History Main / MistookTheDominantLifeform

* Ford Prefect of ''TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' uses his name because he believed that cars were the dominant species. To explain the joke to foreign audiences (because the Ford Prefect was only sold in England), the film adaptation shows that Arthur first met Ford when Ford stepped into the street to shake hands with an oncoming car (an actual Ford Prefect to boot) and Arthur saved his life by tackling him out of the way. [[hottip:*: While it's not obvious at first, even humans aren't the dominant species on Earth. In fact, we're only the third most intelligent species on the planet, after mice and dolphins.]]

[[AC: Comics]]

[[AC: LiveActionTelevision]]

[[AC: WebComics]]

[[AC: WesternAnimation]]

* In ''SouthPark'' the aliens have fully researched the planet and decided that cows were the most intelligent species. If they were only looking at the adults, they are probably right.

** The Decepticons don't fare much better. When Blitzwing and Lugnut arrive on Earth they initially mistake vehicles for lifeforms, to the point of getting into a fight with a crane.

* In the film version of ''BattlefieldEarth'', the Psychlos interpret surveillance photos of humans with dogs in car passenger seats as evidence of the dogs being the superior species, since the humans "chauffeur them around".

* Harry Bates' story "Farewell to the Master" (which was later adapted into the movie ''TheDayTheEarthStoodStill'') includes a viewpoint-reversed example that was not included in the film adaptation. The short story ends with [[spoiler:the robot (named "Gnut" in the original) stating, "You misunderstand, ''I'' am the master."]]

* Basically the plot of ''{{Star Trek IV The Voyage Home}}'' - the aliens think whales are/were the intelligent life on the Earth. Whether they even notice the humans swarming around on the dry parts is not clear.

* ''SesameStreet'' martians [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTc3PsW5ghQ tried]] to talk with a telephone. On the "bright" side, they repeated attempts with more than one Terran dictionary.

** The author also explicitly parodied ''SesameStreet'' martians in [[http://jollyjack.deviantart.com/art/yipyipyipyip-cow-298353355 this]] DeviantArt piece (they ''did'' try to talk Cow, after all).

* ''StarTrekTheMotionPicture''. V'Ger thinks that humans (including those on Earth) are "units" under the control of its Creator. The movie was based on the ''StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "The Changeling" where the robot Nomad believed the same thing.

* ''StarTrekEnterprise'': Ferengis believe Porthos, Archer's dog, captains the ''Enterprise''. They finally realize their mistake when their UniversalTranslator fails to work.

* ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'': During the WhatIf Megamorphs 4, ''Back To Before'', Ax briefly mentions mistaking ''cows'' for the dominant species, in this case because they're numerous and superficially similar to Andalites (who resemble centaurs).

* In ''Webcomic/SequentialArt'' Martian Trashcans arc, "Gary" [[http://www.collectedcurios.com/sequentialart.php?s=729 tried to talk with two inanimate objects in a row]]. He isn't known as the brightest bulb in his team, considering he's the one who [[http://www.collectedcurios.com/sequentialart.php?s=698 usually]] is sent [[AliensStealCattle to collect cow lips]] while others tend to their little military business.

* ''Series/DoctorWho''. Not quite an example of this trope, but in the same vein; In "The Sea Devils" the Master mistakes ''TheClangers'' for a documentary about alien lifeforms, though it is implied that he was joking (this was retconed in the new series, in which the Master is just plain nuts).

* ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'': During the WhatIf Megamorphs 4, ''Back To Before'', Ax briefly mentions mistaking ''cows'' for the dominant species, in this case because they're numerous and superficially similar to Andalites.

* ''Series/DoctorWho''. Not quite an example of this trope, but in the same vein; In "The Sea Devils" the Master mistakes a children's show for a documentary about alien lifeforms (this was retconed in the new series, in which the Master is just plain nuts).

* An episode of ''[[DennisTheMenaceUK Dennis the Menace]]'' featured an alien race of shape shifters who thought that telvisions ruled the world and thus came to Earth in the form of televisions. Upon realising their mistake they tried to take on human form but found it too difficult so remained as televisions.

* In one ''MickeyMouse'' comic some aliens attempt to find if there is intelligent life on Earth and abduct Mickey and Pluto to perform tests on them. Pluto ends up scoring higher then Mickey, mostly because the tests are actually very simple and Mickey keeps overcompensating; for example, when the aliens attempt to translate their speech he speaks really slowly, causing the aliens to think he's stupid. The aliens end up concluding that dogs are the dominant species on Earth.

* Carl Sagan gives an example in his book ''Pale Blue Dot'', where aliens at first assume that cars are the main inhabitants of cities (the idea being that aliens would be taking closer and closer views of the earth while trying to find life, and cars are the first visible moving things they would see in city areas).

* Two human survivors in George Zebrowski's ''The Killing Star'' wind up getting captured by the alien invaders and have an audience with them. One wall of the room faces a water-filled chamber which contains an octopus-like creature being preened and taken care of by dozens of little robots. The captives assume that the creature is the brains behind the invasion when it begins speaking to them. It soon reveals, though, that [[spoiler:the robots are in charge. They had been built by the octopi long ago and eventually surpassed them in intelligence. The octopi are considered by the masters to be more like a zoo exhibit of a curious precursor animal than anything else. And our two humans will ultimately share the same fate.]]

* Ford Prefect of ''TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' uses his name because he believed that cars were the dominant species. The film adaptation goes so far as Ford almost getting himself killed while attempting to "introduce himself" to an incoming car (an actual Ford Prefect) by standing in front of it. [[hottip:*: While it's not obvious at first, even humans aren't the dominant species on Earth. In fact, we're only the third most intelligent species on the planet, after mice and dolphins.]]

* ''{{Animorphs}}'': During the WhatIf Megamorphs 4, ''Back To Before'', Ax briefly mentions mistaking ''cows'' for the dominant species, in this case because they're numerous and superficially similar to Andalites.

* In the film version of ''BattlefieldEarth''. The Psychlos think humans are the pets of dogs.