Animals of the Future
50 million years from now will our planet be populated by enormous rodents, or flying myriapods? It’s not very likely, but from time to time, the museum lets its imagination take over!
That is why here in the Gallery of Evolution you will find five futuristic animals: the scientists who ‘created’ them based them on evolutionary models. Evolution repeats itself continuously, so by observing the past, they can try to imagine what life might look like in the distant future.
Here above : A potential descendent of the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), an arboreal marsupial, this Trichopteryx dixoni has a longer and more flexible prehensile tail, larger skin folds between its feet, and a ventral pouch that opens downwards, towards the tail. Length: 1.5 m, including the tail.
50 million years form now ?
Propellonectes russeli, the imagined descendent of the Northern Giant Petrel (Macronectes halli), an existing seabird, has atrophied wings unfit for flight, but disproportionately large feet and an even more hydrodynamic body shape than its ancestor: it is an excellent swimmer. Length: 1 m
With a more massive head and shoulder girdle and hypertrophied, prominent incisors, this Corticochaeris gouldi could be a descendent of the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), the largest living rodent today. Length: up to 2 m
