Nemegtosaurus mongoliensis by Draco300 on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

Nemegtosaurus mongoliensis

"Mongolian Nemegt lizard"

Length:13.38m(45.3ft) Height:2.8m(9.2ft) at shoulderWeight:6.5t(13,000lbs) Lifespan:42 years

Brief Information & Description: Nemegtosaurus, a titanosaur, is a fascinating creature named after the location of its fossil in the Gobi Desert, the Nemegt Basin. The discovery of its fossils in the 1970s, which consisted of only a skull resembling a diplodocid sauropod, sparked a scientific mystery. Paleontologists at the time, unable to find the complete skeleton of Nemegtosaurus, discovered a structure belonging to another titanosaur within the same location and timeline that lacked a skull. This led to the intriguing question: could these two sauropods be the same animal? The debate over the titanosaur's identity led to the classification of Nemegtosaurus into a new genus two years later, the Nemegtosauridae. This complex argument even prompted the Primal Incorporation to extract the DNA from the skull and skeleton to bring them back to life and determine if the two titanosaurs are the same sauropod species. The DNA revealed that Nemegtosaurus and Opisthocoelicaudia are different despite their similar appearances, with Nemegtosaurus being smaller and stockier. Their bodies are black with light grey chests and underbelly. Along their sides are two rows of round, large osteoderms extending from the shoulders to the base of their tails. The upper side of the head and neck is yellowish-brown in females and orange-brown in males. Both sexes have yellow jaws, yellow ventral sides of the neck, and fine dark reticulations on the dorsal portions of their bodies, which are light brown in females and black in males.

Geographic Range & Habitat: Around 70 million years ago, Nemegtosaurus, a testament to resilience and adaptability, thrived within the Nemegt Formation of Late Cretaceous Mongolia. These average-sized titanosaurs now roam the southern regions of Elburz, showcasing their ability to survive and thrive in diverse environments. Their migratory routes range from Mamaragan to Muldjewangk and Mar'rallang. Although they sometimes forage through tropical and subtropical areas, Nemegtosaurus prefers floodplains near temperate and semi-arid habitats. These titanosaurs venture through badlands and coastal shorelines to new feeding grounds and oases, demonstrating their resourcefulness and ability to navigate challenging terrains.

Behavior & Reproduction: Nemegtosaurus, like most sauropods, were nomadic herding animals that traveled in mixed-sex groups of thirty individuals or with other herding animals, ranging from other sauropods such as Opisthocoelicaudia to animals the size of Prenocephale. These sauropods undertook long journeys through narrow areas in search of abundant water and food sources. Upon reaching an oasis or watering hole, Nemegtosaurus would remain at the site, consuming as much food and water as possible before moving to a new location. Between spring and autumn, Nemegtosaurus would cease their search for food and water to focus on mating. During this period, they would gather in large herds of 110 individuals around floodplains near forested areas. They exhibited polygynous behaviors, with males engaging in courtship rituals such as singing, inflating their dewlaps, and chasing to mate with multiple females before the end of the season. The Nemegtosaurus would stay within the mating site for two months, during which they would build a nest for the females to lay their eggs. Each female would lay up to twenty eggs within a nest made of dry soil, covering them up with more soil to incubate for two to three months. The Nemegtosaurus would remain within the area to guard their offspring from nest raiders before leaving the site once their young hatched in the early fall or winter. Once hatched, the young sauropods would instinctively head toward the forests in mass numbers and remain there until they reached ten years old. At this age, they were large enough to join their parent herd for protection. The adolescent Nemegtosaurus would stay with their parents for life or form new herds at twenty if their original group was overcrowded.

Diet: Nemegtosaurus are herbivorous animals that use their pencil-like teeth, similar to diplodocids, to crop off vegetation. These titanosaurs can change from high-browser to low grazers thanks to their long necks that enable them to reach vegetation six meters off the ground. Although they primarily eat ferns and conifers, Nemegtosaurus is known to eat flowering plants and fruit. This generalized diet allows Nemegtosaurus to live with other herbivores without much competition.

Predation: Adult and sub-adult Nemegtosaurus falls prey to sauropod hunting pack hunters and apex predators such as their natural enemy, Tarbosaurus. They can defend themselves from most carnivores the size of Allosaurus by using their tails and armored bodies. However, these titanosaurs prefer to flee or seek larger or heavily armored herbivores for protection from potential threats, such as a pack of Tarbosaurus. Few Nemegtosaurus reach adulthood due to their high predation rate from forest-dwelling carnivores. Like most young sauropods, Nemegtosaurus hatchlings and juveniles stay together in giant groups while using their environment for camouflage.

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Reconstruction based on Sauropods and KinDr. Scott Hartman's Skeletal Drawing.com Opisthocoelicaudia but modified and more robust