'Survivors of hell': How ancient predators thrived after Earth’s worst extinction
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Credit: Museum für Naturkunde Berlin
Survival Secrets
Ancient amphibians thrived after Earth’s deadliest extinction by feasting on freshwater prey, avoiding the chaos that wiped out 90% of species.
Credit: Brian Engh (dontmesswithdinosaurs.com)
Amphibian Ancestors
Temnospondyls, relatives of modern frogs and salamanders, dominated post-extinction waters while land predators struggled to find food.
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The Tropical Dead Zone
Global warming, acid rain, and wildfires made the tropics uninhabitable—but somehow, these water-loving creatures crossed the danger zone.
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Unchanged Survivors
Unlike many species that evolved rapidly after the extinction, temnospondyls kept the same body shapes and hunting strategies—and still flourished.
Credit: Wikipedia
Size Didn’t Matter
Some temnospondyls were small insect hunters, while others were giant fish-trappers. Their diversity helped them survive in changing environments.
Credit: Brian Engh
The Five-Million-Year Boom
Five million years after the extinction, these amphibians hit their peak—but as dinosaurs and mammals emerged, their reign began to fade.
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Fossil Trail Mystery
Temnospondyl fossils in both hemispheres suggest they traveled across the deadly tropics—how they survived remains a puzzle for scientists.
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Masters of Adaptation
By eating almost anything, needing little food, and hiding in shrinking water bodies, these creatures outlasted most land predators.
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The Beginning of the End
Though they ruled early Triassic waters, the rise of dinosaurs and mammal ancestors signaled the slow decline of these once-mighty survivors.