Crabs, Snails & Algae Eaters

The largest organism found on Earth can be measured using a variety of different methods. It could be defined as the largest by volume, mass, height, or length. more...

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Some creatures group together to form a superorganism, though this cannot truly be classed as one large organism and is usually only common amongst invertebrates.

There are many difficulties in truly defining the largest organism. A giant fungus of the species Armillaria ostoyae in the Malheur National Forest in Oregon was found to span 8.9 km² (2200 acres). Whether or not this is an actual individual organism is disputed: some tests have indicated that they have the same genetic makeup , but this does not exclude its being a clonal colony of numerous smaller individuals. The Aspen tree, (Populus tremuloides), also forms large clonal colonies 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. One such grove in Utah covers 80 hectares and is estimated to weigh 6600 tons . The largest fully-connected Aspen is Pando, and some experts call it the world's largest and oldest organism. Another enormous colonial "organism" that rivals the Armillaria and the Populus colonies in size is the giant marine plant, Posidonia oceanica, discovered in the Mediterranean Sea near the Balearic Islands, Spain. This plant, in combination, is about 8 km (4.3 miles) across, surrounding a small island.

Excluding possible clonal colonies, the General Sherman tree, an individual Giant Sequoia with a volume of 1489 m³, would hold the title of the world's largest tree (by volume of its trunk). This tree stands 83.8 m (274.9 ft) tall and the trunk alone is estimated to weigh as much as about 15 Blue Whales combined. The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef stretching 2000 km, has been shown to be a collection of many organisms and is the largest living superorganism, rather than a true singular organism, though the whole of the biosphere in some respects can be considered as a superorganism (see Gaia theory).

By volume and weight, the largest known animal ever to have lived is the blue whale, an endangered species that can measure 30 m (100 feet) in length and can weigh in excess of 200 tons. There is currently no conclusive evidence that a larger animal has ever existed, but the phenomenon known as "Bloop" has indicated to some people that a larger living animal is in existence. The largest land animals today are male Savannah Elephants, with one known example weighing around 12,272 kg (27,000 pounds), though many extinct species, such as many dinosaurs, were much larger.

Read more at Wikipedia.org