These Were The Real River Monsters of Earth

The freshwaters of Earth today may seem like a scary place to some individuals. Afterall, depending on where you live, you may have to worry about sharks, alligators, or crocodiles when swimming in a river. However, those guys are all chumps, when compared to the real river monsters, the Rhizodonts, a group of giant predatorial fish that terrorized the planet over 300 million years ago and also became the largest freshwater fish, the Earth has ever seen.
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Joschua Knüppe
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[@TheAnimalKingdom-tq3sz]

Jeremy Wade: "Finally! A worthy opponent! Our battle will be legendary!"

[@paleoph6168]

There should be a Chased by River Monsters series. Basically it's the Chased by Dinosaurs/Sea Monsters format but instead it's hosted by Jeremy Wade and he interacts with the river creatures.

[@d4rk5t4r2]

Funny enough, I remember there was an episode of River Monsters where Jeremy goes over several prehistoric predators

[@Mrmidknight-yx9pg]

Only 300 million years late but sure

[@Nerevarine420]

​@Mrmidknight-yx9pg it was scared of him. That's why it chose to go extinct

[@CosmicCaribbean]

@@d4rk5t4r2Even funnier is that he ranked rhizodonts as the most dangerous river monsters of all time 🤣

[@gabrieljvelez-perez9275]

Admittedly, River Monsters “Prehistoric Terrors”, was the best episode the series had to offer; in both representing each creature correctly well, and introducing us to this group of successful, killer fish. They truly were the ultimate river monsters.

[@grahamstrouse1165]

Loved that episode! ❤️

[@francomaschi6452]

name of the documental?

[@sainoucedar]

@@francomaschi6452 Just River Monsters. Good show.

[@admiralcat3809]

It's amazing how distinct a freshwater fish is compared to a saltwater one. You could easily tell with its body structure that it lives in murky river waters compared to something like a Coelacanth.

[@GallowayJesse]

Except bass & grouper pretty much look the same

[@chonqmonk]

Hahaha, nope. That's just false.

[@LordCrate-du8zm]

@@Just_A_Megalodonfish racism shall not be tolerated. To the Mariana Trench with you! _insert toilet flush sfx_

[@goosebox9064]

@@GallowayJessecatfish too

[@goosebox9064]

(I mean they look the same in fresh and salt)

[@benmcreynolds8581]

Hypothetically: Imagine if one day someone invented a device that allows us to observe past ancient creatures that once existed in certain habitats? Even just being able to observe them & their behavior would be the most amazing thing. Prehistoric animals are so facinating.

[@tomspreadbury2915]

Fun fact - it's theoretically possible once/if we can unlock travel faster than light and also data transmission faster than light (which is theoretically possible currently - by folding Space using gravitational waves, we just don't know how to make the waves ourselves). We have the technology for interstellar telescopes which use detached modules to triangulate and capture light across vast distances of space, though we've never launched one like it. The JWST has capture over 10x more accurate than Hubble, just from mirrors that are slightly larger. Imagine the magnification of a light receptacle wide enough to encircle a planet? So anyway; send one of these out into the cosmos faster than the speed of light to a sufficient enough distance (would have to be at least 310m light years away to see Rhizodus, 65m to see T-Rex etc), and turn its mirrors/cameras to the earth - we could potentially film events in the past as the light from the planet will be x million years old. We'd then also have to be able to send the data back faster than light too, otherwise we're waiting for another 310 million years to see it

[@hakeeemquaviantavius]

I recommend something called “youtube”

[@motivatedpotato6604]

​@tomspreadbury2915 the same technology could be used to actually travel back in time as well, not the faster than light speed part but gravitional wormholes, we already know that time is realtive and as a 4th dimension maluable by gravity, the best example are black holes who can literally move you forwards in time relative to the rest of the universe. If we were somehow able to traverse this dimension we could very well move to universe's previous stage. But that is still quite scfi and loosely physics based

[@tomspreadbury2915]

@@motivatedpotato6604 Not really - we could use it to travel faster than light to make observations further away from us than light speed can show us at present, but we cannot actually manipulate time unless we physically move as fast as light - and only forwards. However, using gravitational waves doesn't move us, it moves the space around us.

[@Shvetsario]

@@tomspreadbury2915 Even then you'd need a powerful and massive telescope, lmao

[@megumin-staff6937]

First time to heard this scary but very interesting family of fishes. Truly they can be called the Kings of River monsters

[@adriannegrete9586]

Don't ever forget Orthocanthus was also a big predator around it's time and it's a relative of sharks. But Rhizodus was the true Apex Predator of Carboniferous Sea.

[@gearandalthefirst7027]

"sea" >it's a freshwater fish

[@jessicooper8540]

spino says they are all snacks

[@riks081]

I had never heard about these fish before, true river monsters sounds about right.

[@Theonetrueerenyeager]

Most fish today and in prehistory are river monsters. Like the vampirefish, tigerfish, muskellunge, pikes, gars, piranhas, barracudas, sharks, and snakeheads, just to name a few.

[@chonqmonk]

Muskies tremble at the mention of my name.

[@LeoTheYuty]

Oh man, these guys would really give Wade some new challenges. Can't wait for the new season where he catches a Barameda.

[@dynojackal1911]

Aewsome. Oh, if only a second season of Prehistoric Park had been made, with one episode guest-starring Jeremy Wade coming to help Nigel Marvin bring a Rhizodus to the present day.

[@mamboo0743]

If I recall, trackways were found which means *something like this* could straight up *crawl on land...*

[@saharayang9312]

This reminds me of the Piranhadon from the 2005 King Kong. It was a deleted scene where the crew ran into a giant eel like piranha creature in the swamp

[@silent_stalker3687]

Walrus like piranha It was mentioned in the novel of the movie ^^

[@tm43977]

The fish of terror of the Paleozoic era despite long before the Dinosaurs shows up

[@justinwilliam6534]

You’re right about those fish they are the real river monsters.

[@purplehaze2358]

As horrifying as aquatic life is now, every day I thank whatever creator deity is responsible for letting my species develop in a time where things like these lads didn't.

[@jefferydean6239]

Something was having a grand of a time putting these creatures here in this zoo we call home.

[@betsieswartz]

There is no creator deity

[@user-nm7wk3hw2p]

*deities, there are many lords

[@betsieswartz]

@@user-nm7wk3hw2p evidence to back up your lie?

[@weswolverine]

​@@betsieswartzso you believe all life came from nothing?

[@firenado1674]

Great work! Never knew such animal existed

[@varanid9]

As far as it being the largest fresh water fish ever, however, what about the fresh water Coelocanth that was preyed upon by the Spinosaurus? It supposedly grew to the same lengths and seems considerably bulkier in build.

[@grahamstrouse1165]

Cretaceous freshwater sawfish got pretty enormous, too.

[@Alberad08]

Great video, really enjoyed it - thanks a lot!

[@thekatt...]

Great video. I learned alot . Thank you 🇨🇦

[@ino7604]

Florida boy here grew up swimming in all the florida waters. Alligator snapping turtles, real alligators, (ameican crocodiles but not where i lived) all manner of venemous snakes, monkeys (yea, wild monkeys) largest sharks and more. Yea florida is pretty cool as an outdoors person. If you manage to survive

[@jarvaniushorne3354]

FLORIDA BOI 2 PENSACOLA DAT IZ Northwest Florida is a place 4 adventure if u like adventure mudding camping hunting blinds fishing kayaking etc

[@PrinceMarkshX]

Wait till you go to Australia or Brazil you'll face the real challenge

[@ino7604]

@PrinceMarkshX especially Australia. I agree. I'm actually 1/4 Australian lol my grandma is from Perth. But yes that's the closest to real life jurassic park haha

[@derrickbonsell]

If their size wasn't enough these guys probably had functional lungs and could breathe air. For a species that liked stagnant water with a lot of debris the ability to take oxygen from the air would be a big advantage over fish without that ability.

[@posticusmaximus1739]

I love how you cover obscure topics in an already obscure subject matter.

[@snake.5534]

Kind of crazy that they look like very similar fish we have today, being the Bowfin and Snakehead. Both fish are very similar looking, and both live in murky water just like they did

[@REVOisMYname]

Looks like it filled the crocodile niche before any crocodile competition existed, allowing it to get massive filling both that niche and the large predatory fish niche filled by Arapaima and Gar

[@aleksanderpopov5060]

Awesome video thank you so very much

[@tonysburgers7223]

Great job

[@Clearlight201]

Jeez, imagine visiting the Carboniferous and deciding to paddle on the bank of a tranquil river, only to have a Rhizodus come up and drag you in!

[@Fossilsaurus1020]

Wow, when freshwater was more dangerous than saltwater

[@user-yx1lc2mz4c]

Makes me think of swimming in the river I grew up in and why I always felt like something else was supposed to be under me hunting. Could they have been the ghost of these fkrs

[@kindredmaki8108]

They just kept getting worse! 😱😱😱 Super cool vid

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

Great video...👍

[@deathhimself4676]

Great video.

[@theperfectbotsteve4916]

the giant sting ray episode of river monsters was crazy i didnt even know existed they existed and suddenly their weighing a seval ton sting ray they just pulled out of the river

[@sauraplay2095]

Great video extinct zoo!

[@carsonkohler8765]

New irrational fear unlocked: late surviving Rhizodus

[@calebasher3500]

A tv series with Jeremy wade talking about extinct fresh water monsters would be dope.

[@lawrencefrost9063]

Thanks, Mr Asteroid. U did us all a favor.

[@LudosErgoSum]

So a potential crocodile mimic living 100 million years before crocs even existed - sounds about right!

[@attemptedunkindness3632]

Thanks, was wondering what my nightmare was going to be about tonight.

[@chir0pter]

There were some very large freshwater fish during the Mesozoic too- thinking of the Kem Kem Bed assemblage...

[@TheAnticlinton]

Can you do a video on Mawsonia and bawitius, giant freshwater coelocanths and bichirs respectively?

[@bazzboda4785]

Polypterids are really cool, bawitius would be great to see.

[@brfisher1123]

Other paleontological KZbin channels should really also give rhizodus the recognition that it deserves, what a truly fascinating and terrifying beast of a fish it is!

[@guilhermeeugenio4434]

Do salt water next. Hope to see Hyneria there

[@Endme264]

Excellent content, love the Devonian arc in our rocks lore

[@lorddevilfish5868]

6:22 Deinosuchus: “I think that guppy would be a good side dish with this tyrannosaur I’m eating!”

[@trilobite3120]

3:55 I think that the recent paper that shrunk the Dunkleosteus also suggested Rhizodus was smaller.

[@arachbae4777]

That got debunked as it turned out the scientist used an entirely new way of measuring, which he was not supposed to do.

[@Chris-pb3se]

@@arachbae4777yes but wasn’t it very consistent with a very high percentage of known animal sizes? Something about length of skull based on the eye sockets?

[@samthetortoise5423]

If only they never went extinct, I wanted Jeremy Wade to get them on his show.

[@hoibsh21]

These lizrd fish were so cuute!

[@rommy007]

Where else but Australia 😂😂

[@anthroposlogica9379]

This guy's really dope

[@thehungry9irch168]

can you make us a carcharodontosaurus video,since i cant find any video about him

[@salaarlakhani4014]

Something for river monsters to find at last

[@sagittariusneptune9330]

Jeremy Wade falls into a portal and ends up meeting Nigel Marvin, ends up becoming the start of a MCU styled Naturalist crossover.

[@Siblingsgang105]

Wow I did not know all of this

[@DaLonelySheperd]

I wish I had a time machine and an aquarium

[@HassanMohamed-rm1cb]

Why don’t you get to think and make a suggestion creating another KZbin Videos Shows that’s all about the Extinct Prehistoric Amphicyons (Bear Dogs) on the next Extinct Zoo coming up next?!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👍👍👍👍👍

[@timlopez643]

Tell me you're a bad fish, without saying you're a bad fish... . I'm a bad ass fish

[@patrickperalta59]

the Rhizodus the Fresh Water Jaws. "you better get a bigger boat"🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@jackdarby2168]

2:18 from the form if the fish it would be very viscous. Looks like the snakehead from the back and tail. The Wales cat fish etc also offer comparison

[@mnyakangler5210]

This would be so fun to catch

[@RemusKingOfRome]

Scary ! New meaning for the term "Fishing" (where large fish eat humans)

[@Vasher-The-Destroyer]

Imagine fishing in any of these eras.

[@1998topornik]

These fishes were true terrors of lakes and rivers!

[@haydenwilson7382]

If we ever get a chance to make a Time Machine, we as a species are indebted to give the first go around to Jeremy Wade and his camera crew.

[@ColossalSwordFormAndTechnique]

A large ambush oddball fish 😳

[@AJ1990.]

"Let's go swimming!" "Uh. Let's fuckin not!" 😀

[@qubeenl6653]

vidoe suggesttion : arthropleura , dunkleosteus deinoceirus , deinosuches , suchomimus , stixtosaurus,

[@julies3837]

The Fishing Planet update from Hell.

[@MisfortunateJustice]

Rhizodus alone would give me thalassophobia.

[@DavidL1986]

Wasn’t this in walking with monsters series too

[@charlesguard5189]

Keep in mind these were tetrapodomorphas that means these were more closely related to amphibians and even us than lungfish which are the closest true fish to tetrapods.

[@carolynallisee2463]

No wonder our ancestors chose to take their chances on dry land!

[@Dude_Ronin]

Great video. But can you tune your voice changer a bit. Sounds too deep

[@moonlightautie474]

That's just his voice-

[@qubeenl6653]

vindoe sugestion cryolpohosaurus some mosasaur or a dromeasuarid like veloicerapter

[@TylerHarris-yy7uf]

The face of Rhizodus is pretty much that meme image of pacman with a mouthful of fangs

[@elricdavus1304]

I wonder if this is where Snakehead Fish and Wolf Fish come from

[@indominus6778]

River Monsters: Back in Time

[@benmcreynolds8581]

They almost look a lot like MASSIVE Snake head fish

[@TheOriginalShakuraz]

Some of that river monsters look like a ancestor of Polypterus species.

[@arkedud574]

This would be fun to fish for

[@flatcapgaming]

I'd hate to see a Rhizodo.. if the Rhizodonts were so bloody vicious

[@AuburnTigers111]

Bah dum tss

[@flatcapgaming]

@@AuburnTigers111 Thank you, I'm here all week. Try the fish!

[@BreakerBocks]

I feel like fishing with Jeremy Wade would either be amazing or depressing asf cause he’d catch the whole body of water before you get a nibble

[@ellakeller8824]

I wonder if they were opportunistic feeders or extremely picky due to their size. Such as the Goliath grouper, huge fish but extremely picky. Maybe that’s what balanced them from eating everything in river that it resided in

[@calvinsuu1949]

If you look they are not ambush predators they have jaws that can snap bones not suction mouth

[@cheslxy]

Giant Bichirs 🐉

[@leahcimwerdna5209]

Like Man eating snake heads. I used to have some dwarf snakeheads and those little things were nasty

[@DimitriHellas]

How big were the rivers;

[@purplehaze2358]

The words "possibly spelled certain doom" are pretty oxymoronic when you think about them.

[@Fallout3131]

Yea true 😂

[@martinharris5017]

3:52 is this the mystery giant fish that lurk in lake Kanas in China? Fits the profile.

[@futiousstyles3315]

That like the scariest animal ever known.. so far

[@SoupSpot]

Megafauna are so dope…we wouldn’t make it to sapience if they were all still around though lol

[@ilikeduck3780]

Why am I not surprised this was found in australia

[@bluemouse5039]

That family of ancient fish look almost exactly like the Snake head fish alive today

[@franknbeans1176]

I can see the Bichir's resemblance on this one

[@sarabunn1501]

Duncleosteest cracks nuckles

[@gurufpv8444]

you just added some more fish to the 'to catch' list

[@madudebrouchiha2509]

It's said that it's ancient battle cry is "hi I'm Mr meseeks"

[@eatsblades]

True monsters of the deep

[@SunnyIlha]

Like, there were twenty-plus foot bowfins swimmn 'round........ 🫸🫨🫷

[@ann3923]

"lurking in our water" sorry, in _our_ water? Yeah, those pesky piranhas "lurking in our water" we should really do something with those fishy trespassers. 😮

[@alexanderrow7565]

If only we could send Jeremy Wade back in time to try and catch one of these things...

[@alexanderpringle2305]

I remember the Hyneria from Walking With Monsters. Ruined my day. I liked the Hynerpeton