500 million years of Armored Animals evolution

From now through Jan. 5, 2025, tour Armored Animals at Fernbank Museum to experience 500 million years of adaptations for protection, intimidation or to attract a mate.

“It’s a lot to cover!” said Miranda Shealy, Fernbank’s volunteer manager and science education content lead for the exhibit. “We move through the exhibit as the animals evolved … starting with small invertebrates; ancient fish that developed backbones and moved onto land; reptiles and dinosaurs… then turn the corner for crocodilians and mammals.”

With a less augmented reality, your attention is focused on rarely seen large replicas, insect sculptures, extinct armored reptile skeletons and more.

“The flow is the passage of time – with some modern examples sprinkled in,” Shealy said.

Don’t sleep on the little guys, Shealy advises, many of whom are still with us today.

“We don’t often think of beetles and crabs, but their armor has evolved to protect them so well for so long,” Shealy said.

And if you need to get some wiggles out, crank the lever of the ancient fish Dunkleosteus [DUN-Kull-AH-stee-us] to simulate its powerful bite that’s five times the strength of a shark’s.

Speaking of impressive bites, check out about Phytosaurs [FY-toh-sawrs]. “This is my favorite, it looks like a crocodile but isn’t,” eight year old Ayansh Gilani said. Despite the strong resemblance, this 200 million year old reptile is not closely related to crocodiles.

Yet, reptiles that developed armor have remained basically unchanged for millions of years as evidenced by modern lizards, turtles, and crocodilians.

“Can a turtle get that big?” a boy asked his uncle About Ice Age tortoise Hesperotestudo [HESS-per-oh-TESS-too-doh]. “Yes! There are large ones today on the Galápagos Islands.”

Fun fact, “it’s shell is its entire back, not a separate piece. A lot of people don’t know that,” said Jena Allison, Fernbank communications manager about turtles.

Always popular, the dinosaurs do not disappoint.

The medium-sized dinosaur Gastonia burgei [gas-TONE-ee-ah burg-eye], named for Robert Gaston, the paleontologist founder of Gaston Design Inc who developed the Armored Animal s exhibit, is on display too. It’s believed this dinosaur lacked speed and smarts but found safety in a herd with defensive pines and spikes.

Another dinosaur on display, Akainacephalus [uh-KAIN-us-SEF-uh-lus], weighed as much as a car and used its bony club tail to ward off predators and rivals about 75 million years ago. But Helen from Decatur already knew that. “It’s how they would hit animals, Helen said. “I was really obsessed with dinosaurs as a kid.”

Like a grandmother and her grandsons did, pause in front of the massive 30 foot long full scale skeletal replica of the giant crocodilian Deinosuchus [Dyi-noh-sook-us that lived about 80 million years ago]. Fossil evidence suggests it would prey on dinosaurs.

At lunch, the grandmother had shown her grandsons a crocodile picture from her recent trip to Brazil. “They were very interested to see if it was the same,” she said, pointing to Deinosuchus.“It’s pretty big huh?”

After you ponder the massive ancient crocodilian, shift your attention to armored mammals including, armadillos, hedge hogs and porcupines.  Humans, lacking natural armor, imitated animals’ defensive adaptations to fashion their own suits and helmets.

“Can you imagine wearing a fish on your head to protect you?” a mom asked her three children. People made armor out of available materials, even poisonous fish, to send a message.

Guests of all ages can enjoy this exhibit.

“Everyone can learn something and find a new animal that they find interesting along with some classic favorites like the dinosaurs,” Shealy said.

PRO TIP: Check out Armored Animals sponsored locally in part by the Frances Wood Wilson Foundation  during Fright Night (Oct. 25) or Fernbank After Dark x WildWoods: AGLOW (Nov. 8 and Dec. 13).

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