image

Largest animals size comparison. Array of past and present large animals, compared to a human (lower right). At top is the blue whale, a marine mammal and the largest-ever animal. The Quetzalcoatlus (centre right, extinct), a flying reptile, was the largest-ever flying animal. Brachiosaur dinosaurs (one at centre, extinct) were among the largest-ever land animals. The Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur (foreground, extinct) was the largest-ever land predator. To its left is Indricotherium (extinct), which was the largest-ever land mammal. At lower left is an African elephant, a mammal and the largest living land animal. (KEYSTONE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/JOSE ANTONIO PE?)