10 Terrifying Animals You’re Glad Are Extinct
10. Megalodon.
Sharks are pretty scary things alone, but how about a shark that’s a big as 60 feet in length? The Megalodon (which translated from Greek means “big tooth”) is an extinct species of giant shark that lived approximately 28 to 1.5 million years ago. Thanks to its incredible length of up to 60 feet, it is considered one of the largest and most powerful predators that ever lived on the Earth. Distributed worldwide, Megalodon looked like a much larger and terrifying version of modern great white shark. Now think about it. Who truly knows if this beast is really extinct? I mean we as a species have only explored only 5 percent of the earth’s water so who’s to say the Megalodon isn’t somewhere in the other 95 percent?.
9. phorusrhacidae.
The phorusrhacidae (Also Colloquially known as “Terror birds”) are prehistorical creatures that are an extinct genus of large carnivorous birds that were the largest species of apex predators that could be found in South America during the Cenozoic, 62 million years ago. These creatures are the largest flightless predatory bird to have ever lived on Earth as they would usually average at around 10 feet in height and would weighed up to half a ton which makes it more impressive that these creatures could supposedly run as fast as a cheetah.
8. Purussaurus
So what’s worse than giant sharks? How about crocodiles! ThePurussauruss is an extinct genus of giant caiman that lived in South America during the Miocene epoch, 8 million years ago. These beasts were known from skull material that could be found in the Brazilian, Colombian and PeruvianAmazonian, and northern Venezuela.
It has been estimated by researches that the creatures may have measured somewhere from 36 feet to 43 ft in length, which means that Purussaurus is one of the largest crocodilians known to have ever existed. Yeah now that’s pretty scary to think. Purussaurus teeth are subcircular at their bases but somewhat flattened at the crown, and those of P. neivensis have been described as curving backwards and slightly inwards. With all these features taken into account, it all suggests that the purassaurs were predators of vertebrates, perhaps grabbing large mammals, but also eating turtles, smaller crocodiles, fish and other prey.
7. Pulmonoscorpius.
So scorpions are pretty bad as they are right? Sure they’re small but they’re known to be deadly creatures thanks to their venomous stingers. Well imagine you’re standard looking scorpion on imagine it if it was Three Feet Long! Translated to “breathing scorpion”, Pulmonoscorpius is a giant species of extinct scorpion that lived during the Viséan epoch which was approximately between 345 to 330 million years ago. Based on fossils that were found in Scotland, it is believed that this species grew up to be around 30 inches long. It was a terrestrial creature feeding probably on small arthropods and tetrapods. Odds are these creatures would still attack humans if given the chance.
6. Anomalocaris.
So who likes sea food? If so do you like shrimp? Well good because this shrimp would probably enjoy you too! Native to all Cambrian seas, Anomalocaris which translated means “abnormal shrimp” was a genus of marine animals closely related to ancestral arthropods. Research suggests that these creatures were predators that would feed off hard-bodied sea creatures, including trilobites. These creatures were notable especially for their unique eyes that, equipped with 30,000 lenses and are believed by researchers to be the most advanced eyes of any species of its time.
5. Titanoboa.
Okay so far we’ve had Giant Sharks, Giant Crocodiles and Giant Shrimp. Okay how about a GIANT FREAKING SNAKE! Okay so people who were scared of the film Anaconda may want to skip this one because
the Titanoboa is the largest snake that ever existed. This specie of snake was known to have grown over 40 feet long and could weigh up to 2,500 pounds. To put things in perspective, It is almost as heavy as a mini cooper which fair enough is small but is still a hefty vehicle. Titanoboa appeared not long after the dinosaurs went extinct and pretty much picked up from where the dinosaurs left off by being one of nature’s most dangerous predators. Rather than using venom to kill its victims, it’s main method of attack was constriction as the titanoboa could apply as much as 400lbs of pressure per inch to it’s victim! That is insane!
4. Giant Shelled.
Squid Cameroceras or otherwise commonly known as the Giant Shelled Squid lived during the Ordovician period, 470 to 460 million years ago, Cameroceras was a giant ancient ancestor of modern squids and octopus. Probably the most distinctive feature of the giant shelled squid was the enormous cone-like shell for which it got its nickname from as well as it’s abnormally stubby tentacles it used to catch its prey. The estimates regarding the size of the shell vary greatly from 20 to 40 feet.
3. Andrewsarchus.
At first sight, you may think that these creatures are some form of dire wolf or just canines in general. Well surprisingly the Andrewsarchus is related closely to sheep. Living during the Eocene epoch, some 45 to 36 million years ago, Andrewsarchus was a giant carnivorous mammal. Based on skulls and several bones that archaeologists have found, paleontologists suggest the predator might have weighed up to 4,000 pounds which would possibly make it the largest land-dwelling mammal predator ever. That alone dwarfs the previously mentioned Titanoboa by more than double its weight!
2. Mega Piranha.
So yeah this list has mainly consisted of animals we have now but just freakishly larger and this one is no exception. So Modern piranhas are scary enough in their own right. It;s common knowledge that if you decide to swim in an area that these creatures inhabit, you’ll end up being fish chow. That being said however, not many people have actually died to these little carnivores. Most people either escape with a few small cuts or they end up escaping with a few missing toes. So yeah Piranhas are dangerous little things but how would you like to swim with something that a hell of a lot bigger? Well that’s where the Megapiranha comes in. The Megapiranha (Which by the way is an incredibly lazy name!) lived somewhere between 8 to 10 million years ago in the rivers of South America and grew to a meter in length, four times that of the cow skeletonizers of today. So not only were these creatures big but their bite was something incredibly impressive as they were capable to bit with a force-to-body-weight ratio unmatched by even the mightiest dinosaur. Whereas modern-day piranhas peak at a bite force of 70 pounds, a Megapiranha is estimated to have bitten with a force of 1,000 pounds! To further illustrate how insane that is, a T.Rex could deliver a bite force of just over 3,000 pounds, roughly three times that of a Megapiranha. Doesn’t sound to impressive anymore does it? Well when you take into account that a T-Rex weights around 7 tons and a megapiranha only weighs 20 pounds so that alone is incredible!
1. Megalania Australia.
is known for having some scary creatures, but did you know that they also a had a giant man eating lizards as well? Well the Megalania Prisca is a now extinct creature that continues to haunt the deserts long after their extinction. Many sources have claimed to have seen the giant lizard roaming the deserts of Australia, however there has been no solid evidence of them being alive and well today. This is one myth in which we know the creature existed for sure but are not sure if it still exists today.