The largest animal ever to have lived is thought to be the

blue whale The blue whale (''Balaenoptera musculus'') is a marine mammal and a baleen whale. Reaching a maximum confirmed length of and weighing up to , it is the largest animal known to have ever existed. The blue whale's long and slender body can ...

(''Balaenoptera musculus''). The maximum recorded weight was 190

tonne The tonne ( or ; symbol: t) is a unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. It is a non-SI unit accepted for use with SI. It is also referred to as a metric ton to distinguish it from the non-metric units of the short ton ( United State ...

s for a specimen measuring , whereas longer ones, up to , have been recorded but not weighed.Wood, Gerald ''The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats'' (1983) It is estimated however that this individual could have a mass of 250

s. The title of the longest non-colonial animal is probably owned by the

lion's mane jellyfish The lion's mane jellyfish (''Cyanea capillata''), also known as the giant jellyfish, arctic red jellyfish, or the hair jelly, is one of the largest known species of jellyfish. Its range is confined to cold, boreal waters of the Arctic, northern ...

(36.6m / 120 ft). The

African bush elephant The African bush elephant (''Loxodonta africana'') is one of two extant African elephant species and one of three extant elephant species. It is the largest living terrestrial animal, with bulls reaching a shoulder height of up to and a body ...

(''Loxodonta africana'') is the largest living land animal. A native of various open habitats in sub-Saharan Africa, this elephant is commonly born weighing about . The largest elephant ever recorded was shot in

Angola , national_anthem = " Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordina ...

in 1974. It was a male measuring from trunk to tail and lying on its side in a projected line from the highest point of the shoulder to the base of the forefoot, indicating a standing shoulder height of . This male had a computed weight of 12.25 tonnes.

Heaviest living animals

The heaviest living animals are all

whale Whales are a widely distributed and diverse group of fully aquatic placental marine mammals. As an informal and colloquial grouping, they correspond to large members of the infraorder Cetacea, i.e. all cetaceans apart from dolphins and ...

s. Since no scale can accommodate the whole body of a large whale, most have been weighed by parts. Marine megafauna Infographic

Heaviest terrestrial animals

The heaviest land animals are all mammals. The African elephant is now listed as two species, the

and the

African forest elephant The African forest elephant (''Loxodonta cyclotis'') is one of the two living African elephant species. It is native to humid forests in West Africa and the Congo Basin. It is the smallest of the three living elephant species, reaching a should ...

, as they are now generally considered to be two separate species.

Vertebrates

Mammals (Mammalia)

The

is the largest

mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

. The largest land mammal extant today is the

. The largest extinct land mammal known was long considered to be ''

Paraceratherium ''Paraceratherium'' is an extinct genus of hornless rhinoceros. It is one of the largest terrestrial mammals that has existed and lived from the early to late Oligocene epoch (34–23 million years ago). The first fossils were discovered ...

orgosensis'', a rhinoceros relative thought to have stood up to tall, measured over long and may have weighed about 17 tonnes. In 2015, a study suggested that one example of the

proboscidea The Proboscidea (; , ) are a taxonomic order of afrotherian mammals containing one living family (Elephantidae) and several extinct families. First described by J. Illiger in 1811, it encompasses the elephants and their close relatives. From ...

n ''

Palaeoloxodon namadicus ''Palaeoloxodon namadicus'' or the Asian straight-tusked elephant, is an extinct species of prehistoric elephant known from the early Middle to Late Pleistocene of the Indian subcontinent, and possibly also elsewhere in Asia. Some authorities r ...

'' 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.

Stem-mammals (Synapsida)

The

Late Triassic The Late Triassic is the third and final epoch (geology), epoch of the Triassic geologic time scale, Period in the geologic time scale, spanning the time between annum, Ma and Ma (million years ago). It is preceded by the Middle Triassic Epoch ...

'' Lisowicia bojani'', from what is now southern

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

, probably was the largest of all non-mammalian

synapsid Synapsids + (, 'arch') > () "having a fused arch"; synonymous with ''theropsids'' (Greek, "beast-face") are one of the two major groups of animals that evolved from basal amniotes, the other being the sauropsids, the group that includes reptil ...

s (most of which became extinct 250 million years ago), at in length, in height and in weight. However, one study suggested a more conservative weight of 4.87 tonnes to 7.02 tonnes for the adult taxon, with an average body mass of 5.88 tonnes. The largest carnivorous synapsid was ''

Anteosaurus ''Anteosaurus'' (meaning "Antaeus reptile") is an extinct genus of large carnivorous dinocephalian synapsid. It lived at the end of the Guadalupian (= Middle Permian) during the Capitanian stage, about 265 to 260 million years ago in what is now ...

'' at and .Anteosaurus
Palaeos.com ;Caseasaurs (Caseasauria) :The herbivorous '' Alierasaurus'' was the largest

caseid Caseidae are an extinct family of basal synapsids that lived from the Late Carboniferous to Middle Permian between about 300 and 265 million years ago. Fossils of these animals come from the south-central part of the United States (Texas, Oklaho ...

and the largest

amniote Amniotes are a clade of tetrapod vertebrates that comprises sauropsids (including all reptiles and birds, and extinct parareptiles and non-avian dinosaurs) and synapsids (including pelycosaurs and therapsids such as mammals). They are disti ...

to have lived at the time, with an estimated length around . Another huge caseasaur is '' Cotylorhynchus hancocki'', with an estimated length and weight of at least and more than . ;Sphenacodontids (Sphenacodontidae) :The biggest carnivorous synapsid of

Early Permian 01 or '01 may refer to: * The year 2001, or any year ending with 01 * The month of January * 1 (number) Music * '01 (Richard Müller album), 01'' (Richard Müller album), 2001 * 01 (Son of Dave album), ''01'' (Son of Dave album), 2000 * 01 (Urban ...

was ''

Dimetrodon ''Dimetrodon'' ( or ,) meaning "two measures of teeth,” is an extinct genus of non-mammalian synapsid that lived during the Cisuralian (Early Permian), around 295–272 million years ago (Mya). It is a member of the family Sphenacodontid ...

'', which could reach and . The largest members of the genus ''Dimetrodon'' were also the world's first fully terrestrial

apex predator An apex predator, also known as a top predator, is a predator at the top of a food chain, without natural predators of its own. Apex predators are usually defined in terms of trophic dynamics, meaning that they occupy the highest trophic lev ...

s. ;Tappenosaurids (Tappenosauridae) :The

Middle Permian The Guadalupian is the second and middle series/epoch of the Permian. The Guadalupian was preceded by the Cisuralian and followed by the Lopingian. It is named after the Guadalupe Mountains of New Mexico and Texas, and dates between 272.95 ± 0. ...

Tappenosaurus ''Tappenosaurus'' ("Tappen's lizard") is an extinct genus of synapsids from the Middle Permian of Texas. American paleontologists Everett C. Olson and James Beerbower described the genus in 1953 based on three specimens that were uncovered fro ...

'' was estimated at in length which is comparable in size with the largest

dinocephalia Dinocephalians (terrible heads) are a clade of large-bodied early therapsids that flourished in the Early and Middle Permian between 279.5 and 260 million years ago (Ma), but became extinct during the Capitanian mass extinction event. Dinoceph ...

ns. ;Therapsids (Therapsida) :The plant-eating

dicynodont Dicynodontia is an extinct clade of anomodonts, an extinct type of non-mammalian therapsid. Dicynodonts were herbivorous animals with a pair of tusks, hence their name, which means 'two dog tooth'. Members of the group possessed a horny, typicall ...

'' Lisowicia bojani'' is the largest-known of all non-mammalian synapsids, at and . The largest carnivorous therapsid was the aforementioned ''

'' from what is now South Africa during

epoch. It reached long, and about in weight.

Reptiles (Reptilia)

The largest living

reptile Reptiles, as most commonly defined are the animals in the class Reptilia ( ), a paraphyletic grouping comprising all sauropsids except birds. Living reptiles comprise turtles, crocodilians, squamates (lizards and snakes) and rhynchocephalians ( ...

, a representative of the order

Crocodilia Crocodilia (or Crocodylia, both ) is an order of mostly large, predatory, semiaquatic reptiles, known as crocodilians. They first appeared 95 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period ( Cenomanian stage) and are the closest living ...

, is the

saltwater crocodile The saltwater crocodile (''Crocodylus porosus'') is a crocodilian native to saltwater habitats and brackish wetlands from India's east coast across Southeast Asia and the Sundaic region to northern Australia and Micronesia. It has been listed ...

(''Crocodylus porosus'') of Southern Asia and Australia, with adult males being typically long. The largest confirmed saltwater crocodile on record was long, and weighed about . Unconfirmed reports of much larger crocodiles exist, but examinations of incomplete remains have never suggested a length greater than . Also, a living specimen estimated at and has been accepted by the Guinness Book of World Records.Boloji.com – A Study in Diversity
. News.boloji.com However, due to the difficulty of trapping and measuring a very large living crocodile, the accuracy of these dimensions has yet to be verified. A specimen named

Lolong Lolong (died 10 February 2013) was the largest crocodile in captivity. He was a saltwater crocodile (''Crocodylus porosus'') measured at , and weighed , making him one of the largest crocodiles ever measured from snout-to-tail. In November 201 ...

caught alive in the Philippines in 2011 (died February 2013) was found to have measured in length. The

Komodo dragon The Komodo dragon (''Varanus komodoensis''), also known as the Komodo monitor, is a member of the monitor lizard family Varanidae that is endemic to the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang. It is the largest extant ...

(''Varanus komodoensis''), also known as the "Komodo monitor", is a large species of

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...

found in the

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

n islands of

Komodo Komodo may refer to: Computers * Komodo Edit, a free text editor for dynamic programming languages * Komodo IDE an integrated development environment (IDE) for dynamic programming languages * Komodo (chess), a chess engine People * Komodo ...

Rinca Rinca, also known as Rincah, Rindja, Rintja and Pintja, is a small island near Komodo and Flores island, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, within the West Manggarai Regency. It is one of the three largest islands included in Komodo National Park. Th ...

Flores Flores is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, a group of islands in the eastern half of Indonesia. Including the Komodo Islands off its west coast (but excluding the Solor Archipelago to the east of Flores), the land area is 15,530.58 km2, and th ...

Gili Motang Gili Motang is a small island in Eastern Indonesia. It is part of the Lesser Sunda Islands chain, which together with the Greater Sunda Islands to the west make up the Sunda Islands. The island, volcanic in origin, is approximately 30 km² (1 ...

, Nusa kode and Padar. A member of the

monitor lizard Monitor lizards are lizards in the genus ''Varanus,'' the only extant genus in the family Varanidae. They are native to Africa, Asia, and Oceania, and one species is also found in the Americas as an invasive species. About 80 species are recogn ...

family (

Varanidae The Varanidae are a family of lizards in the superfamily Varanoidea within the Anguimorpha group. The family, a group of carnivorous and frugivorous lizards, includes the living genus '' Varanus'' and a number of extinct genera more closely rel ...

), it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of more than in rare cases and weighing up to approximately .

Heaviest living reptiles

The following is a list of the heaviest living reptile species ranked by average weight, which is dominated by the crocodilians. Unlike mammals, birds, or fish, the mass of large reptiles is frequently poorly documented and many are subject to conjecture and estimation.

Dinosaurs (Dinosauria)

Dinosaurs are now extinct, except for birds, which are theropods. ;Sauropods (

Sauropoda Sauropoda (), whose members are known as sauropods (; from '' sauro-'' + '' -pod'', 'lizard-footed'), is a clade of saurischian ('lizard-hipped') dinosaurs. Sauropods had very long necks, long tails, small heads (relative to the rest of their bo ...

) :The largest dinosaurs, and the largest animals to ever live on land, were the plant-eating, long-necked

. The tallest and heaviest sauropod known from a complete skeleton is a specimen of an immature ''

Giraffatitan ''Giraffatitan'' (name meaning "titanic giraffe") is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived during the late Jurassic Period (geology), Period (Kimmeridgian–Tithonian stages) in what is now Lindi Region, Tanzania. It was originally named as an ...

'' discovered in

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

between 1907 and 1912, now mounted in the

Museum für Naturkunde The Natural History Museum (german: Museum für Naturkunde) is a natural history museum located in Berlin, Germany. It exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history and in such domain it is one of three major muse ...

of Berlin. It is tall and weighed 23.3–39.5 tonnes. The longest is a long specimen of ''

Diplodocus ''Diplodocus'' (, , or ) was a genus of diplodocid sauropod dinosaurs, whose fossils were first discovered in 1877 by S. W. Williston. The generic name, coined by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1878, is a neo-Latin term derived from Greek δι� ...

'' discovered in

Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...

, and mounted in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

's Carnegie Natural History Museum in 1907. A ''

Patagotitan ''Patagotitan'' is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Cerro Barcino Formation in Chubut Province, Patagonia, Argentina. The genus contains a single species known from multiple individuals: ''Patagotitan mayorum'', first announc ...

'' specimen found in Argentina in 2014 is estimated to have been long and tall, with a weight of 69–77 tonnes. :There were larger sauropods, but they are known only from a few bones. The current record-holders include ''

Argentinosaurus ''Argentinosaurus'' is a genus of giant sauropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now Argentina. Although it is only known from fragmentary remains, ''Argentinosaurus'' is one of the largest known land animal ...

'', which may have weighed 100 tonnes; '' Supersaurus'' which might have reached in length and ''

Sauroposeidon ''Sauroposeidon'' ( ; meaning "lizard earthquake god", after the Greek god Poseidon) is a genus of sauropod dinosaur known from several incomplete specimens including a bone bed and fossilized trackways that have been found in the U.S. states of ...

'' which might have been tall. Two other such sauropods include '' Bruhathkayosaurus'' and ''

Maraapunisaurus ''Maraapunisaurus'' is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation of western North America. It is known only from what has sometimes been estimated to be the largest dinosaur specimen ever discovered, originally name ...

''. Both are known only from fragments. ''Bruhathkayosaurus'' might have been between in length and 175–220 tonnes in weight according to some estimates.Mortimer, M. (2001)
"Re: Bruhathkayosaurus"
, discussion group, The Dinosaur Mailing List, 19 June 2001. Accessed 23 May 2008. ''Maraapunisaurus'' might have been approximately 35–40 m long and 80–120 tonnes or more. ;Theropods (

Theropoda Theropoda (; ), whose members are known as theropods, is a dinosaur clade that is characterized by hollow bones and three toes and claws on each limb. Theropods are generally classed as a group of saurischian dinosaurs. They were ancestrally ca ...

) :The largest

theropod Theropoda (; ), whose members are known as theropods, is a dinosaur clade that is characterized by hollow bones and three toes and claws on each limb. Theropods are generally classed as a group of saurischian dinosaurs. They were ancestrally c ...

known from a nearly complete skeleton is the most complete ''

Tyrannosaurus ''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropoda, theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosa ...

'' ''rex'' specimen, nicknamed " Sue", which was discovered in

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...

in 1990 and now mounted in the Field Museum of Chicago at a total length of . Body mass estimates have reached over 9,500 kg, though other figures, such as Hartman's 2013 estimate of 8,400 kg, have been lower. :Another giant theropod is ''

Spinosaurus ''Spinosaurus'' (; ) is a genus of spinosaurid dinosaur that lived in what now is North Africa during the Cenomanian to upper Turonian stages of the Late Cretaceous period, about 99 to 93.5 million years ago. The genus was known first fro ...

aegyptiacus'' from the mid-Cretaceous of North Africa. Size estimates have been fluctuating far more over the years, with length estimates ranging from 12.6 to 18 m and mass estimates from 7 to 20.9 t. Recent findings favor a length exceeding 15 m and a body mass of 7.5 tons. :Other contenders known from partial skeletons include ''

Giganotosaurus ''Giganotosaurus'' ( ) is a genus of theropod dinosaur that lived in what is now Argentina, during the early Cenomanian age of the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 99.6 to 95 million years ago. The holotype specimen was discovered in the ...

carolinii'' (est. 12.2–13.2 m and 6-13.8 tonnes) and ''

Carcharodontosaurus ''Carcharodontosaurus'' (; ) is a genus of large carcharodontosaurid theropod dinosaur that existed during the Cenomanian age of the Late Cretaceous in Northern Africa. The genus ''Carcharodontosaurus'' is named after the shark genus ''Carcha ...

saharicus'' (est. 12-13.3 m and 6.2-15.1 tonnes).Coria, R. A. and Currie, P. J. (2006). "A new carcharodontosaurid (Dinosauria, Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Argentina". ''Geodiversitas'', 28 (1): 71–118
pdf link
Holtz, Thomas R. Jr. (2012) ''Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, Up-to-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages,'
Winter 2011 Appendix
:The largest

extant Extant is the opposite of the word extinct. It may refer to: * Extant hereditary titles * Extant literature, surviving literature, such as ''Beowulf'', the oldest extant manuscript written in English * Extant taxon, a taxon which is not extinct, ...

theropod is the

common ostrich The common ostrich (''Struthio camelus''), or simply ostrich, is a species of flightless bird native to certain large areas of Africa and is the largest living bird species. It is one of two extant species of ostriches, the only living members o ...

(see birds, below). ;Armored dinosaurs (

Thyreophora Thyreophora ("shield bearers", often known simply as "armored dinosaurs") is a group of armored ornithischian dinosaurs that lived from the Early Jurassic until the end of the Cretaceous. Thyreophorans are characterized by the presence of body ...

) :The largest

thyreophora Thyreophora ("shield bearers", often known simply as "armored dinosaurs") is a group of armored ornithischian dinosaurs that lived from the Early Jurassic until the end of the Cretaceous. Thyreophorans are characterized by the presence of body ...

ns were ''

Ankylosaurus ''Ankylosaurus'' is a genus of armored dinosaur. Its fossils have been found in geological formations dating to the very end of the Cretaceous Period, about 68–66 million years ago, in western North America, making it among the last of the n ...

'' and ''

Stegosaurus ''Stegosaurus'' (; ) is a genus of herbivorous, four-legged, armored dinosaur from the Late Jurassic, characterized by the distinctive kite-shaped upright plates along their backs and spikes on their tails. Fossils of the genus have been foun ...

'', from the Late Cretaceous and Late Jurassic periods (respectively) of what is now North America, both measuring up to in length and estimated to weigh up to 6 tonnes. ;Ornithopods (

Ornithopoda Ornithopoda () is a clade of ornithischian dinosaurs, called ornithopods (), that started out as small, bipedal running grazers and grew in size and numbers until they became one of the most successful groups of herbivores in the Cretaceous world ...

) :The largest ornithopods were the

hadrosaur Hadrosaurids (), or duck-billed dinosaurs, are members of the ornithischian family Hadrosauridae. This group is known as the duck-billed dinosaurs for the flat duck-bill appearance of the bones in their snouts. The ornithopod family, which includ ...

ids ''

Shantungosaurus ''Shantungosaurus'' (meaning "''Shandong Lizard''") is a genus of very large saurolophine hadrosaurid dinosaur found in the Late Cretaceous Wangshi Group of the Shandong Peninsula in China, containing a single species, ''Shantungosaurus giganteu ...

'', a late Cretaceous dinosaur found in the Shandong Peninsula of China, and '' Magnapaulia'' from the late Cretaceous of North America. Both species are known from fragmentary remains but are estimated to have reached over in length and were likely the heaviest non-sauropod dinosaurs, estimated at over 23 tonnes. ;Ceratopsians (

Ceratopsia Ceratopsia or Ceratopia ( or ; Greek: "horned faces") is a group of herbivorous, beaked dinosaurs that thrived in what are now North America, Europe, and Asia, during the Cretaceous Period, although ancestral forms lived earlier, in the Jurassic. ...

) :The largest

ceratopsia Ceratopsia or Ceratopia ( or ; Greek: "horned faces") is a group of herbivorous, beaked dinosaurs that thrived in what are now North America, Europe, and Asia, during the Cretaceous Period, although ancestral forms lived earlier, in the Jurassic. ...

ns were ''

Triceratops ''Triceratops'' ( ; ) is a genus of herbivore, herbivorous Chasmosaurinae, chasmosaurine Ceratopsidae, ceratopsid dinosaur that first appeared during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period (geology), period, about 68 m ...

'' and its ancestor ''

Eotriceratops ''Eotriceratops'' (meaning "dawn three-horned face") is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaurs which lived in the area of North America during the late Cretaceous period. The only named species is ''Eotriceratops xerinsularis''. Discovery ...

'' from the late Cretaceous of North America. Both estimated to have reached about in length and weighed 12 tonnes.

Birds (Aves)

The largest living

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

, a member of the

Struthioniformes Struthioniformes is an order of birds with only a single extant family, Struthionidae, containing the ostriches. Several other extinct families are known, spanning across the Northern Hemisphere, from the Early Eocene to the early Pliocene, includ ...

, is the

(''Struthio camelus''), from the plains of

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

. A large male ostrich can reach a height of and weigh over .birding.com
records A mass of has been cited for the common ostrich but no wild ostriches of this weight have been verified.Avian Medicine: Principles and Application
avianmedicine.net Eggs laid by the ostrich can weigh and are the largest eggs in the world today. The largest bird in the fossil record may be the extinct

elephant bird Elephant birds are members of the extinct ratite family Aepyornithidae, made up of flightless birds that once lived on the island of Madagascar. They are thought to have become extinct around 1000-1200 CE, probably as a result of human activity. ...

s (Aepyornithidae) of Madagascar, which were related to the kiwis. ''

Aepyornis ''Aepyornis'' is a genus of aepyornithid, one of three genera of ratite birds endemic to Madagascar until their extinction sometime around 1000 CE. The species ''A. maximus'' weighed up to , and until recently was regarded as the largest known ...

'' exceeded in height and , while ''

Vorombe ''Vorombe'' is one of three genera of elephant birds, an extinct family of large ratite birds endemic to Madagascar. Originally considered to be large ''Aepyornis'' specimens, it is now thought ''Vorombe'' are the largest and heaviest birds kno ...

'' could reach a similar height and a mass of . The last of the elephant birds became extinct about 300 years ago. Of almost exactly the same upper proportions as the largest elephant birds was ''

Dromornis stirtoni ''Dromornis'' is a genus of large to enormous prehistoric birds. The species were flightless, possessing greatly reduced wing structures but with large legs, similar to the modern ostrich or emu. They were likely to have been predominantly, if ...

'' of

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, part of a 26,000-year-old group called mihirungs of the family

Dromornithidae Dromornithidae, known as mihirungs and informally as thunder birds or demon ducks, were a clade of large, flightless Australian birds of the Oligocene through Pleistocene Epochs. All are now extinct. They were long classified in Struthioniform ...

. The largest carnivorous bird was ''

Brontornis ''Brontornis'' is an extinct genus of giant bird that inhabited Argentina during the Early to Middle Miocene. Its taxonomic position is highly controversial, with authors alternatively considering it to be a cariamiform, typically a phorusrhaci ...

'', an extinct flightless bird from

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

which reached a weight of and a height of about . The tallest carnivorous bird was ''

Kelenken ''Kelenken'' is a genus of phorusrhacid ("terror bird"), an extinct group of large, predatory birds, which lived in what is now Argentina in the middle Miocene about 15 million years ago. The only known specimen was discovered by high school stu ...

'', which could reach 3 to 3.2 meters in height and 220 to 250 kilograms. The tallest bird ever was the

giant moa The giant moa (''Dinornis'') is an extinct genus of birds belonging to the moa family. As with other moa, it was a member of the order Dinornithiformes. It was endemic to New Zealand. Two species of ''Dinornis'' are considered valid, the Nort ...

(''Dinornis maximus''), part of the moa family of

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

that went

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

around 1500 AD. This particular species of moa stood up to tall, but weighed about half as much as a large elephant bird or mihirung due to its comparatively slender frame. The heaviest bird ever capable of flight was '' Argentavis magnificens'', the largest member of the now extinct

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Teratornithidae Teratornithidae is an extinct family of very large birds of prey that lived in North and South America from the Late Oligocene to the Late Pleistocene. They include some of the largest known flying birds. Taxonomy Teratornithidae are related t ...

, found in Miocene-aged fossil beds of Argentina, with a wingspan up to , a length of up to , a height on the ground of up to and a body weight of at least . '' Pelagornis sandersi'' is thought to have had an even larger wingspan of about , but is only about , half the mass of the former.

=Heaviest living bird species

= The following is a list of the heaviest living bird species based on maximum reported or reliable mass, but average weight is also given for comparison. These species are almost all flightless, which allows for these particular birds to have denser bones and heavier bodies. Flightless birds comprise less than 2% of all living bird species.

Amphibians (Amphibia)

The largest living

amphibian Amphibians are tetrapod, four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the Class (biology), class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terres ...

is the

South China giant salamander The South China giant salamander (''Andrias sligoi'') may be the largest species of salamander and the largest amphibian in the world. It is Endemism, endemic to southern China, mainly in the Pearl River (China), Pearl River basin south of the Na ...

(''Andrias sligoi''). Formerly considered

conspecific Biological specificity is the tendency of a characteristic such as a behavior or a biochemical variation to occur in a particular species. Biochemist Linus Pauling stated that "Biological specificity is the set of characteristics of living organ ...

with the

Chinese giant salamander The Chinese giant salamander (''Andrias davidianus'') is one of the largest salamanders and one of the largest amphibians in the world. Before

s became the dominant

tetrapod Tetrapods (; ) are four-limbed vertebrate animals constituting the superclass Tetrapoda (). It includes extant and extinct amphibians, sauropsids ( reptiles, including dinosaurs and therefore birds) and synapsids (pelycosaurs, extinct theraps ...

s, several giant amphibian proto-tetrapods existed and were certainly the dominant animals in their ecosystems. The largest known was the

crocodile Crocodiles (family (biology), family Crocodylidae) or true crocodiles are large semiaquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. The term crocodile is sometimes used even more loosely to inclu ...

-like ''

Prionosuchus ''Prionosuchus'' is an extinct genus of large temnospondyl. A single species ''P. plummeri'', is recognized from the Early Permian (some time between 299 and 272 million years ago). Its fossils have been found in what is now northeastern Brazil. ...

'', which reached a length of . ;Frogs ( Anura) Cane-toad

:The largest member of the largest order of

s is the African

goliath frog The goliath frog (''Conraua goliath''), otherwise known commonly as the giant slippery frog and the goliath bullfrog, is a species of frog in the family Conrauidae. The goliath frog is the largest living frog. Specimens can grow up to in lengt ...

(''Conraua goliath''). The maximum size this species is verified to attain is a weight of and a snout-to-vent length of . The largest of the

toad Toad is a common name for certain frogs, especially of the family Bufonidae, that are characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and large bumps covering the parotoid glands. A distinction between frogs and toads is not made in scientif ...

s, the

cane toad The cane toad (''Rhinella marina''), also known as the giant neotropical toad or marine toad, is a large, terrestrial true toad native to South and mainland Central America, but which has been introduced to various islands throughout Oceania ...

(''Rhinella marina''), is also the second largest member of the frog order. This infamous, often invasive species can grow to maximum mass of and measure a maximum of from snout-to-vent. Rivaling the previous two species, the

African bullfrog The African bullfrog (''Pyxicephalus adspersus'') is a species of frog in the family Pyxicephalidae. It is also known as the pixie frog due to its scientific name. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Af ...

(''Pyxicephalus adspersus'') can range up to a weight of and from snout to vent. Another large frog is the largest frog in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

, the

American bullfrog The American bullfrog (''Lithobates catesbeianus''), often simply known as the bullfrog in Canada and the United States, is a large true frog native to eastern North America. It typically inhabits large permanent water bodies such as swamps, po ...

, which can reach weights of up to and snout-to-vent-length (SVL) of . However, the toad '' Beelzebufo ampinga'', found in fossil from the

Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...

era in what is now Madagascar, was estimated to grow to long and weigh up to , making it the largest frog ever known. But in more recent studies, animals of this species have been estimated to have grown to at least (snout-vent length), which is around the size a modern

can reach. The largest

tree frog A tree frog (or treefrog) is any species of frog that spends a major portion of its lifespan in trees, known as an arboreal state. Several lineages of frogs among the Neobatrachia have given rise to treefrogs, although they are not closely rela ...

is the Australasian

white-lipped tree frog The white-lipped tree frog (''Nyctimystes infrafrenatus'') is a species of frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae. It is the world's largest tree frog (the Cuban tree frog reaches a similar maximum size) and is found in Australia. Other common nam ...

(''Litoria infrafrenata''), the females of which can reach a length of from snout to vent and can weigh up to . The family Leptodactylidae, one of the most diverse anuran families, also has some very large members. The largest is the Surinam horned frog (''Ceratophrys cornuta''), which can reach in length from snout to vent and weigh up to . While not quite as large as ''Ceratophrys cornuta'', '' Leptodactylus pentadactylus'' is often heavier; it can reach long and weigh . The largest dendrobatid is the Colombian

golden poison frog The golden poison frog (''Phyllobates terribilis''), also known as the golden dart frog or golden poison arrow frog, is a poison dart frog endemic to the rainforests of Colombia. The golden poison frog has become endangered due to habitat destr ...

(''Phyllobates terribilis''), which can attain a length of and nearly . Most frogs are classified under the suborder

Neobatrachia The Neobatrachia (New Latin ''neo-'' ("new") + ''batrachia'' ("frogs")) are a suborder of the Anura, the order of frogs and toads. This suborder is the most advanced and apomorphic of the three anuran suborders alive today, hence its name, whi ...

, although nearly 200 species are part of the suborder

Mesobatrachia The Mesobatrachia (Ancient Greek ''μέσος'' (mésos, "middle") + ''batrachia'' ("frogs")) is a paraphyletic group of relatively primitive frogs. At the end of 2016, it contained 3 superfamilies ( Pelobatoidea, Pelodytoidea and Pipoidea), 6 ...

, or ancient frogs. The largest of these are the little-known ''

Brachytarsophrys ''Brachytarsophrys'' is a genus of the family Megophryidae in the order Anura, and are found in southern China, Myanmar, northern Thailand and northern Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic ...

'' or Karin Hills frogs, of South Asia, which can grow to a maximum snout-to-vent length of and a maximum weight of . ;Caecilians (

Gymnophiona Caecilians (; ) are a group of limbless, vermiform or serpentine amphibians. They mostly live hidden in the ground and in stream substrates, making them the least familiar order of amphibians. Caecilians are mostly distributed in the tropics o ...

) :The largest of the worm-like caecilians is the Colombian Thompson's caecilian ('' Caecilia thompsoni''), which reaches a length of , a width of about and can weigh up to about . ;Salamanders (

Urodela Salamanders are a group of amphibians typically characterized by their lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults. All ten ...

) :Besides the previously mentioned Chinese and South China giant salamanders, the closely related

Japanese giant salamander The Japanese giant salamander (''Andrias japonicus'') is a species of fully aquatic giant salamander endemic to Japan. With a length of up to ,hellbender The hellbender (''Cryptobranchus alleganiensis''), also known as the hellbender salamander, is a species of aquatic giant salamander endemic to the eastern and central United States. It is the largest salamander in North America. A member of the ...

(''Cryptobranchus alleganiensis''), which can measure up to . The recently described

reticulated siren The reticulated siren (''Siren reticulata''), also known commonly as the leopard eel, is a species of aquatic salamander in the family Sirenidae. The species, which is endemic to the southeastern United States, was first formally described in 2 ...

of the southeastern United States rivals the hellbender in size, although it is more lean in build. The largest of the newts is the

Iberian ribbed newt The Iberian ribbed newt, gallipato or Spanish ribbed newt (''Pleurodeles waltl'') is a newt endemic to the central and southern Iberian Peninsula and Morocco. It is the largest European newt species and it is also known for its sharp ribs which ...

(''Pleurodeles waltl''), which can grow up to in length.

Fish

Invertebrate chordates

Tunicates (Tunicata)

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 and Newfoundland, but is less common here than in the east, and occurs only at depths between . ;Entergonas (

Enterogona Ascidiacea, commonly known as the ascidians, tunicates (in part), and sea squirts (in part), is a polyphyletic class in the subphylum Tunicata of sac-like marine invertebrate filter feeders. Ascidians are characterized by a tough outer "tunic" ...

) :The largest entergonas '' Synoicum pulmonaria'' it is usually found at depths between about and can grow to over a metre (yard) in length. It is also present in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, around the coasts of Greenland and Newfoundland, but is less common here than in the east, and occurs only at depths between . ;Pleurogonas ( Pleurogona) :The largest pleurogonas: ''

Pyura pachydermatina ''Pyura pachydermatina'' is a sea tulip, a solitary species of tunicate in the suborder Stolidobranchia. It is native to shallow waters around New Zealand. Description ''Pyura pachydermatina'' has a club-shaped body supported by a long stalk, bo ...

'' . In colour it is off-white or a garish shade of reddish-purple. The stalk is two thirds to three quarters the length of the whole animal which helps distinguish it from certain invasive tunicates not native to New Zealand such as ''

Styela clava ''Styela clava'' is a solitary, subtidal ascidian tunicate. It has a variety of common names such as the stalked sea squirt, clubbed tunicate, Asian tunicate, leathery sea squirt, or rough sea squirt. As its common names suggest, ''S. clava'' is ...

'' and '' Pyura stolonifera''. It is one of the largest species of tunicates and can grow to over a metre (yard) in length. ;Aspiraculates ( Aspiraculata) :The largest aspiraculates: '' Oligotrema'' large and surrounded by six large lobes; the cloacal syphon is small. They live exclusively in deep water and range in size from less than one inch (2 cm) to 2.4 inches (6 cm).

Thaliacea

The largest

thaliacea The Thaliacea comprise a class of marine animals within the subphylum Tunicata. Unlike their benthic relatives the ascidians, thaliaceans are free-floating (pelagic) for their entire lifespan. The group includes species with complex life cycle ...

n, ''

Pyrosoma atlanticum ''Pyrosoma atlanticum'' is a pelagic species of marine colonial tunicate in the class Thaliacea found in temperate waters worldwide. The name of the genus comes from the Greek words ''pyros'' meaning 'fire' and ''soma'' meaning 'body', referring ...

'', is cylindrical and can grow up to 60 cm (2 ft) long and 4–6 cm wide. The constituent

zooid A zooid or zoöid is a single animal that is part of a colonial animal. This lifestyle has been adopted by animals from separate unrelated taxa. Zooids are multicellular; their structure is similar to that of other solitary animals. The zoo ...

s form a rigid tube, which may be pale pink, yellowish, or bluish. One end of the tube is narrower and is closed, while the other is open and has a strong diaphragm. The outer surface or test is gelatinised and dimpled with backward-pointing, blunt processes. The individual zooids are up to long and have a broad, rounded branchial sac with

gill A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are ...

slits. Along the side of the branchial sac runs the

endostyle The endostyle is an anatomical feature found in invertebrate chordates and larval lampreys. It is an organ which assists chordates in filter-feeding. It is found in adult urochordates and cephalochordates, as well as in the larvae of the vertebra ...

, which produces

mucus Mucus ( ) is a slippery aqueous secretion produced by, and covering, mucous membranes. It is typically produced from cells found in mucous glands, although it may also originate from mixed glands, which contain both serous and mucous cells. It is ...

filters. Water is moved through the gill slits into the centre of the cylinder by

cilia The cilium, plural cilia (), is a membrane-bound organelle found on most types of eukaryotic cell, and certain microorganisms known as ciliates. Cilia are absent in bacteria and archaea. The cilium has the shape of a slender threadlike projecti ...

pulsating rhythmically.

Plankton Plankton are the diverse collection of organisms found in Hydrosphere, water (or atmosphere, air) that are unable to propel themselves against a Ocean current, current (or wind). The individual organisms constituting plankton are called plankt ...

and other food particles are caught in mucus filters in the processes as the colony is propelled through the water. ''P. atlanticum'' is bioluminescent and can generate a brilliant blue-green light when stimulated. ;Doliolida (

Doliolida The Doliolida are an order of small marine animals of the subphylum Tunicata. They are in the class Thaliacea, which also includes the salps and pyrosomes. The doliolid body is small, typically 1–2 mm long, and barrel-shaped; it featu ...

) :The largest doliolida: ''

'' The doliolid body is small, typically 1–2 cm long, and barrel-shaped; it features two wide

siphon A siphon (from grc, σίφων, síphōn, "pipe, tube", also spelled nonetymologically syphon) is any of a wide variety of devices that involve the flow of liquids through tubes. In a narrower sense, the word refers particularly to a tube in a ...

s, one at the front and the other at the back end, and eight or nine circular

muscle Skeletal muscles (commonly referred to as muscles) are organs of the vertebrate muscular system and typically are attached by tendons to bones of a skeleton. The muscle cells of skeletal muscles are much longer than in the other types of muscl ...

strands reminiscent of barrel bands. Like all

tunicate A tunicate is a marine invertebrate animal, a member of the subphylum Tunicata (). It is part of the Chordata, a phylum which includes all animals with dorsal nerve cords and notochords (including vertebrates). The subphylum was at one time ca ...

s, they are

filter feeder Filter feeders are a sub-group of suspension feeding animals that feed by straining suspended matter and food particles from water, typically by passing the water over a specialized filtering structure. Some animals that use this method of feedin ...

s. They are free-floating; the same forced flow of water through their bodies with which they gather

plankton Plankton are the diverse collection of organisms found in Hydrosphere, water (or atmosphere, air) that are unable to propel themselves against a Ocean current, current (or wind). The individual organisms constituting plankton are called plankt ...

is used for propulsion - not unlike a tiny

ramjet A ramjet, or athodyd (aero thermodynamic duct), is a form of airbreathing jet engine that uses the forward motion of the engine to produce thrust. Since it produces no thrust when stationary (no ram air) ramjet-powered vehicles require an ass ...

engine. Doliolids are capable of quick movement. They have a complicated

lifecycle Life cycle, life-cycle, or lifecycle may refer to: Science and academia * Biological life cycle, the sequence of life stages that an organism undergoes from birth to reproduction ending with the production of the offspring *Life-cycle hypothesis ...

consisting of sexual and asexual generations. They are nearly exclusively tropical animals, although a few species are found as far north as northern

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. ;Salps ( Salpida) :The largest salps: ''

Cyclosalpa bakeri ''Cyclosalpa bakeri'' is a salp, a marine tunicate in the class Thaliacea. It is found floating in the open sea in the Indo-Pacific region. Description Like other salps, ''Cyclosalpa bakeri'' has two different phases. In one of these forms, ind ...

''15cm (6ins) long. There are openings at the anterior and posterior ends of the cylinder which can be opened or closed as needed. The bodies have seven transverse bands of muscle interspersed by white, translucent patches. A stolon grows from near the endostyle (an elongated glandular structure producing mucus for trapping food particles). The stolon is a ribbon-like organ on which a batch of aggregate forms of the animal are produced by

budding Budding or blastogenesis is a type of asexual reproduction in which a new organism develops from an outgrowth or bud due to cell division at one particular site. For example, the small bulb-like projection coming out from the yeast cell is know ...

. The aggregate is the second, colonial form of the salp and is also gelatinous, transparent and flabby. It takes the shape of a radial whorl of individuals up to about 20cm (4in) in diameter. It is formed of approximately 12

s linked side by side in a shape that resembles a crown.''Cyclosalpa bakeri'' - Ritter, 1905
JelliesZone, by David Wrobel. Retrieved 2016-04-10.Pelagic Tunicates
JelliesZone, by David Wrobel. Retrieved 2016-04-10. are largest thetyses: '' Thetys vagina'' Individuals can reach up to long. ;Larvaceans (

Larvacea Larvaceans, class Appendicularia, are solitary, free-swimming tunicates found throughout the world's oceans. Like most tunicates, larvaceans are filter feeders. Unlike most other tunicates, they live in the pelagic zone, specifically in the pho ...

) :The largest larvaceans: '' Appendicularia'' in body length (excluding the tail).

Cephalochordates (Leptocardii)

The largest lancelet is the European lancelet (''Branchiostoma lanceolatum'') "primitive fish". It can grow up to 6 cm (2.5 in) long.

Invertebrate non-chordates

Echinoderms (Echinodermata)

The largest species of

echinoderm An echinoderm () is any member of the phylum Echinodermata (). The adults are recognisable by their (usually five-point) radial symmetry, and include starfish, brittle stars, sea urchins, sand dollars, and sea cucumbers, as well as the sea ...

in terms of bulk is probably the

starfish Starfish or sea stars are star-shaped echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea (). Common usage frequently finds these names being also applied to ophiuroids, which are correctly referred to as brittle stars or basket stars. Starfish ...

species '' Thromidia gigas'', of the class

Asteroidea Starfish or sea stars are star-shaped echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea (). Common usage frequently finds these names being also applied to ophiuroids, which are correctly referred to as brittle stars or basket stars. Starfish ...

, which reaches a weight of over , but it might be beaten by some giant sea cucumbers such as ''

Thelenota anax ''Thelenota anax'' is a species of sea cucumber mostly found in the tropical, South Pacific Ocean. It is also commonly known as the amber fish. Some other names for ''T. anax'' are black teatfish, blackfish, brownfish, chief sea cucumber, curryfi ...

''. However, at a maximum span of , ''Thromidia gigas'' is quite a bit shorter than some other echinoderms. The longest echinoderm known is the conspicuous sea cucumber ''

Synapta maculata ''Synapta maculata'', the snake sea cucumber, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Synaptidae. It is found in shallow waters in the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean. Sometimes growing as long as , it is one of the longest sea cucumbers in the w ...

'', with a slender body that can extend up to . In comparison, the biggest sea star is the brisingid sea star '' Midgardia xandaros'', reaching a span of , despite being quite slender. '' Evasterias echinosoma'' is another giant echinoderm and can measure up to across and weigh . ;Crinoids (

Crinoidea Crinoids are marine animals that make up the class Crinoidea. Crinoids that are attached to the sea bottom by a stalk in their adult form are commonly called sea lilies, while the unstalked forms are called feather stars or comatulids, which are ...

) :The largest species of

crinoid Crinoids are marine animals that make up the class Crinoidea. Crinoids that are attached to the sea bottom by a stalk in their adult form are commonly called sea lilies, while the unstalked forms are called feather stars or comatulids, which are ...

is the unstalked feather-star '' Heliometra glacialis'', reaching a total width of and an individual arm length of . A width of was claimed for one unstalked feather-star but is not confirmed. The genus ''

Metacrinus ''Metacrinus'' is a genus of stalked crinoids in the family Isselicrinidae. Members of this genus live on hard surfaces in deeper parts of the ocean. The genus has extant species and is also represented in the fossil record. Members of the genu ...

'' has a stalk span of but, due to its bulk and multiple arms, it is heavier than '' Heliometra''. In the past,

crinoids Crinoids are marine animals that make up the class Crinoidea. Crinoids that are attached to the sea bottom by a stalk in their adult form are commonly called sea lilies, while the unstalked forms are called feather stars or comatulids, which are ...

grew much larger, and stalk lengths up to have been found in the fossil record. ;Sea urchins and allies (

Echinoidea Sea urchins () are spiny, globular echinoderms in the class Echinoidea. About 950 species of sea urchin live on the seabed of every ocean and inhabit every depth zone from the intertidal seashore down to . The spherical, hard shells ( tests) ...

) :The largest

sea urchin Sea urchins () are spiny, globular echinoderms in the class Echinoidea. About 950 species of sea urchin live on the seabed of every ocean and inhabit every depth zone from the intertidal seashore down to . The spherical, hard shells (tests) of ...

is the species '' Sperosoma giganteum'' from the deep northwest Pacific Ocean, which can reach a

shell Shell may refer to: Architecture and design * Shell (structure), a thin structure ** Concrete shell, a thin shell of concrete, usually with no interior columns or exterior buttresses ** Thin-shell structure Science Biology * Seashell, a hard o ...

width of about . Another deep sea species '' Hygrosoma hoplacantha'' is only slightly smaller. The largest species found along the North America coast is the Pacific

red sea urchin The red sea urchin (''Mesocentrotus franciscanus'') is a sea urchin found in the northeastern Pacific Ocean from Alaska to Baja California. It lives in shallow waters from the low-tide line to greater than deep, and is typically found on rocky ...

(''Mesocentrotus franciscanus'') where the shell can reach . If the spines enter into count, the biggest species may be a

Diadematidae The Diadematidae are a family of sea urchins. Their tests are either rigid or flexible and their spines are long and hollow. * '' Astropyga'' Gray, 1825 **'' Astropyga radiata'' ( Leske, 1778), extant **'' Astropyga pulvinata'' (Lamarck, 1816), ...

like ''

Diadema setosum ''Diadema setosum'' is a species of long-spined sea urchin belonging to the family Diadematidae. It is a typical sea urchin, with extremely long, hollow spines that are mildly venomous. ''D. setosum'' differs from other '' Diadema'' with five, ...

'', with a test up to only, but its spines can reach up to in length. ;Sea cucumbers (

Holothuroidea Sea cucumbers are echinoderms from the class Holothuroidea (). They are marine animals with a leathery skin and an elongated body containing a single, branched gonad. Sea cucumbers are found on the sea floor worldwide. The number of holothuria ...

) :The bulkiest species of

sea cucumber Sea cucumbers are echinoderms from the class Holothuroidea (). They are marine animals with a leathery skin and an elongated body containing a single, branched gonad. Sea cucumbers are found on the sea floor worldwide. The number of holothuria ...

are '' Stichopus variegatus'' and ''

'', weighing several pounds, being about in diameter, and reaching a length of when fully extended. ''

'' can reach an extended length of , but is extremely slender (3-5cm) and weigh much less than Stichopodids. ;Brittle stars (

Ophiuroidea Brittle stars, serpent stars, or ophiuroids (; ; referring to the serpent-like arms of the brittle star) are echinoderms in the class Ophiuroidea, closely related to starfish. They crawl across the sea floor using their flexible arms for locomot ...

) :The largest known specimen of

brittle star Brittle stars, serpent stars, or ophiuroids (; ; referring to the serpent-like arms of the brittle star) are echinoderms in the class Ophiuroidea, closely related to starfish. They crawl across the sea floor using their flexible arms for locomo ...

is the basket star '' Astrotoma agassizii''. This species can grow to have a span of . Sometimes, ''Gorgonocephalus stimpsoni'' is considered the largest but the maximum this species is can measure and a disk diameter of about . Outside from euryalids, the biggest ophiurid brittle star may be '' Ophiopsammus maculata'' (6–7 inches). ;Sea stars (

) :The heaviest sea star is '' Thromidia gigas'' from the

Indo-Pacific The Indo-Pacific is a vast biogeographic region of Earth. In a narrow sense, sometimes known as the Indo-West Pacific or Indo-Pacific Asia, it comprises the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the ...

, which can surpass in weight, but only has a diameter of about . Despite its relatively small disk and weight, the long slender arms of '' Midgardia xandaros'' from the

Gulf of California The Gulf of California ( es, Golfo de California), also known as the Sea of Cortés (''Mar de Cortés'') or Sea of Cortez, or less commonly as the Vermilion Sea (''Mar Bermejo''), is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean that separates the Baja Ca ...

makes it the sea star with the largest diameter at about . '' Mithrodia clavigera'' may also become wider than in some cases, with stout arms.

Flatworms (Platyhelminthes)

;Monogenean flatworms (

Monogenea Monogeneans are a group of ectoparasitic flatworms commonly found on the skin, gills, or fins of fish. They have a direct lifecycle and do not require an intermediate host. Adults are hermaphrodites, meaning they have both male and female reprod ...

) :The largest known members of this group of very small parasites are among the genus of capsalids, '' Listrocephalos'', reaching a length of . ;Flukes (

Trematoda Trematoda is a Class (biology), class of flatworms known as flukes. They are obligate parasite, obligate internal Parasitism, parasites with a complex biological life cycle, life cycle requiring at least two Host_(biology), hosts. The intermedia ...

) :The largest known species of

fluke Fluke may refer to: Biology * Fluke (fish), a species of marine flatfish * Fluke (tail), the lobes of the tail of a cetacean, such as dolphins or whales, ichthyosaurs, mosasaurs Mosasaurs (from Latin ''Mosa'' meaning the 'Meuse', and Greek ...

is ''

Fasciolopsis buski ''Fasciolopsis'' () is a genus of trematodes. They are also known as giant intestinal flukes. Only one species is recognised: ''Fasciolopsis buski''. It is a notable parasite of medical importance in humans and veterinary importance in pigs. I ...

'', which most often attacks

human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...

s and

livestock Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to animals ...

. One of these flukes can be up to long and thick. ;Tapeworms (

Cestoda Cestoda is a class of parasitic worms in the flatworm phylum (Platyhelminthes). Most of the species—and the best-known—are those in the subclass Eucestoda; they are ribbon-like worms as adults, known as tapeworms. Their bodies consist of man ...

) :The largest known species of

tapeworm Eucestoda, commonly referred to as tapeworms, is the larger of the two subclasses of flatworms in the class Cestoda (the other subclass is Cestodaria). Larvae have six posterior hooks on the scolex (head), in contrast to the ten-hooked Cestodar ...

is the whale tapeworm, '' Polygonoporus giganticus'', which can grow to over .The Persistent Parasites

Time Magazine ''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York City on Mar ...

(1957-04-08)Hargis, William J
Parasitology and pathology of marine organisms of the world ocean
.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditio ...

(1985)

Segmented worms (Annelida)

The largest of the segmented worms (including earthworms, leeches, and polychaetes) is the African giant earthworm (''Microchaetus rappi''). Although it averages about in length, this huge worm can reach a length of as much as and can weigh over . Only the

giant Gippsland earthworm The giant Gippsland earthworm, ''Megascolides australis'', is one of Australia's 1,000 native earthworm species. Description These giant earthworms average long and in diameter and can reach in length; however, their body is able to expand a ...

, ''Megascolides australis'', and a few giant

polychaete Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class (biology), class of generally marine invertebrate, marine annelid worms, common name, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions called parapodia that ...

s, including the notorious ''

Eunice aphroditois ''Eunice aphroditois'' is a Benthic zone, benthic polychaete, bristle worm of warm marine waters. It lives mainly in the Atlantic Ocean, but can also be found in the Indo-Pacific. It ranges in length from less than to . Its iridescent cuticle p ...

'', reach nearly comparable sizes, reaching , respectively.

Ribbon worms (Nemertea)

The largest

nemertean Nemertea is a phylum of animals also known as ribbon worms or proboscis worms, consisting of 1300 known species. Most ribbon worms are very slim, usually only a few millimeters wide, although a few have relatively short but wide bodies. Many h ...

is the

bootlace worm The bootlace worm (''Lineus longissimus'') is a species of ribbon worm and one of the longest known animals, with specimens up to long being reported, although this has not been confirmed. Its mucus is highly toxic. Taxonomy The bootlace worm ...

, ''Lineus longissimus''. A specimen found washed ashore on a beach in St. Andrews,

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

in 1864 was recorded at a length of .

Mollusks (Mollusca)

Both the largest mollusks and the largest of all

invertebrate Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a grouping including all animals apart from the chordate ...

s (in terms of mass) are the largest squids. The

colossal squid The colossal squid (''Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni'') is part of the family Cranchiidae. It is sometimes called the Antarctic squid or giant cranch squid and is believed to be the largest squid species in terms of mass. It is the only recognized ...

(''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.Kathy Marks
NZ's colossal squid to be microwaved

The New Zealand Herald ''The New Zealand Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment, and considered a newspaper of record for New Zealand. It has the largest newspaper circulation of all newspapers ...

(2007-03-23) The

giant squid The giant squid (''Architeuthis dux'') is a species of deep-ocean dwelling squid in the family Architeuthidae. It can grow to a tremendous size, offering an example of abyssal gigantism: recent estimates put the maximum size at around Trace ...

(''Architeuthis dux'') was previously thought to be the largest squid, and while it is less massive and has a smaller mantle than the colossal squid, it may exceed the colossal squid in overall length including tentacles. One giant squid specimen that washed ashore in 1878 in

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...

reportedly measured in total length (from the tip of the mantle to the end of the long tentacles), head and body length , in circumference at the thickest part of mantle, and weighed about . This specimen is still often cited as the largest invertebrate that has ever been examined. However, no animals approaching this size have been scientifically documented and, according to giant squid expert Steve O'Shea, such lengths were likely achieved by greatly stretching the two tentacles like elastic bands.O'Shea, S. 2003
"Giant Squid and Colossal Squid Fact Sheet".
The Octopus News Magazine Online. ;Aplacophorans (Aplacophora) :The largest known of these worm-like, shell-less

mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is e ...

s are represented in the genus ''

Epimenia ''Epimenia'' is a genus of cavibelonian solenogasters, a kind of shell-less, worm-like mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks ( ...

'', which can reach long. Most aplacophorans are less than long. ;Chitons (Polyplacophora) :The largest of the chitons is the gumboot chiton, ''Cryptochiton stelleri'', which can reach a length of and weigh over . Giant clam black&white komodo

;Bivalves (Bivalvia) :The largest of the

bivalve Bivalvia (), in previous centuries referred to as the Lamellibranchiata and Pelecypoda, is a class of marine and freshwater molluscs that have laterally compressed bodies enclosed by a shell consisting of two hinged parts. As a group, bival ...

s is the

giant clam The giant clams are the members of the clam genus ''Tridacna'' that are the largest living bivalve mollusks. There are actually several species of "giant clams" in the genus ''Tridacna'', which are often misidentified for ''Tridacna gigas'', th ...

, ''Tridacna gigas''. Although even larger sizes have been reported for this passive animal, the top verified size was for a specimen from the

Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over over an area of approximately . The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, ...

. This creature weighed , had an axial length of and depth of . The largest bivalve ever was '' Platyceramus platinus'', a

giant that reached an axial length of up to 3 m (nearly 10 ft). ;Gastropods (

Gastropoda The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. ...

) :The "largest" of this most diverse and successful

class of

slug Slug, or land slug, is a common name for any apparently shell-less terrestrial gastropod mollusc. The word ''slug'' is also often used as part of the common name of any gastropod mollusc that has no shell, a very reduced shell, or only a smal ...

s and

snail A snail is, in loose terms, a shelled gastropod. The name is most often applied to land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. However, the common name ''snail'' is also used for most of the members of the molluscan class Gastro ...

s can be defined in various ways. :The living gastropod species that has the largest (longest) shell is ''

Syrinx aruanus ''Syrinx aruanus'', common name the Australian trumpet or false trumpet, is a species of extremely large sea snail measuring up to 91 cm long and weighing up to 18 kg. It is a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinellidae, and ...

'' with a maximum shell length of , a weight of and a width of . Another giant species is ''

Melo amphora ''Melo amphora'', common name the Diadem volute, is a very large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Volutidae, the volutes. Etymology The specific name ''amphora'' is the Latin word for vase, derived from the Greek ' (αμ� ...

'', which in a 1974 specimen from Western Australia, measured long, had a maximum girth of and weighed . :The largest shell-less gastropod is the giant black

sea hare The clade Anaspidea, commonly known as sea hares ('' Aplysia'' species and related genera), are medium-sized to very large opisthobranch gastropod molluscs with a soft internal shell made of protein. These are marine gastropod molluscs in the ...

(''

Aplysia vaccaria ''Aplysia vaccaria'', also known as the black sea hare and California black sea hare, is a species of extremely large sea slug, a marine, opisthobranch, gastropod mollusk in the family Aplysiidae.Bouchet, P. (2011). Aplysia vaccaria Winkler, ...

'') at in length and almost in weight. :The largest of the land snails is the

giant African snail Giant African land snail is the common name of several species within the family Achatinidae, a family of unusually large African terrestrial snails: * ''Achatina achatina'', also known as the agate snail or Ghana tiger snail * ''Lissachatina fulic ...

(''Achatina achatina'') at up to and long. ;Cephalopods (

Cephalopoda A cephalopod is any member of the molluscan class Cephalopoda (Greek plural , ; "head-feet") such as a squid, octopus, cuttlefish, or nautilus. These exclusively marine animals are characterized by bilateral body symmetry, a prominent hea ...

) :(See

Cephalopod size Cephalopods vary enormously in size. The smallest are only about long and weigh less than at maturity, while the largest—the giant and colossal squids—can exceed in length and weigh close to half a tonne (), making them the largest living ...

.) While generally much smaller than the giant '' Architeuthis'' and '' Mesonychoteuthis'', the largest of the octopuses, the

giant Pacific octopus The giant Pacific octopus (''Enteroctopus dofleini''), also known as the North Pacific giant octopus, is a large marine cephalopod belonging to the genus ''Enteroctopus''. Its spatial distribution includes the coastal North Pacific, along Mexico ...

(''Enteroctopus dofleini''), can grow to be very large. The largest confirmed weight of a giant octopus is , with a arm span (with the tentacles fully extended) and a head-to-tentacle-tip length of . Specimens have been reported up to but are unverified. A weight of 10 - 50kg is a much more common size.

Roundworms (Nematoda)

The largest

roundworm The nematodes ( or grc-gre, Νηματώδη; la, Nematoda) or roundworms constitute the phylum Nematoda (also called Nemathelminthes), with plant-parasitic nematodes also known as eelworms. They are a diverse animal phylum inhabiting a bro ...

, '' Placentonema gigantissima'', is a

parasite Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson has ...

found in the

placenta The placenta is a temporary embryonic and later fetal organ that begins developing from the blastocyst shortly after implantation. It plays critical roles in facilitating nutrient, gas and waste exchange between the physically separate mater ...

s of

sperm whale The sperm whale or cachalot (''Physeter macrocephalus'') is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator. It is the only living member of the genus ''Physeter'' and one of three extant species in the sperm whale famil ...

s which can reach up to in length.

Velvet worms (Onychophora)

The largest

velvet worm Onychophora (from grc, ονυχής, , "claws"; and , , "to carry"), commonly known as velvet worms (due to their velvety texture and somewhat wormlike appearance) or more ambiguously as peripatus (after the first described genus, '' Peripatus ...

known is Solórzano's velvet worm ('' Peripatus solorzanoi''). An adult female was recorded to have a body length of 22 cm (approximately 8.7 in).

Arthropods (Arthropoda)

The largest arthropod known to have existed is the

eurypterid Eurypterids, often informally called sea scorpions, are a group of extinct arthropods that form the Order (biology), order Eurypterida. The earliest known eurypterids date to the Darriwilian stage of the Ordovician period 467.3 Myr, million yea ...

(sea scorpion) ''

Jaekelopterus ''Jaekelopterus'' is a genus of predatory eurypterid, a group of extinct aquatic arthropods. Fossils of ''Jaekelopterus'' have been discovered in deposits of Early Devonian age, from the Pragian and Emsian stages. There are two known species: th ...

'', reaching up to in body length, followed by the millipede relative ''

Arthropleura ''Arthropleura'' () is a genus of extinct millipede arthropods that lived in what is now North America and Europe around 345 to 290 million years ago, from the Viséan stage of the lower Carboniferous Period to the Sakmarian stage of the lower ...

'' at around in length. Among living arthropods, the

Japanese spider crab The Japanese spider crab (''Macrocheira kaempferi'') is a species of marine crab that lives in the waters around Japan. It has the largest known leg-span of any arthropod. It goes through three main larval stages along with a prezoeal stage to g ...

(''Macrocheira kaempferi'') is the largest in overall size, the record specimen, caught in 1921, had an extended arm span of and weighed about . The heaviest is the American lobster (''Homarus americanus''), the largest verified specimen, caught in 1977 off of

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

weighed and its body length was . The largest land arthropod and the largest land invertebrate is the

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 terrestrial arthropod in the world, with a weight of up to . It can grow to up to in width from the tip ...

(''Birgus latro''), up to long and weighing up to on average. Its legs may span .

Arachnids (Arachnida)

Both spiders and scorpions include contenders for the largest arachnids. Heteropoda maxima 1

;Spiders (

Araneae Spiders (order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species dive ...

) :The largest species of arachnid by length is probably the

giant huntsman spider The giant huntsman spider (''Heteropoda maxima'') is a species of the huntsman spider family ''Sparassidae'' found in Laos. It is considered the world's largest spider by leg span, which can reach up to . Description The colouration is yellow ...

(''Heteropoda maxima'') of Laos, which in 2008 replaced the

Goliath birdeater The Goliath birdeater (''Theraphosa blondi'') belongs to the tarantula family Theraphosidae. Found in northern South America, it is the largest spider in the world by mass () and body length (up to ), and second to the giant huntsman spider by ...

(''Theraphosa blondi'') of northern South America as the largest known spider by leg-span. However the most massive arachnids, of comparable dimensions and possibly even greater mass, are the

Chaco golden knee One of the larger species of tarantula, the Chaco golden knee (''Grammostola pulchripes''), formerly known as ''Grammostola aureostriata'', can be expected to reach between 20 and 22 cm (8.5 in). Name The former (and very commonly use ...

(''Grammostola pulchripes''), and the Brazilian salmon pink (''Lasiodora parahybana''). The huntsman spider may span up to across the legs, while in the

New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 3 ...

tarantulas like ''Theraphosa'' can range up to . In ''Grammostola'', ''Theraphosa'' and ''Lasiodora'', the weight is projected to be up to at least and body length is up to . ;Scorpions ( Scorpiones) :The largest of the

scorpion Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always end ...

s is the species ''

Heterometrus swammerdami ''Gigantometrus swammerdami'', commonly called the giant forest scorpion, is a scorpion belonging to the family Scorpionidae. It is native to India. It is the world's largest scorpion species with 23 cm (9 in) in length, and weigh as m ...

'' of the Indian subcontinent, which have a maximum length of and weigh around . Another extremely large scorpion is the African

emperor scorpion The emperor scorpion, ''Pandinus imperator'', is a species of scorpion native to rainforests and savannas in West Africa. It is one of the largest scorpions in the world and lives for 6–8 years. Its body is black, but like other scorpions i ...

(''Pandinus imperator''), which can weigh but is not known to exceed a length of . However, they were dwarfed by '' Pulmonoscorpius kirktonensis'', a giant extinct species of scorpion from Scotland, at an estimated length of , and the aquatic ''

Brontoscorpio ''Brontoscorpio'' is an extinct genus of scorpion. Remains of the only known species, ''Brontoscorpio anglicus'', were discovered in the St. Maughan's Formation, Lochkovian-aged sandstone from Trimpley, Worcestershire. The species was describe ...

'', at up to even through only known from finger. ;Pseudoscorpions (

Pseudoscorpiones Pseudoscorpions, also known as false scorpions or book scorpions, are small, scorpion-like arachnids belonging to the order Pseudoscorpiones, also known as Pseudoscorpionida or Chelonethida. Pseudoscorpions are generally beneficial to humans sin ...

) : The largest pseudoscorpion is ''

Garypus titanius ''Garypus titanius'', the giant pseudoscorpion, is the largest species of pseudoscorpion—small, scorpion-looking creatures—in the world. Critically endangered, it is restricted to Boatswain Bird Island, a small rocky island off Ascension Isla ...

'', from Ascension island, which can be long.

Crustaceans (Crustacea)

The largest crustacean is the

Tasmanian giant crab The Tasmanian giant crab, ''Pseudocarcinus gigas'' (sometimes known as the giant deepwater crab, giant southern crab or queen crab) is a very large species of crab that resides on rocky and muddy bottoms in the oceans off Southern Australia.Lev ...

(''Pseudocarcinus gigas''), with a weight of and a

carapace A carapace is a Dorsum (biology), dorsal (upper) section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods, such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates, such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tor ...

width of up to . It is the only species in the genus ''Pseudocarcinus''. Males reach more than twice the size of females. At a length of up to , ''

Lysiosquillina maculata ''Lysiosquillina maculata'', the zebra mantis shrimp, striped mantis shrimp or razor mantis, is a species of mantis shrimp found across the Indo-Pacific region from East Africa to the Galápagos and Hawaiian Islands. At a length up to 40 cm ...

'' is the largest mantis shrimp in the world.

Tasmanian giant freshwater crayfish The Tasmanian giant freshwater crayfish (''Astacopsis gouldi''), also called Tasmanian giant freshwater lobster, is the largest freshwater invertebrate and the largest freshwater crayfish species in the world. The species is only found in the rive ...

(''Astacopsis gouldi'') in weight and over long have been known in the past, but now, even individuals over are rare. The species is only found in Tasmanian rivers flowing north into the

Bass Strait Bass Strait () is a strait separating the island state of Tasmania from the Australian mainland (more specifically the coast of Victoria, with the exception of the land border across Boundary Islet). The strait provides the most direct waterwa ...

below

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''. The comb ...

, and is listed as an

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

on the

IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...

. ;Branchiopods (

Branchiopoda Branchiopoda is a class of crustaceans. It comprises fairy shrimp, clam shrimp, Diplostraca (or Cladocera), Notostraca and the Devonian ''Lepidocaris''. They are mostly small, freshwater animals that feed on plankton and detritus. Description M ...

) :The largest of these primarily freshwater

crustacean Crustaceans (Crustacea, ) form a large, diverse arthropod taxon which includes such animals as decapods, seed shrimp, branchiopods, fish lice, krill, remipedes, isopods, barnacles, copepods, amphipods and mantis shrimp. The crustacean group ...

s is probably ''

Branchinecta gigas ''Branchinecta gigas'' is a species of fairy shrimp that lives in western Canada and the United States. It is the largest species of fairy shrimp, growing up to long. It is known commonly as the giant fairy shrimp. Description Females reach sex ...

'', which can reach a length . ;Barnacles and allies (

Maxillopoda Crustaceans (Crustacea, ) form a large, diverse arthropod taxon which includes such animals as decapods, seed shrimp, branchiopods, fish lice, krill, remipedes, isopods, barnacles, copepods, amphipods and mantis shrimp. The crustacean group can ...

) :The largest species is ''

Pennella balaenopterae ''Pennella balaenopterae'' is a large ectoparasitic copepod specialising in parasitising marine mammals. It is the largest member of the genus ''Pennella'', the other species of which are parasites of larger marine fish. Description ''P. ba ...

'', a

copepod Copepods (; meaning "oar-feet") are a group of small crustaceans found in nearly every freshwater and saltwater habitat (ecology), habitat. Some species are planktonic (inhabiting sea waters), some are benthos, benthic (living on the ocean floor) ...

and

ectoparasite Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson has ...

specialising in parasitising marine mammals. The maximum size attained is 32 cm (about 13 in). The largest of the barnacles is the giant acorn barnacle, ''Balanus nubilis'', reaching in diameter and high. ;Ostracods (

Ostracoda Ostracods, or ostracodes, are a class of the Crustacea (class Ostracoda), sometimes known as seed shrimp. Some 70,000 species (only 13,000 of which are extant) have been identified, grouped into several orders. They are small crustaceans, typical ...

) :The largest living representative of these small and little-known but numerous

s is the species ''Gigantocypris australis'' females of which reaching a maximum length of . ;Amphipods, isopods, and allies ( Peracarida)

:The largest species is the

giant isopod A giant isopod is any of the almost 20 species of large isopods, crustaceans distantly related to shrimp and crabs, which are decapods, in the genus ''Bathynomus''. They are abundant in the cold, deep waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian ...

(''Bathynomus pergiganteus''), which can reach a length of 45 cm (18

inch Measuring tape with inches The inch (symbol: in or ″) is a unit of length in the British imperial and the United States customary systems of measurement. It is equal to yard or of a foot. Derived from the Roman uncia ("twelfth") ...

es) and a weight of 1.7 kg (3.7 lb). ;Remipedes (

Remipedia Remipedia is a class of blind crustaceans found in coastal aquifers which contain saline groundwater, with populations identified in almost every ocean basin so far explored, including in Australia, the Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean. The ...

) :The largest of these cave-dwelling

s is the species ''Godzillius robustus'', at up to .

Horseshoe crabs (Xiphosura)

The four modern

horseshoe crab Horseshoe crabs are marine and brackish water arthropods of the family Limulidae and the only living members of the order Xiphosura. Despite their name, they are not true crabs or crustaceans: they are chelicerates, most closely related to arachn ...

s are of roughly the same sizes, with females measuring up to in length and in weight.

Sea spiders (Pycnogonida)

The largest of the

sea spider Sea spiders are marine arthropods of the order Pantopoda ( ‘all feet’), belonging to the class Pycnogonida, hence they are also called pycnogonids (; named after ''Pycnogonum'', the type genus; with the suffix '). They are cosmopolitan, fou ...

s is the deep-sea species ''Colossendeis colossea'', attaining a leg span of nearly .

Trilobites (Trilobita)

Some of these extinct marine arthropods exceeded in length. A nearly complete specimen of ''

Isotelus ''Isotelus'' is a genus of asaphid trilobites from the middle and upper Ordovician period, fairly common in the Northeastern United States, northwest Manitoba, southwestern Quebec and southeastern Ontario. One species, ''Isotelus rex,'' is curr ...

rex'' from

Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...

attained a length over , and an '' Ogyginus forteyi'' from Portugal was almost as long. Fragments of trilobites suggest even larger record sizes. An isolated pygidium of ''Hungioides bohemicus'' implies that the full animal was long.

Myriapods (Myriapoda)

;Centipedes (

Chilopoda Centipedes (from New Latin , "hundred", and Latin , " foot") are predatory arthropods belonging to the class Chilopoda (Ancient Greek , ''kheilos'', lip, and New Latin suffix , "foot", describing the forcipules) of the subphylum Myriapoda, an ...

)

:The biggest of the

centipede Centipedes (from New Latin , "hundred", and Latin , " foot") are predatory arthropods belonging to the class Chilopoda (Ancient Greek , ''kheilos'', lip, and New Latin suffix , "foot", describing the forcipules) of the subphylum Myriapoda, an ...

s is ''

Scolopendra gigantea ''Scolopendra gigantea'', also known as the Peruvian giant yellow-leg centipede or Amazonian giant centipede, is a centipede in the genus ''Scolopendra''. It is the largest centipede species in the world, with a length exceeding .PDFTandof online ...

'' of the neotropics, reaching a length of . ;Millipedes (

Diplopoda Millipedes are a group of arthropods that are characterised by having two pairs of jointed legs on most body segments; they are known scientifically as the class Diplopoda, the name derived from this feature. Each double-legged segment is a resu ...

) :Two species of

millipede Millipedes are a group of arthropods that are characterised by having two pairs of jointed legs on most body segments; they are known scientifically as the class Diplopoda, the name derived from this feature. Each double-legged segment is a resu ...

both reach a very large size: ''

Archispirostreptus gigas ''Archispirostreptus gigas'', known as the giant African millipede or shongololo, is the largest extant species of millipede, growing up to in length, in circumference. It has approximately 256 legs, although the number of legs changes with eac ...

'' of East Africa and ''Scaphistostreptus seychellarum'', endemic to the Seychelles islands. Both of these species can slightly exceed a length of and measure over in diameter. The largest ever known was the ''

'', a gigantic prehistoric specimen that reached nearly . ;Symphylans (

Symphyla Symphylans, also known as garden centipedes or pseudocentipedes, are soil-dwelling arthropods of the class Symphyla in the subphylum Myriapoda. Symphylans resemble centipedes, but are very small, non-venomous, and only distantly related to both ...

) :The largest known

symphyla Symphylans, also known as garden centipedes or pseudocentipedes, are soil-dwelling arthropods of the class Symphyla in the subphylum Myriapoda. Symphylans resemble centipedes, but are very small, non-venomous, and only distantly related to both ...

n is ''

Hanseniella magna Hanseniella may refer to: * ''Hanseniella'' (myriapod), a genus of myriapods in the family Scutigerellidae * ''Hanseniella'' (plant), a genus of plants in the family Podostemaceae {{Genus disambiguation ...

'', originating in Tasmanian caves, which can reach lengths from up to .

Insects (Insecta)

Insect Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body ( head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs ...

s, a

class Class or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...

Arthropod Arthropods (, (gen. ποδός)) are invertebrate animals with an exoskeleton, a Segmentation (biology), segmented body, and paired jointed appendages. Arthropods form the phylum Arthropoda. They are distinguished by their jointed limbs and Arth ...

a, are easily the most numerous class of organisms, with over one million identified species, and probably many undescribed species. The heaviest insect is almost certainly a species of

beetle Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 describ ...

, which incidentally is the most species-rich order of organisms. Although heavyweight

giant weta In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: '' gigas'', cognate giga-) are beings of human-like appearance, but are at times prodigious in size and strength or bear an otherwise notable appearance. The word ''giant'' is first attested in 1297 fro ...

s (''

Deinacrida heteracantha ''Deinacrida heteracantha'', also known as the ''Little Barrier giant wētā'' or ''wētāpunga'' (Maori: ''wētāpunga''), is a wētā in the order Orthoptera and family Anostostomatidae. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it survived only on L ...

'') are known, the elephant beetles of Central and South America, ('' Megasoma elephas'') and ('' M. actaeon''), the

Titan beetle The titan beetle (''Titanus giganteus'') is a Neotropical longhorn beetle, the sole species in the genus ''Titanus'', and one of the largest known beetles. Description The titan beetle is one of the largest beetles, with the largest reliable mea ...

(''Titanus giganteus'') of the neotropical rainforest or the

Goliath beetle The Goliath beetles (named after the biblical giant Goliath) are any of the five species in the genus ''Goliathus''. Goliath beetles are among the largest insects on Earth, if measured in terms of size, bulk and weight.Karl Meye/ref> They are me ...

s, ('' Goliathus goliatus'') and ('' G. regius''), of Africa's rainforest are thought to reach a higher weight.(2011). source: The University of Florida Book of Insect Records The most frequently crowned are the Goliath beetles, the top known size of which is at least and . The elephant beetles and titan beetle can reach greater lengths than the Goliath, at up to , respectively, but this is in part thanks to their rather large horns. The Goliath beetle's wingspan can range up to . Some moths and butterflies have much larger areas than the heaviest beetles, but weigh a fraction as much. The longest insects are the stick insects, see below. Representatives of the extinct dragonfly-like order

Meganisoptera Meganisoptera is an extinct order of very large to gigantic insects, informally called griffinflies. The order was formerly named Protodonata, the "proto-Odonata", for their similar appearance and supposed relation to modern Odonata (damselflies ...

, such as the

Carboniferous The Carboniferous ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic that spans 60 million years from the end of the Devonian Period million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Permian Period, million years ago. The name ''Carbonifero ...

Meganeura monyi ''Meganeura'' is a genus of extinct insects from the Late Carboniferous (approximately 300 million years ago). They resembled and are related to the present-day dragonflies and damselflies, and were predatory, with their diet mainly consisting o ...

'' of what is now France and the

Permian The Permian ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system which spans 47 million years from the end of the Carboniferous Period million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Triassic Period 251.9 Mya. It is the last period of the Paleoz ...

Meganeuropsis permiana ''Meganeuropsis'' is an extinct genus of griffinfly, order Meganisoptera, known from the Early Permian Wellington Formation of North America, and represents the largest known insect of all time. ''Meganeuropsis'' existed during the Artinskian ...

'' of what is now North America, are the largest

insect Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body ( head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs ...

species known to have existed. These creatures had a wingspan of some and a mass of over , making them about the size of a

crow A crow is a bird of the genus '' Corvus'', or more broadly a synonym for all of ''Corvus''. Crows are generally black in colour. The word "crow" is used as part of the common name of many species. The related term "raven" is not pinned scientifica ...

. ;Cockroaches and termites (

Blattodea Blattodea is an order of insects that contains cockroaches and termites. Formerly, termites were considered a separate order, Isoptera, but genetic and molecular evidence suggests they evolved from within the cockroach lineage, cladistically ...

)

:The largest

cockroach Cockroaches (or roaches) are a paraphyletic group of insects belonging to Blattodea, containing all members of the group except termites. About 30 cockroach species out of 4,600 are associated with human habitats. Some species are well-known as ...

by body mass is the Australian

giant burrowing cockroach The giant burrowing cockroach (''Macropanesthia rhinoceros'') is also known as the rhinoceros cockroach, and Queensland giant cockroach. These cockroaches are native to Australia and mostly found in tropical and subtropical parts of Queensland. ...

(''Macropanesthia rhinoceros''), also known as the rhinoceros cockroach. This species can attain a length of and a weight of . It does not have wings. The Brazilian giant cockroach ('' Blaberus giganteus'') of the neotropics reaches greater sizes of up to 10 cm in length and 15 cm in wingspan, although it is not as massive and heavy as the burrowing species. The termites, traditionally classified in their own order (

Isoptera Termites are small insects that live in colonies and have distinct castes (eusocial) and feed on wood or other dead plant matter. Termites comprise the infraorder Isoptera, or alternatively the epifamily Termitoidae, within the order Blattod ...

), have recently been re-considered to belong in

. The largest of the

termite Termites are small insects that live in colonies and have distinct castes (eusocial) and feed on wood or other dead plant matter. Termites comprise the infraorder Isoptera, or alternatively the epifamily Termitoidae, within the order Blattode ...

s is the African species ''

Macrotermes bellicosus ''Macrotermes bellicosus'' is a species of ''Macrotermes''. It is the largest termite known, with queens measuring about long, workers about and soldiers are slightly larger. ' means "combative" in Latin. The species is a member of a genus indi ...

''. The queen of this species can attain a length of and breadth of across the abdomen; other adults, on the other hand, are about a third of the size. ;Beetles (

Coleoptera Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 describ ...

) :The

s are the largest order of organisms on earth, with about 400,000 species so far identified. The most massive species are the ''

Goliathus The Goliath beetles (named after the biblical giant Goliath) are any of the five species in the genus ''Goliathus''. Goliath beetles are among the largest insects on Earth, if measured in terms of size, bulk and weight.Karl Meye/ref> They are mem ...

'', ''

Megasoma ''Megasoma'' is a genus of rhinoceros beetles. Commonly known as the elephant beetles, ''Megasoma'' species are found from the southern half of North America to most of South America. Appearance ''Megasoma'' are generally large in size (as indic ...

'' and ''

Titanus Titanus is an Italian film production company, founded in 1904 by Gustavo Lombardo (1885–1951). The company's headquarters are located at 28 Via Sommacampagna, Rome and its studios on the Via Tiburtina, 13 km from the centre of Rome. Lom ...

'' beetles already mentioned. Another fairly large species is the

Hercules beetle The Hercules beetle (''Dynastes hercules'') is a species of rhinoceros beetle native to the rainforests of Central America, South America, and the Lesser Antilles. It is the longest extant species of beetle in the world, and is also one of the ...

(''Dynastes hercules'') of the neotropic rainforest with a maximum overall length of at least including the extremely long pronotal horn. The weight in this species does not exceed . The longest overall beetle is a species of

longhorn beetle The longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae), also known as long-horned or longicorns, are a large family of beetles, with over 35,000 species described. Most species are characterized by extremely long antennae, which are often as long as or longer than ...

, ''

Batocera wallacei ''Batocera wallacei'', common name Wallace's long-horn beetle, is a species of flat-faced longhorn beetle in the subfamily Lamiinae of the family Cerambycidae. The species name honors Alfred Russel Wallace, who discovered this longhorn beetle on ...

'', from New Guinea, which can attain a length of , about of which is comprised by the long antennae. ;Earwigs (

Dermaptera Earwigs make up the insect order Dermaptera. With about 2,000 species in 12 families, they are one of the smaller insect orders. Earwigs have characteristic cerci, a pair of forcep-like pincers on their abdomen, and membranous wings folded ...

) :Since 1798, the largest of the

earwig Earwigs make up the insect order Dermaptera. With about 2,000 species in 12 families, they are one of the smaller insect orders. Earwigs have characteristic cerci, a pair of forcep-like pincers on their abdomen, and membranous wings folded ...

s has been the Saint Helena giant earwig (''Labidura herculeana''), endemic to the island of its name, measuring up to in length. As of 2014, with the declaring of the organism extinct by the

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

, this may no longer be the case, although some believe a small number individuals are still extant. ;True flies (

Diptera Flies are insects of the order Diptera, the name being derived from the Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwings having evolved into advanced ...

)

:The largest species of this order, which includes the common

housefly The housefly (''Musca domestica'') is a fly of the suborder Cyclorrhapha. It is believed to have evolved in the Cenozoic Era, possibly in the Middle East, and has spread all over the world as a commensal of humans. It is the most common fl ...

, is the neotropical species ''

Gauromydas heros ''Gauromydas heros'' is a species of giant fly belonging to the family Mydidae. It is the largest species of the entire order of Diptera or true flies. Distribution This species has a Neotropical distribution (Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay). Descr ...

'', which can reach a length of and a wingspan of . Species of

crane fly Crane fly is a common name referring to any member of the insect family Tipulidae. Cylindrotominae, Limoniinae, and Pediciinae have been ranked as subfamilies of Tipulidae by most authors, though occasionally elevated to family rank. In the m ...

, the largest of which is '' Holorusia brobdignagius'', can attain a length of but are extremely slender and much lighter in weight than '' Gauromydas''. ;Mayflies ( Ephemeroptera) :The largest mayflies are members of the genus '' Proboscidoplocia'' from

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

. These insects can reach a length of . ;True bugs (

Hemiptera Hemiptera (; ) is an order (biology), order of insects, commonly called true bugs, comprising over 80,000 species within groups such as the cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, Reduviidae, assassin bugs, Cimex, bed bugs, and shield bugs. ...

)

:The largest species of this diverse order is usually listed as the

giant water bug Belostomatidae is a family of freshwater hemipteran insects known as giant water bugs or colloquially as toe-biters, Indian toe-biters, electric-light bugs, alligator ticks, or alligator fleas (in Florida). They are the largest insects in the ord ...

in the genus ''

Lethocerus ''Lethocerus'' is a genus of the hemipteran family Belostomatidae, known colloquially as giant water bugs, toe biters and electric light bugs, distributed in tropical, subtropical and temperate areas of the world. The greatest diversity of speci ...

'', with '' L. maximus'' from the Neotropics being the absolutely largest. They can surpass in length,Haddad Jr; Schwartz; Schwartz; and Carvalho (2010). ''Bites Caused by Giant Water Bugs Belonging to Belostomatidae Family (Hemiptera, Heteroptera) in Humans: A Report of Seven Cases.'' Wilderness & Environmental Medicine 21: 130–133. with some suggesting that the maximum size is . It is more slender and less heavy than most other insects of this size (principally the huge

s). The largest

cicada The cicadas () are a superfamily, the Cicadoidea, of insects in the order Hemiptera (true bugs). They are in the suborder Auchenorrhyncha, along with smaller jumping bugs such as leafhoppers and froghoppers. The superfamily is divided into two ...

is '' Megapomponia imperatoria'', which has a head-body length of about and a wingspan of . The cicadas of the genus ''

Tacua ''Tacua speciosa'' is a very large Southeast Asian species of cicada. It is the only member of the genus ''Tacua''. Description ''Tacua speciosa'' has a wingspan of and a head-body length of . '' Megapomponia'', ''Pomponia'' and ''Tacua'' are ...

'' can also grow to comparably large sizes. The largest type of

aphid Aphids are small sap-sucking insects and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Common names include greenfly and blackfly, although individuals within a species can vary widely in color. The group includes the fluffy white woolly aphids. A t ...

is the giant oak aphid ('' Stomaphis quercus''), which can reach an overall length of . The biggest species of

leafhopper A leafhopper is the common name for any species from the family Cicadellidae. These minute insects, colloquially known as hoppers, are plant feeders that suck plant sap from grass, shrubs, or trees. Their hind legs are modified for jumping, and a ...

is '' Ledromorpha planirostris'', which can reach a length of . Stavenn Megachile pluto

;Ants and allies (

Hymenoptera Hymenoptera is a large order (biology), order of insects, comprising the sawfly, sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. Over 150,000 living species of Hymenoptera have been described, in addition to over 2,000 extinct ones. Many of the species are Par ...

) :The largest of the

ant Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of 22 ...

s, and the heaviest species of the order, are the females of the African ''

Dorylus helvolus ''Dorylus'', also known as driver ants, safari ants, or siafu, is a large genus of army ants found primarily in central and east Africa, although the range also extends to southern Africa and tropical Asia. The term siafu is a loanword from Swah ...

'', reaching a length of and a weight of . The ant that averages the largest for the mean size within the whole colony is a ponerine ant, ''

Dinoponera gigantea ''Dinoponera gigantea'' is a species of ant belonging to the family Formicidae. Names It is called taramãçu or uitsi in the Kwaza language of Rondônia, Brazil. Description ''Dinoponera gigantea'' is one of the world's largest species of a ...

'', from South America, averaging up to from the mandibles to the end of abdomen. Workers of the bulldog ant ('' Myrmecia brevinoda'') of Australia are up to in total length, although much of this is from their extremely large mandibles. The largest of the bee species, also in the order

, is ''

Megachile pluto ''Megachile pluto'', also known as Wallace's giant bee or (), is a large resin bee found in Indonesia. With a wingspan of it is the largest known living bee species. It was believed to be extinct until several specimens were discovered in 1981 ...

'' of Indonesia, the females of which can be long, with a wingspan. Nearly as large, the

carpenter bee Carpenter bees are species in the genus ''Xylocopa'' of the subfamily Xylocopinae. The genus includes some 500 bees in 31 subgenera. The common name "carpenter bee" derives from their nesting behavior; nearly all species burrow into hard plant m ...

s can range up to . The largest wasp is probably the so-called

tarantula hawk A tarantula hawk is a spider wasp (Pompilidae) that preys on tarantulas. Tarantula hawks belong to any of the many species in the genera ''Pepsis'' and ''Hemipepsis.'' They are one of the largest parasitoid wasps, using their sting to paralyze the ...

species ''Pepsis pulszkyi'' of South America, at up to long and wingspan, although many other ''

Pepsis ''Pepsis'' is a genus of spider wasps belonging to the family Pompilidae. Species within this genus are also called tarantula hawks, as they usually hunt tarantulas, similarly to many species in the genus '' Hemipepsis''. These wasps are rest ...

'' approach a similar size. The giant scarab-hunting wasp ''

Megascolia procer ''Megascolia procer'', the giant scoliid wasp, is a solitary wasp in the family Scoliidae found across the Oriental region. It is one of the largest wasps in the world, with a wingspan of 11.6 cm. Measurement scale on Figure 1. Descriptio ...

'' may rival the largest tarantula hawks in weight and wingspan, though its body is not as long. ;Moths and allies (

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

)

:The

Hercules moth ''Coscinocera hercules'', the Hercules moth, is a moth of the family Saturniidae, endemic to New Guinea and northern Australia. The species was first described by William Henry Miskin in 1876. Description Adults have a wingspan of about , mak ...

(''Coscinocera hercules''), in the family

Saturniidae Saturniidae, commonly known as saturniids, is a family of Lepidoptera with an estimated 2,300 described species. The family contains some of the largest species of moths in the world. Notable members include the emperor moths, royal moths, and gi ...

, is endemic to

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea). It is a simplified version of ...

and northern

, and its wings have the largest documented surface area (300 square centimeters) of any living insect, and a maximum wingspan which is confirmed to while unconfirmed specimens have spanned up to . The largest species overall is often claimed to be either the

Queen Alexandra's birdwing ''Ornithoptera alexandrae'', the Queen Alexandra's birdwing, is the largest species of butterfly in the world, with females reaching wingspans slightly in excess of 25 cm to 28 cm (9.8 inches to 11 inches). This birdwing is restricted to the ...

(''Ornithoptera alexandrae''), a butterfly from Papua New Guinea, or the Atlas moth (''

Attacus atlas ''Attacus atlas'', the Atlas moth, is a large Saturniidae, saturniid moth endemic to the forests of Asia. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''. Descri ...

''), a moth from Southeast Asia. Both of these species can reach a length of , a wingspan of and a weight of . One Atlas moth allegedly had a wingspan of but this measurement was not verified. The larvae in the previous species can weigh up to , respectively. However, there are no reported measurements of surface area that would exceed the Hercules moth, and the white witch (''

Thysania agrippina ''Thysania agrippina'' is a species of moth in the family Erebidae. It was described by Maria Sibylla Merian in her 1705 publication ''Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium,'' and Pieter Cramer provided the Species description, formal descripti ...

'') of Central and South America, has the largest recorded wingspan of the order, and indeed of any living insect, though the white witch is exceeded in surface area by the Hercules moth. The verified record-sized '' Thysania'' spanned across the wings, although specimens have been reported to . The heaviest mature moths have been cited in the giant carpenter moth ('' Xyleutes boisduvali'') of Australia, which has weighed up to although the species does not surpass in wingspan. ;Mantises (

Mantodea Mantises are an order (Mantodea) of insects that contains over 2,400 species in about 460 genera in 33 families. The largest family is the Mantidae ("mantids"). Mantises are distributed worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. They ha ...

) :The largest species of this order is '' Toxodera denticulata'' from

Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's List ...

, which has been measured up to in overall length. However, an undescribed species from the

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...

jungle is allegedly much larger than any other mantis and may rival the larger stick insects for the longest living insect. Among widespread mantis species, the largest is the

Chinese mantis The Chinese mantis (''Tenodera sinensis'') is a species of mantis native to Asia and the nearby islands. In 1896 this species was accidentally introduced by a nursery tender at Mt. Airy near Philadelphia, United States. ''Tenodera sinensis'' oft ...

(''Tenodera aridifolia''). The females of this species can attain a length of up to . ;Scorpionflies (

Mecoptera Mecoptera (from the Greek: ''mecos'' = "long", ''ptera'' = "wings") is an order of insects in the superorder Endopterygota with about six hundred species in nine families worldwide. Mecopterans are sometimes called scorpionflies after their lar ...

) :The largest scorpionfly, the

common scorpionfly ''Panorpa communis'', the common scorpionfly, is a species of Mecoptera, scorpionfly. Distribution This species is native to Europe (mostly) and Northern Asia. Habitat These scorpionflies can be usually found in hedgerows and patches of Urtica ...

(''Panorpa communis''), can reach a body length of about .UK Safari
/ref> ;Alderflies and allies ( Megaloptera) :This relatively small insect order includes some rather large species, many of which are noticeable for their elongated, imposing mandibles. The

dobsonflies Dobsonflies are a subfamily of insects, Corydalinae, part of the Megalopteran family Corydalidae. The larvae (commonly called hellgrammites) are aquatic, living in streams, and the adults are often found along streams as well. The nine genera o ...

reach the greatest sizes of the order and can range up to in length. ;Net-winged insects ( Neuroptera) Nymphes myrmeleonides 4

:These flying insects reach their largest size in '' Palparellus voeltzkowi'', which can have a wingspan over . The largest

lacewing The insect order Neuroptera, or net-winged insects, includes the lacewings, mantidflies, antlions, and their relatives. The order consists of some 6,000 species. Neuroptera can be grouped together with the Megaloptera and Raphidioptera in t ...

is the "blue eyes lacewing" (''

Nymphes myrmeleonides ''Nymphes myrmeleonides'' is an Australian insect in the order Neuroptera, known as the ''blue eyes lacewing''. It is found in areas of New South Wales and Queensland. The species have a body length of up to and a wingspan of up to , each wing e ...

'') of Australia, which can measure up to in length and span across the wings. Some forms of this ancient order could grow extremely large during the

Jurassic period The Jurassic ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately Mya. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of ...

and may have ranked among the largest insects ever. Found in the

Early Cretaceous The Early Cretaceous ( geochronological name) or the Lower Cretaceous (chronostratigraphic name), is the earlier or lower of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous. It is usually considered to stretch from 145 Ma to 100.5 Ma. Geology Pro ...

sedimentary Sedimentary rocks are types of rock (geology), rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic matter, organic particles at Earth#Surface, Earth's surface, followed by cementation (geology), cementation. Sedimentati ...

rocks, '' Makarkinia adamsi'' had wings nearly in length. ;Dragonflies (

Odonata Odonata is an order of flying insects that includes the dragonflies and damselflies. Members of the group first appeared during the Triassic, though members of their total group, Odonatoptera, first appeared in Late Carboniferous. The two comm ...

) :The largest species of

dragonfly A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of true dragonfly are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threate ...

is ''

Megaloprepus caerulatus ''Megaloprepus caerulatus'' is a damselfly of the Forest Giant family within the Coenagrioniae family. Giant damselflies were previously recognized as their own family, Pseudostigmatidae. ''M. caerulatus'' is found in wet and moist forests in Ce ...

'' of the

neotropic The Neotropical realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting Earth's land surface. Physically, it includes the tropical terrestrial ecoregions of the Americas and the entire South American temperate zone. Definition In bioge ...

s, attaining a size of as much as across the wings and a body length of over . Spanning up to and measuring up to long, ''

Tetracanthagyna plagiata The giant hawker (''Tetracanthagyna plagiata'') or the gigantic riverhawker, is a species of dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae. It is found throughout Sundaland, having been recorded on Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, and Born ...

'' of Southeast Asia is bulkier and heavier than '' Megaloprepus'' at up to . ;Grasshoppers and allies (

Orthoptera Orthoptera () is an order of insects that comprises the grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets, including closely related insects, such as the bush crickets or katydids and wētā. The order is subdivided into two suborders: Caelifera – grassho ...

)

:The largest of this widespread, varied complex of insects are the

s of New Zealand, which is now split among 12 species. The largest of these is the Little Barrier Island giant weta (''

''), the largest specimen was weighed at , one of the largest insects weights ever known. These heavyweight insects can be over long. The largest grasshopper species is often considered to be the Australian giant grasshopper (''

Valanga irregularis ''Valanga irregularis'' (common name "giant grasshopper", "giant valanga" or "hedge grasshopper") belongs to the Family (biology), family Acrididae. The distribution is restricted in the Australian tropics and subtropics. The species is the large ...

''), which ranges up to in length. The American eastern lubber grasshopper ('' Romalea guttata'') can allegedly range up to in length. However, the greatest grasshopper sizes known, to , have been cited in the South American giant grasshopper ('' Tropidacris violaceus''). The longest members of this order (although much lighter than the giant wetas) is the katydid '' Macrolyristes corporalis'' of Southeast Asia which can range up to with its long legs extended and can have a wingspan of . ;Stick insects ( Phasmatodea) :The longest known

stick insect The Phasmatodea (also known as Phasmida, Phasmatoptera or Spectra) are an order of insects whose members are variously known as stick insects, stick-bugs, walking sticks, stick animals, or bug sticks. They are also occasionally referred to as ...

s are also the longest known insects, notably species in the tribe Pharnaciini, but they are generally relatively lightweight because of their slender shape. The longest is an unnamed species of ''

Phryganistria ''Phryganistria'' is a genus of stick insects belonging to the subfamily Clitumninae. It was described by the Swedish entomologist Carl Stål in 1875. Members of the genus are found only in Southeast Asia. Of the new species described in 2014, ' ...

'' discovered in China in 2016, where a specimen held at the Insect Museum of West China in

Chengdu Chengdu (, ; Simplified Chinese characters, simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively Romanization of Chi ...

has a total length of . The second-longest species is the Australian '' Ctenomorpha gargantua'', females of which have been measured at over in total length. Other very large species, formerly believed to be longest but now considered third longest is ''

Sadyattes chani ''Phobaeticus chani'' or Chan's megastick, also known by its synonym ''Sadyattes chani'', is a species of stick insect in the tribe Pharnaciini. It is one of the longest insects in the world and was once considered the record-holder (it is cur ...

''; a specimen held in the

Natural History Museum A natural history museum or museum of natural history is a scientific institution with natural history collections that include current and historical records of animals, plants, fungi, ecosystems, geology, paleontology, climatology, and more. ...

in London has a total length of . These measurements are, however, with the front legs fully extended; it has a body length measuring . Another very large species is '' Phobaeticus kirbyi'' where the total length (including extended legs) is up to and the body alone up to .Brock, P.D. 1999. ''The amazing world of stick and leaf-insects''. Cravitz Printing Co., Essex, England. Another of the longest insect in terms of total length is ''

Phobaeticus serratipes ''Phobaeticus serratipes'' (formerly known as ''Pharnacia serratipes'') is a species of stick insect that at one time was the longest known insect, with one female specimen recorded as being 555 mm long. This measurement includes the legs ...

'' of Malaysia and Singapore, measuring up to . Another extremely long stick insect is '' Pharnacia maxima'', which measured with its legs extended. The spiny stick insect (''

Heteropteryx dilatata ''Heteropteryx'' is a monotypic genus of stick insects containing ''Heteropteryx dilatata'' as the only described species. and gives its name to the family of the Heteropterygidae. Their only species may be known as jungle nymph, Malaysian sti ...

'') of Malaysia does not reach the extreme lengths of its cousins, the body reaching up to long, but it is much bulkier. The largest '' Heteropteryx'' weighed about and was wide across the thickest part of the body. ;Lice (

Phthiraptera Louse ( : lice) is the common name for any member of the clade Phthiraptera, which contains nearly 5,000 species of wingless parasitic insects. Phthiraptera has variously been recognized as an order, infraorder, or a parvorder, as a result o ...

) :These insects, which live parasitically on other animals, are as a rule quite small. The largest known species is the hog louse, ''

Haematopinus suis ''Haematopinus suis'', the hog louse, is one of the largest members of the louse suborder Anoplura, which consists of sucking lice that commonly afflict a number of mammals. ''H. suis'' is found almost solely on the skin surface of swine ...

'', a

sucking louse Sucking lice (Anoplura, formerly known as Siphunculata) have around 500 species and represent the smaller of the two traditional superfamilies of lice. As opposed to the paraphyletic chewing lice, which are now divided among three suborders, th ...

that lives on large livestock like

pig The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus ...

s and

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult mal ...

. It can range up to in length. ;Stoneflies ( Plecoptera) Pteronarcys californica 2544

:The largest species of

stonefly Plecoptera is an order of insects, commonly known as stoneflies. Some 3,500 species are described worldwide, with new species still being discovered. Stoneflies are found worldwide, except Antarctica. Stoneflies are believed to be one of the mo ...

is ''

Pteronarcys californica ''Pteronarcys californica'' is a species of insect in the family Pteronarcyidae, the giant stoneflies and salmonflies. It is known commonly as a salmonfly.Psocoptera Psocoptera are a paraphyletic group of insects that are commonly known as booklice, barklice or barkflies. The name Psocoptera has been replaced with Psocodea in recent literature, with the inclusion of the former order Phthiraptera into Psocode ...

) :The largest of this order of very small insects are the barklice of the genus '' Psocus'', the top size of which is about 1 cm. ;Fleas ( Siphonaptera) :The largest species of

flea Flea, the common name for the order Siphonaptera, includes 2,500 species of small flightless insects that live as external parasites of mammals and birds. Fleas live by ingesting the blood of their hosts. Adult fleas grow to about long, a ...

is '' Hystrichopsylla schefferi''. This parasite is known exclusively from the fur of the

mountain beaver The mountain beaver (''Aplodontia rufa'')Other names include mountain boomer, ground bear, giant mole, gehalis, lesser sasquatch, sewellel, suwellel, showhurll, showtl, and showte, as well as a number of Chinookan and other Native American terms ...

(''Aplodontia rufa'') and can reach a length of . ;Silverfishes and allies (

Thysanura Thysanura is the now deprecated name of what was, for over a century, recognised as an order in the class Insecta. The two constituent groups within the former order, the Archaeognatha (jumping bristletails) and the Zygentoma (silverfish and fireb ...

) :These strange-looking insects, known to feed on human household objects, can range up to in length. A 350 million year old form was known to grow quite large, at up to . ;Thrips (

Thysanoptera Thrips (order Thysanoptera) are minute (mostly long or less), slender insects with fringed wings and unique asymmetrical mouthparts. Different thrips species feed mostly on plants by puncturing and sucking up the contents, although a few are ...

) :Members of the genus ''

Phasmothrips ''Phasmothrips'' is a genus of thrips in the family Phlaeothripidae. Its members are the largest known thrips, reaching lengths of up to 1.3 cm (0.51 in). Its only known species is ''Phasmothrips asperatus''.Roskov Y., Ower G., Orrell ...

'' are the largest kinds of

thrip Thrips (order Thysanoptera) are minute (mostly long or less), slender insects with fringed wings and unique asymmetrical mouthparts. Different thrips species feed mostly on plants by puncturing and sucking up the contents, although a few are ...

s. The maximum size these species attain is approximately in length. ;Caddisflies (

Trichoptera The caddisflies, or order Trichoptera, are a group of insects with aquatic larvae and terrestrial adults. There are approximately 14,500 described species, most of which can be divided into the suborders Integripalpia and Annulipalpia on the b ...

) :The largest of the small, moth-like caddisflies is '' Eubasilissa maclachlani''. This species can range up to across the wings. ;Angel insects (

Zoraptera The insect order (biology), order Zoraptera, commonly known as angel insects, contains small and soft bodied insects with two forms: winged with wings sheddable as in termites, dark and with eyes (compound) and ocelli (simple); or wingless, pale ...

) :The largest angel insect species, Hubbard's angel insect (''Zorotypus hubbardi''), grows up to in length.

Cnidarians (Cnidaria)

The

(''Cyanea capillata'') is the largest

cnidaria Cnidaria () is a phylum under kingdom Animalia containing over 11,000 species of aquatic animals found both in freshwater and marine environments, predominantly the latter. Their distinguishing feature is cnidocytes, specialized cells that th ...

n species, of the class Scyphozoa. The largest known specimen of this giant, found washed up on the shore of

Massachusetts Bay Massachusetts Bay is a bay on the Gulf of Maine that forms part of the central coastline of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Description The bay extends from Cape Ann on the north to Plymouth Harbor on the south, a distance of about . Its ...

in 1870, had a bell diameter of , a weight of . The

tentacle In zoology, a tentacle is a flexible, mobile, and elongated organ present in some species of animals, most of them invertebrates. In animal anatomy, tentacles usually occur in one or more pairs. Anatomically, the tentacles of animals work main ...

s of this specimens were as long as and were projected to have a tentacular spread of about making it one of the longest extant animals. ;Corals and sea anemones (

Anthozoa Anthozoa is a subphylum of marine invertebrates which includes the sea anemones, Scleractinia, stony corals and Alcyonacea, soft corals. Adult anthozoans are almost all attached to the seabed, while their larvae can disperse as part of the plank ...

) :The largest individual species are the sea-anemones of the genus '' Discoma'', which can attain a mouth disc diameter of . Longer, but much less massive overall, are the anemones of the genus ''

Ceriantharia Tube-dwelling anemones or ceriantharians look very similar to sea anemones but belong to an entirely different class of anthozoans. They are solitary, living buried in soft sediments. Tube anemones live inside and can withdraw into tubes, which ...

'', at up to tall. Communities of

coral Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and sec ...

can be truly massive, a single colony of the genus ''

Porites ''Porites'' is a genus of stony coral; they are small polyp stony (SPS) corals. They are characterised by a finger-like morphology. Members of this genus have widely spaced calices, a well-developed wall reticulum and are bilaterally symmetric ...

'' can be over , but the actual individual organisms are quite small. ;Hydrozoans (

Hydrozoa Hydrozoa (hydrozoans; ) are a taxonomic class of individually very small, predatory animals, some solitary and some colonial, most of which inhabit saline water. The colonies of the colonial species can be large, and in some cases the specializ ...

) :The colonial

siphonophore Siphonophorae (from Greek ''siphōn'' 'tube' + ''pherein'' 'to bear') is an order within Hydrozoa, which is a class of marine organisms within the phylum Cnidaria. According to the World Register of Marine Species, the order contains 175 specie ...

Praya dubia The ''Praya dubia'', or giant siphonophore, is an invertebrate which lives in the deep sea at to below sea level. It has been found off the coasts around the world, from Iceland in the North Atlantic, to Chile in the South Pacific. ''Praya dub ...

'' can attain lengths of . The

Portuguese man o' war The Portuguese man o' war (''Physalia physalis''), also known as the man-of-war, is a marine hydrozoan found in the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean. It is considered to be the same species as the Pacific man o' war or blue bottle, which is ...

's (''Physalia physalis'') tentacles can attain a length of up to . On April 6, 2020 the

Schmidt Ocean Institute Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit operating foundation established in March 2009 by Eric Schmidt and Wendy Schmidt. The Institute's goal is to advance innovative oceanographic research and discovery through technological adv ...

announced the discovery of a giant ''

Apolemia ''Apolemia'' is a genus of siphonophores. It is the only genus in the monotypic family Apolemiidae. Despite appearing to be a single multicellular organism, they are actually a floating colony of polyps and medusoids, collectively known as zooid ...

'' siphonophore in submarine canyons near

Ningaloo Coast The Ningaloo Coast is a World Heritage Site located in the north west coastal region of Western Australia. The heritage-listed area is located approximately north of Perth, along the East Indian Ocean. The distinctive Ningaloo Reef that fring ...

, measuring 15 m (49 ft) diameter with a ring approximately 47 m (154 ft) long, claiming it was possibly the largest siphonophore ever recorded.

Sponges (Porifera)

The largest known species of

sea sponge Sponges, the members of the phylum Porifera (; meaning 'pore bearer'), are a basal animal clade as a sister of the diploblasts. They are multicellular organisms that have bodies full of pores and channels allowing water to circulate through t ...

is the giant barrel sponge, ''

Xestospongia muta The giant barrel sponge (''Xestospongia muta'') is the largest species of sponge found growing on Caribbean coral reefs. It is common at depths greater than down to and can reach a diameter of 1.8 metres (6 feet). It is typically brownish-red t ...

''. These massively built sponges can reach in height and can be about the same thickness at the thickest part of the "body". Some of these creatures have been estimated to be over 2,400 years of age. ;Calcareous sponges ( Calcarea) :The largest known of these small, inconspicuous sponges is probably the species '' Pericharax heteroraphis'', attaining a height of . Most calcareous sponges do not exceed tall. ;Hexactinellid sponges (

Hexactinellida Hexactinellid sponges are sponges with a skeleton made of four- and/or six-pointed siliceous spicules, often referred to as glass sponges. They are usually classified along with other sponges in the phylum Porifera, but some researchers conside ...

) :A relatively common species, '' Rhabdocalyptus dawsoni'', can reach a height of once they are of a very old age. This is the maximum size recorded for a hexactinellid sponge.

References

{{reflist

Animals Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals consume organic material, breathe oxygen, are able to move, can reproduce sexually, and go through an ontogenetic stage in ...

* Heaviest or most massive organisms

Heaviest living animals

Heaviest terrestrial animals

Vertebrates

Mammals (Mammalia)

Stem-mammals (Synapsida)

Reptiles (Reptilia)

Heaviest living reptiles

Dinosaurs (Dinosauria)

Birds (Aves)

=Heaviest living bird species

Amphibians (Amphibia)

Fish

Invertebrate chordates

Tunicates (Tunicata)

Thaliacea

Cephalochordates (Leptocardii)

Invertebrate non-chordates

Echinoderms (Echinodermata)

Flatworms (Platyhelminthes)

Segmented worms (Annelida)

Ribbon worms (Nemertea)

Mollusks (Mollusca)

Roundworms (Nematoda)

Velvet worms (Onychophora)

Arthropods (Arthropoda)

Arachnids (Arachnida)

Crustaceans (Crustacea)

Horseshoe crabs (Xiphosura)

Sea spiders (Pycnogonida)

Trilobites (Trilobita)

Myriapods (Myriapoda)

Insects (Insecta)

Cnidarians (Cnidaria)

Sponges (Porifera)

See also

References