Chapter 9: Clash of The Titans
It is now 262 million years ago during a time known as the Middle Permian. The Olsons Extinction Event, that occurred just 11 million years earlier, caused the extinction of many types of animal. On land the great sail backs like Edaphosaurus and Dimetrodon have now vanished, unable to adapt to the new world. Many types of temnospondyl also died out during the event and while they are still around, they are a fraction of their former diversity. Some animals, however, have fared better and by extension become more common, for example a clade of synapsids known as the dinocephalians, have become the most successful animals on the planet.
These great creatures have gone on to dominate every ecological role that they can and they are joined by a variety of other creatures in this strange new world. The world that all these creatures live in is a rough one, the Late Paleozoic Ice Age, is still going strong and the world has only become more arid since the Olsons Extinction Event, despite these rough conditions life struggles on as best it can.
...
We are in what is now South Africa, at this time, South Africa sits quite close to the south pole, meaning that it is much colder than it is today. Great conifer forests cover the landscape and in between the trees are great rivers and lakes, as well as open fern prairies. It is the beginning of spring here in South Africa's forest and many animals are beginning to wake up from their slumber. Emerging from a cave, is a massive carnivore, the largest predatory synapsid of all time, Anteosaurus magnificus. Anteosaurus is absolutely massive and stands out as the biggest terrestrial carnivore to have evolved so far.
At 20 feet long and up to 1.5 tons, it would dwarf earlier synapsid predators like Dimetrodon, as well as any modern terrestrial carnivore. The giant carnivore lets out a loud yawn as it stirs, for 4 months now it has been hibernating and now it is finally time to get back to work. The giant predator walks down to the nearby lake. The lake itself is still partially frozen in some parts, however, large holes already expose parts of the water to the outside world. The Anteosaurus begins to lap up the exposed water, quenching its thirst as it does.
As the days drag on, the temperature will only continue to climb rapidly, melting not only the remainder of the ice on the lake, but also the layers of snow on the ground. As the snow melts, the pretty white will mesh with the dirt under it, creating a nasty looking mush. With its thirst quenched, the Anteosaurus vanishes into the forest, likely heading out to explore its domain and stretch its legs further.
...
As the days drag on, more snow continues to melt, revealing the dormant plants that for months have been buried under snow. The frozen lakes meanwhile also continue to melt, as do many rivers and streams, as they melt water runs freely once again. As the water begins to flow once again, a hibernating creature begins to awaken. Emerging from a recently thawed pool, is a Rhinesuchus, a type of large temnospondyl. Temnospondyls were hit hard by the Olsons Extinction Event, many of the terrestrial forms in particular like Platyhystrix were unable to survive.
Despite these hiccups some of the semi aquatic varieties have made it through and while they are no longer as diverse as they were before, they have remained the dominant freshwater predators. This Rhinesuchus is preparing itself for the coming warm months. The amphibian drags itself clumsily along the ground to a nearby lake and it wades in and immediately its clumsy gate is replaced by graceful swimming. The Rhinesuchus mainly dines on fish and its hunting strategy is similar to that of earlier temnospondyls like Eryops.
...
Elsewhere in the lake we find a strange group of animals resting in waist deep water. These are Moschops capensis, a type of large herbivorous dinocephalian. Unlike animals like Anteosaurus, Moschops do not hibernate through the winter, rather they tough it out. During the winter months Moschops spend much of their time on dry land, unable to access waterways, this all changes during the warmer months. While the temperature is currently quite low, as it rises Moschops will spend much of their time resting in the water to cool off.
They are not the only dinocephalians that spend much of their time in the water, wading right by the herd is a massive Jonkeria. Jonkeria is one of the largest animals in the region, only massive beasts like Anteosaurus can rival it in size. Jonkeria itself is an omnivore, feeding on both plants as well as insects and small vertebrates. Jonkeria's massive size combined with its formidable bite and aggressive demeanor, cause most predators to avoid them, even Anteosaurus usually give them a wide berth.
...
A little bit later and the day is beginning to wind down. On the river bank a large Moschops browses around for food. One of Moschops favorite foods is cycads. Cycads evolved at the beginning of the Permian and they have become a staple of terrestrial ecosystem since then. These plants are well adapted to life out in arid regions and they are also well defended with vicious spies and many species are also toxic.
Moschops, however, have ways around this issue. Their powerful jaws and teeth allow them to crop right through the tough cycads and their thick skin defends them from the sharp spines. They are also resistant to the poison of the cycad allowing them to feed with little concern. The cone-like structures in the center are their favorite part of the plants and they eat them liberally. Unfortunately for this Moschops, he is being watched.
Peering from the nearby conifers is the Anteosaurus. The giant carnivore has grown hungry and now he is looking for prey and the Moschops will make a perfect meal. The Anteosaurus moves in closer, sticking to the treeline. The Moschops feeds, blissfully unaware of the danger. The wind, however, is not on the Anteosaurus side today, for it is upwind of its prey and the Moschops immediately takes notice.
The Moschops immediately bolts and the Anteosaurus runs right after it. The Moschops huffs and puffs as it runs, heading for the safety of the water. The Anteosaurus follows closely behind. Finally the large herbivore reaches the lake and it dives in swimming away, as the Anteosaurus looks on. While no slouch in the swimming department, the Anteosaurus knows that it is no match for the Moschops in the water.
To add salt to the wound, the rest of the herd have taken notice. The herd bunches up bellowing out threats to the giant predator. The Anteosaurus turns and leaves, luckily for the giant carnivore the growing season has just begun and soon more animals will arrive en masse that can feed its massive appetite.
...
About a week later and something is about to happen, an event that occurs every year around this time is about to commence. Loud bellows signal the arrival of a massive herd of Tapinocephalus. Tapinocephalus are herbivorous dinocephalians closely related to Moschops, however, these 2 ton beasts lead very different lives compared to their water loving relatives. Tapinocephalus are more terrestrial than Moschops and they live in much larger herds than Moschops. Every year these animals migrate north for the winter months, however, the beginning of spring has signaled that it is time to return to this area.
The herd quickly spreads out across the landscape feeding on lush ferns. Despite being mostly terrestrial, Tapinocephalus still prefer to be close to the water's edge. They also prefer open fern plains to the dense woodlands. The herd quickly spreads out as they start to feed, thanks to their massive size, Tapinocephalus have to eat copious amounts of vegetation each day just to stay alive. As the herd feeds they begin to attract some unwanted attention.
Watching from the nearby treeline is the Anteosaurus. Tapinocephalus are the preferred prey for this giant carnivore and every year the male waits for their return. The male watches closely, looking for any signs of weakness in the herd. He eyes an old female Tapinocephalus, she seems to be weak, likely from the long journey, at her age the great march these beasts go on is exhausting. The male Anteosaurus immediately gets ready to strike, he has to get close, while Anteosaurus are quite fast for their size, they can only keep up their top speed for short bursts.
After a short wait, the male Anteosaurus charges full speed for his prey. The old Tapinocephalus bolts, however, she is far too slow to outrun her attacker. The rest of the herd panics, bellowing in fear and confusion. The male Anteosaurus swiftly closes the gap and jumps on the old Tapinocephalus back. The Tapinocephalus bellows, as the Anteosaurus wrestles her to the ground.
Anteosaurus' stocky and muscular build allows them to easily overpower most animals even when said animals outweigh them. The Anteosaurus delivers a powerful bite to the neck with his massive jaws, snapping the Tapinocephalus spine. The giant herbivore immediately goes limp and the Anteosaurus begins to feed on its carcass. The rest of the herd meanwhile calms down and they go back to feeding like nothing happened. The massive jaws of the Anteosaurus are powered by massive muscles, something which gives it a tremendous bite force.
Inside of the jaws are teeth and like earlier synapsids, Anteosaurus has developed many different kinds of teeth in its jaws. At the front are the shredding teeth perfect for delivering killing bites, behind these are teeth designed to cut and rip flesh. The final kind of teeth is a pair of enlarged fangs, these fangs are primarily used in battles between rival males during breeding season. The Anteosaurus rips off massive chunks of flesh while it eats, its massive jaws easily slicing flesh. These powerful jaws can even crush bones and they allow the Anteosaurus to access the nutritious marrow hidden away in said bones.
The Anteosaurus eats a significant portion of the carcass, its massive size means that it must eat a lot, on top of this since they hibernate through the winter months, Anteosaurus, have to get enough nutrients to store as fat through the winter, due to this the male will spend most of the warmer months hunting for prey. Eventually the male eats as much as he can stomach and he then turns and leaves, heading for the lake so he can quench his thirst. He leaves a significant amount of meat on the carcass and some animals are quick to take notice. Emerging from the trees is an Eriphostoma, a type of synapsid, however, it is not a dinocephalian; instead it is part of a more derived clade known as the gorgonopsids. Gorgonopsids evolved relatively recently and they have become prominent small predators, living in the shadow of beasts like Anteosaurus.
The most prominent feature of Eriphostoma is its enlarged canines, a feature shared by all gorgonopsids, the first true saber teeth. Another feature one may notice is that the Eriphostoma has hair on much of its body. Unlike the large Dinocephalians whose bulk keeps them warm during the winter months, Eriphostoma's smaller size means that it has had to evolve other means of keeping warm, in the future many more synapsids will develop hair including true mammals. Eriphostoma itself is an opportunistic predator and it spends much of its time hunting small animals, however, it won't turn down carrion. The Eriphostoma quickly digs in, tearing off chunks of flesh.
This male Eriphostoma learned long ago the advantages of trailing behind larger predators like Anteosaurus and his knowledge has paid him back graciously. After eating his fill, the male Eriphostoma heads off back into the forest, preparing to sleep off his meal.
...
As spring continues, the temperature begins to climb higher and higher. On top of this, the days continue to grow longer and longer, this will continue until the summer solstice, afterwards the days will gradually grow shorter until once again the long nights of winter return. The rising sun increases activity for many animals. One such creature can be found on the fern plains, meet Diictodon feliceps. Diictodon are part of a clade of synapsids known as the dicynodonts, a clade that in the near future will come to dominate the Earth. Diictodon are small burrowing animals, during the heat of the midday sun, they hide in small burrows to stay cool.
Right now, however, it is early morning and they are out and about. Diictodon have beaked mouths that help them to crop vegetation for consumption. Diictodon live in large colonies, however, unlike many modern animals such as prairie dogs, these colonies are very loosely connected and are made up of many mated pairs. These mated pairs all lead their own lives and they do not exactly help each other. One notable feature of Diictodon is that they actually exhibit sexual dimorphism.
Male Diictodon possess a pair of tusks that are primarily used for both display as well as combat with other males. Females lack these tusks as they have no real need for them. During the breeding season competition between individuals can be quite violent and males fight viciously for breeding rights. These violent displays give way to tender romance as male and female Diictodon mate for life and they both help care for their young. Inside one of the burrows we find a male guarding a clutch of eggs.
Soon his mate returns and the pair nuzzle each other briefly. Outside of the burrow, the Diictodon continue their early morning foraging, however, they've got company. The male Eriphostoma watches the colony intently, Diictodon are in the perfect size range to be considered suitable prey. He inches closer to the colony waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Suddenly one of the Diictodon spots him and it lets out a loud shrieking call.
Immediately the rest of the colony bolts fleeing from the Eriphostoma. The male Eriphostoma charges in, but he's already too late, for most of the Diictodon have fled to their burrows. The Eriphostoma growls as he peers into one of the burrows. The burrows themselves are spiral shaped, a feature that ensures access to them is difficult. The male Eriphostoma knows better than to try his luck, digging is a pointless endeavor and a scar on his paw attests to when an angry male Diictodon decided to deal with him in a more physical way.
The male Eriphostoma heads off back into the forest. One other distinctive feature of gorgonopsids like Eriphostoma compared to more basal synapsids like the dinocephalians is that they have faster metabolisms. This fast metabolism allows them to regulate their body temperature and be more active, however, it also means that they have to eat a lot compared to other animals with slower metabolisms like the dinocephalians and the many varieties of reptiles. Luckily for the male Eriphostoma, their is plenty of prey to be found at this time of year and so he heads off to look elsewhere.
...
Later that day, we find ourselves in the conifer forest. This forest houses a variety of animals, many of whom prefer the denser forest to the open fern prairies. One such animal can be found feeding in a clearing, this is Bradysaurus baini. Bradysaurus itself is not a synapsid, instead it is part of a clade known as the pareiasaurs. Pareiasaurs are part of an extinct lineage of reptiles known as the parareptiles.
Pareiasaurs stand out for their large robust bodies covered in thick armored osteoderms, these osteoderms serving as protection against predators. Most pareiasaurs also have thick sprawling limbs that help to support their massive bulk. Pareiasaurs themselves are herbivorous in nature and they stand out as a successful clade of reptiles, in a synapsid dominated world. This Bradysaurus is feeding at the moment, its peg-like teeth helping to crop ferns. Like most animals of this time pareiasaurs do not chew their food, instead they have massive guts that help to break down their food in their stomachs, in the future many unrelated animals will adopt similar features.
As the herbivore feeds, it soon runs into another issue, its back itches. One downside of the thickly built body of Bradysaurus is that scratching an itch can prove to be quite difficult. Luckily for the Bradysaurus, there are other ways to solve this problem. The Bradysaurus soon goes to a large conifer and begins to rub its itchy back against it. After it has finished the Bradysaurus begins to proceed feeding again.
...
In a different more secluded part of the forest, we find a very different group of animals relaxing in the shade. These are Simorhinella and they are part of a clade known as the therocephalians. Therocephalians are close relatives of gorgonopsids like Eriphostoma, however, while their canine teeth are enlarged, they are not true saber teeth unlike their relatives. Despite this the therocephalians are nonetheless fearsome predators. The short thick skull of Simorhinella gives it a fearsome bite and they have another trick up their sleeve pack hunting.
Unlike most predators of this time which are solitary, Simorhinella live in small packs. These packs vary in size with this one having 6 adult members. Packs themselves are led by an alpha male who must fight rival males to keep his pack. Simorhinella themselves are quite large being similar in size to an african lion. Due to their group hunting habits, Simorhinella are able to tackle much larger prey than they would be on their own and they hunt the variety of dinocephalians and pareiasaurs that also call these areas home.
Simorhinella mainly prefer the forested areas where they can avoid larger predators like Anteosaurus, despite this clashes do sometimes happen, however, these are more common during the fall when competition for food heats up. While most of the pack rests, one of the females is currently guarding her eggs, despite their close relationship with mammals, Simorhinella still lay eggs, for live birth won't appear until later on in synapsids at least. The female is extremely protective of her clutch and no one is safe if they get too close to the eggs, even other members of the pack are met with hostility if they get too close.
...
Simorhinella are not the only animals trying to raise their young, out on the open fern prairie, we find the Tapinocephalus having constructed many nests. Like the earlier Edaphosaurus, Tapinocephalus nest in large colonies and the construction of the nest is quite similar to that of Edaphosaurus. The mothers watch their nest intently looking out for any potential egg thieves. Watching from the cover of the trees, is the Eriphostoma, the old male is not above dining on eggs himself as they are rich in nutrients, however, getting access to the nests would be a rather difficult proposition. He's not the only one watching the nesting ground, for on the other side of the nesting ground we find a very different kind of egg thief, a type of animal known as an Elliotsmithia.
Elliotsmithia is a type of basal synapsid and one of the few of its kind to have survived the Olsen's Extinction Event. It is a small creature that looks almost like a scaleless reptile, despite not being one at all. The Elliosmithia watches the Tapinocephalus nests intently, its small size could allow it to move in unnoticed and grab an egg. It scans the colony, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It notices one of the mothers sleeping and it seizes the opportunity.
The Elliotsmithia runs straight for the nest. The hungry predator then grabs an egg and flees, as the mother takes notice and bellows with rage. She is too late to do much, however, for the little egg thief has already gotten out of range. The little synapsids victory is short lived, however, a hiss suddenly catches its attention, as it spots the Eriphostoma heading its way. The Elliotsmithia immediately drops the egg and bolts away.
The Eriphostoma does not pursue for he already has his prize. He noticed the Elliotsmithia from his vantage point and happily let the little synapsid do all the hard work for him. The Eriphostoma breaks through the leathery covering of the egg and it proceeds to feed on the yolk. After finishing its fill, the Eriphostoma heads off to rest once again.
...
A few weeks pass and at the nesting grounds there is activity. The attention of many mother Tapinocephalus is caught by squeaky calls in their nests. Emerging from eggs are many young Tapinocephalus. One of the mothers quickly nuzzles her newly hatched young and many more are on the way. The calls of recently hatched Tapinocephalus fill the air as more and more hatch.
After a short time most of the young have hatched out their eggs, some young, however, are unable to break out of their eggs. These eggs are promptly disposed of by the mothers. In the bushes, some Elliotsmithia watch intently as the eggs are disposed of. As the mothers leave the area, they swarm the eggs taking advantage of the easy meal. The mother Tapinocephalus meanwhile return to their young to watch them.
The hatchlings themselves are still rather tired from breaking free from the eggs, with some notable exceptions. These young harass their tired siblings, as they are already eager to test their strength. Tapinocephalus grow up fast and soon the young will mushroom in size, by the time it is fall they will already be man sized and large enough to take part in the great migration the herd embarks on. Most of the young won't make it that long, however, even with their mothers watching them many of the young fall victim to predators and deadly diseases, survival for them will be a tough ordeal.
...
A little ways away from the Tapinocephalus nesting ground, we find ourselves back at the Diictodon colony. We find one of the males foraging for food, after collecting what he needs he bolts back to his burrow. He quickly arrives at where his mate resides and they've got company. Nestled with his mate are 6 pups. The male and female nuzzle each other as the male lies down.
Unlike Tapinocephalus which have many young but high infant mortality, Diictodon have fewer young, however, this increases the chances of survival for each pup. Both strategies are successful and have their own strengths and weaknesses and many animals will utilize both strategies well into the modern day. For now at least the pair rest peacefully.
...
As the weeks pass, spring slowly turns into summer and the pleasant springtime temperatures begin to rise. The sun begins to beat down unforgivingly on the many animals of the region. The animals here all have their own strategies for staying cool. The male Anteosaurus rests in the shade of some conifers avoiding the midday heat as best he can. Meanwhile the Simorhinella also rest further in the forest, the mother Simorhinella has now joined them and with her are a few pups who recently hatched out of their eggs.
It seems that the mother has now begun to trust her pack if only a little bit around her young. Some animals actually enjoy the heat, the Bradysaurus cold blooded nature means that it enjoys the higher temperatures that summer brings, while it can survive the colder weather of winter time, it is far more active during these warm summer months, browsing for vegetation, come winter time it will go into hibernation finding a secluded cave to stay warm and sleep through the winter months.
...
While some animals rely on the shade of the conifers, others have other ways to stay cool. Down at the lake, the Moschops rest in the water, nearby the resident Jonkeria also relaxes. The Moschops keep their distance from the giant omnivore, while they are not prey for the beast, its aggressive demeanor means that the Moschops give it a wide berth regardless. Frenzied calls soon attract the attention of the animals of the lake, as the Tapinocephalus arrive to get a drink. The herd surrounds the shoreline and they begin to drink up the water.
Other Tapinocephalus are happy to jump right into the lake and they happily roll around in the water. While not truly semi aquatic animals, Tapinocephalus still enjoy spending time in the water especially with the heat beating down on them. The young Tapinocephalus are also happy to swim around, however, they must be cautious for they can easily become separated from their mothers, and older Tapinocephalus especially males are more than happy to trample young individuals who get in their way. The other Tapinocephalus aren't the only danger. A pair of eyes emerge from under the water, the Rhinesuchus is watching intently, while it usually preys on fish, it won't pass up the opportunity to snag a young Tapinocephalus.
Luckily for the young, the older animals' presence means that an attack would currently be unwise and so the amphibian slips back under the surface of the water, looking to find food elsewhere.
...
Sometime later the sun begins to set in the sky and the Tapinocephalus are quick to take notice. The large herbivores quickly head off back to the drier uplands. As the herd moves on, the Eriphostoma watches looking to see if any young are lagging behind. Unfortunately for the sabre toothed predator, luck is not on his side today and so he heads off. As night approaches the Eriphostoma prepares to rest for the night. Eriphostoma mainly sleep at night, the reason for this is that Simorhinella often hunt at night and unlike the Anteosaurus which usually ignore Eriphostoma, Simorhinella actively kill any Eriphostoma they see, primarily to get rid of potential competition.
The male Eriphostoma quickly climbs a conifer tree, his sharp claws allowing him to grip the bark with ease, while his strong muscles help pull him up. He then finds a nice branch to sleep on and he drifts away.
...
Meanwhile the sun sets rapidly in the night sky. As the sun sets, the temperature drops dramatically, while the temperature is nowhere near as cold as during the winter months, it is still a noticeable change. The Simorhinella quickly seize the opportunity to hunt for prey. Simorhinella have excellent night vision far better than most of their prey giving them an advantage in the dark. 4 members are hunting tonight, with the other 2 having remained behind to guard the pups.
As the pack searches, some sniff the ground, on top of their excellent night vision, Simorhinella also have excellent senses of smell allowing them to track down prey with ease. The pack soon picks up a scent and the hunt is on from that point. The pack swiftly navigates through the woods, hunting for their quarry. After a short search, they come across their target, the Bradysaurus. The Bradysaurus is currently feeding on some ferns.
Bradysaurus unlike many animals do not have set sleeping schedules, instead they sleep at multiple short intervals throughout the day and they spend the rest of their time awake and foraging for food. As the Bradysaurus feeds, it suddenly catches a scent in the air and its the Simorhinella pack. The herbivore scans the area, while its night vision isn't as good as the Simorhinella's is, it is still far better than most animals. The Bradysaurus eyes the pack. One of the bold members marches right up to the Bradysaurus.
The Bradysaurus rumbles in response, before performing a bluff charge causing the Simorhinella to step back. Suddenly one of the other pack members burst from the bushes and jumps on the Bradysaurus back. The Bradysaurus bellows as the Simorhinella bites into its back, luckily for the Bradysaurus its thick scutes shield it from most of the damage. The Bradysaurus shakes its body, throwing the attacker off. The Bradysaurus then turns and begins to flee with the pack in hot pursuit.
Unlike Anteosaurus which is an ambush predator, Simorhinella rely on their great speed and excellent cardio to wear prey down in long chases. The Bradysaurus runs, however, the Simorhinella are quickly catching up, unlike many animals of this time who either have sprawled or semi sprawled legs, Simorhinella's legs are fully erect giving them great speed compared to the competition. The pack soon catches up to the Bradysaurus and the leader jumps on the herbivore's back once again. The Bradysaurus bellows as the Simorhinella bites in, another one goes for its neck. The Bradysaurus hides its throat as best it can as the Simorhinella looks for an opening.
The Bradysaurus suddenly shakes it's head, dislodging the attacking predator, it then delivers a powerful bite to the Simorhinella's shoulder, causing it's attacker to yelp loudly in pain, while Bradysaurus may be an herbivore, its bite is still fierce. The Bradysaurus then once again shakes off its attacker and bellows loudly before suddenly running in and ramming one of the Simorhinella, sending the predator rolling across the ground. The Bradysaurus then seizes its chance and flees once again, this time the pack do not pursue, tonight's hunt was a colossal failure. The Simorhinella that got rammed, whimpers as it climbs back to its feet. Luckily for the Simorhinella they can take a beating and keep on going and both injured members will most likely recover, but for now they must prepare to rest.
The sun begins to peep through the trees signaling the start of a new day and the definitive end of tonight's hunt. The pack meanwhile heads back to the den area, luckily for them there will be plenty of other chances to make a successful kill, however for now at least they must wait.
...
The days continue to pass as the summer months continue along, with the summer solstice over, the days will continue to get slowly get shorter until the winter solstice where the reverse will begin to occur, despite this, temperatures continue to rise. Luckily for the animals rain is a frequent occurrence in these parts, a sharp contrast to most of Pangea which is dry and arid. In some ways, however, the humidity makes the heat even more unbearable. One animal is currently trying to escape the heat, a Jonkeria is desperately looking for a source of water. While Jonkeria have tough skin, said skin is vulnerable to the sun and sunburn is a frequent issue, hence why during the summer months they spend their time in lakes normally, this male, however, seems to have lost his source of water.
After some searching, however, he finds what he has been looking for. Its the lake that our animals congregate around. Today the lake is a buzz with activity, the Tapinocephalus rest in the shallower parts, while the Moschops relax in the deeper water. As the Jonkeria marches towards the lake, a call suddenly catches his attention as he turns to see a young adult male Tapinocephalus bellowing at him aggressively, many of these young males are filled with hormones and they are willing to test their strength on other animals. The male Jonkeira suddenly bellows loudly, opening his massive jaws and displaying his teeth, the Tapinocephalus takes the hint and backs off.
The Jonkeria then enters the water and he begins to relax, unfortunately for him a certain resident of the lake doesn't take too kindly to his presence. Snarls attract the Jonkeria's attention, as he suddenly spots the resident male attempting to intimidate him. Jonkeria are mostly solitary and males will not tolerate another male in their source of water. The intruder rather than be intimidated, however, stands his ground and growls right back, opening his mouth and displaying his teeth. The pair proceed to growl and snarl some more as they walk straight towards each other.
Even aggressive animals like Jonkeria prefer to avoid conflict whenever possible, however, peace doesn't seem to be an option in this confrontation. The resident male strikes first biting his rival on the neck, causing the latter to stumble back. The rival male suddenly goes in for a bite of his own, clamping down on his opponent's snout and shaking it, drawing blood. The other animals turn and begin to watch the spectacle unfold. The Jonkeria pair meanwhile, begin to trade blows back and forth, their fearsome teeth cutting into each other, thankfully their thick hides can take the abuse, but even still these fights are brutal, bloody and painful affairs.
The fight goes on for some time as the rival male suddenly rams the resident male on his side. The rival male moves in, however, the resident male snaps at him causing him to back up. The resident male climbs back to his feet and clamps down on his rival's neck once again, his teeth digging in. The rival male pulls desperately trying to loosen the resident male's grip. The resident male meanwhile pulls back in response, dragging his rival through the water, as more blood pours from the now open wound.
The rival male suddenly jerks his head with tremendous force, finally freeing himself from the resident male's deadly grasp. Knowing the fight isn't going his way, he turns and flees, the resident male in hot pursuit. The resident male gives him a final reminder with a parting bite to the rear. His rival meanwhile, finally makes it to the shoreline ending the short chase. He promptly heads for the treeline and lies down to rest, his body covered in nasty wounds, while he could recover in time, he will almost certainly have many permanent scars now.
On the brightside this region has plenty of lakes that he can use, he simply has to find them. For now he will rest here, until his search begins again at least.
...
As the weeks continue to pass, the shortening days signal that it is the final stretch of summer for the region. Many of the animals of the region are taking advantage of the last bounty before the seasons begin to change once again. The Bradysaurus feeds on some ferns, fattening up as much as possible before he must go into hibernation come winter. At the Diictodon colony meanwhile, the group is collecting as much vegetation as possible for consumption.
...
While these daily dramas unfold, we find the Simorhinella pack walking down towards the lake, the mother and her pups joining the main pack. The pack's bloody snouts, means that they likely just made a kill. The pack begins to drink at the surprisingly relatively empty lakeshore today. The Tapinocephalus herd is knowhere to be seen and the only animals present are the Moschops group and the Jonkeria all of whom are resting. As the pack drinks from the lake, the pups begin to wander off to explore.
The young pups play ambivalently wrestling and play fighting. One of the youngsters finds an interesting sight, it's the Rhinesuchus calmly resting on the bank. The pup is curious and bites at the amphibian's tail, causing the Rhinesuchus to swiftly spin around and snap its jaws at the pup. The pup jumps back, startled, as the Rhinesuchus bolts back into the water escaping the pup. The pup, disappointed, heads back to join its mother.
A few minutes pass and the pack slinks off back into the forest, heading off to rest for a little bit.
...
A few more weeks pass and soon summertime is over, it is now early fall in the region. Already the days have gotten much shorter and the temperature has begun to fall, it is not yet cold enough for snow, but it is a noticeable dip. The animals of the region quickly take notice of the changing seasons, fall is the shortest of the 4 seasons only lasting about a month and so the animals quickly kick into high gear. The Diictodon colony collects as much food as possible and haul said food into their burrows, this will serve them well as they hibernate through the colder months. The young Diictodon have finally left their parents and have headed off to create their own burrows, this is good for the parents as it allows them to focus on getting enough food to last through the winter.
...
Not all animals are focused on foraging, out on the fern prairies the Tapinocephalus males are preparing for the rut. The rut is an important time for Tapinocephalus males, it occurs right before their migration and lasts two weeks, during those two weeks, the male's hormones drive up their testosterone levels and they battle for females. The male's goals are to mate with as many females as possible and to do this they must have harem and said harems are acquired through combat. The males let out massive bellows that echo throughout the region signaling their dominance, these are warning calls to rival males to stay away. One old male is currently bellowing from the top of a hill.
His calls have caught the attention of a younger male. The young male sees the older male and bellows his own challenge to the old bull. The old bull roars back as the two square off, the pair attempt to make themselves look big standing tall, showing off their massive girth, the goal is to avoid bloodshed. The pair are evenly matched, however, and so violence is the only answer. The pair charge and collide heads with each other making a loud noise that echoes throughout the region.
Tapinocephlaus have thick skulls that help their brain take massive impacts like this and this is backed up by enormous neck muscles, this gives these herbivores enormous amounts of power in their headbutts. The pair continue to butt heads and this goes on for some time. Soon the younger male begins to gain ground as the old bull tires. The old male's age means that he is not able to fight for as long as his younger rival and this is beginning to give the young male the edge. Soon the young male begins to target the old bull's body and he delivers crushing blows.
Finally the old male is unable to take the punishment and he flees. He has lost everything in the blink of an eye and he will likely never fight for the right to mate again. The young male meanwhile, wastes no time in mating with the females, after all why not enjoy the spoils of your victory?
...
The rutting season itself ends almost as quickly as it began and as the temperature only continues to drop and soon snow begins to fall for the first time since the end of Winter about 7 months earlier. The snow itself isn't thick yet and it quickly melts in the midday sun but it is the first major sign of winter. Many of the animals begin to react to the snowfall. At the lake the Rhinesuchus hauls itself out of the water and heads for the small pool. It pulls itself along and after reaching the pool it dives right in as it prepares to hibernate, it will sleep here until spring.
The Diictodon meanwhile, are also prepared to hibernate, the burrows that kept them cool in the summer will also help keep them warm through the frigid winter months. Meanwhile the Tapinocephalus are beginning to migrate, their march will last about 3 weeks as they head further north to warmer parts to stay for the winter months. The absence of the herd is a massive blow to the large carnivores of the region, in particular the Anteosaurus male. Normally he would already be preparing to start hibernating, however, he has not yet acquired all the necessary fat to last him through the winter, he needs at least one more big meal. Finding food won't be easy, with his main prey gone he has to rely on other options.
Luckily there are other options, but he has to find them first.
A little bit later we find the male Anteosaurus searching the area for prey, so far he has not had any luck. As he walks he suddenly notices something, it's the Jonkeria rooting through the ferns likely looking for arthropods and small vertebrates to feed on. As the temperature has fallen the Jonkeria has begun to spend more and more time on land and once the water freezes over it will remain on the dry ground until next spring thaws out the ice. The Anteosaurus eyes the Jonkeria, normally he wouldn't even consider attacking such a large and dangerous prey item, but desperate times call for desperate measures. The male Anteosaurus readies himself as he begins to creep towards the Jonkeria.
At the moment the Jonkeria seems to be distracted and this is good for the male Anteosaurus, his best chance is to get ahold of the Jonkeria and deliver a swift neck bite before the Jonkeria has time to begin resisting. As he creeps closer, the Jonkeria sees him in the corner of its eye. The Jonkeria turns and bellows at the Anteosaurus, stopping him dead in his tracks. The Jonkeria, seeing an opportunity, turns and runs, heading for the lake. The Anteosaurus follows after it, while his best chance at a successful kill is no longer an option, he can still bring the Jonkeria down if he can get ahold of it.
The Anteosaurus quickly catches up to the Jonkeria and jumps on its back causing the Jonkeria to bellow in surprise and pain as his claws dig into its backside. The weight of the male Anteosaurus on its back, causes the Jonkeria's back legs to buckle and it sits down. The Anteosaurus looks for the neck bite as the Jonkeria turns and begins to snap at the Anteosaurus. The Anteosaurus jumps back, losing his grip as the Jonkeria jumps to its feet. The Jonkeria then goes on the offensive, snapping at the male Anteosaurus again.
The male Anteosaurus backs up and the Jonkeria seizes the opportunity and flees, heading for the lake once again. The Jonkeria reaches the water's edge, as the Anteosaurus grabs hold once again. Normally the Anteosaurus would have already given up, for the Jonkeria has the edge in the water, but he won't be cheated out of a meal so easily today. The Jonkeria grunts and growls, as it uses all of its strength to drag the Anteosaurus along as it desperately heads for deeper water. Its now or never for both animals.
The Jonkeria reaches a deeper part of the lake, as the Anteosaurus grip loosens as it begins to tire from the struggle, his meal is slipping away. The Jonkeria seizes the opportunity to attack once again as it whips around and bites into the Anteosaurus shoulder, its sharp teeth cutting deep into flesh. Blood seeps from the recently opened wound, as the Anteosaurus backs up. The Jonkeria seizes the opportunity once again and begins to head for the deepest part of the lake and it begins to swim away. The Anteosaurus watches his meal having escaped.
He heads back to the shoreline and heads for the conifers where he can lie down to lick his wounds. He has failed at making a kill today and if he doesn't find something soon the situation could turn dire for the Anteosaurus.
...
A few days later, another snow storm blows through the area, this time the sun does not melt it for the temperature has dropped too much for that to occur now. In response to the falling snow, the Bradysaurus prepares itself for hibernation, while its large size helps to keep it warm, its cold blooded nature means that even it can't survive outside during the harsh winter months and so it prepares for a long slumber, not to awaken until winter's end.
...
Not all animals hibernate or migrate in response to winter, some instead stay awake and tough it out, like the Simorhinella, currently the pack is feeding on a Moschops that died due to a respiratory illness. Nearby the Eriphostoma watches hungrily, waiting for the pack to eat their fill so he can move in, he must be cautious lest the pak end up trying to kill him. A loud bellow suddenly catches the pack's attention, as they spot the male Anteosaurus. The Anteosaurus smelt the kill and quickly tracked it down, he has grown weakened from the lack of food and his wound on his shoulder and he is making one last ditch attempt to get some food. The pack stand their ground, growling and snarling in response.
The Anteosaurus bellows in response to this. Normally the pack would retreat, but they can tell that he is in a weakened state and they are willing to challenge him under such circumstances. The pack circle their enemy snarling and making mock lunges, as the Anteosaurus attempts to face his rivals snapping at those who get too close. One of the Simorhinella charges in and bites the Anteosaurus leg causing him to bellow in pain as he turns and snaps at the smaller predator. Another Simorhinella jumps on his back and bites into it causing the Anteosaurus to roar out in pain.
As the battle unfolds, the Eriphostoma sneaks in and grabs one of the dead Moschops feet and runs off with his prize. Meanwhile the Anteosaurus has dislodged the Simorhinella that was on his back and now he sits down guarding his hindquarters as he snaps at the smaller predators. The Simorhinella continue to harass the Anteosaurus, their superior cardio allows them to fight for longer than the Anteosaurus, who is already feeling winded from the constant attacks. The Anteosaurus breathes heavily, as one of the Simorhinella nips his shoulder wound, causing him to bellow in pain once again. The alpha Simorhinella goes in for another attack, but he has gotten careless from his constant success.
As he goes in again, he mistimes his ponce and the Anteosaurus clamps down hard on the alpha Simorhinella's skill crushing it. The alpha goes limp, as the Anteosaurus drops him to the ground and leaves the body as the rest of the pack backs down and retreats. The Anteosaurus then walks up to the dead Moschops and begins to feed greedily on the carcass. He has won, but in the process he has sustained terrible wounds from the jaws of the Simorhinella and the Jonkeria bite mark has been reopened, his survival may still be in jeopardy. After finishing the carcass, he heads for his cave, it's a relatively short walk, taking about 2 hours.
He reaches the cave and heads into it, he then lies down and prepares to sleep.
...
Meanwhile the Simorhinella pack is in disarray, without their alpha the already tough winter months will be even harder, it remains to be seen what fate awaits them.
...
Soon fall turns to winter and the snowfall increases as the temperature continues to drop. Out on the fern prairies, thick snow covers what was once lush greenery. The lake meanwhile is covered in a thick layer of ice. Trudging through the snow, is the herd of Moschops, during the winter months these semi aquatic herbivores take up a more terrestrial mode of life. Traversing the snow can be quite difficult, as their huge bulk often causes them to sink into the thick layers.
Finding food is also rather difficult as most of it is buried beneath the thick layers. Luckily for the Moschops they have ways around this problem. Some use their powerful forelimbs to dig into the snow and access the hidden plants beneath, others take a different approach. The one plant that can still be found even during the depths of winter, are conifers. One of the Moschops heads over to one of the trees, but reaching the branches can prove tricky.
The Moschops rears up on its hind legs as it begins to feed on the branches, its powerful jaws and teeth easily harvesting the needles. One final struggle for the herd is finding water. Most of the water is currently frozen and all of the rain falls as snow at this time. To deal with this the Moschops often eat the snow, helping them to quench their thirst, it's not as good as actual water, but it'll help them through the harsh winter months. There is one more hazard that the Moschops have to face, predators and while the Anteosaurus may be hibernating, there are other deadly hunters.
Trailing the herd nearby, is the Simorhinella pack, they've been struggling with the death of their alpha. Walking with the pack is the young Simorhinella they've already gotten to a size where they can move with the adults, however, they do not yet participate in the hunts, instead they hang back and watch. At the moment the pack do not yet attack for the Moschops still seem healthy, however, they will grow weaker as winter continues on and that is when they will strike.
...
Nearby we find another animal that has remained active through the winter, it's the Eriphostoma. Currently his nose is leading him somewhere, for he has smelt food nearby. He walks through the trees following his nose and comes to a cave. Whatever food he smells is in there, but heading in is risky, for you never know who might be hibernating inside. In Spite of the risk, he heads inside quietly walking in.
It doesn't take long until he finds the source of the smell, the male Anteosaurus, it seems that the infection became too much for him and he died in his sleep. The Eriphostoma is quick to take advantage of this and he begins to feed on the dead Anteosaurus greedily. Even the greatest land predator of the entire Paleozoic is not invincible it seems for nature is uncaring and brutal, his body will serve as food for scavengers like the Eriphostoma now.
...
The months continue on and there is no sign of winter's end yet. Snow continues to fall, as the layers on the ground only grow thicker over time. As the snow continues to fall, we find the Jonkeria walking through the area, like the Moshops Jonkeria become terrestrial during the winter months as their lakes freeze over. As the Jonkeria walks, it comes across an interesting site. Its a mostly frozen stream, however, a pocket of water sits untouched by the ice.
While most standing water freezes over during the winter months, there are occasional pockets of standing water. The Jonkeria soon takes advantage of this as it begins to drink from the unfrozen water. This is likely the first standing water it has drunk from since winter began and while it is cold, it is still refreshing. After drinking its fill, it turns around and begins to look for a place to rest. The water the Jonkeria drank from will likely freeze over soon, for standing water doesn't usually last in the harsh winter conditions.
...
Days continue to pass and soon the winds begin to pick up as a strong blizzard hits the area. Blizzards like these are rough on the animals here as the strong winds scream through the trees throwing snow everywhere. Some animals like the Simorhinella and Eriphostoma seek shelter in caves, others meanwhile tough it out. The Moschops sit huddling together for warmth, as the blizzard hits the area with tremendous force. The blizzard itself lasts a few hours, but eventually it does die down.
...
The sun begins to peep out of the clouds, as the Simorhinella pack leave the cave they've been sheltering in. The young Simorhinella quickly start rolling around in the snow, happy to get their energy out after being trapped in the cave. Even some of the older individuals join in on the fun, as they also begin rolling around in the snow. Even in the harsh winter months, some animals can find enjoyment.
...
As the weeks continue to pass, there are now signs that winter may be ending soon. The days have begun to grow longer once again and the temperature has risen slightly, however, this rise is not enough to melt the thick layers of snow on the ground. On the frozen plains, we find the Moschops herd marching through the snow and nearby watching them is the Simorhinella pack. The pack is currently preparing for an attack on the herd. The harsh winter conditions have taken their toll on the herd and the Simorhinella can sense this.
The pack readies themselves to strike. The Moschops are still blissfully unaware of the danger as the Simorhinella watch and wait. After a short wait they strike, charging straight for the herd. The Moschops panic and flee, however, their heavy bulk makes traversing the thick snow difficult, by comparison the lighter Simorhinella can navigate said snow much more easily. They soon catch up to the herd and target an old female lagging behind the rest.
One of the Simorhinella runs ahead of the fleeing Moschops, intercepting its path. The Moschops steps back as the pack surrounds her. They begin to nip at her back legs causing her to bellow out in pain, normally she would charge them with her thick skull, however, the snow makes it nearly impossible for her to perform a successful charge. One of the Simorhinella jumps on her side, clawing into her skin, as it scales her to get to her back. The Moschops tries to hide her neck, as the Simorhinella looks to deliver a deadly bite.
The rest of the pack join in nipping at the Moschops legs, as the beast tries to dislodge the Simorhinella currently on its back. Soon the Mischops begins to tire and weaken. Seizing the opportunity the Simorhinella on its back delivers the throat bite, its sharp canines sinking in. The Moschops collapses and the pack begins to feed. The Moschops will last them for a week at least and without any Anteosaurus to challenge them, they have the kill mostly to themselves.
Of course mostly is the key word, as watching them from the treeline is the always eager Eriphostoma, once the pack leaves he will take his share of the kill. After eating their fill the pack heads off to rest their bellies full, even the more energetic youngsters are content to lie down and nap. With the pack gone, the Eriphostoma grabs his share of the carcass and scurries off.
...
As the days pass on, there is the scent of change in the air once again. The days have continued to grow longer and the temperature has continued to rise. As this occurs the ice and snow begin to melt. The melting of the snow and ice makes the ground slushy for a time. Meanwhile the frozen water also begins to melt as rivers and streams begin to flow freely once more.
It seems that winter has finally ended and emerging from their long slumbers are animals like Bradysaurus, Diictodon and Rhinesuchus. Meanwhile dormant plants begin to sprout once again. Meanwhile the Simorhinella rest in the sun, they have survived a tough winter without their alpha and yet they have made it regardless. As the sun continues to rise in the sky, they prepare themselves for another year in their kingdom.
...
The Middle Permian was a time of great diversity for the synapsids, with the dinocephalians in particular thriving during this time, however as the Mid Permian gave way to the latter part of the period, yet another extinction event occurred, the Capitanian Extinction. In what is now China about 260 million years ago a volcanic depression known as the Emeishan Traps would blow their top. This volcanic activity would wreak havoc on the animals of the region killing many animals and plants. In the immediate aftermath, enormous amounts of carbon dioxide would seep into the atmosphere causing global temperatures to rise. These rising temperatures would only increase the size of the great deserts of Pangea.
This would destroy valuable habitat for many animals. Meanwhile in the shallow seas great coral reefs would also be destroyed by rising temperatures, destroying even more valuable habitat. Also contributing to the harsh conditions would be anoxic conditions. By the end of all of this many ecosystems would be ravaged. In the seas brachiopods and goniatite ammonites would suffer tremendous losses, while they would pull through it would prove to be a rough patch for them.
While life in the sea would suffer losses, the effects to life on land would be far more drastic. Temnospondyls would suffer tremendous losses as their habitats would continue to be ravaged, while they would pull through once again, the extinction would be another rough spot for them. The biggest losses would be for the dinocephalians, the destruction of their habitats would lead to their rapid extinction at the end of the Mid Permian. The extinction of the dinocephalians would open the door for other animals. The pareiasaurs like Bradysaurus would thrive in the new hotter climate and diversify, becoming the biggest terrestrial herbivores in the absence of the dinocephalians.
Dicynodonts would also diversify, with some leaving the burrowing lifestyle behind as they grew into pig sized grazers of the fern plains. A final group of animals to take charge would be the gorgonopsids and the therocephalians who would grow in size and diversity with many genera becoming apex predators. The Late Permian seemed destined to lead to the rise of more derived synapsids and as it continued on life would seem to thrive. The rising temperatures would lead to the end of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age 255 million years ago with the last of the glaciers melting. It seemed that life would bounce back once again, however, as the Permian and by extension of the Paleozoic Era ended 252 million years ago, a final event would close out the period an event that would be the greatest extinction event in Earth's history, an event that dwarfed even the later event that wiped out the dinosaurs millions of years later, The Great Dying.
Trivia
This episode is based off of the Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone.
The title of this episode is a reference to WWM final episode's name.
I considered adding in Styracocephalus, however, its presence ultimately felt superfluous to the story and it bloated the roster hence why it was cut.
I considered having the male Anteosaurus battle another male, however, this scene was cut as it felt forced and unnecessary.
I considered having Robertia instead of Diictodon, however, I went with Diictodon as it seems to be a bit more well researched than Robertia.
I used a combination of lions and wolves, for the behavior of the Simorhinella.
The fight between the Anteosaurus and the Simorhinella pack, was heavily inspired by wolves and bears fighting over carcasses.
The Jonkera fight, was heavily inspired by hippos fighting.
We are now fast approaching the end of season 1, with only 3 episodes left and I think you all know what the next episode will be about so stay tuned.