

Megatherium was a giant ground sloth from South America that lived during the Pleistocene. It had massive claws and a bulky frame, feeding on leaves and possibly standing upright to reach higher branches.

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Paraceratherium

Paraceratherium was the largest land mammal ever to exist, living during the Oligocene. It was a hornless relative of the rhinoceros, with a long neck and massive body, feeding on treetop vegetation.

Phorusrhacos

Phorusrhacos was a large, flightless bird from South America, known as a “terror bird.” It had a strong beak and long legs, making it a fast and deadly predator during the Miocene.

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Smilodon

Smilodon was a powerful saber-toothed cat that lived in the Americas during the Ice Age. It had massive forelimbs and long, curved canine teeth, which it used to take down large prey.

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Woolly Rhinoceros

Woolly Rhinoceros was a large Ice Age mammal adapted to cold climates. It had a thick coat of fur and a prominent curved horn, which it used to clear snow and graze on frozen grasslands.