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Prehistoric Animals
Prehistoric animals represent the vast majority of extinct animals. Through exploration, scientists are piecing together from the first sea dwelling organisms to modern day species. Types of questions covered are about animals who existed before recorded history and the ever popular debate as to what caused the dinosaur extinction.
1,197 Questions
What is a time line that shows how conditions and organisms have changed on Earth?
A timeline illustrating the changes on Earth includes several key events: the formation of the Earth around 4.5 billion years ago, the emergence of simple single-celled organisms about 3.5 billion years ago, and the development of multicellular life around 600 million years ago. The Cambrian Explosion, approximately 541 million years ago, marks a significant increase in biodiversity. The age of dinosaurs dominated the Mesozoic Era (about 252 to 66 million years ago), leading to the rise of mammals and birds following the mass extinction event around 66 million years ago, which paved the way for the current diversity of life.
The chronological order of the prehistoric periods is as follows: 1) Paleo, which marks the earliest human activities; 2) Archaic, characterized by the development of more advanced hunting and gathering techniques; 3) Woodland, known for the introduction of agriculture and pottery; and finally, 4) Mississippian, noted for complex societies and large, earthen mounds.
Historical aspects refer to the events, people, and cultural elements that have shaped the past. Basically, it's all the juicy gossip and drama from back in the day that influences our present. So, if you want to understand why things are the way they are now, just take a trip down memory lane and dig into those historical aspects.
Is there really an animal called an idiot?
No, there is no animal called an "idiot" in the scientific classification of animals. The term "idiot" is a derogatory term used to describe a person lacking intelligence or common sense, not an actual species of animal. In the field of biology, animals are classified based on their characteristics, behavior, and genetic makeup, not by derogatory terms.
Where does the megalodon live?
The megalodon, an extinct species of shark, lived in oceans worldwide during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs, approximately 23 to 3.6 million years ago. Fossil evidence suggests that megalodons primarily inhabited warm, coastal waters, where they could find an abundance of prey such as whales and large fish. Today, megalodons are considered extinct, with no confirmed sightings or evidence of their existence in modern times.
Alphabetically which comes first the chicken or the egg?
"chicken.god had two of everything on noahs ark.then the male and female chicken had a egg."
LOL, you're funny.
No, but really. The chicken egg came first. "Az." explains it like this:
"Since DNA can be modified only before birth, a mutation must have taken place at conception or within an egg such that an animal similar to a chicken, but not a chicken, laid the first chicken egg.
The modern chicken was believed to have descended from another closely related species of birds, the red junglefowl, but recently discovered genetic evidence suggests that the modern domestic chicken is a hybrid descendant of both the red junglefowl and the grey junglefowl.
Read more: What_came_first_came_chicken_or_the_egg"
What is the largest prehistoric animal not including reptiles?
The blue whale is the largest prehistoric animal, not including reptiles. Some prehistoric species of the blue whale were even larger than the current ones.
What is a fossil that look like a spiral or a rams horn called?
A fossil that looks like a spiral or a ram's horn is called an ammonite. Ammonites were marine creatures that lived millions of years ago, and their distinctive spiral shape makes them easily recognizable in the fossil record.
What super volcano caused Ashfall fossil beds?
The super volcano that caused the Ashfall fossil beds is believed to be the Yellowstone hotspot, specifically the volcanic activity around 12 million years ago in what is now Nebraska. The eruption of the hotspot released volcanic ash that covered the region, preserving the fossilized remains of animals.
The dominant animal life during the Mesozoic Era was the dinosaur slash reptile True or False?
The dominant land animal life during the Mesozoic was reptiles and dinosaurs.
However, it is important to note that dominant does not mean the most biodiverse, common, or consisting of the greatest biomass. It simply means that they were the most common large vertebrates. Insects, for example, have always beaten reptiles in biodiversity and I believe biomass, too.
When where and by whom was the Smilodon fossil discovered?
Smilodon fossils were first discovered in South America in the 19th century by Danish paleontologist Peter Wilhelm Lund. The most famous discoveries of Smilodon fossils were made in the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, California. These fossils date back to the Pleistocene epoch.
How tall did Indarctos the largest ever bear at 5500 lb stand?
The National Park Service says the Indarctos found in John Day Oregon stood 16 feet tall, tall enough to look through a two story window.
For all we know, 20 foot bears once lived in Oregon.
Which layer of the Badlands contains reptile fossils but no dinosaur fossils?
The Badlands in Badlands National Park contain reptile fossils (including alligator fossils), but do not contain dinosaur fossils.
Note that "Badlands" refers to a type of geographical feature, which is not only found in Badlands National Park.
What were some major events in the Permian time period?
During the Permian period, Earth experienced the formation of the supercontinent Pangaea, extensive glaciation in the southern hemisphere, and the diversification of reptiles. The Permian-Triassic extinction event, the largest mass extinction in Earth's history, occurred at the end of the period, resulting in the loss of around 90% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial species.
Where was the largest ever dinosaur bone found?
The largest dinosaur bone ever found was a thigh bone, or femur, of a Titanosaur in Patagonia, Argentina. This fossil was uncovered in 2014 and belongs to a species that lived around 100 million years ago.
Which is not a major period of the geologic time scale?
Cenozoic is not a major period of the geologic time scale. The scale is broken down into eras. Cenozoic, Mesozoic and Paleozoic are all part of the Phanerozic era.
Did humans ever have a sixth toe?
Yes, some humans can be born with a sixth toe, a condition known as polydactyly. It is a genetic anomaly that can occur during fetal development. In most cases, the extra toe is usually non-functional and may be removed for medical or cosmetic reasons.
What era are mammoths and mastadons abundant in?
Mammoths and mastodons were abundant 10,000 years ago. Currently, we live in the Cenozoic era, which began 65.5 million years ago. Therefor, mammoths and mastodons were abundant in the Cenozoic era.
What are some of the causes of background and mass extinctions?
Background extinctions are typically caused by natural events such as climate change, volcanic eruptions, or asteroid impacts. Mass extinctions are often attributed to catastrophic events like major asteroid impacts, volcanic eruptions, or significant climate change, which cause widespread disruption to ecosystems and species. Human activities, such as habitat destruction, pollution, and overexploitation of resources, can also contribute to both background and mass extinctions.
Would animal life on earth be possible without plants?
Individually, most plants derive everything they need to live from the sun, soil, and water, excluding carnivorous plants like Venus fly traps and sundew which live in nutrient poor soil and receive all their protein and nutrients from the animals they catch. In theory most plants could grow from a seed and live out their entire lives without ever coming into contact with an animal.
However, many plants are able to reproduce only with the help of animals. Insects, especially bees, carry pollen from one plant to another, fertilizing it and allowing that plant to create seeds and continue the species. Without these insects many species of plants would go extinct. And if you have to ask, yes, insects are animals.
When and where Carcharodon megalodon fossils found?
The only Carcharodon megalodon fossils that have been found are teeth. They lived between 28 and 2 million years ago. They have been discovered all over the world, which is known as a cosmopolitan distribution.
Why does ammonite come before trilobites?
Ammonites appeared during the Devonian period, around 400 million years ago, while trilobites first appeared during the Cambrian period, approximately 540 million years ago. Therefore, ammonites came into existence after trilobites.
