#archovember2022

[confusedhadrosaur]

Day 27: Animantarx ramaljonesi (POV: You’re a very tasty plant)

[saritawolff]

#Archovember Day 3 - Hatzegopteryx thambema

This awful tangle of limbs is Hatzegopteryx, who also got its bigscreen debut this year with Prehistoric Planet! This giant azhdarchid pterosaur was native to what is now Romania, but in the Late Cretaceous was an island in the prehistoric Tethys Sea called “Hateg Island.” Hateg Island was host to a variety of unique fauna, including the dwarf titanosaurs Magyarosaurus and Paludititan, the dog-sized iguanodontian Zalmoxes, and the stocky, double-sickle-clawed paravian Balaur bondoc. In the absence of any giant carnivorous theropods, it’s likely Hatzegopteryx was the apex predator of Hateg Island. It also had a shorter, more muscular neck than other azhdarchids, likely due to its diet of larger animals.

[confusedhadrosaur]

Day 28: Quetzalcoatlus lawsoni

[saritawolff]

#Archovember Day 10 - Ceratosaurus nasicornis

Type species of the Ceratosauria, Ceratosaurus nasicornis was a medium-sized predator from Late Jurassic North America. It was characterized by deep jaws and 3 prominent horns on its head. It also had a ridge of small osteoderms down it’s back, as well as elsewhere across its skin.

Late Jurassic North America seemed to be ruled by a trifecta of theropod apex predators: Torvosaurus, Allosaurus, and Ceratosaurus. There have been multiple studies on how these predators could have coexisted without direct competition, but it was likely due to niche partitioning. Ceratosaurus could have preferred different prey items, and even different parts of a carcass when scavenging. Ceratosaurus had thin, elongated teeth in comparison to the other theropods, and could have even hunted semi-aquatic prey like lungfish, crocodiles, and turtles.

The Morrison Formation is well-known for the sauropods that dominated the region. These include Apatosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Camarasaurus, and Diplodocus. There were also small theropods like Ornitholestes, and ornithischians like Camptosaurus, Dryosaurus, Nanosaurus, the ankylosaur Gargoyleosaurus, and Stegosaurus. There were both aquatic and terrestrial crocodylomorphs like Hoplosuchus, and pterosaurs such as Harpactognathus and Mesadactylus. Ceratosaurus and related species of most of the Morrison Formation’s fauna have also been found in the Lourinhã Formation of Portugal, along with the sauropods Dinheirosaurus and Zby, and the stegosaur Miragaia.

[confusedhadrosaur]

Day 24: Burkesuchus mallingrandensis

[confusedhadrosaur]

Day 30:  Concavenator corcovatus

[saritawolff]

#Archovember Day 6 - Regaliceratops peterhewsi

This ceratopsid from Late Cretaceous Canada, known only from a nearly complete skull, was given the nickname “Hellboy” upon discovery. Regaliceratops had a unique semi-circular frill with large, triangular ornamentations, somewhat similar to the comic book characters’ sawed-off horns. Though of course not as large as Triceratops, Regaliceratops was still a very large dinosaur, possibly weighing up to 2 metric tons (2.2 short tons) and reaching 5 metres (16 ft) in length.

Regaliceratops would have lived alongside the ankylosaur Edmontonia, the leptoceratopsid Montanoceratops, the tyrannosaurid Albertosaurus, the dromaeosaur Saurornitholestes, the troodontid Troodon, and the centrosaurine ceratopsid Pachyrhinosaurus. Like other ceratopsids it would have been a herbivore, feeding on ferns, ginkgoes, conifers, and palms, but may have also supplemented its diet by scavenging carcasses.

[saritawolff]

IIIIIIIIIIT’S ARCHOVEMBER TIME

Day 1 is “your choice” and I chose Psittacosaurus!

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I’ve long been fascinated by dinosaurs that we know the colors of and have been trying to draw all of them over the years. Psittacosaurus is very special because we know almost the full life appearance! Of one species, anyway… There are at least 11 species of Psittacosaurus, and it is one of the most completely known fossil genera due to the large sample size of specimens. First described in 1923, hundreds of individual specimens have been uncovered throughout Mongolia and Northern China, from tiny hatchlings to old adults. In 2001, a stolen fossil was discovered with almost perfectly preserved integument. It’s body was covered in scales in irregular patterns. Hollow, tubular bristle-like structures were arranged in a row down the dorsal line of the tail. In 2016, a study was published on the examination of the melanosomes in the Psittacosaurus’ skin. It was discovered to be countershaded: reddish-brown on top with a creamy underbelly. Darker clusters of pigment were found around its face, shoulders, and cloaca, which were likely used for display. It also had large patagia on its hind legs. This specimen has not yet been assigned to a particular species, but it’s what I have drawn here.

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Psittacosaurus’ were small, early ceratopsians from Early Cretaceous Asia. One of the largest was P. mongoliensis, which would have reached 2 metres (6.5 ft) in length, and most other species are around that size as well, though there are some which were slightly smaller. Due to the proportions and relative size of Psittacosaurus’ brains, they likely had complex social behaviors. They also had well-developed senses of smell and vision. The size of their scleral rings indicate they may have been cathemeral: active at irregular intervals during both the day and night. They likely had a nut and seed-rich diet which they would have used their strong beaks to crack, and would have swallowed gastroliths to help them wear down their food.

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Also, because I’ve noticed that the size chart I make at the end of Archovember is always much more popular than the individual pieces, I’ve decided to make a size chart for each species I draw. 🙃 Yep. I’m drawing two images per prompt. 🙃🙃 Because I love making extra work for myself. 🙃🙃🙃

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy and for those who may be joining in: remember to have fun! Don’t be like me! 🙃🙃🙃🙃