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Size:
Gastornis:
1.7 metres tall
Propalaeotherium:
35cms at shoulder
Distribution:
Europe especially Germany
Description: Gastornis
was a large, flightless bird from Europe and existed shortly after the
dinosaurs became extinct. Very
similar relatives have been found in North America.
Although gastornis is portrayed here as an active predator, the
true nature of its diet has never been certain.
The huge beak was most likely used to kill prey and possibly
break bones although a herbivorous diet is possible.
Being nearly 6 feet tall, it was certainly one of the largest
animals around at the time and would have been a formidable predator.
Despite
being a relative of early horses, propalaeotherium was a tiny animal
standing only one to two feet at the shoulder.
Being a very primitive animal, it also didn’t have hooves but
hoofed toes – much like those found on the modern tapir which is also
a relative of the horses. Although
propalaeotherium was related to modern horses, the horse is not a sirect
descendant and these tiny horse-like animals dies out around 43 million
years ago. Remains of
propalaeotherium and gastornis have been found in the same deposits in
Germany so they certainly lived at the same time and in the same
environment.
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