Evolution is perhaps coolest when we can discover examples of its transitional phases, and this little guy whose cranium was discovered nearly intact in Utah fits that bill. Small but mighty, he weighed in at under three pounds and stood only about three inches tall. He could probably give you a nasty bite on your ankle…
Resembling fossils previously found only in Eurasia and North Africa, the 130-million year old remains indicate that the supercontinent Pangea held together for about 15 million years, considerably longer than previously suspected, allowing for the spread of early mammals such as these and for their exploration of ecological niches. Cifelliodon wahkarmoosuch here was fur covered and suckled their young but laid eggs, similar to the modern-day platypus.
Described as snout-bearing and catlike with buck teeth, the critter was discovered by accident amidst a cluster of larger dinosaur bones as they were being extracted, under the foot of one of them…ouch! Just don’t dig up your basement looking for another one…
– – Want a real life sea serpent? Try the giant oarfish, a rarely-seen deep sea dweller of freakish size and appearance, and the world’s largest bony fish. The oarfish is known to reach a length of up to 27 feet with unverified reports of specimens reaching 50 or more feet. Although they rarely wash up due to usually staying in deep, open ocean habitats, two oarfish have recently been found along the San Diego coast in California, the most recent measuring nearly 14 feet and an earlier one discovered the same week measuring 18 feet. The specimens were felt to have died of natural causes, and their weight was estimated at about 200 pounds.
FOXSYLVANIA 
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