Probably one of the most successful video game franchises in recent years, Monster Hunter has always been a series that has captured the imagination of many people with its fantastical yet realistic creatures. From the scary Vaal Hazak to the goofy...
During the Mesozoic era, the Earth saw the emergence of the Sauropods. A suborder that, to this day, still holds the title of the largest living land species to have ever existed.
However, 66 million years ago, an asteroid that was 144.8 kilometers wide and 19.3 deep smashed into Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula at the end of the Cretaceous. This event, commonly called the K-T, or K-Pg extension, wiped out between seventy-five to eighty percent of all life on Earth at the time, including most of the Sauropods.
As the world recovered from this mass extinction, a multitude of different species began competing for the vacant role of giant herbivores. Although there were some creatures who managed to reach tremendous sizes, and temporarily occupy this niche, none of these animals were able to hold onto this title for long.
However, at the end of the Eocene, a new type of Elder Dragon appeared. At first, the only thing that made these creatures unique was that they were noticeably larger than most of the terrestrial fauna of the time. But as time passed, these large quadrupeds became even bigger, and evolved a menagerie of tools to help them achieve sizes that could rival the once titanic Sauropods.
Thanks to the following biological traits - a body posture that helps distribute their weight evenly; hollow bones that make them significantly lighter; and most surprising of all, a system of air sacs that is very similar to those of birds, which both supports their other anatomical features and allows them to efficiently pump oxygen throughout their bodies - these creatures aren't crushed under their own masses.
However, there is one more adaptation that has allowed them to survive being so massive. Unlike mammals who give birth to their young, Titanodracons lay eggs. This simple difference in reproduction means that these Elder Dragons aren't burdened with pregnancy, making the adults less vulnerable to attacks, as well as not having to expend energy during gestation, as the process is externalized.
But even with all these adaptations, there is one thing that these animals can't avoid. Because of how massive they are, these creatures must eat approximately a ton of food per day to keep themselves strong and healthy. Most of the time, these animals will get their nutrients from plants; however, unlike other giants, the Titanodracons have evolved to become omnivorous, making it easier for them to find food to maintain their enormous bodies.
Thanks to their varied diets and colossal sizes, these animals can be found living all over the world, and the most successful of all are the giants known as Vetumondraco orientemi.
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