Prehistoric Ancestors Of Modern Animals

What if elephants were as small as dogs? What if frogs were protected by armor? In prehistoric times, they were! In fact, other than a few unique changes, lots of prehistoric beasts looked similar to modern animals that live on Earth. Hedgehogs had long tails and no quills, some birds laid eggs the size of footballs, and dragonflies could eat reptiles and amphibians! If these extinct beasts came to life, they might look familiar—but you wouldn't want to get in their way! Read this book to learn more about the incredible and terrifying prehistoric ancestors of modern animals.

"From the megabeaver to the dwarf elephant, this book introduces readers to some prehistoric animals that might just be familiar."--

From the creators of Walking with Dinosaurs comes this stunning visual encyclopedia of prehistoric animals. The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life is a whos who of the prehistoric world from primitive amphibians and giant armoured fish, to predatory dinosaurs and sabre-toothed cats. Tracing the amazing story of the evolution of life on Earth, the book features over 100 of the largest, weirdest and scariest animals that ever existed. Here, for the first time, we meet some of the truly bizarre creatures that thrived hundreds of millions of years before the dinosaurs roamed the Earth: for example, Pterygotus, a three-metre long sea scorpion, and Hyneria, a two-tonne killer fish that was capable of walking on land. Many of these magnificent creatures have never been visualized before. Moving through the dinosaur era, the book recreates these awesome super-beasts and vividly depicts the landscapes in which they lived and died. All the favourites are here from Tyrannosaurus and Diplodocus to Iguanodon and Velociraptor. With the dying out of the dinosaurs we are introduced to a whole new cast of characters, no less fascinating the weird and wonderful mammals that are the ancestors of modern humans. What did these animals eat? How did they raise their young? How did they survive attack? The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life is packed full of the latest scientific evidence on each animals biology, lifestyle and behaviour, and highlights key facts on size, diet and distribution. Illustrated with impressive digital imagery and remarkable fossil finds, this comprehensive field guide brings alive the creatures of the past in a breathtakingly realistic way.

A comprehensive pocket guide to dinosaurs and prehistoric animals and the world they inhabited millions of years ago. Packed with more than seven hundred full-color illustrations, this definitive pocket guide paints a vivid portrait of extraordinary dinosaurs and prehistoric animals, and the ecosystems they lived in millions of years ago. This guide features authoritative text, crystal-clear illustrations, and a straightforward approach to revealing the fascinating lives and habitats of dinosaurs, pterosaurs, marine reptiles, and prehistoric beasts. The introductory section explains classification systems, geological timelines, the evolution of the dinosaurs, and how fossils form and are discovered by paleontologists. For ease of reference, the main body of the book is divided into three sections: the Precambrian and Paleozoic eras, when animals first began evolving; the Mesozoic era, which saw the flourishing and eventual extinction of the dinosaurs; and the Cenozoic era, when giant mammals walked the Earth. Each section is broken down into its geological time periods, and, within these, the species are organized according to habitat--whether they lived on land, in the water, or in the air. There are detailed profiles of 200 dinosaurs and other ancestors of modern animals. Each entry combines a precise, jargon-free description with full-color illustrations, skeletons, and replica models, annotated to showcase the unique features of the species. Maps show where each animal's fossils have been found, and many profiles are supported by photographs to show actual excavation sites.

What did your guinea pig's great-great-great-great-great-grandparents look like? Paleontologist Dr. Dean Lomax takes a close look at seven of our favorite pets and uses fossil clues to reveal who their prehistoric ancestors might be. Incredible pop-ups bring you face-to-face with awesome ancient creatures, including a velociraptor, a saber-toothed cat, and the giant snake Titanoboa. This book is packed full of fun facts about amazing animals and fascinating fossils.

A comprehensive e-guide to dinosaurs and prehistoric animals and the world they inhabited millions of years ago. Includes more than 700 full-colour illustrations, this definitive e-guide paints a vivid portrait of extraordinary dinosaurs and prehistoric animals, and the ecosystems they lived in millions of years ago. This e-guide features authoritative text, crystal-clear artwork, and a straight-forward approach to revealing the fascinating lives and habitats of dinosaurs, pterosaurs, marine reptiles, and prehistoric beasts. The introductory section explains classification systems, geological timelines, the evolution of the dinosaurs, and how fossils form. For ease of reference, the main body of the book is divided into three sections: the Precambrian and Palaeozoic eras, when animals first began evolving; the Mesozoic era, which saw the flourishing and eventual extinction of the dinosaurs; and the Cenozoic era, when giant mammals walked the Earth. Each section is broken down into its geological time periods, and, within these, the species are organized according to whether they lived on land, in the water, or in the air.There are detailed profiles of 200 dinosaurs and other ancestors of modern animals. Each entry combines a precise, jargon-free description with full-colour artworks, skeletons, and replica models, annotated to showcase the unique features of the species. Maps show where each animal's fossils have been found, and many profiles are supported by photographs to show actual excavation sites.

Any learning should not be boring! And now ancient animals have come to the aid of the Young Personalities. Did the Hobbits exist 100 thousand years ago? Is it true that the ancient rodents were the size of a rhinoceros, and the extinct rhinos led the life of giraffes and were the tallest animals in the world? PREHISTORIC ABC just answers all these questions! A – Arctodus (giant extinct bear), B – Barylambda (one of the largest herbivorous mammals of the Paleocene), C – Castoroides (giant extinct beaver) and so on… 26 photo-reconstructions of prehistoric animals beyond the dinosaurs are illustrated in this Prehistoric Alphabet by famous paleoartist Roman Uchytel. To view each hair or tip of the tooth, the extinct creatures are drawn on a white background. The diet of each animal is indicated by a special symbol. Short and informative texts will not tire even the child and will give understanding of ancestors and descendants of extinct animals. These are not just illustrations, but rather, artistic recreations from the skeletons of ancient animals that roamed the earth millions of years ago. Many of these fascinating creatures are unfamiliar to the public and remain a mystery even to science. So welcome to the World of Prehistoric Fauna from A to Z - undiscovered and incredibly beautiful!

Did you know that dinosaurs weren't the only prehistoric beasts on Earth? Even before the time when dinosaurs lived, there were many other incredible creatures, and some were even bigger and more terrifying than T. rex. Entelodonts had strong jaws designed to crush bones. Quetzalcoatlus was the largest ever flying creature—about the size of a fighter jet! And Dimetrodons were the first animals to have notched teeth for slicing through flesh. What would happen if these beasts came back to life? Imagine these prehistoric predators facing off against tigers, bears, and wolves—and learn all about the terrifying creatures of the past!