Gabi Paleo

Now that the academic year and excavations are over, I have much more free time, but I still need money to live. I'm opening commission - 3D models, renders, or even animations of any kind of creatures; fictionial, real animals, extant or extinct. Feel free to DM me! There, or via mail, or any other social Email - [email protected]

Ozimek volans - a "flying" dragon from Triassic Poland. This small reptile was one of the first vertebrates to attempt to conquer the skies. Although it could not fly, it could glide through the forests it shared with other ancient reptiles, such as Silesaurus.🧵

Ozimek volans, a member of the Sharovipterygidae family, was discovered in the Late Triassic formation near Krasiejów, Poland. It was found alongside other reptiles, such as Silesaurus and Cyclotosaurus. The precise phylogeny of Ozimek, as well as that of its family, remains unclear.

🧵 A herd of Silesaurus opolensis, a medium-sized basal ornithischian, alongside the crocodile relative Stagonolepis olenkae, and the giant amphibian Cyclotosaurus intermedius, all found at the Late Triassic Krasiejów locality in Poland.

Silesaurus opolensis, a basal ornithischian dinosaur once thought to be almost-a-dinosaur, a dinosauriform. This slender, beaked quadruped from Silesia in southern Poland probably fed on plants and insects, as shown by its teeth and beetle remains in fossilised feces.

Stagonolepis olenkae, a relatively small aetosaur, distant relative of modern crocodiles. This armored herbivore from southern Poland was a low browser, with forelimbs adapted for scratch-digging and a shovel-like snout tip, likely used to unearth roots and vegetation.

Anomalocaris, apex predator of the Cambrian sea, glides serenely through its ancient realm. Around it thrives a menagerie of bizarre creatures: hedgehog like Wiwaxia, numerous sponges, spiky Chancelloriids, cup-shaped Dinomischus, and tiny Scenella across the seafloor.

Anomalocaris canadensis, an extinct arthropod of the order Radiodonta, was one of the first apex predators. According to 2023 research, it probably hunted free-swimming prey using a pair of frontal appendages, rather than seafloor dwellers like trilobites, as previously thought.

Wiwaxia corrugata, an extinct animal of uncertain origins, was once thought to be an annelid (a group containing earthworms). The most widely accepted view today is that it was a mollusk or a close relative. It crawled along the seafloor like a slug, scraping bacteria as it fed.

Elephant Bird (Aepyornis maximus) - possibly the largest bird in history, with some estimates reaching 1,000kg. The genus was endemic to Madagascar, with two species, the smaller A. hildebrandti and A. maximus (which, according to the latest research includes Vorombe Titan). Aepyornis maximus was sexually dimorphic, with females being much larger than males. Until recently they were thought to be a separate genus, the Vorombe titan. However, recent studies of their DNA show that they're genetically identical and belong to the same species.

Aepyornis had the largest egg of any known bird, dinosaur or amniote in general, with a volume of 5.6-13 litres. There is an almost complete skeleton of Aepyornis from an intact egg, which is much more robust than hatchlings of other ratites such as emus or ostriches.

In 2014, successfully sequenced DNA answered the question of the origin of these giant birds and their place in taxonomy - their closest living relative is a kiwi. The two diverged about 54 million years ago and both, like most ratites, became flightless independently.

Similar to the kiwi, Aepyornis maximus had reduced optic lobes, suggesting a nocturnal lifestyle. A. maximus had relatively large olfactory bulbs, larger than its relative, A. hildebranti, resulting in a greater sense of smell.

Isotope analasis suggest that the A. maximus were a browser, combing all this knowledge we can say that these giant birds were nocturnal, heavily reliant on smell, giant herbivore, living in dense forest, type of habitat that began to disappear with the arrival of humans. Elephant birds became extinct about 1000 years ago. The reason for this is, of course, was man. But it's not clear if it was just hunting, we're not sure of when humans arrived and colonised Madagascar. The archaeological sites suggest that humans arrived no earlier than 1,500 years ago. However, there are Aepyornis bones with cut marks dating back to 10,000 years ago.

It is possible that humans only recently colonised Madagascar, around 1,500 years ago, but may have visited or accidentally crashed on the island earlier. Either way, there were probably many causes for the extinction of Aepyornis, similar to other megafauna of Madagascar.

Hunting, theft of eggs, transfer of hyperdiseases from livestock and finally massive deforestation as a result of agricultural fires, which continues to this day, have turned Madagascar into a burning paradise, endangering the remaining biodiversity.

South Island giant moa (Dinornis robustus) - the largest species of moa, weighing over 200 kg and capable of reaching 3.6 metres above the ground. As their name suggests, they were native to the South Island of New Zealand, primarily inhabiting lowland areas.

Dinornis robustus were the second largest birds ever found, surpassed in weight and size only by their distant cousin, the elephant bird. They became extinct +-600 years ago, due to the arrival of humans, like other moas.

A major factor in the extinction of moas, especially the giant ones, was egg theft by humans. These birds could lay 1-2 eggs at a time, investing heavily in a small number of hatchlings.

This breeding strategy resulted in a population consisting mainly of long-lived, slow-breeding adults. Interestingly, despite their enormous size, moas eggs were very thin and fragile, only 1.4mm thick.

This may have led to another interesting adaptation, a major sexual dimorphism; males were much smaller than females, so much so that they were once thought to be different species.

Similar to some modern ratites, it's thought that males took care of eggs and young alone, the smaller size made it easier not to damage eggs, although they probably didn't sit on them but wrapped their necks around them.

They nested in holes in the ground or even in hollow tree trunks, probably reused for many years, suggesting that they lived in isolation rather than in a colony.

It is likely that females competed for males with the largest territories, perhaps physically or just by vocalisation. After hatching from the egg, baby moa were already able to walk and feed, probably not only on ferns and grasses but also on smaller animals.

Moas could reach sexual maturity in a few years, but probably social behaviour would prevent them from breeding until much later; much like the cassowary, which doesn't breed until it has its own territory.

Moas were once thought to be closely related to another New Zealand bird - the kiwi - but DNA sequencing has shown that their closest relative is actually the tinamou, a small flying ratite/paleognath from South America.

The two diverged about 60 million years ago, making the moa another example of a paleognath that lost its ability to fly independently after reaching a region without many other large herbivores and predators.

Kiwi (Apteryx) - a genus of flightless birds endemic to New Zealand. They're the smallest of the ratites, a group that includes ostriches, emus, cassowaries, the extinct moas and elephant birds - kiwi's closest relatives, with both lineages diverging 54 million years ago. There are five species of kiwi found in habitats ranging from subalpine scrub to podocarp forests throughout New Zealand. While none overlap today, they were widespread before the introduction of mammals such as stoats, the kiwi's main predator, and several species coexisted.

Despite differences in size, colour and habitat, all kiwi species share traits such as sexual dimorphism; females are larger than males, reliance on hearing and smell rather than sight, an omnivorous diet, and a nocturnal lifestyle; possibly a result of mammalian predators.

Kiwis were thought to be closely related to the extinct moa due to shared traits. However, DNA studies show they're closer to Madagascar's elephant birds, rather than to the moa, with which they shared New Zealand. The kiwi's massive eggs were once thought to be a shared trait with its relatives, the elephant birds; which laid the largest eggs ever recorded. However, it's now thought to be an adaptation for precocity, allowing the chicks to hatch mobile with yolk to sustain them. Fossils of the extinct genus of kiwi - Proapteryx, suggest that their ancestors were capable of flight and lost this ability after reaching New Zealand. This also suggests that kiwis arrived in New Zealand independently and much later than the Moas, which were already there.

Pinocetus – a genus of small baleen whales from the Miocene epoch, discovered in southern Poland. It inhabited shallow waters of the Paratethys Sea. As a smaller whale, it fell prey to predators such as Megalodon. The genus is known only from one species, Pinocetus polonicus. The anatomy of Pinocetus, with its elongated, oval-shaped chest, low-positioned lungs, and weak flipper muscles, suggests it was not an efficient swimmer. Likely unable to dive deeply, it was confined to shallow, coastal waters where it thrived.

The Museum of Natural History in Wrocław holds an almost complete, well-preserved Pinocetus skeleton. An incomplete second specimen in Kielce was broken during excavation; one half was taken by a small on-site corporation, its current location is unknown.

Attempts to recover the missing part of the fossil were met with hostility, as company representatives insulted museum staff and journalists. Afterward, the fossil's whereabouts became a mystery, hindering further research into extinct whales from Poland.

Japanese rhinoceros beetle - a species of large rhinoceros beetle from eastern Asia, found in tropical or subtropical climate, in broad-leaved forests or mountains. There are many subspecies, which differ mainly in the size of the males due to the intensity of sexual selection in certain populations. Like all rhinoceros beetles, they're herbivores, with larvae feeding on humus and adults preferring to feed on exposed tree sap. One subspecies (Allomyrina d. septenrionalis) is even capable of cutting into thin tree bark by itself, without relying on other insects.

Both males and females are very aggressive. Males will fight each other for territory and access to females, using their horns to flip the rival over. Initially they'll just push each other with their horns, trying to assess their chances, and decide whether to fight or flee.

Sometimes males try to be sneaky, either by trying to mate with females on another male's territory without confrontation, or by trying to separate other male and female during mating and mount the female themselves. Females fight each other for territory and access to food. Instead of flipping, due to lack of horn, they'll just headbutt each other. A large horn on males is the result of sexual selection; males with larger horns have a greater chance of winning a fight, and therefore have greater reproductive success.

Maned wolf – a long-legged canid native to South America, adapted for grasslands. Its long legs provide an elevated view of its surroundings. As an omnivore, it hunts small mammals, birds, and insects, and forages on plants, which often make up over 50% of its diet. The wolf apple, a large green, tomato-like fruit, is a key part of the maned wolf's diet. As the primary seed disperser, the wolf is crucial to the plant's reproduction. The wolf’s extensive home range also ensures that seeds are spread across vast areas.

Using stealth and sharp senses, the maned wolf hunts by listening for rustling prey and pouncing, fox-like. With a success rate around 20%, it's a skilled predator, despite that both young and adults are still vulnerable to other predators, like jaguars or pumas.

The maned wolf’s reputation varies across cultures-some fear it, others tolerate it, while some believe its body parts bring good luck or have medicinal properties. Once blamed for livestock killings, this myth has been debunked. Thankfully, despite that, it's not endangered.

Pteranodon - a large Late Cretaceous pterosaur with wingspans over 6 meters. Known for its sexual dimorphism, males had long, backward-facing crests and were significantly larger than females, whose crests and body sizes were smaller. Interestingly, not all males had large crests; only the largest, fully mature males displayed them. With female fossils outnumbering males 2:1, Pteranodon was likely polygynous, with dominant males mating with multiple females that took care of young, like elephant seals.

Pteranodon lacked teeth, a trait shared by many large Cretaceous pterosaurs. As a piscivore, it fed mainly on fish. Strong neck muscles and the ability to take off from water suggest it hunted by diving, similar to modern seabirds like pelicans and gannets.

With light bones and long wings, Pteranodon was adapted for dynamic and thermal soaring, enabling it to cover great distances with ease. This efficient flight likely expanded its hunting grounds and may have facilitated migration, similar to modern storks and condors.

Hesperornis - a large aquatic bird from the Late Cretaceous. These slender birds barely had any wings and likely led a lifestyle similar to that of modern penguins or cormorants.

Unlike modern birds, Hesperornis had actual teeth, a feature that was becoming uncommon by the Late Cretaceous and completely vanished after the K-Pg extinction. However, some modern birds possess pseudoteeth, appearing as sharp structures on their tongues or beaks.

Despite the presence of many predators and potential rivals (like Pteranodon, Ichthyornis, and various sea reptiles), Hesperornis thrived in its environment, due to adaptations such as lobed toes, similar to those of modern grebes, which made it a proficient swimmer.

Thylacine - also known as the Tasmanian tiger, was a large carnivorous marsupial native to Tasmania, Australia, and New Guinea. Despite their intimidating appearance, they were a shy, nocturnal predator that hunted small prey, posing no real threat to humans or livestock. Thylacine mothers were probably highly protective of their young, much like many other marsupials. They carried their pups in pouches for several months, and even after weaning, they remained attentive to ensure their offspring could thrive in the wild.

The thylacine had a unique jaw structure that allowed it to open its mouth up to 80 degrees. This capability enabled it to take larger bites, making it easier to catch and consume prey. However their biteforce was quite low, their main preys were small mammals and birds.

Thylacines were ambush predators, hunting from cover and stalking prey over long distances. However, they weren't built for speed. An interesting and unusual trait was their ability to stand on their hind legs and even hop short distances, somewhat similar to kangaroos.

The thylacine's extinction was a tragedy that could have been avoided. The arrival of dingoes, habitat destruction, and bounty hunting wiped them out. The last known thylacine died in Hobart Zoo in 1936, neglected during a cold night, marking the sorrowful end of the species.

Didymoceras nebrascense - an unusual ammonite from the Late Cretaceous, ~70 million years ago, found in the seas of North America. It was one of heteromorph ammonites, known for their odd shells that formed a variety of strange and complex shapes. The spiral shell of Didymoceras, like other heteromorphs, impacted its locomotion, causing it to drift slowly with ocean currents. During that it likely used its tentacles to catch small prey, while the unusual shell shape might have helped against predators.

Fossil evidence suggests sexual dimorphism, with females larger than males. This size difference was likely linked to reproductive roles, as females needed more space to store eggs and additional protection, a trait common in other ammonites.

Anisopleurodontis - a shark-like fish from the Permian period, related to the famous Helicoprion. Found in the same fossil formation as Prionosuchus, it lived in rivers, lakes or maybe even swamps in Brazil ~270 million years ago, being the second-largest predator there. Although smaller than Prionosuchus, these two predators likely coexisted peacefully, focusing on smaller prey to avoid direct conflict. However, occasional clashes between them may have happened, especially over shared resources.

Unlike Helicoprion, Anisopleurodontis had teeth and mouth not as specialized for hard-shelled prey, allowing it to puncture soft-bodied organisms. Fossil evidence shows wearing on these teeth, suggesting it could also fed on shelled animals, indicating a flexible diet.