Megalania

Name meaning:

Great roamer

Period of life:

2.6 million – 50 thousand years ago

Period:

Quaternary period

Habitat:

Coasts

Taxonomy:

Lizards and snakes

Countries:

Quaternary period Megalania | 3D Dinopedia

Arctodus

Haikouichthys

Megalania (2.6 million – 50 thousand years ago)

Megalania was an extinct species of giant monitor lizard that formed part of the unique megafauna of Pleistocene Australia. This lizard is considered the largest terrestrial lizard known to science, although its exact size is difficult to determine because the discovered fossils are fragmentary. According to current estimates, Megalania may have reached lengths of 3.5 to 7 meters; however, the upper end of this range is now questioned by many researchers. Estimates of body mass vary widely, from approximately 97 to 1,940 kilograms. In overall build, Megalania was typical of monitor lizards: an elongated, powerful body, robust limbs with sharp claws, and a long tail.

Paleontologists estimate the locomotor speed of Megalania at around 2.6–3 meters per second. This is comparable to the speed of a modern Australian crocodile. However, unlike crocodiles, monitor lizards are characterized by greater endurance, so Megalania likely could maintain such speeds over longer distances.

The skull of Megalania was large and robust. A small crest was present between the eyes, and the powerful jaws were equipped with serrated, blade-like teeth. As in modern monitor lizards, Megalania possessed venom glands in the lower jaw, making its bite particularly dangerous. Its internal anatomy was consistent with an active lifestyle: well-developed lungs, a powerful heart, and an efficient circulatory system allowed this predator to maintain high levels of mobility.

Megalania occupied the position of an apex predator within its ecosystem. It hunted a wide range of animals, including birds, reptiles, and even giant marsupial diprotodonts, whose mass could reach up to three tons. The species became extinct relatively recently—around 50 thousand years ago. The exact causes of its extinction remain unclear, but possible factors include climate change and the arrival of the first humans in Australia.

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