Terrible Lizard
By Flynn Watts
About Terrible Lizard
Background Story
I have always had an interest in Paleontology. Ever since I learned about the name dinosaur I've always found myself intrigued about the subject. Wanting to know more.
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Hi,
My name is Flynn. I am a 13 year old college student from Auckland, New Zealand. I have started this because I am in lock down due to Covid 19. I have always wanted to write about Paleontology and prehistoric life, and I thought this was the best time to start.
What you will find in this blog
15/04/2020
There will be my own dinosaur drawings and writing about what dinosaurs would have been like in certain dig sites around the world in prehistoric times. For the stories I do they won't be my drawings, I will post my own separately. This one I've done is a Jurassic World Evolution Metriacanthosaurus.
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https://www.jurassicworldevolution.com/en-GB#masthead
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Finished product
The Morrison Formation
Complete Collection
The Kill
It was a humid day in the lush red wood forests of the late Jurassic Morrison formation. Out in an isolated open stood a small pack of Dryosaurus (tree lizard) using their horny beaks to eat conifers. Dryosaurus used its sharp eyesight, agile body and gazelle - like speed to escape predators. Dryosaurus stayed safe by living in packs. All members of the pack kept a close eye out, as they became an easy meal for lurking carnivores. As the pack was starting to lie down for a rest, one of the Dryosaurus turned his head in alert to see an Allosaurus (different lizard) charging the pack head on. A Dryosaurus alerted the rest of the pack with a bellowing distress call. In an instant the Dryosaur pack scrambled and it was every Hypsilophodontid for themselves.
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The Allosaurus was 10 meters long and had shark - like serrated teeth. It dwarfed its 3 meter long Dryosaur prey. Allosaurus was an opportunist attacking any easy prey. The Allosaurus locked on it's target and began the chase. It was speed verse stamina. The Allosaur caught up to it's prey and hacked at it's victim like an axe. Killing the Dryosaurus from shock and blood loss, it was brutal but
effective.
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As the Allosaurus took the first few bites of the carcass, the Allosaur heard a massive echoing roar. Out of the dense forest came a Saurophaganax (Lord of the eaters of saurians.) It was 12 meters long, 2 meters longer than it's Allosaur rival. As the two hungry carnivores squared off, the Saurophaganax suddenly lunged at the Allosaurus, grabbing his head and shaking it violently. The Allosaurus slipped free of the jaws of the Saurophaganax, roaring one last time before walking off and dropping it's head in defeat. Knowing that he wouldn't be eating for a while.
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Morrison formation continued
Sauropod river
Out in the distance there was a swollen river stretching out for miles and about 15 meters wide. Surrounded by a beach and a red wood forest, the occasional dead tree poked up from where the monsoon had flooded it. On the edge of the red wood forest exposed a pack of Stegosaurus (roofed lizard), heavily armored with 4 dermal spikes on the end of their tails called Thagomizers. Stegosaurus grew up to 6 meters long. Alongside, were Camptosaurus (flexible lizard) 5 meters long. No armament, good eyesight. They were both munching on cycad and moss. These two very different species worked together in a very intriguing way. It appears that the Camptosaurus had relatively big eyes and brain for it's size so they were the scouts. The Stegosaurus had the armour and power so it was the protector. This symbiotic relationship was what kept the species mostly safe from predators like Torvosaurus (savage lizard.) By working as a team.
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On the beach stood a group of 4 Haplocanthosaurus (simple spined lizard), and 2 Supersaurus (super lizard) drinking from the rivers edge. Haplocanthosaurus was 14 meters long. Still massive but on the smaller side for a sauropod. Supersaurus was a stunning 34 meters long sauropod, sometimes even larger. It had a wide body, long neck and a whip - like tail, like it's close relative Diplodocus. This sauropod had little threat from predators because of it's length and it's 32 - 36 ton mass.
It really was a super lizard.
Morrison Formation continued
Rivers end
At the end of the river was an open area full of puzzle grass. No red wood trees in sight, only mountains. A herd of Apatosaurus (deceptive lizard) ate rows of puzzle grass on a big open field. Apatosaurus were sauropods that were about 21 metres long. Some Coelurus (hollow tail) were sprinting stealthily through the grass. Being only 2 meters long they were hard to detect by most other dinosaurs. They were mainly scavengers with sharp teeth and claws so could be as dangerous as other big carnivores, despite their smaller size.
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As the Apatosaurus were eating close to the ground, the pack of Coelurus jumped up and started clawing and biting one of the Apatosaurus. The Apatosaurus stood up to shake the Coelurus off and saw a Torvosaurus (savage lizard, 10 metres long) leaping for its neck. The Apatosaurus fell and the area went silent.
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While the Torvosaurus starting eating the carcass a flock of Harpactognathus (seizing/grasping jaw) started circling above. A pack of Hesperosaurus (Western lizard, Stegosaur) started running into the distant forest. Another Torvosaurus turned to the attention of a pack of Gargoyleosaurus (Gargoyle lizard, Ankylosaur.) They didn't have any club on the end of their tail, so they huddled up together and used their body armour to protect their soft underbelly. As the Torvosaurus approached the pack it suddenly turned and ran at a Drinker Nisti (named after Edward Drinker Cope) a small Hypsilophodon. They were defenceless and similar to a Dryosaurus, If you sneaked up on them, they would be an easy kill. The Torvosaurus sprinted and there was a loud crunch as a neck snapped. Then the dead animal dropped to the ground.
The Beginning
Mongolia, 80 million years ago.
A pack of Protoceratops (first horned face) were guarding their nests in a mountainous valley.
Protoceratops are 2 metres long and are one of the first Ceratopsians hence their name. It is most well known for its rivalry with the famous Velociraptor (swift seizer.) Velociraptor hunted in packs and had massive talons and one big dew claw on each foot. They were about 1.8 metres long, an even match for the Protoceratops.
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The nest site was right next to a shallow river surrounded by cycads and other plants. A perfect breeding site for any herbivore. The valley was safe from most predators because of the surrounding hills covered in thick sand. This Protoceratops herd had never set foot out of the valley and had little contact with other species. Oviraptor (egg seizer) and Velociraptors had attempted to raid the nest site and attack the herd but so far haven't been successful.
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The last batch of eggs were hatching, most of the hatch-lings survived and were getting cared for by the herd. Some weren't so lucky. Some were unable to push their way out of the egg shell or were too weak to live. Newborns were scooped up by the elders and placed into shallow pits for protection. There they were fed chewed up cycads. Only the strongest would get the most food.
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Protoceratops are beak mouthed with a large frill, most likely used to attract mates or intimidate predators. The frill would have likely been hollow and would not have great protection against an encounter with a carnivore.
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That night, there was a huge sandstorm in the area. The first in a very long time.
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In the morning the pack emerged from a series of tunnels located on the sandy banks, to discover that most of the newborns had been buried alive. Mother nature is unforgiving.
As the wind picked up during the morning, the sand covering the surrounding hills blew off making it climbable for predators and scavengers. That afternoon the herd turned towards a screeching call and up on the crest of the hill appeared ten velociraptors. They had feathered tails and arms. They were black all over and their talons glistened in the sun. They had piercing yellow eyes and pupils as black as night.
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It was a fight to the death. Blood splattered everywhere as a Velociraptor's claws tore into the skin of a Protoceratops. Another Velociraptor lay dead nearby, its neck snapped in half by a Protoceratop's beak. The remaining young-lings that survived last nights storm were hiding by some cycads. A strange small feathered dinosaur approached the young-lings. It stared intensely at them before snatching one of the babies into its mouth, swallowing it whole. It was a Oviraptor (egg seizer.) Believed to be omnivores, they would have likely scavenged for food such as plants and eggs. Young dinosaurs were also on the menu.
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The remaining members of the Protoceratops herd pushed on further down the valley away from the carcasses. After failing tragically, they would once again try to make a new generation.
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