Let’s Get Primitive!

Let’s Get Primitive!Mr. BunnLunch LecturesSpring 2014

Thalassocnus

Thalassocnus•Extinct

•Semi-Aquatic (Marine) Sloth

•Fossils found off the coast of Peru and Chile▫What is familiar about this marine sloth’s

fossil location? (Think back to our last lecture)

•2-23 M.Y.A.

Thalassocnus•Still mammals

•No gills => Lungs

•Original habitat:▫Coastal waters

Thalassocnus

What is it eating?

Thalassocnus•Diet▫Sea grasses

•Thalassia▫Extant genus of sea grass

•Why do you think this animal’s genus name is Thalassocnus?

Thalassocnus•Why do you think these sloths fed on sea

grasses?

•Think about habitat (coastal waters)

•Think about diet (sea grasses)

•Sea grasses grow in shallow waters

Deinotherium

Deinotherium

Deinotherium•Extinct

•Distribution▫Asia, Africa and Europe

•So…about those tusks?▫Claw?▫Shovel?▫Rake?

Deinotherium

Therizinosaurus•Therizo-▫“To reap” or “cut off”

•Extinct

•Fossils found in Mongolia

•Herbivorous?

Therizinosaurus

Epidexipteryx

Epidexipteryx•Extinct

•“-teryx”▫“feather”

•Why do you think it has this name?▫“Display feather”

• Jurassic Period

Epidexipteryx

Epidexipteryx•Does it look like this animal would be able

to fly?

•Feathers evolved before flight

•Um, what?

Epidexipteryx•Extinct

•“-teryx”▫“feather”

•Why do you think it has this name?▫“Display feather”

• Jurassic Period

Helicoprion

Helicoprion•Extinct

Helicoprion

Helicoprion•We’ve talked about genera…

•Lots of species in a genus

Hallucigenia

Hallucigenia•Cambrian period

•Didn’t last very long

•Why do you think this is?▫Protection from predation?▫Under-developed sensory or motor

function?

Jaekelopterus

Jaekelopterus

Jaekelopterus•Enough said

Longisquama

Longisquama•Cambrian period

•Didn’t last very long

•Why do you think this is?▫Protection from predation?▫Under-developed sensory or motor

function?

Longisquama•“Long scales”