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PCAwesomeness — WWB Episode 2. Whale Killer

#basilosaurus #dorudon #wwb #embolotherium #paleogene #aegyptopithecus #carcharocles #mongolonyx #moeritherium #puppigerus #walkingwithbeasts
Published: 2016-07-24 04:02:43 +0000 UTC; Views: 7932; Favourites: 44; Downloads: 25
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Description Eocene Egypt/Mongolia
35 million years ago (Priabonian)
Zeuglodon Valley/Ulan Gochu Formation

After a good 12 million years, the Earth went through noticeable changes. For example, the large rainforests that were present in the earlier days of the Eocene had cleared up, leaving behind open grasslands. As well as this, while giant archosaurs still existed, they were no longer the kings of the land, as the mammals, who were freed from the constraints of living in rainforests, had started to grow larger. However, the Tethys Ocean, a major ocean during the Mesozoic, continued to exist during the Eocene; there, all aquatic life would witness the appearance of the largest aquatic predators to ever swim the seas: the whales.

Again, I kept the Zeuglodon Valley as the formation where Basilosaurus lives, as it's really neat; however, I have changed the terrestrial setting from Pakistan to Mongolia, as it was the place where the largest mesonychids lived (also featuring a few brontotheres). Again, I decided to make this episode focus on a pregnant female Basilosaurus who, during a time of famine, tries to catch a good meal in order to successfully have a calf. As I always say, there will be a few changes; for example, Basilosaurus will be an inshore predator instead of a pelagic giant, and Dorudon won't be that much of a dolphin on steroids.

Carcharocles auriculatus:
This 9 meter long otodontid is a great example of shark evolution, as it just happens to be one of the ancestors of a bigger and (vastly) more popular otodontid that lived during the Miocene (if you can't even GUESS what it is, chances are you're not native to this planet). It is a predator, feeding on large bony fish, small whales, and smaller sharks. In this episode, it will follow Basilosaurus into the mangrove in order to catch some unsuspecting prey as well. Pose based on 's reconstruction.

Basilosaurus isis: This 19 meter long basilosaurid is the 2nd largest toothed whale to have ever existed, only beaten by the modern sperm whale. It is a predator; however, unlike its massively piscivorous American sister species, Basilosaurus cetoides, it also preys on smaller whales. A pregnant female individual will be the main character of this episode, trying to find prey in any suitable for any suitable location (during a time of famine) in order to successfully give birth to a calf, whether it be her inshore home, the mangrove swamps, and even the most unlikely location of them all: the open ocean. Pose based on a modified version of 's reconstruction.

Embolotherium andrewsi: This 2.5 meter tall brontothere is rather unique, as it had a shield-shaped process on its head (as opposed to the slingshot-like process of Megacerops coloradensis). It is an herbivore, feeding on soft stems and leaves. In this episode, a whole herd of them will struggle to survive a climate change test of their own; in fact, one of the calves will die, and a pair of Mongolonyx will try to feast on his carcass (the mother won't let that slip by so easily, though). Pose based on 's reconstruction.

Mongolonyx robustus:
This 1.4 meter tall mesonychid is one of the many members of a unique order of mammalian carnivores, as it has hoofed feet similar to those of the ungulates (as opposed to the clawed feet of the carnivorans). It is a predator, preying on herbivorous ungulates and scavenging carrion. In this episode, it, like the Embolotherium, will have to survive through a period of famine, which drives it to go anywhere just to wrap its jaws around a tasty morsel. Pose based on 's reconctruction.

Puppigerus nessovi:
This 90 centimeter long cheloniid isn't actually from Mongolia (actually hailing from Uzbekistan); however, Mongolia is somewhat close to Uzbekistan, and in a large ocean like the Tethys, it's not really unusual for a sea-going reptile to end up on different shores. It is an herbivore, feeding on marine vegetation. In this episode, it will just serve two roles: an ambient animal, and a seaside prey item of Mongolonyx. Pose based on the side view of a green sea turtle.

Aegyptopithecus zeuxis: This is another Darwinius situation; originally, this was going to be Apidium moustafai, but the jarring amount of inaccurate WWB reconstructions had forced me to pick the 92 centimeter long Aegyptopithecus. It is an herbivore, feeding on fruits. In this episode, a whole troop of those wary frugivores will jump across the trees in order to avoid predators; however, during a time of ocean famine, they won't be safe. Pose based on... ugh... a David Peters skeletal... *vomits blood

Moeritherium lyonsi: This 70 centimeter tall moeritheriid is one of the earliest proboscideans of all time (however, it wasn't an elephant ancestor). It is an herbivore, feeding on aquatic vegetation. In this episode, it will be an amphibious herbivore more laid back than the Aegyptopithecus; however, with all those hungry marine predators swimming around, it'll be normal for this guy to be a little nervous. Pose based on 's reconstruction.

Dorudon atrox: This 5 meter long basilosaurid was once believed to be a juvenile basilosaurid; however, since its own young were discovered, it is now considered to be a new genus. It is a predator, feeding on fish and squid. In this episode, the female Basilosaurus will target one of the calves of those whales as food, causing the mother to try to fight the bigger basilosaurid off; however, it won't communicate with other Dorudon and gang up on the Basilosaurus, which makes it easier for the giant predator to eat its young. Pose based on a modified version of 's reconstruction.

Any thoughts?
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Comments: 34

GodzillaLagoon [2019-05-23 15:21:58 +0000 UTC]

Better to replace Mongolonyx with Mongolestes since Mongolonyx became extinct long before episode's setting.

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PCAwesomeness In reply to GodzillaLagoon [2019-05-23 17:44:09 +0000 UTC]

TBH, there are quite a few things wrong with this those drawings, and I definitely would have changed some things if I could.

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chewitt99 [2018-12-03 18:14:54 +0000 UTC]

Gigantophis?

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Cristatu [2016-08-18 11:56:15 +0000 UTC]

Well, I apologise if I sound increasingly nitpicky and annoying, but wouldn't it have made more sense if you set it completely in Egypt, with the inland section within the Jebel Qatrani Formation, replacing Embolotherium and Mongolonyx with Arsinoitherium and Metapterodon/Akenateavus, and Puppigerus with one of the Eocene Egyptian pleurodires?

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PCAwesomeness In reply to Cristatu [2016-08-18 14:10:38 +0000 UTC]

Eh, I just followed off the original episode.

However, your suggestion does make sense. I mean, Arsinoitherium is so easy to find on the Internet, with multiple (accurate) references being made. Metapterodon and Akhnatenavus, on the other hand, are so obscure that you can find no good images showing complete skeletons belonging to those two... that is, unless I should just use Hyaenodon and Hyainailouros reconstructions for them...

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Ursumeles [2016-08-13 19:54:14 +0000 UTC]

R u reffarin 2 Sharkzilla ?
Sorry Please forgive me

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PCAwesomeness In reply to Ursumeles [2016-08-13 20:04:24 +0000 UTC]

lel

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Jdailey1991 [2016-08-06 17:25:09 +0000 UTC]

What's wrong with Apidium?

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PCAwesomeness In reply to Jdailey1991 [2016-08-06 17:35:51 +0000 UTC]

I really wanted to include it, but there were two REALLY BAD PROBLEMS:

1: Many of the images of it on Google Search were untrustable WWB reconstructions
2: The only seemingly legit images of it actually depicted Aegyptopithecus

👍: 0 ⏩: 2

dinosandangrybirdfan In reply to PCAwesomeness [2018-01-13 18:39:18 +0000 UTC]

Apidium lived in the Early Oligocene Epoch too.

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PCAwesomeness In reply to dinosandangrybirdfan [2018-01-13 21:41:40 +0000 UTC]

Crap, so did Aegyptopithecus.

Arguably enough, Catopithecus would've been the best bet

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dinosandangrybirdfan In reply to PCAwesomeness [2018-01-14 04:18:11 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, poor Afrovenator had that incident too.


20-40 years from now, Wuerhosaurus will turn out to be a Jurassic stegosaurid all along.

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Jdailey1991 In reply to PCAwesomeness [2016-08-06 17:51:04 +0000 UTC]

I'd need REAL problems, not arbitrary trivialities.

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PCAwesomeness In reply to Jdailey1991 [2016-08-06 19:21:01 +0000 UTC]

Arbitrary trivialities?

Why don't you try going on Google Search and searching for any legit Apidium pictures that aren't just 60% complete skeletons, then?

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tobyv23 [2016-07-30 22:31:29 +0000 UTC]

The giant shark you are referring to is Megalodon.

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PCAwesomeness In reply to tobyv23 [2016-07-30 22:42:02 +0000 UTC]

Yeah!

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tobyv23 In reply to PCAwesomeness [2016-07-30 23:36:01 +0000 UTC]

Can you draw a highly detailed picture of him?

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PCAwesomeness In reply to tobyv23 [2016-07-30 23:57:41 +0000 UTC]

You'll see him... soon.

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Wyatt-Andrews-Art [2016-07-24 17:04:42 +0000 UTC]

Walking with Beasts Ep. 2: The Limber Pool Noodle Strikes Again!

Also funny how it was such a ferocious predator yet it had such a tiny wittle face!

👍: 0 ⏩: 2

acepredator In reply to Wyatt-Andrews-Art [2016-07-24 17:42:23 +0000 UTC]

Basilosaurus is so ridiculously thin that it makes the mosasaurs look torpedo-shaped in comparison...

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Wyatt-Andrews-Art In reply to acepredator [2016-07-26 06:37:42 +0000 UTC]

Yeah Mosasaurs when drawn correctly are kinda torpedo shaped to a degree anyway

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PCAwesomeness In reply to Wyatt-Andrews-Art [2016-07-24 17:15:56 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, it is kinda funny.

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PCAwesomeness [2016-07-24 14:09:19 +0000 UTC]

Next episode focuses on the earthshaking giants of the Oligocene deserts...

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acepredator [2016-07-24 13:03:50 +0000 UTC]

David Peters?!

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PCAwesomeness In reply to acepredator [2016-07-24 13:48:22 +0000 UTC]

Yes; I didn't realize this skeletal was made by David Peters until I went on to drawing it...

www.google.com/search?q=aegypt…

By that time, I tried fixing up some of the proportions, but the time for making a different pose was too late...

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Screwyoumimus [2016-07-24 10:46:08 +0000 UTC]

You messed up in "This 19 meter long basilosaurid is the 2nd largest whale to have ever existed, only beaten by the modern sperm whale." Otherwise, looking great!

👍: 0 ⏩: 2

PCAwesomeness In reply to Screwyoumimus [2016-07-24 14:03:26 +0000 UTC]

OK, it says that Basilosaurus cetoides was 18 meters long, and that Basilosaurus isis was slightly smaller.

What would have been B.isis' size, and what else did I mess up in that sentence?

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acepredator In reply to PCAwesomeness [2016-07-24 17:43:14 +0000 UTC]

Basilosaurus is not the second largest cetacean-not even close.

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PCAwesomeness In reply to acepredator [2016-07-24 17:46:13 +0000 UTC]

There; changed it to toothed whale.

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PCAwesomeness In reply to acepredator [2016-07-24 17:45:29 +0000 UTC]

OHHHHHH

I meant toothed cetacean; I apologize.

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PCAwesomeness In reply to Screwyoumimus [2016-07-24 13:43:37 +0000 UTC]

How big was it actually?

Anyways, thank you!

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TheDerpasaur [2016-07-24 10:21:12 +0000 UTC]

Love it!

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PCAwesomeness In reply to TheDerpasaur [2016-07-24 13:42:29 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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TheDerpasaur In reply to PCAwesomeness [2016-07-25 00:55:53 +0000 UTC]

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