What is the largest organism on earth?

Answer 1

The largest organism found on earth can be measured using a variety of methods. It could be defined as the largest by volume, mass, height, or length. Some creatures group together to form a superorganism, though this cannot truly be classed as one large organism. (The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef (stretching 2,000 km) has been shown to be a collection of many organisms and is the largest known superorganism, though Gaia theory would consider the whole of the biosphere as a sort of superorganism.)

The Aspen tree (Populus tremuloides) forms large stands of genetically identical trees (technically, stems) connected by a single underground root system. These trees form through root sprouts coming off an original parent tree, though the root system may not remain a single unit in all specimens. The largest known fully-connected Aspen is a grove in Utah nicknamed Pando, and some experts call it the largest[1] organism in the world, by mass or volume.[2] It covers 43 hectares (.43 km²) and is estimated to weigh 6,600 tons. [3]

A giant fungus of the species Armillaria ostoyae in the Malheur National Forest in Oregon was found to span 8.9 km² (2,200 acres)[1], which would make it the largest organism by area. Whether or not this is an actual individual organism, however, is disputed: some tests have indicated that they have the same genetic makeup [2], but unless its mycelium is fully connected, it is a clonal colony of numerous smaller individuals. Another clonal colony that rivals the Armillaria and the Populus colonies in size is a strand of the giant marine plant, Posidonia oceanica, discovered in the Mediterranean Sea near the Balearic Islands. It is about 8 km (4.3 miles) in length.

Excluding multi-stem trees, the General Sherman tree, an individual Giant Sequoia with a volume of 1487 m³, would hold the title of the world's largest living organism, if measured in volume and mass.[3] This tree stands 83.8 m (274 ft 11 in) tall and the trunk alone is estimated to weigh over 2000 tons. The largest single-stem tree ever measured was the “Lindsey Creek Tree,” a coastal redwood with a minimum trunk volume of over 2500 m³ and a mass of over 3600 tons, which fell over during a storm in 1905.[4]

By volume and weight, the largest known animal ever to have lived is the blue whale, an endangered species whose official record length is 33.58 m (110 ft 2 inches), and weight 210 tons (for a pregnant female). The largest land animals today are male Savannah Elephants, with one known example weighing around 12,272 kg (27,000 lb), though many extinct species, such as many dinosaurs, were much larger.

A member of the order Cetacea, the Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is believed to be the largest animal ever to have lived. The maximum recorded weight was 190 tonnes and 30 m (100 ft) long, while longer ones, up to 33.3 m (110 ft), have been recorded but not weighed.

The African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta africana), of the order Proboscidea, is the largest living land animal. At birth it is common for an elephant calf to weigh 100 kg (225 pounds). The largest elephant ever recorded was shot in Angola in 1974. It was a male and weighed 12,272 kg or 13.5 tons (27,000 lb), with an overall length (trunk to tail) of 10.6 m (35 ft) and a shoulder height of 4.2 m (13.7 ft).

The largest living reptile, a representative of the order Crocodilia, is the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), with adult males being typically 4.5 to 5 m (14.8 to 16.5 ft) long. The largest confirmed saltwater crocodile on record was 20.6 feet (6.3 meters) long, and weighed over 1,900 kg (4,100 lbs).[5] Unconfirmed reports of much larger crocodiles exist, but examinations of incomplete remains have never suggested a length greater than 23 feet (7 meters).[4]

Extinct crocodilians were sometimes much larger, such as Deinosuchus, at up to 12 m (40 ft) and 9.1 tonnes (10 tons), Sarcosuchus imperator, also at up to 12 m (40 ft) and 13.6 tonnes (15 tons), and Rhamphosuchus, possibly up to 18 m (60 ft) long.

The largest living bird, as well as the largest member of the Struthioniformes, is the ostrich (Struthio camelus) reaching a height of over 2.7 m (9 ft) and weighing over 156 kg (345 lb).[9] Eggs laid by the Ostrich can weigh 1.4 kg (3 lb) and are the largest eggs in the world today (and are also the largest single cell of any organism, although the sea algae Caulerpa could be considered the largest active cell).

The largest bird in the fossil record may be the extinct Elephant Birds of Madagascar, which were related to the Ostrich. They exceeded 3 m (10 ft) and 500 kg (1,120 lb). The last of the Elephant Birds became extinct about 300 years ago. Of almost the exact same proportions as the largest Elephant Birds was Dromornis stirtoni of Australia, part of a 26,000-year old group called mihirungs of the family Dromornithidae. The tallest bird ever however was the Giant Moa (Dinornis maximus), part of the moa family of New Zealand that went extinct about 200 years ago. This moa stood up to 3.7 m (12 ft) tall[9] when it was erected in an unnatural position, but weighed about half as much as a large Elephant Bird or mihirung due to its comparatively slender frame. The largest carnivorous bird was the phorusrhacid Brontornis, an extinct flightless bird from South America which reached a weight of 350 to 400 kg (770 to 880 lb) and a height of about 2.8 m (9.2 ft).

The largest bird ever capable of flight was Argentavis magnificens, a now extinct member of the Teratornithidae group, with a wingspan of up to 8.3 m (28 ft), a length of over 3 m (10 ft) and a body weight of 80 kg (176 lbs.).

The largest living amphibian is the Chinese Giant Salamander (Andrias davidianus). The maximum size of this river-dweller is 64 kg (140 lb) and 1.83 m (6 ft). Before aminotes became the dominant tetrapods, several giant amphibian-like tetrapods existed. The largest known was the crocodile-like Prionosuchus, which reached a length of 9 m (30 ft).

Frogs (Anura). Easily the largest member of the largest order of amphibians is the African Goliath frog (Conraua goliath). The maximum size of this species is a weight of 3.8 kg (8.4 lb) and a snout-to-vent length of 35 cm (14 in). The largest of the toads is the Cane Toad.
Caecilian (Gymnophiana). The largest of the worm-like caecilians is the Thomson’s Caecilian (Caecilia thompsoni), which reaches a length of 1.5 m (5 ft) and can weigh up to about 1 kg (2.2 lb

Answer 2

The blue whale is the largest mammal on earth. The largest organism would probably be the giant squid, or could even be the Great Barrier Reef, stretching 2000k as a superorganism

Answer 3

In the eastern United States is a huge grove of trees, wish I could remember the place and type. But I had heard since they are all interconnected by the root system, it is considered the largest organism in the world.

Answer 4

The discovery of this giant Armillaria ostoyae in 1998 heralded a new record holder for the title of the world's largest known organism, believed by most to be the 110-foot- (33.5-meter-) long, 200-ton blue whale.

Answer 5

Whale is the largest organism in the earth.
30Elephant is=1Whale
You have to imagine yourself how large its to be.

Answer 6

It depends.
If you mean largest animal ever known, that's the blue whale.

Beyond that, it gets weird.

If you mean largest in terms of area, there's a fungus in Oregon that covers 2,200 acres.

If you mean in terms of mass, the Aspen tree has a single root but can have multiple trees. The largest of which is in Utah, covering 43 hectares weighing 6600 tons.

It's quite confusing really.

Answer 7

Blue Whale

Answer 8

That begs the question, is the earth an organism. I say yes. Debatable, I know.

So my answer is the earth is the largest organism on earth.

Answer 9

largest aquatic organism is the blue whale and elephant is the largest mammal.

Answer 10

Blue whale

Answer 11

Quaking Aspen groves (many are in Utah). All the trees are connected and considered to be one organism.