HOME | DD

Description
Another clade of archetiposaurs are the ophititans, or serpent drakes. Early in their history, they were mistakenly assumed to be prosauropods descended from animals like Plateosaurus. Through much of the 20th century, this theory dominated the Assembly. It wasn’t just external appearance: much of their skeletal anatomy converged upon that of basal sauropodomorphs, though numerous naturalists pointed to their hip configuration being quintessential ornithischian supplying evidence against this. The latter half of the twentieth century saw a shift toward a thescelosaur identity, supported by genetic studies in the past decade nesting them as a sister clade to the common drakes.

The most specious thescelosaur genus is Ophititan. These snake-necked omnivores are scattered throughout the waterways of the known world. There are even a few marine species. They tend to be more selective feeders than other thescelosaurs, and while omnivorous, their smaller mouths require a focus on higher-nutrient foods like crustaceans, fruit, and leaf buds. Most Ophititan species are around a meter long, though the keet of the Kentarim Islands regularly reaches seven meters, perhaps due to the relative scarcity of large herbivores on the upland regions, where only the byamdan exceeds their mass. The Pakardiant tamonkoku is heavier, though shorter due to a more compact build. There are legends in the oceans north of the known world that giant serpent drakes are found, though these have not been substantiated by the Assembly.

Description
Another clade of archetiposaurs are the ophititans, or serpent drakes. Early in their history, they were mistakenly assumed to be prosauropods descended from animals like Plateosaurus. Through much of the 20th century, this theory dominated the Assembly. It wasn’t just external appearance: much of their skeletal anatomy converged upon that of basal sauropodomorphs, though numerous naturalists pointed to their hip configuration being quintessential ornithischian supplying evidence against this. The latter half of the twentieth century saw a shift toward a thescelosaur identity, supported by genetic studies in the past decade nesting them as a sister clade to the common drakes.

The most specious thescelosaur genus is Ophititan. These snake-necked omnivores are scattered throughout the waterways of the known world. There are even a few marine species. They tend to be more selective feeders than other thescelosaurs, and while omnivorous, their smaller mouths require a focus on higher-nutrient foods like crustaceans, fruit, and leaf buds. Most Ophititan species are around a meter long, though the keet of the Kentarim Islands regularly reaches seven meters, perhaps due to the relative scarcity of large herbivores on the upland regions, where only the byamdan exceeds their mass. The Pakardiant tamonkoku is heavier, though shorter due to a more compact build. There are legends in the oceans north of the known world that giant serpent drakes are found, though these have not been substantiated by the Assembly.