"size and decreased in diversity, leaving only the modern subclass Lissamphibia. The three modern orders of amphibians are Anura (the frogs and toads), Urodela (the salamanders), and Apoda (the caecilians). The number of known amphibian species is approximately 7,000, of which nearly 90% are frogs. The smallest amphibian (and vertebrate) in the world is a frog from New Guinea (""Paedophryne amauensis"") with a length of just . The largest living amphibian is the Chinese giant salamander (""Andrias davidianus""), but this is dwarfed by the extinct ""Prionosuchus"" from the middle Permian of Brazil. The study of amphibians is called batrachology, while"
"Hydrosaurus amboinensis The Amboina sail-finned lizard or Amboina sailfin lizard (""Hydrosaurus amboinensis"") is the largest agamid lizard in the world, growing to over one metre in length. It is found in wooded habitats near water in New Guinea (both Papua New Guinea and Western New Guinea, Indonesia) and Ambon/Amboina Island (Indonesia). Although it has been reported from the Philippines and Sulawesi, a genetic study has shown that all in the former country (even southern ones, which have caused confusion in the past) are Philippine sailfin lizards ""H. pustulatus"", while individuals from the latter island belong to a separate, currently unrecognized"
"Chinese giant salamander The Chinese giant salamander (""Andrias davidianus"") is the largest salamander and largest amphibian in the world, reaching a length of , although it rarely reaches that size today. It is fully aquatic and is endemic to rocky mountain streams and lakes in China. It has been introduced to Kyoto Prefecture in Japan and Taiwan. It is considered critically endangered in the wild due to habitat loss, pollution, and overcollection, as it is considered a delicacy and used in traditional Chinese medicine. On farms in central China it is extensively farmed and sometimes bred, although many of the"
"albatross, but is thought to have been dead before it was eaten. Alicella Alicella gigantea is the largest species of amphipod ever observed, with some individuals reaching up to long. Formerly included in the family Lysianassidae, a new family, Alicellidae, was erected in 2008 for ""Alicella"" and five related genera. The species only lives at great depths; the first specimens were collected at the end of the 19th century from the Madeira Abyssal Plain, and subsequent specimens have been found in other abyssal plains of both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as from the Kermadec Trench in the"
"Alicella Alicella gigantea is the largest species of amphipod ever observed, with some individuals reaching up to long. Formerly included in the family Lysianassidae, a new family, Alicellidae, was erected in 2008 for ""Alicella"" and five related genera. The species only lives at great depths; the first specimens were collected at the end of the 19th century from the Madeira Abyssal Plain, and subsequent specimens have been found in other abyssal plains of both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as from the Kermadec Trench in the southwest Pacific. One specimen was found in the stomach of a black-footed"
"Tasmanian giant freshwater crayfish The Tasmanian giant freshwater crayfish (""Astacopsis gouldi""), also called Tasmanian giant freshwater lobster, is the largest freshwater invertebrate in the world. The species is only found in the rivers below above sea level in northern Tasmania, an island-state of Australia. It is listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List due to overfishing and habitat degradation, and it has been prohibited to catch the crayfish since 1998. The diet of the freshwater crayfish varies with age, but predominantly consists of decaying wood, leaves and their associated microbes. They may also eat small fish, insects,"
"namadicus"" may have been the largest land mammal ever, based on extensive research of fragmentary leg bone fossils from one individual, with a maximum estimated size of 22 tonnes. The Permian era ""Cotylorhynchus"", from what is now the southern United States, probably was the largest of all synapsids (most of which became extinct 250 million years ago), at and 2 tonnes. The largest carnivorous synapsid was ""Anteosaurus"" from what is now South Africa during Middle Permian era. ""Anteosaurus"" was long, and weighed about . The largest living reptile, a representative of the order Crocodilia, is the saltwater crocodile (""Crocodylus porosus"")"
"species to which the name ""H. celebensis"" is available. Sailfin lizards are semiaquatic and able to run short distances across water using both their feet and tail for support, similar to the basilisks. Hydrosaurus amboinensis The Amboina sail-finned lizard or Amboina sailfin lizard (""Hydrosaurus amboinensis"") is the largest agamid lizard in the world, growing to over one metre in length. It is found in wooded habitats near water in New Guinea (both Papua New Guinea and Western New Guinea, Indonesia) and Ambon/Amboina Island (Indonesia). Although it has been reported from the Philippines and Sulawesi, a genetic study has shown that"
"Capybara The capybara (""Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris"") is a mammal native to South America. It is the largest living rodent in the world. Also called chigüire, chigüiro (in Venezuela) and carpincho, it is a member of the genus ""Hydrochoerus"", of which the only other extant member is the lesser capybara (""Hydrochoerus isthmius""). Its close relatives include guinea pigs and rock cavies, and it is more distantly related to the agouti, the chinchilla, and the coypu. The capybara inhabits savannas and dense forests and lives near bodies of water. It is a highly social species and can be found in groups as large"
"in 1982, multiple establishments in Japan that raise capybaras have adopted the practice of having them relax in onsen during the winter. Capybara The capybara (""Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris"") is a mammal native to South America. It is the largest living rodent in the world. Also called chigüire, chigüiro (in Venezuela) and carpincho, it is a member of the genus ""Hydrochoerus"", of which the only other extant member is the lesser capybara (""Hydrochoerus isthmius""). Its close relatives include guinea pigs and rock cavies, and it is more distantly related to the agouti, the chinchilla, and the coypu. The capybara inhabits savannas and"
"one of the largest and oldest clonal colonies on Earth. Among animals, the largest species are all marine mammals, specifically whales. The blue whale is believed to be the largest animal to have ever lived. The largest land animal classification is also dominated by mammals, with the African bush elephant being the most massive of these. The largest single-stem tree by wood volume and mass is the giant sequoia (""Sequoiadendron giganteum""), native to Sierra Nevada and California; it typically grows to a height of and in diameter. Multiple-stem trees such as banyan can be enormous. Thimmamma Marrimanu in India spreads"
"Giant barb The giant barb or Siamese giant carp, ""Catlocarpio siamensis"" (, , , or , , ; , ; Vietnamese: ""cá Hô""), is the largest species of cyprinid in the world. These migratory fish are found only in the Mae Klong, Mekong, and Chao Phraya River basins in Indochina. Populations have declined drastically due to habitat loss and overfishing, and the giant barb is now considered critically endangered. Giant barbs are usually seen in large pools along the edges of large rivers, but seasonally enter smaller canals, floodplains, and flooded forests. Young barbs are usually found in smaller tributaries"
"giant salamanders has declined rapidly due to their value as a source of traditional Chinese medicine ingredients and as food, and due to poaching, loss of habitat and pollution. It has been put on the list of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, and it is under state protection in China. EDGE (Evolutionarily Distinct & Globally Endangered) aims to ensure the future of this salamander by helping to create an environmental education programme encouraging sustainable management of wild populations. Chinese giant salamander The Chinese giant salamander (""Andrias davidianus"") is the largest salamander and largest amphibian in the world,"
"came in all sizes, from small salamander-like Stereospondyli that scurried along the waters edge and undergrowth, to giant, well armoured Archegosauroidea that looked more like crocodiles. ""Prionosuchus"" was an exceptionally large member of the Archegosauridae, estimated to have been up to 9 meters long, it is the largest amphibian ever known to have lived. Temnospondyls typicall had large heads and heavy shoulder girdles with moderately long tails. A fossil trackway from Lesotho shows larger forms dragged themselves by the front limbs over slippery surfaces with limited sideways movement of the body, very unlike modern salamanders. A temnospondyl's fore-foot had only"
"ex situ conservation methods.There are efforts in place for certain members of the Salamander family to be conserved under a conservation breeding program (CBP) but it is important to note that there should be research done ahead of time to determine if the Salamander species is actually going to value from the CBP, as researchers have noted that some species of amphibians completely fail in this environment. Various conservation initiatives are being attempted around the world. The Chinese giant salamander, at 1.8 m (6 ft) the largest amphibian in the world, is critically endangered, as it is collected for food"
"Goliath frog The goliath frog otherwise known as goliath bullfrog or giant slippery frog (""Conraua goliath"") is the largest living frog on Earth. Specimens can grow up to 32 cm (12.6 in) in length from snout to vent, and weigh up to 3.25 kg (7.17 lb). This species has a relatively small habitat range in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Its numbers are dwindling due to habitat destruction and its collection for food and the pet trade. In a sample of 15 individuals, weights ranged between , and snout-vent lengths were between . Their eyes can be nearly in diameter. The"
"(""Mulleripicus pulverulentus""). The largest-known parrot is the extinct Norfolk Island kaka (""Nestor productus""), about long. The largest-known penguin of all time was ""Anthropornis nordenskjoeldi"" of New Zealand and Antarctica. It stood in height and was in weight. Similar in size were the New Zealand giant penguin (""Pachydyptes pondeorsus"") with a height of and weighing possibly around and over, and ""Icadyptes salasi"" at tall. The largest-known owl of all time was the Cuban ""Ornimegalonyx"" at tall probably exceeding . The largest-known amphibian of all time was the long temnospondyli ""Prionosuchus"". Another huge temnospondyli was ""Koolasuchus"" at long, but only high. The"
"Greater siren The greater siren (""Siren lacertina"") is an eel-like amphibian and one of the three members of the genus ""Siren"". The largest of the sirens and one of the largest amphibians in North America, the greater siren resides in the coastal plains of the southeastern United States. ""S. lacertina"" is paedomorphic, as are all sirens. They lack hindlimbs as well as a pelvic girdle, and have external gills all throughout their lives along with small lungs. They lack eyelids, and have an unfused pectoral girdle. Greater sirens measure around in length upon hatching and then grow to lengths ranging"
"al."", 2012:683). Cephalopods were at one time the largest of all organisms on Earth (Smith ""et al."", 2016), and numerous species of comparable size to the largest present day squids are known from the fossil record, including enormous examples of ammonoids, belemnoids, nautiloids, orthoceratoids, teuthids, and vampyromorphids. In terms of mass, the largest of all known cephalopods were likely the giant shelled ammonoids and endocerid nautiloids (Teichert & Kummel, 1960:6), though perhaps still second to the largest living cephalopods when considering tissue mass alone (Vermeij, 2016). Size, and particularly maximum size, has been one of the most interesting aspects of"
"Whale shark The whale shark (""Rhincodon typus"") is a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of and a weight of about . The whale shark holds many records for size in the animal kingdom, most notably being by far the largest living nonmammalian vertebrate. It is the sole member of the genus Rhincodon and the only extant member of the family Rhincodontidae which belongs to the subclass Elasmobranchii in the class Chondrichthyes. Before 1984 it was classified as ""Rhiniodon"" into Rhinodontidae. The whale shark is found in open"
"living mammals. Since no scale can accommodate the whole body of a large whale, most whales have been weighed by parts. The following is a list of the heaviest wild land animals, which are all mammals. The African elephant is now listed as two species, the African bush elephant and the African forest elephant, as they are now generally considered to be two separate species. The largest tunicates are ""Synoicum pulmonaria"", found at depths of , and are up to 14 centimetres (6 in) in diameter. It is also present in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, around the coasts of Greenland"
"Giant salamander The Cryptobranchidae are a family of fully aquatic salamanders commonly known as the giant salamanders. A single species, the hellbender (""Cryptobranchus alleganiensis"") occurs in the eastern United States, while Asian species occur in China and Japan. They are the largest living amphibians known today. The Japanese giant salamander (""Andrias japonicus"") reaches up to in length, feeds at night on fish and crustaceans, and has been known to live for more than 50 years in captivity. The Chinese giant salamander (""Andrias davidianus"") can reach a length of . The family name is from the Ancient Greek ""krypto"" (""hidden""), and"
"of all invertebrates (in terms of mass) are the largest squids. The colossal squid (""Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni"") is projected to be the largest invertebrate. Current estimates put its maximum size at long and , based on analysis of smaller specimens. In 2007, authorities in New Zealand announced the capture of the largest known colossal squid specimen. It was initially thought to be and . It was later measured at long and in weight. The mantle was long when measured. The giant squid (""Architeuthis dux"") was previously thought to be the largest squid, and while it is less massive and has a"
"whales. The giant squid is the second-largest mollusc and one of the largest of all extant invertebrates. It is only exceeded by the colossal squid, ""Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni"", which may have a mantle nearly twice as long. Several extinct cephalopods, such as the Cretaceous vampyromorphid ""Tusoteuthis"", the Cretaceous coleoid ""Yezoteuthis"", and the Ordovician nautiloid ""Cameroceras"" may have grown even larger. Giant squid size, particularly total length, has often been exaggerated. Reports of specimens reaching and even exceeding are widespread, but no specimens approaching this size have been scientifically documented. According to giant squid expert Steve O'Shea, such lengths were likely achieved"
"Coconut crab The coconut crab (""Birgus latro"") is a species of terrestrial hermit crab, also known as the robber crab or palm thief. It is the largest land-living arthropod in the world, and is probably at the upper size limit for terrestrial animals with exoskeletons in recent times, with a weight up to . It can grow to up to in length from leg to leg. It is found on islands across the Indian Ocean, and parts of the Pacific Ocean as far east as the Gambier Islands and Pitcairn Islands, mirroring the distribution of the coconut palm; it has"
"15 species. The extinct ancestors of modern whales are the Archaeoceti. While cetaceans were historically thought to have descended from mesonychids, molecular evidence supports them as a relative of Artiodactyls (even-toed ungulates). Cetaceans belong to the order Cetartiodactyla (formed by combining Cetacea + Artiodactyla) and their closest living relatives are hippopotamuses and other hoofed mammals (camels, pigs, and ruminants), having diverged about 50 million years ago. Cetaceans range in size from the and Maui's dolphin to the and blue whale, which is also the largest animal ever known to have existed. Several species exhibit sexual dimorphism. They have streamlined bodies"
"Balanus nubilus Balanus nubilus, commonly called the giant acorn barnacle, is the world's largest barnacle, reaching a diameter of and a height of up to , and containing the largest known muscle fibres. ""Balanus nubilus"" is a northeast Pacific species that ranges from southern Alaska to Baja California. It is frequently found growing on rocks, pier pilings and hard-shelled animals at depths of up to . Like other acorn barnacles, ""B. nubilus"" is a filter feeder; it, in turn, is sometimes eaten by sea otters, sea stars, crabs and the Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest. Abandoned shells of ""B."
"Archelon Archelon (from the Greek roots ἀρχε- ""arkhe-"" ""chief"" and χελώνη ""chelone"" ""turtle"", meaning ""ruler turtle"") is an extinct sea turtle from the Late Cretaceous, the largest ever to have been documented– head to tail and flipper to flipper–and the second-heaviest––behind ""Stupendemys"". The first specimen of ""Archelon"" (YPM 3000) was collected from the Campanian-age Pierre Shale of South Dakota (a geological formation dated to 80.5 million years ago) by Dr. G.R. Wieland in 1895 and described by him the following year (Wieland, 1896). The largest ""Archelon"" fossil, found in the Pierre Shale of South Dakota in the 1970s, measures more"
"water above. There are around 70 cephalopod species in the Southern Ocean, the largest of which is the colossal squid (""Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni""), which at up to is among the largest invertebrate in the world and a true Polar giant. Squid makes up most of the diet of some animals, such as grey-headed albatrosses and sperm whales, and the warty squid (""Moroteuthis ingens"") is one of the subantarctic's most preyed upon species by vertebrates. The red Antarctic sea urchin (""Sterechinus neumayeri"") has been used in several studies and has become a model organism. This is by far the best-known sea urchin"
"Diprotodon Diprotodon, meaning ""two forward teeth"", is the largest known marsupial to have ever lived. Along with many other members of a group of species collectively known as the ""Australian megafauna"", it existed from approximately 1.6 million years ago until extinction some 46,000 years ago (through most of the Pleistocene epoch). ""Diprotodon"" species fossils have been found in sites across mainland Australia, including complete skulls and skeletons, as well as hair and foot impressions. Female skeletons have been found with babies located where the mother's pouch would have been. The largest specimens were hippopotamus-sized: about from nose to tail, standing"
"Saltwater crocodile The saltwater crocodile (""Crocodylus porosus""), also known as the estuarine crocodile, Indo-Pacific crocodile, marine crocodile, sea crocodile or informally as saltie, is the largest of all living reptiles, as well as the largest riparian predator in the world. Males of this species can reach sizes up to in length. However, an adult male saltwater crocodile rarely reaches or exceeds a size of weighing . Females are much smaller and often do not surpass . As its name implies, this species of crocodile can live in marine environments, but usually resides in saline and brackish mangrove swamps, estuaries, deltas,"
"minute to capture termites. Australia is also home to the world's largest and most diverse selection of marsupials: mammals with a pouch in which they rear their young. The marsupial carnivores — order Dasyuromorphia — are represented by two surviving families: the Dasyuridae with 51 members, and the Myrmecobiidae with the numbat as its sole surviving member. The thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger, was the largest Dasyuromorphia and the last living specimen of the family Thylacinidae; however, the last known specimen died in captivity in 1936. The world's largest surviving carnivorous marsupial is the Tasmanian devil; it is the size of"
"comparison, the giraffe, the tallest of all living land animals, is only 4.8 to 5.5 metres (16 to 18 ft) tall. The best evidence indicates that the most massive were ""Argentinosaurus"" (120 metric tons), ""Puertasaurus"" (80 to 100 metric tons ), ""Alamosaurus"", ""Paralititan"", ""Antarctosaurus"" (69 metric tons). There was poor (and now missing) evidence that so-called ""Bruhathkayosaurus"", might have weighed over 175 metric tons but this has been questioned. The weight of ""Amphicoelias fragillimus"" was estimated at 122.4 metric tons but 2015 research argued that these estimates may have been highly exaggerated. The largest land animal alive today, the Savannah"