Dippy and Andrew
Summary: In the Late Jurassic of the Morrison Formation, a young juvenile Diplodocus named Andrew leaves the forest to join a herd and follows an adult female Dippy. When the Dry Season comes the duo embarks on a dangerous journey to avoid predators and to find a place to live to survive the Drought.
Cast: Diplodocus carnegii(Focus), Brachiosaurus, Saurophaganax, Eilonodon, Opisthias, Diablophis, Hallopus, Fruitachampsa, Kepodactylus, Tinodon bellus, Haplocanthosaurus, Apatosaurus, Brontosaurus, Barosaurus, Diplodocus carnegii, Camarasaurus, Allosaurus, Ceratosaurus, Stegosaurus, Dryosaurus(altus and elderae), Tanycolagreus, Ornitholestes, Nanosaurus, Camptosaurus, Coelurus, Hesperornithoides, Stokesosaurus, Marshosaurus, Gargoyleosaurus, Ceratodus fossanovum, Hulettia, Rhadinosteus, Opisthiamimus, Schillerosaurus, Dinochelys, Cteniogenys, Amphicotylus lucasii, Diplosaurus, Hallopus, Harpactognathus, Eurylambia, Comodon, Morrisonodon, Fruitafossor, Dryolestes, Hesperosaurus, Mymoorapelta, Fruitadens, Smitanosaurus, Amphicoelias, Uteodon, Maraapunisaurus, Suuwassea, Amphicoelias, Morrolepis, Enneabatrachus, Theretairus, Glyptops, Hoplosuchus, Morrison Wukongopterids, and Amphidon.
We begin in an office room with many dinosaur skeletons and Thomas appears next to a skull and a cast model of a sauropod. "This here is a skull of a Diplodocus, meaning "Double-beamed Lizard," in reference to the double-beamed chevron bones located in the underside of the tail, which were then considered unique. Diplodocus is among the most easily identifiable dinosaurs, with its typical sauropod shape, long neck and whip-like tails, and four sturdy legs. For many years, it was the longest dinosaur known. It shared the Late Jurassic of North America with Dinosaurs like Stegosaurus, Allosaurus, and other Sauropods like Brachiosaurus. A new skull of a juvenile and the first to be discovered has been revealed on their diets and ontogeny, this specimen had a short narrow snout while adults had broad, square snouts. This means Adults feed in the open plains with rows of peg teeth, which allowed the dinosaur to graze on softer plants like ferns while the babies feed within the forests in which they were born with peg teeth in the front and spoonlike spatulate teeth in the back absent in adult Diplodocus allowed for grazing on tougher, more coarse foods including branches and bark. The babies fended for themselves livin' age-segregated creche herds, which could protect them both from predators and from being trampled by their own adult parents. Although a few will survive, what would happen once the juveniles outgrow their forest home and move onto the plains to find a herd."
. . . . .
In the open-canopy forests of the Morrison Formation during the Late Jurassic, 150 Million Years Ago, Conifer trees dominated the landscape. The great majority of species are trees, though a few are shrubs. These include cedars, Douglas-firs, cypresses, firs, junipers, kauri, larches, pines, hemlocks, redwoods, spruces, and yews. The earliest conifers appear in the fossil record during the Late Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian), over 300 million years ago. The slow-growing evergreen trees and shrubs contributed most to the herbivorous dinosaurs' diets. However, at the end of the Jurassic period, flowering plants will evolve and conifers were overtaken as the dominant flora. There are also other plants like ginkgos, cycads, tree ferns, and horsetail rushes.
Sphenodonts like Eilonodon, Opisthiamimus, Theretairus, and Opisthias, feed on plants like horsetail rushes although mostly nocturnal, they often bask in the sun to warm their bodies. They thrive in temperatures much lower than those tolerated by most reptiles and hibernate during the dry season when food is scarce. Fruitachampsa, Hallopus, and Hoplosuchus wander about the forest floor searching for small animals to prey upon while a group of Schillerosaurus bask on a log. Wandering through the forest floor is a young Diplodocus measuring six feet long and about three years old. We will call him, "Andrew."
Andrew has lived his entire life in the forest shelter by the trees, cycads, and ferns that he depends on for shelter and food ever since hatched here. Normally he would live in a group known as a creche with others of his kind, unfortunately he witnessed his siblings and others suffer many deaths often in the hands of predators. One of the predators he approaches is an Ornitholestes searching for its next prey, normally this theropod feeds on small animals, pterosaurs, and baby dinosaurs like hatchling diplodocus.
The Andrew now larger than Ornitholestes sees it more of a nuisance, he charges and rears up on his hind legs while hissing to make himself look bigger causing the Ornitholestes to run away. Seeing how its prey is now twice the size as the small theropod he looks food elsewhere, the Ornitholestes finds a Diablophis hidden in a log after pulling the snake out and killing the slithery reptile, and climbs up a tree and skewers the snake on its sharp branch alongside the larder of his other victims as the the theropod bites chunks of the snake as he feeds.
Due to the recent heavy rains around morning, the mist rolls in and Andrew can't see where he is going, this is dangerous predators could use the mist to conceal their cover. A pair of Marshosaurus have appeared, seeing the small sauropod as prey. The theropods are larger than Andrew and now he is in big trouble as he bellows in fright. The small sauropod seems doomed as its attackers close in for the kill, but perhaps because they are so focused on their victim or that there is heavy fog in the area, they do not notice big coming through the fog.
A long neck stretches out from the mists of the forest, a young Adult Female Diplodocus measuring at 80 feet long and weighing 15 short-tons. This gigantic adult Sauropod outsizes and could well easily step on the two carnivores as it bellows loudly combined with grunting and hissing. She rears up at the sight of the Carnivores and slamming her front feet on the ground and swinging her whip-like tail back and forth. The Carnivores have no choice, but to retreat as she plods through the forest floor on her way to her herd. Andrew, seeing his savior, decides to accompany her in hopes he will join a herd. The female turns around to see him following her and waves her tail in front of Andrew to follow him.
The Duo leave the forest behind and enter the semi-arid fern prairie plains. Andrew is amazed of the different species of Sauropods Apatosaurus, Brontosaurus, Smitanosaurus, and Barosaurus browse on the ferns, low-growing tree conifers, and shrubs from the ground and Camarasaurus and Brachiosaurus tower over them as they feed on tall-growing conifer trees. A flock of Dryosaurus are tending to their young in their nests as a Stegosaurus leads her four offspring as they pass by the Duo.
The Female Diplodocus looks up to see a pair of Saurophaganax observing the herbivores, we will call her "Dippy." Saurophaganax are sauropod hunters, but they are merely observing as they normally would ambush their prey and they can't attack when everyone is looking. A herd of Brontosaurus glared at the theropods as they lifted their heads up as the stegosaurus mother bellows her young closer as they hid under her belly. Not this time for the Top Predators of the Morrison as they depart. Dippy isn't the only sauropod to know this.
A flock of Pterosaurs fly around and perch on her neck and back these include Some Keptodactylus, a Harpocnagnthus, and wukongopterids accompany her, using her as a vantage point to spot prey down below and a mode of transportation. The small wukongopterids feed on the insects that are disturbed by the Sauropods' large pillar-like feet and biting insects and ticks that plague her pebbly skin. The duo slowly approached a pond to drink as they bent down their necks to sip. The pterosaurs flew down to drink too with the Keptodactylus wading in the shallows for aquatic prey. Their presence disturbs a bask of turtles, Dinochelys, Cteniogenys, and Glyptops, as they retreat into the water.
Hidden among the horsetails and aquatic plants in the pond, it is mating season for the amphibians, male frogs of Enneabatrachus and Rhadinosteus, the Males vocalized with clicks, peeps, croaks, and ribbits to attract a female. Iridotriton salamander males would swarm and with only one who would attach and mount the female and soon both frogs and salamander females will lay masses of eggs with the male fertilizing them with their sperm soon they will leave the pond and the eggs will grow up and develop in the pond where they spend the rest of their lives through the stages of metamorphosis before they can become adult frogs and salamanders. Although predators like the turtles feed on them both adults, eggs, and larvae, Glyptops mouth is designed for suction feeding by sucking the prey into the predator's mouth using the water around it. Not to mention some of the Keptodactylus and the Harpocnagnthus managed to grab a few frogs and salamanders
Soon the duo arrived to see a herd of Diplodocus breaking through the forest, their bodies and feeding behaviors often make large paths which they and other animals travel and pushing down the trees of the forest makes way for open plain plants to take over. The cycle continues when the seeds of the plants they eat are spread by their dung which they germinate and grow allowing new forests to sprout up. This is Dippy's herd.
The Herd's female leader and male enforcer first approached them, Dippy lowers her head in submission and Andrew follows her queue. Dippy was most likely a scout sent out by the herd to find areas of vegetation for the herd to eat or any juveniles wanting to join them. The Leader and Enforcer look over Andrew sniffing at them, the enforcer grunts followed by the leader. Andrew is accepted into the herd soon the rest of the herd gathers around him adults, adolescents, juveniles around Andrew's age, and youngsters looked down as they sniffed and bellowed as a way to welcome him to the herd.
. . . . .
A Two months later, the herd's mating season has arrived, Diplodocus has a long, tapering tail like a whip that was used to cripple or even kill its attackers when threatened, while it's calculated that the dinosaur itself and other diplodocids could swing its tail fast enough like a bullwhip used to ward off enemies, rivals, and/or feature in a courtship display. Out in the open plains, the males show off their stuff as they swing their brightly colored tails side to side and rear up standing on their hind legs. Their brightly colored necks and heads are shown accompanied by inflating throat and nasal sacs to impress the females. Female Diplodocus would choose males that are much brightly colored and taller along with wears and tears. Some males would get into disputes and would fight with one another by necking. Dippy is only 8 Years old and she won't reach sexual maturity until she is 10 years old for a Diplodocus.
Andrew and the other juveniles practice rearing up too, and even wrestling with one another by slamming their chests at one another and neck with one another as well. Nearby, A pair of Allosaurus were sleeping. This is the young Allosaurus and his mate, who have finished feeding on a Uteodeon they recently killed. A male Diplodocus tries to look intimidating, by kicking dirt with its hind legs and he rears up on his hind legs, the Allosaurus pair is quite annoyed. The Enforcer barges him and shoves the adult male and bellows a warning at him not to cause trouble with the other predators. Andrew watches the adult males soon one day once he's grown up he will join the males and fight and attract mates.
As evening comes the herd feeds on the plants of the open-canopy forest although they feed close to the forest floor. Sometimes they would rear up to feed on the conifers. Andrew feeds on the horsetails and ferns while the adults strip off branches, leaves, and bark of the trees and conifers. The mammals like Tinodon bellus, Eurylambia, Comodon, Morrisonodon, Fruitafossor, Dryolestes, and Amphidon emerged from their shelters as it was now time for them to hunt and search for food while avoiding predators like Hesperornithoides.
. . . . .
Soon the Dry Season has arrived as the herd comes to drink at a nearly dried up river. In the river that is slowly drying up, Lungfish like Ceratodus fossanovum, take gulps of air from the surface, and during prolonged estivation, they may accumulate high concentrations of urea in the body. But when the dry season hits, the lungfish burrows itself deep into the mud, digging out a path by taking mud into its mouth and forcing it out its gills. After the fish has reached a comfortable depth, it will stop digging and secrete mucus out of the skin that hardens to form a protective cocoon around it. Only the mouth is left exposed for breathing. For its long hibernation, the lungfish will greatly reduce its metabolism and live off the muscle tissues in its tail. Once the water returns and the mud softens, the lungfish will wriggle out of its burrow. The Herd knows they cannot stay here for long, the leader and enforcer both agree they must migrate, this will be Andrew's first migration and there will be many perils facing ahead.
The Herd departs with the leader in the front and the enforcer at the back bringing up the rear, Andrew stills close to Dippy for protection and support. Then more Diplodocus herds have joined them and soon Dippy and Andrew's herd are later joined by many other herds of different species, from the towering Brachiosaurus led by the elderly female and young Female to the similar in size Apatosaurus, Brontosaurus, Barosaurus, and sauropods like Haplocanthosaurus, Camarasaurus, Smitanosaurus, and Amphicoelias, and with them, armored Stegosaurus, Hesperosaurus, Gargoyleosaurus, and Mymoorapelta, and smaller Dryosaurus altus and elderae, Camptosaurus, Fruitadens, Uteodon, and Nanosaurus all migrating to better feeding grounds to survive the dry season. This large caravan of multiple species means safety in numbers for the herbivores with other eyes and ears on the lookout for predators as they cross the plains they find themselves an obstacle, an immense plateau and they must go through a maze of canyons. Once the herd enters the canyon, the herd becomes nervous as it's a place for an ambush for predators Andrew sticks close to Dippy and the herd.
Five Stokesosaurus look down alongside pairs of Tanycolagreus, Coelurus, and Hesperornithoides looking down from the cliffs; they can't take down the large herbivores, but the large predators can. A pack of Allosaurus led by the young male this time who are in one portion of a canyon knows this as they hear and smell the herd, in another canyon, a mob of five Saurophaganax normally solitary or living in pairs have teamed up, and in a dried up canyon riverbed, a pack of ceratosaurus, a pair of Marshosaurus, and Ornitholestes wait hearing the herd coming this way.
The Caravan approaches a steep slope as the large herbivores walk down one by one, then coming out of the two canyons the Allosaurus and Saurophaganax packs have emerged with their presence to spook the herd into running. Then panic spread among the herd as they pushed and shoved one another against each other and the canyon walls during the stampede, a Barosaurus slips and trips over the steep slope landing on the ground after being pushed by a pair of Brachiosaurus the other herbivores make their descent trampling the sauropod.
The smaller herbivores like Dryosaurus altus and elderae, Camptosaurus, Fruitadens, Uteodon, and Nanosaurus make their escape climbing up the canyon hills, this is what the smaller predators were waiting for, Tanycolagreus, Coelurus, Hesperornithoides, and Stoekesosaurus come out of hiding to chase them. The Hesperornithoides and Coelurus managed to kill a few Nanosaurus and Fruitadens. The Stoekesosaurus managed to run a Dryosaurus and a young Uteodon off a cliff as they plummeted to their death. The Tanycolagreus pack cornered a Camptosaurus at a dead end as the Camptosaurus fights back shaking them off its back and grabbing them, the ornithopod is overwhelmed.
The herd continues to run as they were pursued by the Allosaurus pack and entered in the dried canyon riverbed as the Ceratosaurus, Marshosaurus, and Ornitholestes join in the chase, the herd arrives at a cliff end as they turned around left as the run as Andrew runs as fast as he could some of the herbivores keep pushing another towards the cliff edge. A Hesperosaurus was pushed to the cliff edge as it was kicked by the Marshosaurus' left leg as it plummets to its death, a Camarsaurus tripped over the cliff's edge and falls off, and lastly, an Apatosaurus was pushed by the other herbivores as the sauropod falls off to its doom.
Once the caravan has escaped and managed to find their way out, the predators feast on their kills. The Stokesosaurus pack feasted on the Dryosaurus altus while the Hesperornithoides and Coelurus feast on the Nanosaurus and Fruitadens. The Saurophaganax feasted on the Barosaurus, and at the bottom of the cliff edge, the Allosaurus feasts on the apatosaurus, the Marshosaurus feasts on the Stegosaurus, and the Ceratosaurus feasts on the Camarasaurus while the Ornitholestes scavenge on the bodies. This is a traumatic experience Andrew will never forget as for Dippy this is something she has witnessed time and time again.
The Caravan continues on their travels. It was long and perilous with no water and plants for miles, they normally travel in the mornings, evenings, and at night when it's cool as they use the stars to navigate in the night sky. Not many will survive the journey as their dead bodies will attract scavengers. Andrew is tired, hungry, and thirsty and so is Dippy and everyone else.
Soon the caravan arrives at a gathering place, a water hole that attracts animals of kinds around to gather to drink, and soon they are joined by other herds who came to travel to drink. A few are new arrivals, like this herd of Suuwassea, a dicraeosaurid sauropod that approaches between the Stegosaurus and Camarasaurus as they come to drink. Their name means "the first thunder heard in spring" as the fossils were found in an ancestral territory of the Native American Crow tribe, the etymology of the generic name is derived from a term in their language, suuwassa. Coming down from a large hill is a herd of twelve large sauropods that towering above everyone else, even dwarfing the tallest Brachiosaurus in weight and size, Maraapunisaurus. They were colossal and they have been recently classified as a species of rebbachisaurid and one of the oldest measuring 35–40 meters (115–131 ft) long with a mass of 70-120 tons in mass. It would have been the largest Dinosaur in the Morrison Formation. As they approached the waterhole, flocks of Nanosaurus and Fruitadens ran under their pillar-long legs while avoiding getting stepped on. Once at the Waterhole's edge, despite the huge crowd their long necks can help extend to get a drink and jump the queue.
This gathering is peaceful, but it attracts attention, the arrival of the predators, Stokesosaurus, Hesperornithoides, Coelurus, Saurophaganax, Allosaurus, Marshosaurus, Ceratosaurus, and Ornitholestes. The Brachiosaurus and Apatosaurus herd clear a path for the Saurophaganax, Allosaurus in between the Stegosaurus and Diplodocus herds as Andrew sticked close to Dippy. The Ceratosaurus and Marshosaurus appeared among the Brontosaurus, Camarasaurus, and Hesperosaurus, and Stokesosaurus, Hesperornithoides, Coelurus, and Ornitholestes appeared among the Dryosaurus, Uteodeon, Camptosaurus, Nanosaurus, and Fruitadens. The predator dipped their heads to drink from the waterhole luckily for the herbivores like every animal they are here only for drinking.
Soon after the pit stop, the Caravan continues on its way. Eventually they reach a floodplain fed by a flow-river covered with vegetation along the river's edge. Amphicotylus and Diplosaurus bask in the banks and swim in the water among the fishes like Morrolepis and Huleittia. The herd has made it to their destination. Andrew feeds on the ferns and drinks the river alongside Dippy and her pterosaur companions. This will be one of many travels they will make for this Sauropod duo in the Morrison Formation of our Primeval Planet.
Trivia/References:
-The flock of wukongopterids, based on the fossil specimen HMNS/BB 5028 accompanying Dippy along with other pterosaurs is an artwork, "Dinovember 2018 #18 - Diplodocus" by Rahonavis70m
-Also by Rahonavis70m is an artwork, "30 Day Dinosaur Challenge: Day 2," which depicts an Adult Diplodocus trying to look intimidating by kicking dust with its back feet at an Allosaurus.
-Allosaurus resting, scavenging, and fighting the Stegosaurus is based on artwork by LilburgerD4, and there is fossil evidence that Allosaurus hunted Stegosaurus.
-The arrival of Dippy confronting a pair of Marshosaurus is based on an artwork by Olmagon, "In the Mist," with the Diplodocus in the place of Galeamopus.
-Allosaurus hunting Dryosaurus scene is based on another artwork "The Jurassic Hunt" (A Prehistoric Planet Fanart Sketch) by LilburgerD4, the Nanuqsaurus hunting Ornithomimus scene from Prehistoric Planet, and the Walking with Dinosaurs Special: The Ballad of Big Al which succeeds this time.
-The Canyon hunt is based on Peter Jackson's King Kong (2005 movie) and Prehistoric Planet.
-Speaking of Brachiosaurus, the Elderly Female leader, and the adolescent female now a young adult, and the Young Male Allosaurus make cameos in this story.
You can suggest ideas for stories for the other creatures and can suggest dialogues, scenes, and natural or speculative behaviors for the prehistoric animals.
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The Next Story is "Fleeing the Flames " In the Wessex Formation, UK, during the Early Cretaceous, a female Mother Hypsilophodon and her offspring must escape a wildfire that threatens their home.
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