What’s The Largest Apex Predator To Have Ever Existed? DEBUNKED

What’s the largest apex predator of all time at the very top of the food chain? Your first thought might be wrong!
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Join us as we explore the most colossal carnivores throughout Earth’s history.
CHAPTERS
What is an Apex Predator? 0:31
Are Humans Apex Predators? 02:58
The Nature Of Predators 04:34
Largest Living Apex Predator On Land 07:09
How big was Deinosuchus 08:19
Problems with estimating sizes for prehistoric extinct animals 09:02
Biggest Carnivorous Dinosaur 10:45
Largest Flying Dinosaur 13:07
How Big is a blue whale 14:04
Killer Whale / Orca Vs Great White 15:32
Megalodon VS Great White 17:55
Megalodon Shark In Real Life 18:40
How big was megalodon? 19:51
Killer Sperm Whale / Livyatan 20:43
Livyatan Vs Megalodon 21:51
Biggest Ichthyosaur 22:35
CREW / CREDITS
Stu K - Creator / Producer / Researcher / Writer / Illustrator / Voice Over / Presenter
Jacob T - Researcher / Writer
Mark W - Palaeontologist / Special Advisor
Pau S - Editor / Animator / Illustrator
Ross G - Editor / Animator / Illustrator
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EPIDEMIC SOUNDS
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SOURCES
Available via link below

[@DebunkedOfficial]

Buy a DNA kit here: bit.ly/Debunked_MH Use the coupon code DEBUNKED for free shipping. As an added bonus, you can start a 30-day free trial of MyHeritage's best subscription for family history research - and enjoy a 50% discount if you decide to continue it.

[@PCB389]

No thanks, I don't want to sell to multinationals some of the last privacy I have. 😊

[@alligator2539]

11:10Je pensais que en moyenne, le T. rex (oui on écrit T. rex et non T-Rex, parce que le nom d'espèce ne prend jamais de majuscule.) avait une hauteur de 3,5 mètres.

[@ConsciousApostle999]

When you stopped using the trophic scale you lost the plot of the video. To answer your question in the most logical way; Yes megalodon was the largest marine predator to ever live, uncontested. (Referring to maximum estimates placing it at 25m, 100+ tons) The megalodon as opposed to most other predators that ever existed on this planet, was an echelon above the rest. Sitting at a trophic level between 6 and 7, which for context if an orca or great white was a 4-5, marine reptiles would sit at a comfortable 5, then the Livyatan would sit anywhere below 6. Megalodon on the other hand most likely devoured Livyatan, and other megalodons who devoured Livyatan to get this high. If the ocean consisted of only apex predators from every era, M would still be a cut above the rest, including the fairly smaller Livyatan.

[@hammammousa82]

The largest modern land predetor is the saltwater crocodile and also the maximum size of spinosaurus can be well over 59 feet long

[@hammammousa82]

No the spino can weigh up to 22 tons

[@layeththesmacketh]

The disappointment Dwayne Johnson must feel to know that he weighs about the same as 1 Dwayne Johnson.

[@DebunkedOfficial]

😂

[@user-kl1vd6dw7s]

😂

[@Edocska]

😂

[@fayendere]

I genuinely laughed at this

[@pdonettes]

Scientifically speaking, Dwayne Johnston weighs more than the average Dwayne Johnston.

[@Austenite75]

We live in an awkward time in history, too early to explore the space and the deep sea, too late to witness the largest apex predator that ever lived, but just in time to watch debunked using Dwayne the Rock as measuring unit.

[@user-cb3hb3iw7m]

Nah, we are exploring the deep sea. AI is booming. It's amazing time to live

[@ANGRYCROW.]

Also we can experience the largest apex predator today

[@JohnMinehan-lx9ts]

If we are krill, we live at the time of the largest predators ever, the blue whale.

[@Hamburgerhuman]

Anything but metric

[@nekoyatta4590]

@@JohnMinehan-lx9tswell new researches are pointing to ichthyotitan as the real biggest predator ever lived (estimated to be 45 meters long) bad time

[@ryanhau1073]

What if the Megalodon is actually a Tiny Shark but with Cartoonishly Large Teeth

[@Jijijijagod07]

No cause the jaws have been found too

[@gallior7562]

@@Jijijijagod07it has cartoonishly huge jaws too

[@ArxxWyvnClaw]

Cartoonishly huge jaws compared to its skull then

[@Imnolongerproud]

They found most skeleton just missing some ribs

[@5speed735i]

@@Imnolongerproud you are wrong, all that has ever been found of Megalodon is teeth and some vertebra. Among other sources of actual, correct facts, you can watch this very video at 17:40 and also at 19:01for a truthful answer to ryanhau1073

[@Martiancookiehunter365]

T-rex was actually larger than the Giga, Carcar and Spino while the former 2 were slighter taller than the T-rex they were nowhere near as heavy this is because how how heavily built the T-rex really was it's entire body was reinforced with muscles especially it's massive head so that it had a much stronger bite force than any other theropod dinosaur. in contrast the Giga and Carcar were much more lightly built and as a result had nowhere near the same level of strength the Rex had they relied on using their sharp teeth to cause bloodloss on their prey instead. As for the spino it was easily the longest of all theropod dinosaurs but it wasn't really much of an apex predator it mostly fed on fish so it didn't really have an especially crazy bite force and wasn't really heavily built

[@DebunkedOfficial]

Thanks for your comment 👍

[@notmyrealchannel559]

despite the T Rex being the largest of the megatheropods, it is also the most energy efficient of all the dinosaurs due to their feet, and agility, and are perfectly adapted to long distance travels, and it can just walk at the speed of a human's running speed.

[@francissemyon7971]

​​@@DebunkedOfficialS. sikanniensis was toothless and we still dont have any teeth from Ichthyotitan. So their status as apex predators like todays orcas is really a stretch, they very well could have been squids specialists with a relatively low "firepower". Megalodon given its size and the isotopic analysis indicating an unparalleled trophic position, should legitimately be considered as such for now. Sure there is not much physical remains of it but Ichthyotitan is known from some jawbones...

[@richie_0740]

@@notmyrealchannel559 not really, various studies by paleontologist like larramendi et al from 2016 study puts T-Rex's walk or Gait speed at 3.6 miles per hour and even while it was capable of endurance hunting given that the prey was armored, can fight back, and was quite slow, the T-Rex mightve been prefering to ambush its targets cause even with the birds efficient lung it was still an 8-9 ton predator, also recent study puts T-Rex's running speed at around 25-30kph cause any faster and the stress would shatter the legs. you might think of the 45mph estimates, but thats from the 90s and more recent studies lowers it down to around 20mph, juvenile T-Rex would be able to reach 35mph but their morphology is very different from adult T-Rex

[@richie_0740]

@@francissemyon7971 Shonisaurus is thought to have been a suction feeder, so teeth wouldnt have been too influential to the animals morphology, given its size it woulve been capable of hunting large fishes and other marine reptile. large ichtyotitan like the aust colossus or the himalayasaurus would be the undisputed apex predators in the area from size alone, and thus shouldve been in contention. Megalodons trophic level is already insane, but given that its a shark, its possible that the animal regularly practices cannibalism as well, preying on other sub adult megalodons. but then again we havent done more isotopic tests from other animal in the same area at the same time, especially a very curious case with the large macroraptorial sperm whale, Livyatan, it would be interesting to get result on its trophic level studies cause i would assume the animal would have a very close result to megalodon itself

[@sphere7158]

It is questionable to see a T-Rex only 39 feet long. The specimens, such as Sue or Scotty, ranged between 42 and 43 feet long.

[@nightlunastar]

The weight is also to low. The Informationen about the T-rex in the Video are outdated

[@monochromatic773]

Sue and Scotty are some of the largest discovered specimens.

[@rockateart9752]

​@@monochromatic773Sue is the most complete T-rex skeleton I think.

[@monochromatic773]

@@rockateart9752 Yes

[@thriddoctor]

Fragmentary remains suggest individuals of 12 tons and it's postulated the species may have reached over 17 tons.

[@TheVividen]

I'm glad to see my Dwayne Johnson measurement system taking off and being used by other paleontology channels!

[@DebunkedOfficial]

🤣

[@KomaaGod28]

lol did you start this Vicodin!?!

[@zeno4538]

Oh no, carch and giga aren't thought to be heavier than t rex. T rex is thought to be above 10 tonnies now. Check out thevivedens videos on t rex he summarises the findings.

[@shuaybkhan4188]

Don't understand how every video is so high quality yet the views are so low 😔

[@atokamurray3263]

I agree, I love these videos as they are factual and always delivered with some humour.

[@fived9424]

@@atokamurray3263 "factual"

[@DeianPeraltaRovira]

This is not "high quality", I would put it as "mid" at best. Read my looong comment to see _all_ the inaccuracies.

[@user-uu3nm3qk4d]

This channel is disgustingly underrated. Keep up the work!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@DebunkedOfficial]

Thank you, very kind words 😊 What is you favourite type of content that we do? More animal / nature based ones? Survival ones? Movie myths?

[@user-uu3nm3qk4d]

@@DebunkedOfficial I quite liked your survival ones like the how to survive a Nuclear disaster and how to survive an Earthquake. Could more similar contnt be made?

[@jimking2692]

Great content. I've noticed, Syfy,physics and prehestoric myths often have more views.

[@sebastienprivat1259]

@@DebunkedOfficial yes.

[@nowhereman3988]

I still don't get why humans aren't considered apex predators given that what determines that isn't only what we eat, but also what eats us. And humans aren't really hunted or eaten by any other animal except for extremely rare instances.

[@fromnorway643]

You can't really compare the trophic level of land predators to that of marine predators to determine if they are apex predators or not. Most of the primary production (photosynthesis) at sea is done by microscopic algae, and there aren't any large marine animals capable of feeding directly on them. These algae are mostly consumed by small crustaceans like krill, which are fed on by small fish, which are fed on by larger fish etc. until we reach the apex predators on trophic level 5 or even higher. The ecosystems on land are simpler in the sense that even the largest predators mostly feed _directly_ on large herbivores and therefore belong to trophic level 3. Even if these predators sometimes kill and feed on smaller predators, they are mostly on the same trophic level as them since these smaller predators also mostly feed on herbivores, just smaller ones. So, I agree with you that apex predators are more about not being eaten by other predators than what trophic level they are on.

[@Mr_bot-786]

No land predator is larger than rex, also the average rex weigh 8.8 tons not the 5.5 you showed. the largest spinosaurus (NHMUK VP 16421, it still is debated whether it was spinosaurus plus its a dentry bone so the sizes arent that reliable) is 8.3 tons The largest giganotosaurus (MMCH VP 95 is also only a dentry which makes the sizes from it not that reliable) is 10.2 tons The largest rex, scotty is 10.6 tons

[@SahilK-xx3iy]

5.5 is so dumb, that like 1900s estimates

[@SahilK-xx3iy]

Also we have E.D cope who could weigh 12 tons

[@xanshen9011]

Before watching the video, my list would be: Largest land predator: Tyrannosaurus Rex Largest flying predator: Hatzegopteryx Thambema Largest aquatic predator: Otodus Megalodon/Icthyotitan Severnensis Largest semi aquatic predator: Deinosuchus Hatcheri I define “largest” by weight. If the weight is the same thats when height/length is factored in. Also Im excluding this list to *described by science* species only, not something that is fragmentary/speculative I.E. Hector’s icthyosaur/aust colossus

[@ledernierutopiste]

You are one of the most accurate in this whole comment section, a lot closer than the video itself. Althought you should have kept his definition of "Apex predator", because if you only use "predator" the list is different, as the blue whale is a predator.

[@ILaunchNukes]

Blue whale.....

[@DeianPeraltaRovira]

This. This is the correct thing to do.

[@lightning77125]

Sperm whale like 60,000kg easily largest apex predator ever

[@renebraeutigam1]

GF, wake up! Debunked just uploded!!!

[@DebunkedOfficial]

Glad you're excited! Hope you enjoy our latest video

[@sandro5535]

Most recent data i heard suggest Trex as heaviest Shorter but more muscular

[@SunT1tus]

13:23 it’s literally impossible for me to say the name correctly..

[@DebunkedOfficial]

😆

[@JasonDepew-qc3tl]

What??? No mosasaur??? This cannot stand!!!

[@bababoey6532]

Mosasaurs werent really large, even Mosasaurus itself wasnt that big with M. hoffmannii weighing around 12 tons, possibly 15 tons for large specimen

[@geenethmethmin2487]

Mosasaur isnt even that bigger than an orca

[@stxticnathan6627]

Tyrannosaurus rex was heavier than all other therapods, use current data not outdated data

[@spongememefunnypants9101]

Man these videos are so fun to watch. It covers a ton of info in a really fun way and easy to understand. Specially the toughest animal video. Learned a ton of info from that video.

[@DebunkedOfficial]

Thanks so much! Glad you like them ☺️

[@thewisefool4049]

A bit weird to leave modern sperm whales out. Is it because orcas prey on them? It feels a tiny bit arbitrary as brown bears are known to prey on young tigers and vice-versa. I'd also guess an orca wouldn't have too much trouble eating a polar bear either if it wanted to.

[@ANGRYCROW.]

Well blue whales have no predators and they are a predator

[@JohnMinehan-lx9ts]

Orcas probably would only do it opportunistically. If you did not take it by ambush, a polar bear could hurt an orca seriously if it could take it . . . .

[@Orca_mammal]

A polar bear? No chance. Orcas weigh 6 tons average. While polar bears are 700kg max. Maybe a bit more. Something so small is not harming an orca.​@@JohnMinehan-lx9ts

[@TreetheSmelt]

Maybe. Orcas are very picky eaters though and will only eat prey that they’ve been taught by their family members are edible

[@kingshark9057]

Orcas are very rarely successful against sperm whales and only go after the young or sick/injured members they lose to a fit adult 9 times out of 10 so sperm whales take the cake for modern times

[@thewitherskeleton6748]

Blud looks like billy butcher from the boys💀

[@TenorCantusFirmus]

Problem with Ichthyotitan is that remains are so fragmentary, we don't even know what did it actually ate. Might even be that it evolved filter/lunge feeding like modern baleen whales, thus exluding it from the macropredator category. By the moment, I think megalodon still is the most likely candidate for being the largest top predator to have ever existed.

[@user-gv3si6in8r]

Icthyotitan as 26 meters in length 75 tonnes in weight using Shastasaurus for scaling. Meanwhile, the Megalodon is repeatedly estimated at over 100 tonnes. Copper et al. 2022, Gottfried et al. 1996, Darius Nau’s model, Tosha’s model and Evoincarnate’s model all have a 20 meter Meg at near or over 100 tonnes

[@TenorCantusFirmus]

@@user-gv3si6in8r The "meg" still the closest thing to a real-life movie m*nster I can imagine.

[@richie_0740]

@@user-gv3si6in8r 20 meter wouldve been the conservative maximum size estimates, as again the Copper et al paper used the preserved verterbrae of a 16 meter long Megalodon and weighed arouns 60 tonnes, with the study concurring that the 20 meter estimate was again, for the maximum possible size, most adult megalodon wouldve been in the size range of 10-16 meter and the 18+ meter colossus wouldve been rather rare

[@user-gv3si6in8r]

@@richie_0740 absolutely not. A co author of the paper acknowledges 20 meters is a good benchmark for large female cold water Megalodons. GHC-6 is far from the largest specimen. Let’s not take the range down to 10 meters, 16 meters was already considered average sized 10 meters is adolescent. A rare specimen would have been 22 or 23 meters, not 20.

[@francissemyon7971]

@@richie_0740 It is possible this comment won't age so well as it seems even Perez new method might underestimate the fish body length...

[@l.t.c3847]

Disappointing to see such a recent video fall down the “bigger than the rex” rabbit hole. All the heaviest weight estimates we have for large carnosaurs like giganotosaurus, mapusaurus and even the much longer spinosaurus put them on even terms with or slightly larger than sue and Scotty. Considering we now have Cope, who is larger than either pervious big rex, it’s fairly indisputable right now that T.Rex is absolutely the largest theropod dinosaur we have fossil remains for.

[@suricata1993]

Slightly shorter than Sue and Scotty, u meant

[@PinkFluffyUnicornFML]

Me at an All-you-can-eat buffet

[@DebunkedOfficial]

😂

[@motivatedpotato6604]

Pretty good video, it's nice that you've included lower estimates for most of these as to reduce the hype and explained what estimating sizes means. Although to add my 2 cents here, the most recent studies into the giant early Triassic ichthyosaurs show that the most likely largest specimen was the Aust colossus. By scaling to newly discovered fossils of ichthyotitan the scientists estimate that the Aust Colossus weight in between 110-300< tons and was 29-36 meters long, quite possibly outclassing blue whales, as the vertebrae discovered weren't completely fused, as well as 2024 ichthyotitan jaw fragments, which would indicate that even if we were to go by the lower more reasonable estimates these giants weren't fully grown. I could also add in here the anecdote about Hectors ichthyosaur but considering that we only have poorly described scientific diagrams of vertebrae larger than largest aust colossus equivalent by around 30% from a single person in the late 1800's it's safe to assume that we needn't worry about 40+ meter long macro predator ever existing, but it wouldn't suprise me if we found some again after like 120 years. Great watch, very scientifically accurate!

[@DLP9090]

I was searching for someone saying it , the estimation for those species are gigantic and it is utterly terrifying to think about those being macro predatorial

[@PeterSobotka-l4t]

I doubt that any apex predator on Earth can weight too much more than 100 tons. They will always need some speed and flexibility to be able to hunt smaller, faster prey. Even if they hunt only small prey as eels, who are still much faster than krill.

[@kingofflames738]

​@@PeterSobotka-l4t giant predators like those either ate other giant animals that weren't that much faster or flexible or hunted Plankton and swarms of fish in extreme mass by filter feeding. There's otherwise no way for them to get their calorie intake.

[@lightning77125]

@@PeterSobotka-l4t Yeah I think so too

[@ksspqf9]

Birds are dinosaurs

[@ashleyoasis7948]

exactly there not reptiles you had them in cold climates is well. most likley had fur.

[@kaijuar2003]

​​@@ashleyoasis7948 Phylogenetically, birds and dinosaurs ARE reptiles since they each had a common ancestor that was a reptile. It's much like how EVERY organism, even us humans, are closely related since we all had a common ancestor that began as a cell which eventually become the first vertebrate in the Cambrian period.

[@fireaza]

Yo' momma's a dinosaur!

[@apocalypse487]

​@@kaijuar2003plus some reptiles can autoregulate their body temperature.

[@niharg2011]

@@ashleyoasis7948 If you remove Birds from Repitilia you also have to remove Crocodilians and Turtles as they are closer to birds rather than squamates like Lizards and Snakes

[@brutusmagnuson315]

I ate alligator today at the State Fair. I’ll be taking my position as being a 5.0 on the trophic level. I won’t be taking questions or criticisms, at this time.

[@DebunkedOfficial]

🤣🤣🤣

[@plague_doctor-scp-049]

there, as of current times, is no apex predators, except my uncle, humans hunt things that could also hunt them

[@night.panther4870]

Tyrannosaurus still takes the largest carnivore to walk the land , as the heavier animals are the larger animals , trex is the largest terrestrial carnivore as it weighs 10 tons while Giganotosaurus weighs 9 tons , spinosaurus 8 tons etc

[@patricktausz2192]

As the largest living APEX predator, what about the sperm whales? Larger males can generally achieve 18 to 19 meters (59 to 62 ft). An 18 meters (59 ft) long male sperm whale is estimated to have weighed 57 tonnes (56 long tons; 63 short tons). That is way larger than killer whales.

[@lightning77125]

Larger than meg, icthyosaur or any prehistoric animal we have sufficient evidence for as well

[@milusenovakova5148]

11:58 Spinosaurus is considered big only because it's long due to its tadpole tail and croc skull. It would die in any fight with a T. Rex, even underwater. It was lightweight, skinny, slow, a fish eater, and very short. IT ATE FISH. edit: Also, out of these, T. rex most definitely weighed the most. It weighed about 15 tons according to new estimates. Giga, Spino, and Carcha could have been bigger in some measurements, but T. rex would still absolutely destroy them all.

[@mikerude5073]

Exactly. Based on current evidence, T. Rex was the largest in terms of mass and volume by a significant margin. The others were still cool, and maybe we will find bigger Giga and Carcha specimens, but as of now, T. Rex is the team heavyweight.

[@suricata1993]

careful - they were not 15tons, that was a hypotetical study for the biggest ever among 2.3 billion specimens. The biggest they grow, so far as we know, 11.5-12tons (Ed Cope and possibly Bertha)

[@MrShadowSmith]

15 tonnes looks like a stupid exaggeration just like they were for the spinosaurus. Bipeds would be extremely sloppy with that weight

[@CollegeBallYouknow]

@@MrShadowSmith This reminds me of how classic Godzilla used to lumber about just smashing through fortresses and buildings by accident

[@timothytumusiime2903]

Still watching the vid But it's either the blue whale or the Livyatan

[@DebunkedOfficial]

Keep watching, good guesses!

[@Marcello2005]

Blue whales are predators, but not apex predators. They aren’t at the top of the food chain, as they have been recorded getting hunted by orcas.

[@timothytumusiime2903]

​@@DebunkedOfficial I did not see ichthyosaurs coming From what I've read, they always seem to be outcompeted by pleisiosaurs and mosasaurs and sharks that their size never translated to my head

[@user-gv3si6in8r]

Megalodon outsized the Livyatan by a good amount and the Blue Whale is not considered Macropredatory.

[@dragonsticknodes]

​@@timothytumusiime2903despite fragmentary evidence of 26+ metre long specimens of icthyotitan, it was still the largest sea predator of it's time, outweighing mosasaurus by over 10 times on average, with maximum estimates for aust colossus being over 25 times a mosasaur's weight!

[@roelantverhoeven371]

in Belgium they found about 75% of a megalodons' spine! back in 1860! shortly after the first teeth were classified. the most complete skeleton of a megalodon ever found, the shallow swampy waters of the scheldt river kept in preserved... many prehistoric whales have been found too in Antwerp

[@nowhereman3988]

Orcas are indeed closely related to dolphins, but they're still whales. Dolphins ARE whales. They're more closely related to sperm whales than sperm whales are to blue whales.

[@fromnorway643]

It seems to be a common misunderstanding that dolphins aren't whales since they don't have the word "whale" in their names. When people learn that orcas (also called killer whales) belong to the dolphin family, they jump to the conclusion that orcas aren't whales either despite the fact that large "true" whales like the sperm whales are more closely related to dolphins than they are to the baleen whales.

[@pinkrobot8147]

mosasaurus i js started watchin and guessed ill check if its right

[@JonasIVI]

my first thought was megaladon, cool to know there were even BIGGER marine predators out there, but kinda surprised there were no mentions of giant squids

[@DebunkedOfficial]

While squids can reach some pretty impressive lengths (13-14 meters), most of this length is made up of tentacles not the larger body parts like the arms, mantle, or fin, so relatively speaking they're a lot smaller (weighing around half a tonne) than our contenders. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@FreyjaYngling]

@@DebunkedOfficial They're also a common prey animal for sperm whales. Definitely not apex.

[@SahilK-xx3iy]

Blue whales can weigh up to 200 tons

[@CollegeBallYouknow]

There’s new estimates for Megalodon that put it as FAR bigger than what the video presents.

[@Mr_bot-786]

Why is deinosuchus hatcheri always excluded from these videos man

[@diederickvandermeijden2732]

At least the other type of deinosuchus did

[@paaaawel1]

It depends on the fossil some fossils of giga are langer than these of t rex but most of the t rex fossils were bigger if we talk about weigh

[@sasu6094]

Always a good day when Debunked uploads

[@DebunkedOfficial]

Thank you ☺ Hope you enjoyed it and learnt something new?

[@cirrus275]

I think that the biggest animal to have ever gobbled up little beasties is the megalodon. probably just because of the thumbnail of this video.

[@francissemyon7971]

S. sikanniensis was toothless and we dont have any teeth from Ichthyotitan. So their status as apex predators like todays orcas is really a stretch, they could have been squids specialists.

[@Strix2031]

Humans, if its in actual size then Blue Whales

[@prototropo]

Wow! This video offers the best, utterly accurate, and therefor useful, survey I've ever watched that explains producers, or autotrophs, and consumers, or heterotrophs, in the scheme of animal evolution. Great job!

[@josephspadavecchia9265]

Wish the Komodo dragon was included

[@Aquabryn]

Spino size estimates are now officially between 4 to 25 tons💀

[@Mr_bot-786]

The actual weight is 7.7 tons now, this video uses outdated info

[@SahilK-xx3iy]

Tyrannosaurus with e.d cope can weigh 12 tons

[@amerifatcheeseburger]

15:39 sperm whales outclass killer whales in both weight and apex predator categories. They may be preyed upon when they’re young but an adult bull sperm whale is not messed with by anyone in the ocean

[@amerifatcheeseburger]

Also the blue whale isnt the largest animal full stop

[@eliaelirko9849]

By most definitions of largest it is indeed the largest ever​@@amerifatcheeseburger

[@jensblackpanther2948]

Investigations of a specimen found in Morocco show that Spinosaurus reached a body length of 16 to 18 meters and a weight of 7 to 9 tons.

[@rolypoly4920]

There is some speculation that Perucetus was heavier than the blue whale is because they were super dense and chonky relative to their length. Basically whales with the body shape of manatees. Unfortunately we don't have enough of their skeleton to be sure.

[@28culture]

Where does the basilosaurus rank here?

[@learnmoreabout]

Ooo I reckon Mosasaurus 🤔…

[@DebunkedOfficial]

Let's see!

[@FishNamedWall]

Surprisingly, nope - Shastasaurus is larger than Mosasaurus, but still isn’t the largest

[@alveolate]

dammit, i think we all got gaslit by jurassic world's ginormous mosasaur. that visual just leaves such a lasting impact.

[@xanshen9011]

Himalayasaurus would low diff a hoffman’s mosasaurus.

[@ledernierutopiste]

@@xanshen9011 I'd bet on Orcas to dominate a sea where Mosasaurus exist aswell. And Megalodon and Lyviatan completely outmach Mosasaurus in everything, size, strenght all of it.

[@kingshark9057]

On land Tyrannosaurus or deinosuchus if you count that in the ocean leviathan or maybe shastasaurus though i wouldn't count the latter as an apex predator

[@Mosasaure974]

On est d'accord que si il y avait une échelle en terme de capacité de destruction l'humain serait tout en haut. 😂

[@shaider1982]

Producers carry the whole food chain on their backs.

[@DebunkedOfficial]

Indeed!

[@powerofanime1]

JIG-uh-NOTE-uh-SAUR-us. I have a particular fondness for mapusaurus. I was not excepting the Hannibal Lecter quote but I'm here for it. I was sort of expecting the Orca for the modern day, but the way you led into it was delightful. I had completely forgotton Livyatan and thoroughly underestimated the size of shonisaurus. I knew the answer would come from the ocean, but I'd really been confident in the pliosaurids for some reason. I think my image of them was informed more by the Walking With Dinosaurs show than I was expecting. I favor Ichthyotitan to steal the crown though.

[@FireWolfGamingYT]

My guy didn’t even mention mosasaurs, just skipped em

[@thomassirett4051]

Its shocking to think that my first pony was a heavy as the largest flying animal to ever existed 😂

[@Whitewing89]

Your meg stuff is out of date. They found a vertebrae column that shows that rather than just looking like a giant modern great white, that it was actually longer, and i think more slender.

[@JanKuiper-hb7dk]

"What’s The Largest Apex Predator To Have Ever Existed?" My mom.

[@Ornitholestes1]

The explanation at around 10:12 is incorrect. What the depicted range actually is is a range of estimates for one particular individual. While it’s true they are not necessarily reflecting the actual size range of the species, there is also nothing to suggest that that individual was the largest of its species ("max size"), it is simply randomly picked (the only one that was found) but with a large margin of error (due to specifics of the size estimation methodology, not due to variation within the species itself). So this is not "upper max size" and "lower max size", it is "upper size estimate for the holotype of Titanoboa cerrejonensis" and "lower size estimate for the holotype of Titanoboa cerrejonensis". Because the size distribution of almost every naturally occurring population is bell-shaped, with most individuals being close to average-sized while relatively few individuals are far larger or smaller, it is also by far the most likely that any randomly picked individuals is also approximately average-sized, and not particularly large or small for its species. So while the range reflects estimates, not specimens, it can potentially coincide with, or at least give a rough idea of, the actual size range centered around the mean size of the species. Since this is a range of methods, not a range of measurements for different specimens, that also means that we often cannot treat them all as equal. One specific method incorporated as part of such a range may well be considerably more reliable than another that was only included to showcase a range of more distant possibilities. So the actual methods used and how reasonable they are usually warrants closer examination. Think of the recently described Perucetus collossus. The range of estimates for the type (and only) specimen was 85 to 350 tons, but the realistic estimates are decidedly towards the lower end of that range (and indeed subsequent estimates have even been below it), because the upper end made some entirely untenable and self-contradicting assumptions. I know this is something the vast majority of popular-scientific material available on the internet gets wrong (or at least communicates wrongly). But that’s all the more reason to try and stop perpetuating this misconception.. If for example Wikipedia opens an article about an extinct animal with a statement that it "grew up to x meters long" despite that animal being known from at best a handful of specimens, that creates the incorrect impression that we knew its entire size range and that this was its actual maximum size, when it is in fact only the size of a particular individual, at best the largest in a small handful for most extinct animals (whereas maximum sizes as we use them for modern animals are usually based on thousands or tens of thousands of specimens). If we had only 2 specimens of african elephant, we’d likely be reading wikipedia claim "african elephants can get up to 6 t in mass", even though we know they can grow several tons larger. If we only had 2 specimens of saltwater crocodile, they would likely claim "saltwater crocodiles can grow to up to 4.5 m", even though we know there are 6 m+ individuals.

[@addictedtochocolate920]

I knew the Killer Sperm Whale would come close to taking the crown. Very underrated animal right there

[@alcyon7536]

You included lower size estimates for trex, large specimens are believed to weigh around 10-12 tons, outclassing every other theropod by 2 - 5 tons

[@uncommonsimon5775]

Me when I'm hungry 😂 another video I'll get some good food and watch ! Excited !

[@DebunkedOfficial]

Thanks for joining within the first few minutes of the release our latest episode! Hope you enjoy it? What would your first guess be?

[@uncommonsimon5775]

@@DebunkedOfficial I always join within the first few minutes because I can always expect quality content and a top apex predator ? My first guess would be a killer whale or something like that

[@DebunkedOfficial]

Great guess!

[@timothymchugh6232]

A pyramid is not a chain, just found that illustration pretty funny

[@shaider1982]

3:46 lol on the guy with the red cap.

[@DiHandley]

The work you put into these videos is well worth subscribing to.

[@BSland]

Level 1 is the most important if it dissappears everything else dissappears

[@egyptwns89_26]

"Man? Man is way down on the list..." -Sarge- Red Vs. Blue

[@Dannyboi-we6in]

Mosasaur left the chat

[@adventurefighter7501]

Even the land-based whales (Hippos) are fearsome enough, no wonder cetaceans are the apex predators.

[@SeventyTinyWyverns]

First guess was Livyatan. So close. I initially considered the "Swiss Tyrant" (a very large _Himalayasaurus_ specimen) ichthyosaur, but hadn't heard of Ichthyotitan.

[@ImpecuniousMax]

I might be wrong, but I don’t think “Cartiloginious” [Cart-ill-oh-jin-ee-us] is a word, matey. “Cartilaginous” is the word [Cart-ill-adj-in-us] meaning “made of cartilage”.

[@lewisbean4250]

Some pretty low estimates for adult T.rex compared to modern volumetric estimates, I must say

[@miceliusbeverus6447]

Cool stuff! Two things come to my mind: 1) The apex predator doesn't actually need to be the scariest one to every smaller creature... For instance, because the potential victim might be too small to present a worthy snack! I've heard that for instance megalodons wouldn't probably bother to chase single humans... Also, IRL bull sharks are much more likely to pose a threat to us than GWS (Great White Shark), because of their habitat overlapping ours to a much greater degree... 2) There are some herbivores so powerful that virtually never preyed upon... Heck, sometimes they can even attack predators! Think hippos for instance! Could they be called apex herbivores? 😅

[@DarkGodSeti]

"Predator" can mean a lot of things... before finishing the video I will say Sperm whale or... it's ancient relative, Thee Livyatan! Technically the blue whale "hunts" too for millions of krill shrimp, etc... So... The blue whale wins ultimately.....

[@DarkGodSeti]

Dinosaur=Reptiles.. ugh...... 🤮 (Edit: This is an "informed" 2024 channel/video??? 🤣😭) Spino, is fact now considered an aquatic dino... Giga is "bigger" than T-rex, but has far less bulk in terms of all over mass... (I outta make my own channel!)

[@SahilK-xx3iy]

We’re not going talk about how he spelled giganotosaurus as giganotosaurus, also size is determined by mass which is how much is weighs

[@meshoooooz]

the largest apex predator is the megalodon shark

[@gameeverything816]

Maybe it's not worth a video but I always wondered if there was any truth to getting electrocuted in the shower or bath during a thunderstorm.

[@DebunkedOfficial]

🤔

[@sach33]

The largest t rex specimen is estimated to weigh 9 tonnes, but a new study suggests that the largest (fragmentary) specimens could have reached 15 tonnes! Giganotosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus were less heavily built than T Rex (being better adapted for running) and the most reasonable estimates would be between 7 and 8 tonnes. The maximum wingspan of quetzalquoatlus is estimated at 36 feet, while that of hatzegopterix would be 39 feet. Shonisaurus sikanniensis (or shastasaurus) had no teeth and is not considered a super predator like the megalodon. It is thought that it fed on much smaller prey (especially squid), unlike the megalodon which attacks whales sometimes larger than itself. Additionally, the 80 tons estimated for Shonisaurus would be an exaggeration, given that its body was quite thin (no more than 2 meters wide) and did not contain blubber like whales. A 20 m megalodon would be much heavier at 100 tonnes minimum.

[@gordonsmith5589]

Your accent saying words wrong kills this video for me….

[@Polipolikespickles]

Only 2.21!? You know what gimme a week ill get us to 5

[@MWSin1]

You struck my nerve... Killer whales are part of the dolphin family, which is part of the whale infraorder.

[@hdhenbddbbdbd3075]

Yah i already know the answer it is us , yes us humans Edited: Why you say because we can pet orca’s who are the top predator of the seas , and not only that we can build anything stronger and bigger than any of these species

[@alexandamyers9225]

T rex was heavier than the other therapods u listed, but length wise, it’s up for open debate. Even so, a new study came out saying that T-Rex could have reached 49ft long and weigh between 10-15 tonnes. T Rex is the most studied dinosaur ever due to the amount of fossils and almost complete skeletons we have.

[@suricata1993]

Let me DEBUNK debunked: Spinosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus and Giganotosaurus are all smaller than T-Rex - the biggest Tyrannosaurus are 2000kg heavier than the biggest Giganotosaurus, which is the 2nd biggest theropod. There you go, stop the cap!

[@Mandred85]

BUT!!! What if Ichtiotitan was preyd on by smaller carnivores, like the Blue Whale is today?

[@Lord_Kratos69]

IT is good these beasts no longer exist…

[@flavioxy]

where are carnivorous plants? :D

[@fis5397]

1 trophic level above flies, and as flies ear mostly plants it would be 3

[@edenhealing1513]

Answer: Leviathan. Also Ichthyotitan Severnensis.

[@moolate127]

Comparing the polar bear to extinct crocodilians but at 1,000 kilos and over 20 ft. wouldn't saltwater crocodiles be bigger than polar bears anyways?

[@SahilK-xx3iy]

I heard saltwater crocodiles can weigh up to a ton(1,000 kg or 2,000 lbs)

[@selahgreen9648]

omg how is so much effort and passion so niche. am i here before it grows because there is inherent quality to the style editing and writing.

[@PrinceDOfficial]

And presentation too is top noch

[@neiltessier3520]

My first thought is the Leviathan whale.

[@plague_doctor-scp-049]

the largest predator is my uncle

[@carsonmcgee982]

Fr dude he keeps wanting to play the touching game

[@plague_doctor-scp-049]

@@carsonmcgee982 yea and the "pretend im ur dad so i can see you on parents evening at school" game

[@carsonmcgee982]

@@plague_doctor-scp-049 and the body part matching game

[@plague_doctor-scp-049]

@@carsonmcgee982 yea, that one...

[@Edocska]

The Dwayne Johnson comparison killed me! 😂 Amazing quality video, as always.

[@DebunkedOfficial]

Glad you liked that, my immediate thought of a huge apex human is The Rock so thought that was suitable 😁

[@ItsNicky]

I don't exactly know if making spino 2x less weight was intentional or not but average 13 meter long gigantic dinosaur would definitely weigh at around 8 tons average with research😂

[@MechaShadowV2]

i would argue modern sperm whales could be called an apex predator since i hear they are capable of fending off orca attacks, and they eat giant squid.

[@lemongrab6173]

The part about spino was actually incorrect while true it was longer than other known theropod specimens and not as bulky as T.rex it also had the densest bones than any known mega theropod. The weight estimate changed significantly for all theropod estimates after bone density was added to the equation. Initially for Scotty it was 10 tonnes but now it’s between 8.8 to 9 tonnes. Whereas with spino it’s 10 tonnes and we don’t even know if that’s below average or average. The average spinosaur is very difficult to pinpoint since none of the current reconstructions are perfect unlike T.rex which has nearly 20 perfect specimens due to tyrannosaurs going extinct in conditions perfectly suited for paleontological research. The first spino reconstruction is a different age chimera and many of the bones belong to juveniles. We need at least 8 more specimens to get an average adults size estimate.

[@alligator2539]

11:10 Je pensais qu'en moyenne, un T. rex (oui on écrit T. rex et non T-Rex, parce que le nom d'espèce ne prend jamais de majuscule.) mesurait 3,7 mètres de hauteur.

[@Jo-JoandTaffy]

While it is true that killer whales are part of the dolphin family, dolphins are part of the group of cetaceans called the "toothed whales". So, killer whales are dolphins which are whales.

[@MarkPenaflo]

killer whales are aptly named, since dolphins are a part of the toothed whales group. if you'd want to exclude toothed whales from "whales", that'd mean you're also willing to exclude sperm whales from your 'whale' definition of non-toothedness

[@thegreeniguana1006]

Ichthytitan should be mentioned here