Modern Dinosaurs

Some of these animals changed little since Cretaceous times. This was a pre-histroric period known for the chalk like deposits where reptilian and aquatic fossils were preserved. Thee chalk itself arose from the skeletal remains of  minute diatoms, microscopic unicellular creatures. Perhaps the late dinosaurs were larger then their modern day cousins and their survival depended largely on their anatomy.  The crocodile for example had a design that made it able to view its catch by barely being visible. The Komodo had few competitors in its domain, scientists say. As mammals succeeded in supplanting them, their habitats have been reduced around the globe. Here are a few forms known for their relatively large dimensions compared to their modern day reptilian or aquatic  cousins.

Crocodile

It has a tail that can be used as a springboard to launch it from the depths of a river bed and i is common knowledge that its jaw lock is quite fierce. Anatomically speaking the symmetry it was given has led to it’s success on land as well as in the water where it can steer with its tail and view its prey with eye  balls that appear at the water line. It is useful in eliminating the weak and old as do other predators. Crocodiles, fiercer than their Alligator cousins, have been known to ambush their prey from their habitat along the Nile or elsewhere in Asia and Africa.

Komodo Dragon

These giant venomous lizard has been relegated to a few remote Indonesian islands.  This is also a remnant of prehistoric times, being threatened because of encroaching human habitats. Occasionally one can hear about his in the news as it may attack an unwary child that goes near and it has been known to kill by using its tail.They are known to hunt local prey even though they prefer carrion and they dominate their habitat because of their size and fearsome reputation.It’s success in locating prey and enemies can be attributed to its keen hearing and the use of its tongue. In the wild the “dragon” can kill its prey by sepsis induced through its bite.

Galapagos Tortoise

I am referring to the land tortoise which shares a habitat with other exotic species like the Iguana.The relative to the modern turtle lives for centuries and most probably survived because of their hard shells and the ability to retract their limbs under the carapace. Its longevity has been credited to is slow metabolic rate but one can also say that longevity is also inherited.

Image via Wikipedia

Giant Squid

Sounds like a reference to the famed film where a submarine encountered a giant squid in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. recently a large cephalopod with extra long tentacles was washed ashore in Eastern Canada yet no known specimen was seen alive in the deep.The American Museum of History has a squid eyeball the size of a succor ball, attesting to the fact that larger than normal specimens have been living in the deep but their numbers are probably small.Modern estimates measure the animal to be anywhere between 10 to 13 meters in length although there is a larger form called Colossal, that has been measured at 14 meters.

Image via Wikipedia

Green or Common Iguana

This prehistoric lizard which has a superior sense of visualizing compared to the Komodo above is native to the rain forests of Central and South America. It is arboreal, can grow to a length of two meters and lives on plants and vegetation. A photo-sensory organ, without a retina, on the top its head helps it to detect predators from above. It’s calm disposition has made this popular as a pet yet it requires a specific micro-climate that could be challenging to the hobbyist.