Which animals today still look like dinosaurs? Uncovering the mystery of Earth's "living f

Although dinosaurs became extinct about 65 million years ago, their descendants and close relatives still live on Earth, and some of the animals that exist today still look and feel like "dinosaurs". Some animals are called "living fossils" because they have retained ancient appearances and physiological features during evolution, giving us a glimpse into the biological landscape of ancient times. So, what animals today still look like dinosaurs? How did they maintain these dinosaur-like features over such a long time? Let's explore these animals in detail.

1. Birds - Direct Descendants of Dinosaurs

1. Ostrich

Ostriches are the largest birds in existence, and their giant bodies, long necks, and long legs are reminiscent of some dinosaurs, especially those small, bipedal theropods. Ostriches cannot fly, but they can run very fast, reaching speeds of up to 70 kilometers per hour, a speed similar to that of many dinosaurs.

• Similarities: The bipedal gait, skeletal structure, and some of the body features of the ostrich bear clear similarities to dinosaurs, especially theropods, such as the small relatives of Velociraptor or Tyrannosaurus rex.

2. Crane

Cranes are elegant, long-legged birds whose slender bodies and long necks give them a sense of ancient dinosaurs, especially some herbivorous dinosaurs such as Iguanodon or Coelophysis. They walk on the ground in a similar posture to many bipedal dinosaurs.

• Similarities: Cranes' tall stature, long neck, and bipedal gait make them look very similar to some herbivorous dinosaurs, especially in their overall body proportions.

2. Reptiles - Close Relatives of Dinosaurs

1. Crocodile

Crocodiles are one of the oldest reptiles in existence, and they share a common ancestor with ancient dinosaurs. The crocodile's huge size, scaly skin, and powerful bite force are reminiscent of those terrible carnivorous dinosaurs. In fact, crocodiles have been on Earth for more than 200 million years, contemporary with the dinosaurs, and have barely changed.

• Similarities: Crocodiles have long tails, thick skin, and ferocious looks similar to some dinosaurs, especially large carnivorous dinosaurs such as Spinosaurus.

2. Monitor Lizard

Monitor lizards are giant species of lizards, and their appearance is very similar to many small dinosaurs. Monitor lizards are cold-blooded animals that are good at moving quickly on land, especially the Komodo Dragon, which is considered to be the largest lizard in the world, with a body length of up to 3 meters.

• Similarities: The body shape, limb posture and hunting style of monitor lizards are very similar to those of small dinosaurs such as Velociraptor, especially their scaly skin and head structure.

3. Marine Animals - Marine Heritage of Ancient Dinosaurs

1. Sea Turtle

Sea turtles are an ancient marine reptile that can be traced back 100 million years ago and coexisted with dinosaurs. The turtle's heavy shell and slow movement are reminiscent of some ancient dinosaurs, especially armored herbivores like Ankylosaurus.

• Similarities: The turtle's hard shell and bulky body bear clear resemblance to many dinosaurs, such as Ankylosaurus or Stegosaurus.

2. Great White Shark

Although the great white shark is a fish, their history can be traced back to ancient times hundreds of millions of years ago. The great white shark's powerful jaws and ferocious hunting instincts make them one of the most threatening creatures in the ocean. Although not directly related to dinosaurs, their ferocious nature and dominance of the oceans reminds people of marine dinosaurs, such as Mosasaurus.

• Similarities: Great white sharks have similar hunting habits and top predator status to ancient marine reptiles such as Mosasaurus.

4. The shadow of dinosaurs in mammals

1. Rhinoceros

Rhinoceros is a large herbivorous mammal with a huge body, thick skin and strong limbs. Their appearance is reminiscent of ancient dinosaurs, especially Triceratops. Although rhinos are mammals, their thick skin and horns are very similar to the headdress of Triceratops.

• Similarity: The horns, huge size and tough skin of rhinos are very similar to those of ceratopsians such as Triceratops, especially their slow movement on the grassland makes people feel like they are in the dinosaur era.

2. Pangolin

Pangolins are the only mammals on Earth covered with scales, and their body appearance is very similar to that of many dinosaurs, especially armored dinosaurs like ankylosaurs and stegosaurus. Pangolins' scales are made of keratin, which protects them from predators.

• Similarities: The pangolin's scales and defenses bear striking resemblance to armored dinosaurs such as ankylosaurs and stegosaurus.

5. Amphibians - Sharing a similar environment with ancient dinosaurs

1. Chinese Giant Salamander

The Chinese Giant Salamander is the largest amphibian in the world. It has an ancient appearance, a wide and flat body, and lives in water. Their appearance is reminiscent of certain ancient dinosaurs, especially early amphibians and aquatic reptiles. The history of giant salamanders dates back to the age of dinosaurs, making them one of the oldest amphibians alive today.

• Similarities: The giant salamander's broad, flat body and slippery skin make it look like somesome ancient aquatic reptiles.

6. Alligator Snapping Turtle

The alligator snapping turtle is named for its huge size and terrifying appearance. It has a hard shell and powerful jaws, and its appearance resembles ancient dinosaurs, especially ankylosaurs and other armored dinosaurs.

• Similarities: The snapping turtle's shell and strong jaws make it look like a smaller version of an ankylosaur or stegosaurus, and its predatory methods are similar to those of some carnivorous dinosaurs.

Although dinosaurs became extinct tens of millions of years ago, their presence continues in many animals today. From giant birds to marine predators to scale-covered reptiles, these animals retain similar body shape, appearance or behavioral characteristics to dinosaurs. They not only demonstrate the continuity of life evolution, but also allow us to glimpse the glory of those giants on ancient Earth through their existence.

animal tags： Alligator-snapping-turtle giant-salamander pangolin rhino great-white-shark sea-turtle monitor-lizard crocodile crane ostrich