Animals in Prehistory that May Have Been Intelligent

There are lots of known animals from prehistory, but we've only discovered a fraction of every species that lived long before humans appeared on Earth. Most humans may think they were the ONLY sapient species on Earth, but here, we list some prehistoric animals that may have been intelligent, it can include real or speculative species (for species that may or may not have existed). Enjoy your posting here!

1. Homocephalosaurus

   

   Here, I speculated an omnivorous species of Pachycephalosaurid dinosaur with a larger brain case than Pachycephalosaurus, rivaling the intelligence of modern humans, having somewhat longer arms than Pachycephalosaurus and being very social, making stone tools to hunt other animals, including larger dinosaurs.

2. Pachycephalosaurus

   

   Pachycephalosaurus is a genus of pachycephalosaurid dinosaurs that lived during the Late Cretaceous period. Fossils of this genus have been found in North America, including in Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming. It is best known for its thick, dome-shaped skull, which may have been used in head-butting... read more

   Believe it or not, Jack Horner showed that Pachycephalosaurus was probably not a head-butting brute as what people once thought, so they have been, according to my theory, may have been omnivorous and the most intelligent non-avian dinosaur, even smarter than Troodonts, despite having a small brain case. Their brains may have been comparable to that of early hominids, but they may have used their feet for grasping (if their feet were determined to have grasped like some modern birds and/or if their arms were too short) or used their hands for grasping (we don't know about the arms of Pachycephalosaurus yet).

3. Stegoceras

   

   Although this may be unlikely, the Stegoceras would have been very smart, about as smart as some early hominids (despite some reports of fossils showing head-butting behavior, they probably were not head-butters, but the damages of their skulls were probably results of falling and/or fights from weaponry (like stone tools, etc), using their feet for grasping tools due to their arms being short.

4. Prenocephale

   

   Just like Stegoceras, Prenocephale's arms were too short for grasping and picking up tools, but their feet may have been used for grasping, and they were probably about as smart as early hominids, making stone tools to defend themselves, fight other intelligent Pachycephalosaurs, and/or for hunting other animals, including larger dinosaurs.

5. Alaskacephale

   

   A recently discovered species of Pachycephalosaurid, Alaskacephale's arms were likely too short for grasping or making tool, but it's feet were probably were used instead to make and use stone tools, and was probably about as smart as early hominids.

6. Tylocephale

   

   Just like Stegoceras and Prenocephale, this species probably had arms that were too small to manipulate objects or use stone tools, but they probably had manipulative grasping feet to make and use stone tools, they were probably omnivorous and about as smart as early hominids.

7. Acrotholus

   

   Like most other Pachycephalosaurids, this species was likely omnivorous, and like most high-domed Pachycephalosaurids, it was probably intelligent like early hominids and may have used grasping feet to make and use stone tools (if their arms were too short).

8. Texacephale

   

   Texacephale was probably very intelligent, about as intelligent as early hominids, and may as well have made and used stone tools with their feet (if their arms were too short), and most likely omnivorous like most Pachycephalosaurids.

9. Foraminacephale

   

   Like other high-domed Pachycephalosaurids, the Foraminacephale was probably about as intelligent as early hominids, and may have created and used stone tools with their feet (if their arms were too short) and were most likely omnivorous.

10. Wannanosaurus

    

    Although this species being extremely intelligent may be unlikely, due to its small size and the potential shape of its skull, Wannanosaurus was likely omnivorous and was probably about as intelligent as some early bipedal apes and may have made and used stone tools like modern non-human apes, while creating/using with their feet like some modern birds.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Compsognathus

    

    Compsognathus is a genus of small, bipedal, carnivorous theropod dinosaurs. Members of the single species, Compsognathus longipes, could grow to about the size of a turkey, approximately 3.3 feet long. It lived during the Late Jurassic period and was one of the first dinosaurs to be well-known from... read more

12. ?

    Oviraptor

    

    Oviraptor is a genus of small theropod dinosaurs that lived in what is now Mongolia. It was discovered by technician George Olsen during an expedition led by Roy Chapman Andrews and was described by Henry Fairfield Osborn in 1924... read more

The Contenders

13. Troodon

    

    Troodon is a dubious genus of relatively small, bird-like dinosaurs known from the Campanian age of the Cretaceous period. The best-known species, Troodon formosus, is based on fossils found in Montana. However, its classification remains uncertain due to the limited and fragmentary nature of the fossil... read more

14. Tarchia

15. Gigantopithecus

    

16. Blunt-Snouted Dolphin

    

    This may be unlikely, but due to the shape of its skull, maybe giving it a larger brain case, it may be much smarter than any modern cetaceans, probably giving this animal the ability to communicate in wide languages (not human language, but at least a wider range of languages than modern cetaceans), unlikely, but possibly culture (unlike modern cetaceans).

17. Megalodon

    

    The megalodon, an extinct species of shark, lived until about 1.5 million years ago. It reached lengths of up to 59 feet (18 meters), making it much larger than today's great white shark.

    Megalodon had more than 250 large, razor-sharp teeth, and its massive jaws could easily swallow a human. Fossils... read more

18. Woolly Mammoth

    

    Even though mammoths were intelligent, they were probably only as smart as other elephants. When I said intelligent, I meant like very sentient (I mean sapient), using stone tools, having culture, etc.

19. Nimravus

    

    Does this really count as the most intelligent prehistoric animal? It just has a similar skull to true cats, which aren't the smartest mammals (although they aren't unintelligent neither, they just follow instincts).

20. Velociraptor

    

    Velociraptor is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived about 75 to 71 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous Period. It had a lightweight build and a relatively large brain for its body size. Velociraptor had sharp teeth and a large sickle-shaped claw on each foot, which it likely... read more

21. Tyrannosaurus

    

    Tyrannosaurus, whose name means "tyrant lizard" in Ancient Greek, is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur. It had an extraordinary bite force estimated at up to approximately 12,800 pounds, or 5,800 kilograms of force. This is considered the strongest estimated bite of any known terrestrial animal... read more

22. Allosaurus

    

    Allosaurus is a genus of large theropod dinosaur that lived approximately 155 to 150 million years ago during the Late Jurassic period. It was one of the top predators of its time and is often found in the fossil-rich Morrison Formation in North America. Allosaurus had strong jaws and sharp teeth suited... read more

23. Stegosaurus

    

    Stegosaurus is a type of armored dinosaur. Its fossil remains have been found in rocks dating to the Late Jurassic period, between 155 and 150 million years ago, in the western United States and Portugal. It is known for the distinctive double row of kite-shaped plates along its back and its spiked tail... read more