Brief Summary
This video explores several significant paleontological misinterpretations and discoveries. It covers how initial understandings of creatures like Megalosaurus, Megarachne, Therizinosaurus, Pterodactylus, Anomalocaris, and Deinocheirus were drastically different from our current knowledge. The video also touches on the concept of Lazarus taxa, using the example of the coelacanth, a fish thought to be extinct for 66 million years until its rediscovery in the 20th century.
- Early paleontological interpretations were often flawed due to limited fossil evidence and prevailing scientific and religious beliefs.
- Misidentification can occur due to incomplete fossil records, leading to inaccurate reconstructions and ecological assumptions.
- The rediscovery of species thought to be long extinct challenges our understanding of extinction and biodiversity.
Paleontology Is Unbelievably Hard
Paleontology is a challenging science that aims to understand extinct animals based on often incomplete and ancient bones. Due to these limitations, paleontologists have made mistakes over the years, ranging from minor size exaggerations to significant misinterpretations that alter our perception of entire species. The video will explore seven creatures whose initial understandings were notably flawed.
First Dinosaur = Biblical Giant Reptile?
Megalosaurus, the first dinosaur ever described, was initially misunderstood due to the limited knowledge of dinosaurs in 1824. William Buckland, the paleontologist who studied the incomplete fossil consisting of a femur, vertebrae, and jaw fragments, believed it to be a giant, amphibious, quadrupedal lizard exceeding 40 feet in length. Later, another paleontologist revised the estimate to 70 feet, possibly due to professional rivalry. Buckland also attempted to reconcile the carnivorous nature of Megalosaurus with religious beliefs by suggesting it was specialized to end the lives of the old and ill, thus reducing suffering before Adam and Eve's sin. Over time, the discovery of more complete theropod fossils revealed that Megalosaurus was bipedal, fully terrestrial, and smaller than initially estimated, around 20 feet long and weighing just over a ton, establishing it as the apex predator of Middle Jurassic England.
The Largest Spider That Never Was
In the 1980s, a fossil discovered in Argentina was initially identified as Megarachne, a giant spider from the Carboniferous period, measuring 34 cm long, larger than the Goliath birdeater. Despite some unusual features like a divided carapace and spatulate chelicerae, it gained popularity and was featured in museums and documentaries. However, skepticism remained due to these unique features. In 2005, a more complete specimen revealed that Megarachne's features closely resembled those of sea scorpions, specifically the Woodwardopterus. It was then realized that Megarachne was not a spider at all, but a fairsized eurypterid, a type of sea scorpion. Despite this, some museums continue to display it as a spider due to prior investments. Currently, Megarachne is believed to have lived in freshwater floodplains, sifting through substrate for small invertebrates.
When Therizinosaurus Was A Titanic Clawed Turtle
In 1948, Soviet expeditions in the Gobi Desert discovered massive claw bones, unlike anything previously found, alongside a theropod body and fragmentary bones. Paleontologists incorrectly associated the claws with a giant aquatic turtle, estimating it to be 15 feet long and weighing over a ton. The scientist, Evan Maliv, hypothesized that this turtle used its claws to rake in seaweed. The species name, Therizinosaurus cheloniformis, even reflects this initial turtle identification, meaning "scythe lizard turtle." Later re-examination of the bones revealed similarities to the claws of large theropods, leading to the reclassification of Therizinosaurus as a dinosaur. Additional finds confirmed its theropod identity, though the exact use of its claws remains debated, with theories ranging from self-defense and digging to climbing and display.
Fully Aquatic Pterosaurs
The first pterosaur fossil, Pterodactylus, discovered in the late 1700s, was initially misidentified as a marine animal by scientist Kosimo Khini. Despite the completeness of the fossil, Khini interpreted the wings as flippers, suggesting the creature used them for underwater propulsion. He believed it was fully aquatic, though others thought it was amphibious like a seal. In the early 1800s, scientists began to recognize the elongated bones as potential wing supports, comparing them to bat wings, marking the first consideration of pterosaurs as flying animals. In 1809, Gor Kuier officially described the animal, naming it Pterodactylus, meaning "winged finger." However, the aquatic interpretation persisted until the 1830s when paleontologists generally accepted that pterodactylus and other pterosaurs were flyers. Pterodactylus was a small pterosaur that lived in Jurassic Europe, feeding on small animals near saline lagoons.
The 1 Animal That Was 3
Anomalocaris, an unusual creature from the Cambrian period, was initially mistaken for three separate animals when its first fossil was unearthed in 1892. Researchers found a piece of its mouth, front appendages, and a trunk, and incorrectly classified them as a new type of sea cucumber, a shrimp, and a jellyfish, respectively. The repeated discovery of these fossils in the same vicinity eventually led to the realization that they belonged to a single organism. Anomalocaris is now recognized as a member of the radiodonts, an extinct order of stem-group arthropods, and is often described as looking like a strange shrimp, with its name meaning "abnormal shrimp."
All Arms No Body = Slender Man T. Rex?
Deinocheirus, a dinosaur from the Nemegt Formation, was initially known only from a pair of immense arms and associated bones. The lack of a complete skeleton led to various speculative interpretations, including a giant carnivorous theropod, a sloth-like dinosaur, and a Slenderman-like entity with superpowered arms. Nearly 50 years after its original discovery, a more complete specimen was found in 2013, revealing Deinocheirus to be a giant ornithomimosaur with a duck-like face, large hump, and unique limbs. Despite its claws, it is now believed to have been a gentle giant that used its claws for digging and gathering plants, though fish scales found in one specimen suggest it was an omnivore. Deinocheirus is now considered the largest ornithomimosaur ever and among the largest theropods, measuring up to 36 feet long and weighing up to 6.5 tons.
The Animal Who Came Back To Life 66 MYA Later
The coelacanth is an example of a Lazarus taxon, an animal that disappears from and then reappears in the fossil record. First discovered in the 18th century, coelacanths were believed to be an extinct group of fish that lived from the late Permian to the Cretaceous period, approximately 250 to 66 million years ago. They were thought to have gone extinct during the KT extinction event. However, in 1938, a living coelacanth was discovered off the coast of South Africa. This rediscovery was an international sensation and led to the discovery of more specimens and a second species. Living coelacanths can grow up to 6.6 feet long and weigh around 200 pounds, living up to 100 years. Genetic studies have revealed that lungfish are more closely related to tetrapods than coelacanths are, and that coelacanths are still evolving.
