Neogene Animals, Megalodon & Ancient Mammals

16Cenozoic

Its hand-sized teeth belonged to a giant shark specialized in hunting marine mammals.

61Cenozoic

A tall flightless predator used a deep hooked beak to strike prey on the ground.

62Cenozoic

One of the largest flying birds rode rising air above open South American plains.

66Cenozoic

Huge teeth in both jaws armed a macropredatory sperm whale.

67Cenozoic

Ever-growing saber canines evolved independently in this marsupial relative.

68Cenozoic

This long-necked hoofed mammal belonged to a uniquely South American lineage.

92Cenozoic

Long clawed forelimbs made this horse relative walk on its knuckles.

93Cenozoic

A huge deep-skulled omnivore belonged to the entelodonts, not to true pigs.

97Cenozoic

This black-bear-sized beaver had ridged teeth and depended on extensive wetlands.

113Cenozoic

A massive body, broad feet and four ossicones made this giraffid resemble both deer and cattle.

114Cenozoic

Short blade-like canines, long forelimbs and a sloping back suited pursuit of large prey.

116Cenozoic

Without large predators, this heavy island rabbit evolved small ears and lost efficient hopping.

177Cenozoic

Bundles of enamel-wrapped tooth columns and broad limbs helped it crop aquatic plants in tidal flats and shallow water.

178Cenozoic

Rear-shifted nostrils and four tusks document a distinctive skull; a short trunk is a soft-tissue reconstruction inferred from the bones.

242Cenozoic

A widened jaw and flattened lower tusks formed a shovel-like cutting edge for tough vegetation.

243Cenozoic

Only the lower jaw carried tusks, curving downward beneath a body taller than most modern elephants.

244Cenozoic

Two upper and two lower tusks gave its elongated head a four-tusked profile absent from living elephants.

246Cenozoic

A bear-heavy torso combined with a dog-like long skull and tail, inspiring the name bear-dog.

247Cenozoic

A skull nearly half a meter long and robust shearing teeth placed it among the largest terrestrial mammalian carnivores.

248Cenozoic

Dense bones helped it submerge and long claws anchored it on the bottom—an extraordinary marine experiment among ground sloths.

249Cenozoic

It may have approached a tonne, with giant incisors capable of generating exceptional bite forces.

297Cenozoic

A forked Y-shaped nasal horn joined two brow horns in the most elaborate protoceratid display.

298Cenozoic

Short legs and a barrel body gave this grazing rhinoceros a hippo-like outline.

300Cenozoic

Huge curved claws belonged to a forest browser whose name is tied to Thomas Jefferson.