#neotheropoda

[stavrosskundromichalis]

Dracovenator regenti being very, very sneaky in South Africa during the Early Jurassic 👀

[paleonativeart]

Sinosaurus triassicus (Chinese Reptile from Triassic) is a primitive member of the neotheropoda. With newly redesign based on complete skull of new specimen of Sinosaurus triassicus. But when I said “redesign,” I do mean redrawing the old sinosaurus triassicus (formerly known as Dilophosaurus sinensis) from DeviantArt since May 13th, 2013, it’s been 10 years ago. #sinosaurus #sinosaurustriassicus #paleoart #myart #neotheropoda #theropoda #earlyjurassic #dinosauria #dinosaur #sketchbookapp https://www.instagram.com/p/CqO0v3Urqdg/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[captainswaglord500]

Cockatrice (Artwork by Yuujinner)

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class/Clade: Reptilia (Sauropsida)

Clade: Diapsida

Clade: Archosauria

Clade: Dinosauria

Clade: Saurischia

Clade: Eusaurischia

Clade: Theropoda

Clade: Neotheropoda

Clade: Averostra

Clade: Tetanurae

Clade: Avetheropoda

Clade: Coelurosaria

Clade: Maniraptoriformes

Clade: Maniraptora

Clade: Pennaraptora

Clade: Oviraptorosauria

Clade: Edentoraptora

Superfamily: Caenagnathoidea

Family: Caenagnathidae?

Subfamily: incertae sedis

Genus: Ornithosaurus

Species: O. necrophilus (“death-loving bird lizard”)

Ancestral species: possibly Microvenator celer

Temporal range: late Pleistocene to recent (87,000 kya - present)

Information:

A ravenous scavenger, the cockatrice is by no means at the top of its food chain, though its uniquely offensive, musky odor, ear-splitting vocalizations, and proclivity for traveling in large groups called flocks make it a creature which few predators wish to tolerate. Add onto this its territorial aggression, and you have what may be Archaeonesia’s most detested scavenger. Cockatrices use their superb sense of smell to detect carrion from several tens of miles away, primarily feeding on the carcasses of various reptilian and mammalian megafauna, sometimes flocking around fresh kills made by larger predators and using their sheer number to overwhelm the carnivore into relinquishing its kill. Though it usually eats carrion, it is also classified as an opportunistic feeder, readily going after small vertebrates. Found primarily in the Arava Desert and the surrounding grasslands in the western half of the Isle of Perils, this medium-sized oviraptorosaur is known all throughout the Isle of Perils, including its central mountain range, making it one of the few non-avian dinosaurs to live in that region. It is also one of the few non-avian dinosaurs to actively seek out human settlements, particularly to feed on discarded scraps of food. Actively seeking out human settlements, it is known to scavenge from trash heaps and refuse bins, which make it a local pest in some areas. Entire flocks of these animals, as many as 40 individuals sometimes, may swarm landfills. Similarly, these creatures will use their sheer number of overwhelm larger carnivores into relinquishing kills before greedily tearing into their spoils. A pecking order can be observed amongst these animals, typically in which the largest male gets first pickings on the corpse. When feeding on carrion, as gruesome as it may be, they will typically eat away at the orifices first before hollowing out the cadaver. Due to its exceptionally strong stomach acids being able to kill most bacteria, it can eat carrion which most other scavengers would otherwise find too putrid or dangerous to consume. Attracted to shiny objects for the purposes of adorning their nests with them, they have been known to steal jewelry, though those which live farther from human settlements may instead use quartz and other naturally occurring crystals to adorn their nests. These animals are exceptional jumpers, being able to clear fences nearly 12 feet all and jump nearly 25 feet in a single bound. Exceptionally territorial in nature, groups may mark trees and rocks with a pair of scent glands behind their ears, which produce the foul musky odor typically associated with the animal. As these animals are quite social, their ability to recognize patterns (and more specifically faint color patterns and facial differences) allow them to differentiate between one another with remarkable ease. They can also recognize human faces with exceptional accuracy. Grooming behavior is well-documented, and like primates, it plays an important role in establishing social relations. Primarily diurnal, these animals rely on scent and eyesight to find food, and typically, a few individuals will venture away from the nesting grounds at a given time to locate food before they’ll go back and alert the others of its location, utilizing what is sometimes described as an elaborate“dance”, consisting of many different vocalizations, as well as head and body movements, to communicate location, much in the same way honeybees do. As the many environments it lives in are teeming with predators, a few individuals will take shifts throughout the night to watch the nesting grounds while the others sleep. A pouch at the base of the neck, commonly called a crop, allows the animal to store food before digesting it, though it serves a dual function of allowing it to transport food back to the nest to feed its offspring.

Though a given flock of cockatrices may not necessarily consist of entirely closely related individuals, it is more common than not for a flock to consist of a set of parents or grandparents and several generations of offspring. During the beginning of the dry season, around early December, the males’ colors will become substantially more flashy and eye-catching, his wattle flushing a bright maroon and violet color and the undersides of his wings flushing a pink hue, and although related species are known to engage in mock fights as part of mating displays, this species instead relies on a less violent method of winning approval from the females they wish to court: designing the most colorful display. A male will create a nest and adorn it with the most colorful materials he can found, anything from flowers and fruits to rocks and crystals. However, this is only part of the courtship ritual. While a bright nest may earn some initial interest from female suitors, it is what he does next that determines his success: performing an elaborate dance, sometimes with a shiny rock clutched in his beak, he will angle his head up towards the sky, revealing his brightly-colored wattle and wings. High-stepping in a circle around her, his throat will undulate to make a deep, rattling bellow, beating his wings and jumping up and down to keep her attention. If she accepts, she will join him in this dance and copulation begins. Cockatrices mate for life, and in 1.5 months time, she will lay a clutch of 2-4 blue eggs in the nest, and for the 5 weeks it will take for them to hatch, she will not leave the nest, the male fetching her food and water via his crop. When the young are born, they are, in a rare exception amongst non-avian theropods, altricial, being born nearly featherless and unable to walk for the first few weeks of life. By a month old, they will be able to walk. By a year, they will have reached half their adult size, being large enough to join their parents in the search for food. By 2 years, they will reach adult size, and at around 3.5 years, they will have gained their adult plumage and will reach sexual maturity. Many may choose to stay with their parents’ flock, though some may go off and form flocks with other young cockatrices. If they’re lucky, a cockatrice may expect to live 20-30 years.

Around the size of a cassowary, this species is around 5.6 feet tall, roughly 9-10 feet in length, and weighs around 200 lbs on the heavier side. There is no notable sexual dimorphism between species. The naked head is highly fluorescent, the neck being reddish yellow and the wattle/fleshy growths on its face being yellowish-orange and bluish-purple. The beak is red and the eyes are white. Plumage is white on the body and most of the wings, though near the base of the neck, the tail, and the wing feathers, the plumage starts to turn black, with the wing plumage having many beige spots along their length. Its legs are yellowish-gray.

Long-renowned for its dissonant calls, this species generally communicates with others of its kind with rasps, shrill humming, and a sound variously called “bleating” or “bugling”. Territorial calls consist of loud, deep booms which rumble across the land. However, it may hiss or honk if aggravated or in an attempt to intimidate and size up other scavengers/carnivores, and it has a characteristic shrieking whoop referred to by some as a “dinner bell call” to other cockatrices that food has been located.

Much in the same way that vultures are viewed as unclean and malevolent animals in Western society, so, too, is the cockatrice in Xenogaean society, made dually ironic for the fact that vultures also exist in the region, albeit typically in more montane environments. Long seen as a bad luck omen, stumbling across a dead cockatrice was said to signal impending disaster, particularly famine or drought, and in fact, it was said that if one did stumble across one, or managed to kill one, they were to immediately cremate it and spread its ashes in a river. Nonetheless, it does appear in some heraldic imagery and was venerated amongst some indigenous peoples in the region, particularly to the southeast. It was said the Bronze Age Aravan King, Kuntapurexa, infamous for his brutal conquests across the Isle of Perils, was followed by a horde of cockatrices which reaped the benefits of his conquests, feeding on the corpses of those he and his men killed as they went from village to village pillaging and marauding. The deafening sounds of these animals from afar was therefore used by some villagers as a way to determine how close Kuntapurexa and his men were to their settlement and therefore whether or not to abandon the town. How true this was, however, remains up to speculation, as no surviving historical records seem to confirm if this was a true account or not, with the possibility of it being a tall tale being rather likely. That said, if one can get past the animal’s revolting smell and dietary habits, a tame cockatrice makes for an exceptional companion animal, being exceptional at navigating, tracking, and retrieving items and trinkets, and in times past, some would use these animals to discretely transmit messages across long distances in a similar manner to messenger pigeons. On top of that, its affectionate nature towards those it’s acquainted with makes it decent as a pet as well, minus its food requirements. In fact, while some cities actively try to exterminate or otherwise relocate cockatrices within their walls, others may actively promote breeding programs for the animals in an effort to reduce waste in landfills. Despite being classified as a caenagnathid oviraptorosaurian, this placement is tentative: though its skull anatomy and genetic data would seem to support an inclusion amongst the Caenagnathidae or at least closer to the Caenagnathidae than the Oviraptoridae, the anatomy of its arms (and its wrists in particular) is exceptionally basal, more akin to that of therizinosaurs or ornithomimosaurs than to that of other oviraptorosaurs. Amongst an indigenous group in the Arava Desert region known as the Nge'echets, the cockatrice was seen as an embodiment of the desert itself, almost a god in its own right, far contrary to how their Xenogaean-speaking neighbors viewed the animal. As such, offerings were left out to the animals as a way of asking for safe passage from one oasis to the next as part of their migratory lifestyle. Nonetheless, amongst all native cultures in the region, the consumption of this animal’s meat is considered taboo due to its scavenging lifestyle. In lieu with its scavenging lifestyle, flocks of these animals may follow sick or injured animals for miles, waiting for them to collapse before finishing them off, hence it was long said that spotting a cockatrice behind oneself was a sign that death was on one’s doorstep. In some regions, they are also associated with the Xenogaean death goddess, Yerakiya, seen as either her messengers or even as a form she herself takes in the world of the living. Bones of this animal date back to the late Pleistocene, around 87,000 years ago, and fossil member of the genus are known as far back as the Miocene. A smaller closely-related species found on an offshore island, the basilisk (O. insularis), went extinct in the 18th century due to the introduction of pigs by British colonists. With around 2,000,000 mature adults in the wild, populations appear to be stable but declining in certain areas. 

[palaeonecromancy]

Happy Fossil Friday!

Who: Cryolophosaurus ellioti

name meaning: "Cold" "Crested" "Lizard" "David Elliot - who originally discovered the skeletal fragments of Cryolophosaurus"

pronunciation: Cry-oh-low-foe-sore-us - ell-ee-ot-eye

What: A crested theropod in the neotheropoda clade, which also includes Dilophosaurus and Dracovenator

When: Early Jurassic, Hanson Formation

Where: Central Transatlantic Mountains in Antarctica

Fun fact!: Cryolophosaurus is one of six dinosaur species discovered on Antarctica!

Why are they cool?: Like all dilophosaurids it possessed some impressive head gear, in C. ellioti this crest is formed from an elongation of the lacrimals (one of the bones in face near the orbits) and nasal bones. The purpose of these crests is still debated and with low sample sizes, difficult to dicern. Some theories include: sexual dimorphism (a difference between males and females) or recognition of species/display function.

Image Credits: (Left: Pablo Pastori Right: M. Cross)

[cacatoto-2024]

Cryolophosaurus (/ˌkraɪoʊˌloʊfoʊˈsɔːrəs/ or /kraɪˌɒloʊfoʊˈsɔːrəs/; "CRY-oh-loaf-oh-SAWR-us") adalah sebuah genus dari Theropoda besar yang diketahui hanya dari satu spesies tunggal, Cryolophosaurus ellioti, diketahui dari periode Jura Awal di Antarktika. Panjangnya sekitar 65 meter (213,3 ft) dan beratnya sekitar 465 kilogram (1.025 pon), menjadikannya salah satu theropoda terbesar pada masanya. Individu dari spesies ini bahkan mungkin telah tumbuh lebih besar, karena satu-satunya spesimen yang diketahui mungkin merupakan theropoda yang belum dewasa sepenuhnya. Cryolophosaurus diketahui dari satu tengkorak, satu tulang paha, dan material lainnya, tengkorak dan tulang paha tersebut yang telah menyebabkan klasifikasinya menjadi sangat bervariasi. Tulang pahanya memiliki banyak karakteristik primitif yang mengklasifikasikan Cryolophosaurus sebagai dilophosaurid atau neotheropoda di luar Dilophosauridae dan Averostra, sedangkan karena tengkoraknya memiliki banyak ciri lanjutan, menyebabkan genusnya dikategorikan tetanuran, abelisaurid, ceratosaur, dan bahkan allosaurid. Sejak deskripsi awalnya, konsensusnya adalah bahwa Cryolophosaurus termasuk di antara anggota primitif dari Tetanurae atau kerabat dekat dari kelompok itu.

[prehistorichumanetal]

Megapnosaurus

Etymology: Big Dead Lizard

Length: 3 meters ( 3 m )

Height: 80 centimeters ( 80 cm )

Weight: 32 kilograms ( 32 kg )

Diet: Carnivore

Temporal range: Early Jurassic, Mesozoic Era ( 199 million years ago - 188 million years ago )

Place: Africa ( Zimbabwe · South Africa )

Classification: Life, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Tetrapoda, Amniota, Sauropsida, Reptilia, Diapsida, Neodiapsida, Sauria, Archosauromorpha, Archosauriformes, Archosauria, Avemetatarsalia, Ornithodira, Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Coelophysoidea, Coelophysidae, Coelophysinae

[paleospec]

Monolophosaurus jiangi (Zhao & Currie 1993) Klad - Tetanurae

[bukbot]

daisydice: : Dinosauria, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes Gnotornis is known from part of a polish chicken is looking really pretty skating.

meme-constructor: : Dinosauria, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes Gnotornis is known from Kazakhstan, specifically sometime probably in the US from South American stock .  First up, the Easter Egger hens, Reese and Peace :.

daisydice: : Dinosauria, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes Manu is a celtic and germanic given name, from proto-germanic *χrōþi- “fame” and *berχta- “bright”.

meme-constructor: Weren’t they ADORABLE?

[drawingwithdinosaurs]

What is Tawa (dinosaur)

Tawa hallae is a pretty nifty little theropod from the Late Triassic! For starters, we’ve got a couple fairly complete skeletons of it to work with, along with several bones from other individuals in the same quarry, so it’s anatomy is well known:

(Source, Scott Hartman)

But Tawa is significant though not just because it’s complete, but because it appears to be intermediate in shape and anatomy between earlier diverging predatory dinosaurs like herrerasaurs and Eoraptor and the ‘proper’ theropods like coelophysoids at the base of Neotheropoda (the ‘core’ theropods, if you will).

See, Neotheropoda is a pretty consistent group, all the major clades within it (e.g. coelophysoids, megalosauroids, allosauroids, coelurosaurs) are agreed to belong together and their relationships are considered pretty solid.

Triassic dinosaurs like herrerasaurs, Eoraptor and so on are less stable and have been more prone to jumping between positions at the base of Dinosauria because of how “primitive” they are, for a lack of better word. Eoraptor for instance has hopped around as an early sauropodomorph, theropod and outside those two all together:

(Source, Scott Hartman. Again.)

Tawa has some of the characteristics shared by neotheropods (at least initially), implying that Tawa is a close relative of them, branching off before the common ancestor of neotheropods acquired all of their traits. Other traits however are more like those of the earlier predatory dinosaurs, so it has a weird combination of ‘primitive’, ancestral traits and some of the ‘advanced’, derived traits found in neotheropods. 

In that sense, it’s an intermediate between those early predatory dinosaurs and the neotheropods, both in terms of its anatomy and its evolutionary relationships. As much as the term is discouraged, I’m going to describe it as almost a textbook example of a transitional fossil, a species that diverged during the process of the evolution of a new group from an ancestral stock with a series of intermediate traits between the two.

(Source, originally from Sues et al. 2011)

The cladogram above shows herrerasaurs, Eoraptor and Daemonosaurus (misspelled with an ‘i’) and Tawa as successive branches on the line leading to neotheropods. 

As is the way of things though, a lot of the early predatory dinosaurs have continued to bounce around. If you’re familiar with The Befrickening that was Ornithoscelida, you’ll know how that analysis found herrerasaurs to be related to the sauropodomorphs, rather than a true theropod, for example. But in each case, Tawa has consistently remained as the closest relative to neotheropods, so its relationship to them seems like a solid deal.

Tawa demonstrates then that neotheropods probably rose from this stock of early predatory dinosaurs somewhere, albeit if we’re not quite sure which ones yet. It at least means that it’s very unlikely the early predatory dinosaurs represent a totally distinct group of dinosaurs from the core theropods, which in the mess early dinosaur relationships currently are, is major step forward!

(Hayden Quarry dinosauromorphs, by Donna Braginetz for Issue 5836 of Science magazine.)

Tawa is also very interesting ecologically too! The fossils were discovered in Hayden Quarry in New Mexico, part of the Late Triassic Chinle Formation known for the likes of Coelophysis, Postosuchus, and Placerias of Walking With Dinosaurs fame. At this time of the Triassic, it was presumed early relatives of the dinosaurs, dinosauromorphs like Lagerpeton, Marasuchus and silesaurids, and early dinosaurs like herrerasaurs were already extinct, wiped out by their more advanced relatives. But Hayden Quarry has several of these older, ‘primitive’ groups living alongside more derived dinosaurs, including Tawa.

Tawa co-existed with Chindesaurus, a predator typically grouped with herrerasaurs, and coelophysoids. So the ancestral stock, intermediate ‘transitional species’ and the ‘advanced’ descendent forms were all still kicking about at the same time as each other. It tells us that the evolution of predatory dinosaurs, as well as dinosaurs as a whole, wasn’t as simple as the ‘advanced’ dinosaurs out competing their older, less successful antecedents, but that they lived alongside each for millions of years.

There’s plenty to say, but I think I’ve prattled on about Tawa for long-enough of a post, but I think that about covers the gist of it! Yeah, Tawa hallae, very lovely little theropod. 

[cdreamie]

🌻

i think dinosaurs are just neat yknow uhhhh theropoda baryonyx velociraptor sauropsida avialae neotheropoda avetheropoda megalosauroidea dynamosaurus troodon mesozoic etc etc etc

[stavrosskundromichalis]

Asfaltovenator vialidadi ponders the topic of today’s hunting lesson in Early Jurassic Argentina

[paleonativeart]

Day 26: Dilophosaurus Ether you should like realistic Dilophosaurus or even a cartoon style of mine? #Dinovember #Dinovember2022 #paleoart #sketchbookapp #myart #dilophosaurus #dilophosauruswetherilli #neotheropoda #theropoda #dinosauria #dinosaur https://www.instagram.com/p/Clb8qjlvuOB/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[captainswaglord500]

Desert Banshee

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class/Clade: Reptilia (Sauropsida)

Clade: Diapsida

Clade: Archosauria

Clade: Dinosauria

Clade: Saurischia

Clade: Eusaurischia

Clade: Theropoda

Clade: Neotheropoda

Superfamily: Coelophysoidea

Family: Coelophysidae

Subfamily: Allophysinae

Genus: Aravadromeus

Species: A. kakophonia (”dissonant runner of the Arava Desert”)

Ancestral species: Coelophysis bauri

Temporal range: late Pliocene to recent (3 mya - present)

Information:

While this creature superficially resembles an odd cross between a proceratosaurid and an ornithomimid, its origins actually lie far closer to the base of the theropod family tree: this odd creature is, in fact, a highly-derived coelophysid. Outside of its appearance, however, it has one notable difference: at some point within the last 30 million or so years, its lineage has made the switch from carnivory to herbivory. While the desert banshee feeds primarily on desert shrubs, fruits, leaves, and grasses, facultative carnivory has been observed: they are known to occasionally hunt and eat small birds, reptiles, and mammals, and females may do this leading up to when they lay their eggs. (But that’s a story for a little latter). As with many animals inhabiting the Arava Desert (though it also inhabits the grasslands and dry forests much further north in smaller densities and parts of the jungle to the east, though the latter may actually be a distinct but closely-related species), it is quite hardy, able to go long periods without food or water by storing fat in its tail.

In addition to their dietary switch, they have also developed unique behaviors to accommodate such changes: as the desert banshee is rather small, only around 8-9 feet in length, 3-4 feet at the hip, and around 70-80 lbs, it is a prime target for many desert predators, including the many species of carnivorous theropods and synapsids (including humans) who inhabit the region. As such, this animal is built for speed, being able to run up to 40 miles per hour in short bursts and preferring to flee from predators. However, if cornered or injured, it will not hesitate to put up a fight, making use of its two large ankle spurs to slash at its attackers. Additionally, it is nocturnal, preferring to travel at night to both avoid the scorching desert sun and to find new feeding grounds. While the obvious assumption would be that these animals would additionally flock together for protection, desert banshees deeply detest sharing space with congeners, and territorial confrontations can get bloody very quickly. However, it frequently travels with large flocks of ornithomimids for protection. The relationship this creature has with its larger distant cousins may be described as a form of commensalism: in exchange for protection, the desert banshee acts as a watchman of sorts to the ornithomimids, alerting the flock when predators are near with the deafeningly shrill, shrieking call that gave it its name. (Among its repertoire of other sounds are clucks and “drums” to communicate with its ornithomimid protectors long-distance and hissing when threatened or otherwise angered). In a rare example of non-primate social grooming, this creature will readily allow the ornithomimids it lives around to groom its feathers and remove parasites.

Just about the only time when these creatures will tolerate one another is when they are ready to mate: while these animals mate year-round, most mating occurs in late spring to early summer. With only slight sexual dimorphism, the males and females are not always easy to tell apart. Both have the same coloring: a white crest with black stripes, a white beak with black spots, creamy blue skin, dark blue spots on the wattle, grey feathers with black bands, and brown-to-black eyes. However, the female being able to distinguish herself by her warbling call which signals she is sexually receptive. Flashing his bright wattle, the male will flick his head up and down as part of a mating dance to get the female’s attention. If she accepts his display, the pair will walk side-by-side in synchronized movement, warbling and cooing while bobbing their heads up and down. After this display is over, the pair will mate and go separate ways. In the few weeks leading up to laying her clutch, the female may become facultatively carnivorous in order to obtain the calcium needed to produce her eggs. She will lay a clutch of 3-5 eggs in due time, and after a few weeks, they will hatch. However, she can retain the eggs inside her for an extended period of time until conditions are favorable or to synchronize the birth of her chicks with those of the ornithomimid flocks she follows. For the first 1.5 years of their life, the young are dependent on their mother as they reach near-adult age, at which point they are chased away and must find their own herd to follow. By 2.5 years, they will have reached sexual maturity and will be ready to mate, and if they can successfully avoid predators, they can expect to live 12-14 years in the wild and, if born in captivity, 20-30 years.

This species’ relationship with humans is one which is both riddled with mutualism and marred by tragedy: the desert banshee’s naturally social nature makes it exceptionally tame when raised in captivity, and some nomadic Lowland Xenogaean tribes keep them as their equivalent to sheepdogs. They are also known to be quite affectionate with their caretakers. Their ability to run fast in short bursts has also made them quite common as race animals which betters will gamble on. This species is also a frequent pest in the desert city of Tairokôna, where its habit of eating local crops and decorative plants have put it at odds with the city’s denizens. In addition to being used as a shepherd animal by Lowland Xenogaeans, they have also long been a source of food, with cut marks on fossil bones dated to around 50,000 years ago indicating that ancient humans in the area butchered and ate these animals. At one point, wild desert banshee numbers were driven so low due to pressures put on them by human hunters, that these animals experienced a bottleneck where smaller animals went on to breed and pass on their genes, meaning the modern population may be as much as 15% smaller than the Plio-Pleistocene variant of this species. Thankfully, its numbers have rebounded significantly in modern times, albeit they are still proportionally small and at risk of extinction in the wild, with only around 30,000 wild specimens across their entire range. At one point, this animal was also one of most trafficked and poached animals in the entire region, being hunted specifically for its bony crest in addition to its meat. Though its numbers rebounded significantly, there are a number of zoos and private collections across the world which still have illegally-bought desert banshees and their goods, particularly in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Even amongst Xenogaean aristocracy (Xenogaea being the larger of 1 of 2 nations inhabiting the archipelago), this animal is frequently seen as an exotic pet, and the King of Xenogaea, Tlahula I, has an entire stable of captive-bred desert banshees which have been selectively bred for several generations. Nowadays, most desert banshees killed for human consumption are captive-bred, with some debate over whether or not they may be undergoing domestication and if the captive-bred populations should be counted as a distinct species or subspecies from the wild one. However, the lack of morphological differences would seem to suggest that the captive-bred population are merely just that: captive-bred specimens of a wild species. Fossils of this species go back to at least the late Pliocene around 3 million years ago, though similar species are known from fossils in what is now the western grasslands as far back as the Eocene some 34 million years ago. Genetic divergence suggests it diverged from its closest living relatives over 150 million years ago, predating the split of most modern mammal lineages. 

[lenorefriel]

 The Ultimate Carnivore

The Ultimate Carnivore

Tyrannosaurus lives up to its reputation as one of the most fearsome animals of all time. Its powerful jaws had 60 teeth, each one up to 20cm (8 inches) long and its bite was around 3 times as powerful than that of a lion.

Hunter or scavenger?

The Tyrannosaurus skull was over 1.5m (5 feet) long and the cavity that housed the part of the brain responsible for smell was relatively large.

Tyrannosaurus would have used its good sense of smell to hunt live prey and locate dead bodies to scavenge. It would have been able to scare off any other scavengers, so it didn't have to share. Lone or pack hunter?

Some Tyrannosaurus fossils show bite marks from other tyrannosaurs, so it's clear that they fought each other, whether over food or mates.

We know that close relatives of Tyrannosaurus sometimes lived together because there are fossils of groups who were buried together, but we don't know for sure if they hunted alone, or in packs like lions and wolves do today. So far, no groups of Tyrannosaurus skeletons have been found. Taxonomic details

Taxonomy: Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Tetanurae, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Tyrannosauroidea, Tyrannosauridae, Tyrannosaurinae

[prehistorichumanetal]

Syntarsus

Etymology: Fused Ankle

Length: 2 meters and 50 centimeters ( 2, 50 m )

Weight: 30 kilograms

Diet: Carnivore

Temporal range: Early Jurassic, Mesozoic Era ( 200 million years ago – 196 million years ago )

Place: United States ( Arizona )

Classification: Life, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Tetrapoda, Amniota, Sauropsida, Reptilia, Diapsida, Neodiapsida, Sauria, Archosauromorpha, Archosauriformes, Archosauria, Avemetatarsalia, Ornithodira, Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Coelophysoidea, Coelophysidae

[dinosaurs-en-blog]

Daemonosaurus

Daemonosaurus (pron.:"DAY-mow-no-SORE-us") is an extinct genus of theropod dinosaur from the Late Triassic of New Mexico. Fossils have been found from deposits in the Chinle Formation, which is latest Triassic in age. While theropods had diversified into several specialized groups by this time, Daemonosaurus is a basal theropod that lies outside the clade Neotheropoda. Daemonosaurus is unusual among early theropods in that it had a short skull and long protruding teeth. More details Android, Windows