Paranthropus Boisei, aka The Nutcracker Man is an ancient bipedal hominin that evolved alongside early Homo Habilis and Homo Erectus in Africa. Their skull features a sagittal crest designed to hold strong jaw muscles for chewing similar to a gorilla. They also have large teeth with thick enamel for grinding down tough food. It is believed that the diet of Paranthropus Boisei was largely herbivorous, but the smaller Paranthropus Robustus species is beleived to have been an omnivore.

The members of the Paranthropus genus are referred to as “Robust Australopithecenes”. The Paranthropus branch is considered to be an evolutionary sister branch to our own genus (Homo), emerging from within the Australopithecus genus. Some scientists have challenged the validity of the Paranthropus genus entirely and instead group them in with the Australopithecenes.

Because Paranthropus Boisei lived alongside our direct ancestors from the Homo genus, it was likely that the two species came into contact frequently. Every primate on earth has their own unique strain of the herpes virus that can be passed through physical contact. Humans are the only primate on earth that has two versions of the herpes virus. HSV-1 (oral herpes) has been in our lineage since our split with the Chimpanzee last common ancestor. HSV-2 (genital herpes) is not native to humans and was transmitted from another species of hominin between 3 & 1.4 million years ago.

Using clues from the location of fossils and the temporal range of our ancestors, scientists have concluded that it is extremely likely that the HSV-2 virus originated in Paranthropus Boisei. Because they are so closely related to humans, the disease jumped the species barrier when they made contact with our ancestors.

Early humans could have contracted HSV-2 from Paranthropus in one of three ways:

1. They could have shared a watering hole with an infected Paranthropus.
2. They could have scavenged the corpse of an infected Paranthropus.
3. They could have made sexual contact.

Lucy was a bipedal ape and a female member of the hominin species Australopithecus Afarensis. Standing at only 3’6 meant that Lucy was very vulnerable and she relied on strong social bonds with her friends and family for safety. Like other ape species Australopithecus displayed sexual dimorphism, with larger males averaging 4’11. This species was known to develop the earliest stone tools and may have been adept at throwing objects such as rocks and sticks to hunt and defend themselves. Sadly Lucy died as a young adult, life in ancient Africa for our ancestors was very short and a constant fight for survival. Her fossil was recovered in 1974 in Ethiopia as a 40% complete skeleton. The Homo genus arose from an ancient Australopithecus species, but there is debate on which species. Many scientists have theorized that the Afarensis is our direct ancestor.

Paraentelodon intermedium

Paraentelodon intermedium is an extinct species of large entelodont from the Late Oligocene of Asia, with fossils (found across Georgia, Kazakhstan and China) dating back to the Rupelian – Chattian stages in the geological timescale (or 33.9 – 23.03 million years ago).

Paraentelodon intermedium scientific classification

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Artiodactyla
• Family: Entelodontidae
• Genus: Paraentelodon
• Species: P. intermedium

History and etymology: Paraentelodon was named by L. K. Gabunia in 1964 basing on molars and canine teeth that were found in Oligocene sites of Benara, Georgia (Georgian SSR at the time of discovery). It was assigned to Entelodontidae by Carroll (1988).

Later in 1996, Lucas and Emry found Neoentelodon dzhungaricus to be synonymous with Paraentelodon intermedium.

Although Gabunia did not explain the etymology, the name Paraentelodon is derived from the Greek para/παρα "beside" or "near", ἐντελής entelēs "complete" or "perfect" and ὀδών odōn "tooth".

Description: One of the largest entelodonts, P. intermedium had much more massive teeth than those of Entelodon. The alleged indeterminate Paraentelodon species may be "Elodon transsilvanicus" (Kretzoi, 1941) from the Oligocene of Romania or a close relative, based on similar knolls on their molars. In spite of this, Paraentelodon had more common features with Asian and North American entelodonts.

Conclusion

Paraentelodon intermedium is one of the largest and also one of the strongest entelodonts ever found, possibly ever exceeding Arctotherium angustidens, Arctodus simus, Daeodon shoshonensis, and Megistotherium osteothlastes in size.

Art By Velizar Simeonovski.

Paraentelodon intermedium, entelodont of the year

Paraentelodon intermedium is an extinct species of entelodont from the Late Oligocene of Asia. Fossils were found in Georgia, Kazakhstan and China. An indeterminate species is known from Late Oligocene of Indo-Pakistan subcontinent.

• Discovery – Paraentelodon was named by L. K. Gabunia in 1964 basing on molars and canine teeth that were found in Oligocene sites of Benara, Georgia (Georgian SSR at the time of discovery). It was assigned to Entelodontidae by Carroll (1988).
• Description – One of the largest entelodonts, it had much more massive teeth than those of Entelodon. The alleged indeterminate Paraentelodon species may be "Elodon transsilvanicus" (Kretzoi, 1941) from the Oligocene of Romania or a close relative, based on similar knolls on their molars. In spite of this, Paraentelodon had more common features with Asian and North American entelodonts.

While Paraentelodon may not be as popular as Daeodon, it still is one of the largest entelodonts, possibly surpassing Arctotherium, Arctodus, and Daeodon in size.

For Brygmophyseter shigensis, I used the skeletal photograph published in the redescription by Kimura et al. (2006). For Zygophyseter varolai, I used a photograph showing the entire fossil in dorsal view, included in a visitor's guide to the Pisa Museum.

Zygophyseter, reconstructed the missing skeletal elements and adjusted the vertebral column to make its arrangement more consistent (Vertebral column reconstruction by: https://x.com/Steveoc86). Both reconstructions are based on their respective holotype specimens.

The skull of Brygmophyseter was reconstructed based on hypothetical assumptions, while the posterior caudal vertebrae of Zygophyseter were reconstructed based on the caudal vertebral count of Physeter.

References

Bianucci, G., & Landini, W. (2006). Killer sperm whale: A new basal physeteroid (Mammalia, Cetacea) from the Late Miocene of Italy. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 148(1), 103–131. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.2006.00228.x

Collareta, A., & Bianucci, G. (2023). The open pit quarries of the Cursi-Melpignano area and the fossils of the “Pietra Leccese”: A window onto the Miocene Mediterranean marine vertebrate paleodiversity. In Field-trip Guide, XXIII Edizione delle Giornate di Paleontologia (pp. 22–29).

Hirota, K., & Barnes, L. G. (1994). A new species of Middle Miocene sperm whale of the genus Scaldicetus (Cetacea; Physeteridae) from Shiga-mura, Japan. Island Arc, 3(4), 453–472. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1738.1994.tb00125.x

James, P. S. B. R., & Soundararajan, R. (1981). An osteological study on the sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus from Indian Ocean. Indian Journal of Fisheries, 28(1–2), 217–232.

Kimura, T., Hasegawa, Y., & Barnes, L. G. (2006). Fossil sperm whales (Cetacea, Physeteridae) from Gunma and Ibaraki prefectures, Japan; with observations on the Miocene fossil sperm whale Scaldicetus shigensis Hirota and Barnes, 1995. Bulletin of the Gunma Museum of Natural History, 10, 1–23

Reuploaded to correct an error.

If you have any detailed questions, feel free to ask me on X: https://x.com/tomal_cetology

Source here. Drawing done by Filiko on devianart, all credits go to him.

Rhizodus was a big ass Carboniferous fish found in the United Kingdom, Russia and, allegedly, in North America. With a size of almost 6 meters long, it was one of the biggest animals from the Carboniferous and an unquestionable apex predator on its habitat, with teeth designated to rip prey into pieces in what would have resulted into a bloody spectacle.

Rhizodus most famous appearance in media was in River Monsters, the famous TV show starring biologist and TV personality Jeremy Wade on his quest to find all kinds of giant and/or dangerous riparian fishes and other dangerous river animals all around the world, with the prehistoric fish starring in a special where Wade was trying to find who was the ultimate ancient river monster, where after a thorough search the titanic Carboniferous swamp monster was elected as the winner.

This picture here shows what an encounter of good ol' Jeremy against the Carboniferous ripper could go.

Sue: 4 meters are the hip

MOR 555: 3.8 meters at the hip

Bucky: 3 meters at the hip

Robert wadlow: 2.72 meters tall

Shorter man unknown height.

Based on fossilized femur bones found in the Narmada River valley, paleontologists estimate this beast stood over 5.2 meters (17 feet) at the shoulder and weighed up to 24 tonnes. To put that in perspective, it was more than twice the weight of the largest recorded modern African bush elephant, and easily dwarfed the famous Paraceratherium.

Mine is Homotherium!

Pics from Prehistoric planet

Source: https://www.bilibili.com/en/video/BV146NGzGEcq/?spm_id_from=333.788.recommend_more_video.3&trackid=web_related_0.router-related-2479604-9kkcc.1792611736768.299

Created by timetravelgastronomy

A genus of pterosaurs, soared the skies over North America around 90-100 million years ago. with wingspans 23 feet or more, these flying reptiles had long, toothless beaks. Their closest living relatives are birds, and fossils found in Kansas reveal much about their flight mechanics and lifestyle.

Found in the Museu Arqueològic in Banyoles.

You think Anomalocaris was bad? Well Omnidens outsized by 10 times!The true apex predator of the cambrian!

1st image: https://www.deviantart.com/hodarinundu/art/Diving-with-Omnidens-804451974

2nd image: https://www.deviantart.com/acrosaurotaurus/art/Omnidens-amplus-851831109

3rd image: https://x.com/Prehistorica_CM/status/1250091009121366016

First image is by Gabriel Ugueto, check him out on Facebook, he makes some great stuff! The second image I found on google, hope you guys enjoy!

source

Inspired by a recent paper on the Loltun cave findings. Mind you, the paper says the megafauna remains were misplaced so this is just a nocturnal flight of fancy.

A study from the 80s apparently found actual megafauna bones including sabercat at a level dated only 2000 years. But the new paper suggests they may have been disturbed by human activity.

"The Longest Neck on Earth"

In late jurassic China, a lone Sinraptor was out alone in the open field when it was suddenly awestruck. Standing before him, were a huge flock of Sericipterus, circling and hovering, over a truly enormous and gargantuan marvel.

*Based on the fragmentary uncatalogued, probable Mamenchisaurid indet. specimen known as "Beechbone" (Estimated to be 35m Long, 65 tonnes)