Landlocked Mermaid

Ancient Seas Basilosaurus Photo from  Earth Archives Kingdom: Animalia Class: Mammalia Conservation Status: Extinct (EX) Era: Late Eocene (40-33.9 million years ago) WHAT WAS IT? The name would suggest that this creature was a dinosaur, an ancient lizard. But that was a mis-classification when first discovered in the US. Further fossil discoveries and study into the creature determined that this was in fact a mammal and a whale. It is even believed to be on the evolutionary line for modern dolphins. The Basilosaurus is one of the largest creatures to have existed in the time after the mass extinction event which wiped out the dinosaurs. It was 18-20m (59-66ft) long, which means it was not the largest sea creature to have ever lived but it is up there! It had a long, eel-like body and small hind limbs. Being only 35cm (11 inches) and made of three fused tarsals (or digits), these hind limbs did not have much function. With limited movement, it is pos...

Ancient Seas Pelagornis Sandersi Photo from Sci-News Kingdom: Animalia Class: Aves Conservation Status: Extinct (EX) Era: Upper Oligocene (25 million years ago) WHAT WAS IT? If you hadn't guessed, it was a very big bird. The largest flying bird to have ever lived, in fact. (That we know of.) This toothed bird had an estimated wingspan between 6.4-7.4m (21-24ft), which is twice as wide as a royal albatross which soars in the skies above the seas today. Pelagornis Sandersi was identified as a new species in 2014 by Dr Daniel Ksepka, a paleontologist associated with Bruce Museum in Connecticut, despite being discovered back in 1983. Dr Ksepka was the scientist who extrapolated the wingspan, theorised its feather coat, and postulated that this bird could in fact fly - despite its size. Pelagornis means "pseudo-tooth"; this "toothed" bird actually had small spiny protrusions on its beak which functioned as teeth. They were not actua...

Liyvatan or Leviathan Melvelli Artistic Rendering from Scary Nature's YouTube Kingdom: Animalia Class: Mammalia Conservation Status: Extinct (EX) Found: Peru Era: Miocene Lived: 11-12 million years ago Diet: Smaller whales Weight: 57 tonnes* Size: 13.5 - 17.5m (44 - 57ft)* Habitat: Unknown *These are estimates, without living specimens or more remains it is nearly impossible to know. The leviathan melvelli or Livyatan was a toothed whale which lived around 12 million years ago during the Miocene era. It is the largest known extinct whale, which grew up to 17.5m (57ft). This is still smaller than the Blue Whale which lives today but it would have ruled the seas all those years ago, with evidence of it being a fierce hunter. Its remains were found in Peru, an area which would have been under the sea at the time making it rife with marine fossils. Colossal teeth had been found in 2008, but it wasn't until 2010 when more of this whale w...