ANIMAL ANCESTORS

Animal ancestors

动物祖先

Animals from another time. Can you imagine a world with horses the size of small dogs, whales that walk, and birds three metres tall? They all lived on earth at some time in the last sixty million years. They are now extinct, but their relatives live on, and you'll probably know them very well. Fossils like this tell us what the ancestors of today's animals looked like.

来自远古时代的动物。你能想象有一个世界里，马和小型犬一样大， 还有会行走的鲸鱼、身高三米的大鸟吗？它们都曾在过去的某个时期生活在 过去的六千万年里。现在它们都灭绝了，但它们的亲属存活了下来，你很可能 对它们非常熟悉。这类化石能告诉我们如今动物的祖先长什么样子。

In this book, you'll find out about some amazing animal ancestors from long ago. You'll also find out about their closest living relatives. There is a size guide on each page showing the animal ancestor next to an adult human. You may be surprised by the size of the animals. Can you guess what the ancestors of these animals look like?

在这本书里，你会认识许多来自远古的神奇动物祖先。 你还会了解到它们现存的亲缘关系最近的物种。 每页都有尺寸参照图，把动物祖先和成年人类放在一起对比。 这些动物的体型可能会让你大吃一惊哦。 你能猜到这些动物的祖先长什么样吗？

The in -between dog or Amphicyonid. Another name for the in -between dog is the bear dog, because it's an ancestor of both bears and dogs. Bear dogs lived across Asia and North America until about nine million years ago. Scientists have found footprint fossils which show that the dog walked like bears do now. It moved its two left legs together first, then the two right legs. The bear dog lived in underground dens and fed on smaller animals. It was a strong digger and could burrow after its prey. Closest living relatives, bear and dog.

间犬又称两栖犬科动物。间犬还有个名字叫熊犬， 因为它是熊和狗共同的祖先。熊犬曾生活在亚洲和北美洲各地， 直到大约九百万年前才灭绝。科学家发现的足迹化石表明，这种 犬类走路的方式和现在的熊一样：先同时挪动两条左腿，再同时挪动两条右腿。 熊犬住在地下洞穴里，以比它小的动物为食。它很擅长挖洞， 还能挖洞追捕猎物。现存的近亲：熊和狗。

the Argentine bird or Argentavis. The remains of this huge bird were found in Argentina in South America. It lived there until about five million years ago. It was the largest ever flying bird. It was 1 .5 meters high, with wings that measured 7 .5 meters across. Each wing feather could be as long as 1 .5 meters. This ancient bird ate small animals such as lizards, mice and rabbits. It also ate fish. Closest living relatives, stork and vulture

阿根廷巨鹰。这种巨鸟的遗骸是在南美洲的阿根廷被发现的。 它们曾在那里生活，直到约五百万年前灭绝。它是有史以来最大的飞禽。 它身高1.5米，翼展可达7.5米，每根翅膀上的羽毛最长能有1.5米。 这种古鸟以蜥蜴、老鼠、兔子这类小动物为食，也会吃鱼。 现存的近亲：鹳和秃鹫。

the Indric beast, or Indricotherium. This animal lived in Asia about 30 million years ago. It was the largest ever mammal to walk on land. The very biggest of these creatures grew to about 4 .5 meters high. It had a long neck that made it even taller so that it could reach leaves high up in the trees. It was also a very heavy animal. A really big one weighed 15 ,000 kilograms. That's much heavier than the largest rhino. Closest living relative, Rhinoceros.

巨犀，又称因陀罗兽。 这种动物大约三千万年前生活在亚洲。 它是有史以来在陆地上行走的最大的哺乳动物。 其中最大的个体能长到约4.5米高。 它的长脖子让它的身高更可观，能够到高处树上的叶子。 它的体重也非常惊人。 一只巨型巨犀的体重能达到15000千克。 比现存最大的犀牛还要重得多。 现存的近亲：犀牛。