The 10 scariest prehistoric animals

Dunkleosteus

This giant, carnivorous fish lived during the Late Devonian, about 370 million years ago. It was 6 meters long and could weigh up to 1 ton. It was called the dark bonefish since in reality its mouth was not exactly made of teeth, but of bones: its bite was as powerful as that of a crocodile.

The first fossil remains of this fish were found in 1867, and since then more remains have been found throughout North America, Europe, and Africa. It was one of the biggest predators in Devonian waters, and it is suspected that it had cannibalistic behavior. It was capable of eating other specimens of the same species.

Gorgonopsia

Although its appearance resembles that of a dinosaur, it is not, but it is a giant reptile that lived much earlier, about 250 million years ago. It was one of the main predators on Earth during the Upper Permian stage. Its appearance was terrifying since it had saber teeth, with which it easily captured its prey.

This species disappeared after the Permian mass extinction, which wiped out 80% of the planet's living species.

Liopleurodon

The liopleurodon lived in the Jurassic period when it dominated the seas due to its large size and its capabilities as a predator. It could weigh up to 50 tons and measure between 6 and 7 meters. It belonged to a higher order of species, the pliosaurs, whose teeth were 8 times more powerful than those of the great white shark, at 70 centimeters long. In addition, the fins of these animals could be about 3 meters long.

Madtsoia

It could weigh more than 1 ton and measure between 15 and 20 meters. It is one of the largest snakes that has ever inhabited the Earth.  The anaconda, the largest known today, does not exceed 8 meters and 200 kilograms in weight. Scientists are not sure of the exact period in which it lived, but it is estimated that it survived for many millions of years: it probably began to exist 90 million years ago and was extinct only 2 million years ago.

Meganeura

The meganeura is an example of the arthropods that lived 300 million years ago, the first creatures to set foot on Earth, during the Carboniferous period. At this stage, oxygen concentrations skyrocketed on planet Earth, allowing these animals' respiratory systems to be more efficient, thus facilitating their enormous size. The meganeura was a kind of dragonfly, but the size of an eagle today. Like her, there were millipedes over 2 meters long, and spiders and scorpions the size of wolves.