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Published: 2020-03-27 16:34:50 +0000 UTC; Views: 2752; Favourites: 32; Downloads: 5
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Description
100 million years ago in the Cenomanian of the Cretaceous period, in what will become the Kem Kem Beds of Morocco. Here we see two different species of pterosaurs. One is Afrotapejara zouhri, a fruit eater here seen on the left feeding on the fruit of a cycad. The other is Apatorhamphus gyrostega, a predator that hunts on the ground like a stork, similar to the azhdarchid pterosaurs it is related to. It has caught a young Spinosaurus, quite a large catch that can fight back fiercely.Afrotapejara belongs in the tapejarid family, which was once thought to be carnivorous like most pterosaurs. However they are now thought to have ate fruit with their strong, parrot-like beaks. Plant eating is rare among pterosaurs, and in the Kem Kem Beds herbivorous animals in general are rare, some of the few known plant-eating dinosaurs in the formation are Rebbachisaurus garasbae (long-necked sauropod in the background) and an unnamed titanosaur. Perhaps Afrotapejara evolved to take advantage of the empty niche of a fruit eater. Meanwhile other pterosaurs like Apatorhamphus took a carnivorous approach, hunting small animals.
Also,in the back a Sauroniops pachytholus is confronting a Spinosaurus aegyptiacus that has wandered too close to its territory. By taking the niche of an aquatic fish hunter Spinosaurus avoids direct conflict with other carnivores. The turtle basking near the Afrotapejara is Apertotemporalis baharijensis.
By the ways congrats to the guy known on this site as Rahonavis70m, who described Apatorhamphus recently, at the young age of 22, such an accomplishment is amazing. The color scheme of Apatorhamphus used here is the same as the one he used.
By the way, first Afrotapejara on DA!
Edit on March 2: so apparently it is now thought Spinosaurus had a paddle-like tail similar to a crested newt, and my Spinosaurus has become outdated in just over a month.
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Comments: 6
Deform2018 [2020-04-06 00:07:58 +0000 UTC]
I'm pretty sure an 8 tonne Spinosaurus wouldn't be intimidated by a 2 tonne Carnosaur, fish eater or not.
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Olmagon In reply to Deform2018 [2020-04-08 05:34:29 +0000 UTC]
Well large animals have been known to be scared of small ones often, like honey badgers making lions run or geese causing gorillas to run like hell,heck a bunch of people would freak at a spider in a corner. It would make sense if a Spinosaur were intimidated by an animal with sharp teeth and even if not, Sauroniops can try anyway.
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Deform2018 In reply to Olmagon [2020-04-08 15:08:02 +0000 UTC]
Lions aren't afraid of badgers, they are confused by their aggressive behavior. Lions still have been known to kill honey badgers. A Saurionops at most would be an annoyance to a big Spinosaurus.
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Olmagon In reply to Rahonavis70m [2020-03-28 08:47:03 +0000 UTC]
Glad you like it. What an achievement,to describe a species at age 22, something many donβt get to do in a lifetime.
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Rahonavis70m In reply to Olmagon [2020-03-28 16:09:14 +0000 UTC]
Thanks! It was a lot of work.
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