The World of Kong
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The World Of Kong: A Natural History Of Skull Island is a 2005 encyclopedic book which was made for the release of Peter Jackson's King Kong. The book tells all about King Kong's world. It talks about everything on the fictional Skull Island, from the Dinosaurs to the plants of Kong's world.
[edit] Plot summary
The book starts off with "Project Legacy", the name of a series of expeditions guided by movie producer Carl Denham to explore the natural flora and fauna of Skull Island, the famed home of the giant ape, King Kong. These fictional expeditions lasted from 1935 until 1948, when the island sank beneath the ocean caused by a massive earthquake. These expeditions are recorded in the book, The World of Kong: A Natural History of Skull Island.
Reeling from several lawsuits caused by Kong's rampage, Denham was able to save himself by selling Kong's body, along with the potential film rights. He then agreed to work as a guide and charter for the expeditions that followed over the next decade.
Revealing as it did the existence of a Lost World, Kong's rampage in the 1933 Manhattan Incident shook the scientific world to its core. Several expeditious groups of scientists from universities and private organizations immediately set out to explore the island's secrets. However, only a handful of the two dozen early expeditions made landfall on the island. And of these, half were woefully unprepared for the terrors the island had in store for them. According to excerpts from "World of Kong", the men referred to it as, "That hell of a jungle," where "...Man is no predator here; he is PREY," and "Exploring that pit was like overturning stones in Hades."
Most were swallowed up by Skull Island's craggy rocks and dense, dark jungles, as well as the fearsome reptilian predators that called that phantasmagorical place home. The massive losses were a tragedy to the scientific community, and few people sought to set foot on the cursed island after this series of events.
However, all hope of exploring the island was not lost. In 1935, an expedition funded and organized by the three biggest interested concerns, and led by the experienced Carl Denham, set out to systematically explore and catalogue the island. Their stated goal was to document and study the various species of prehistoric animals living in this lost world. However, the most important thing learned from this first expedition was the fact that the island was far more dangerous and intricate than previously believed. (Also, confirmed during this expedition was that Kong was the very last of the giant gorillas.) Dozens of new species and behavior were observed every day. It soon became painfully clear that decades of study would only scratch the surface of this ecologically abundant locale.
During the second expedition, in fall 1936, it became apparent how fragile the island itself was. A giant earthquake shook one part of the island, killing five expedition members. Geologists discovered soon afterwards that the island was extremely tectonically unstable, and was doomed to continue to sink into the sea.
At least four Project Legacy expeditions were carried out, before World War II halted all further expeditions. After the war's end, a new expedition was not organized and dispatched until early 1948.
However, before the new expedition's arrival, another tremendous earthquake (of Richter scale 9.2) was detected hitting Skull Island, ripping it to pieces and sinking the remainder of the island below sea level, drowning away the incredibly diverse ecosystem, and all the organisms that had evolved there.
The book, The World of Kong, as well as the physical remains of Kong himself, are all that remain from this stunning lost world.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Aciedactylus mandocaris
Aciedactylus mandocaris (Sharp-edge-fingers devour-crab) is a fictional dinosaur described in the 2005 book The World of Kong, an encyclopedia about the ecology of Skull Island as depicted in the 2005 remake of King Kong.
Aciedactylus is a bipedal creature with a heavy looking brown body, reaching a length of 12 to 15 feet (3,60 to 4,50 m). Its arms, thin and fragile looking in comparison to the rest of the body, sport three fingers, two of which bear long claws. The third is small and rudimentary. Aciedactylus mainly uses its claws for self defense. Its typical theropod skull has powerful jaws filled with strong teeth adapted for breaking through hard shells, and also has a pair of pointy eyebrow-like crests. These crests feature a second set of nostrils.
Aciedactylus lives in swamps and estuaries, feeding on shellfish. Its broad, splay-toed feet prevent it from sinking into the soft mud it traverses on. When feeding, Aciedactylus can keep its head submerged indefinitely, closing its front nostrils and breathing through the secondary pair in its crests. The crests are also used for communication; they act like resonating chambers, producing booming trumpet sounds which can be heard from a considerable distance.
[edit] Ambulaquasaurus
Ambulaquasaurus cristarufus ('Red-crested water-walking lizard') is a fictional dinosaur described in the 2005 book The World of Kong, an encyclopedia about the ecology of Skull Island as depicted in the 2005 remake of King Kong. Though related to the vicious hunter Venatosaurus saevidicus, Ambulaquasaurus is a less threatening fish eater.
Ambulaquasaurus is an olive-green bipedal theropod of about 10-14 feet (3-4,25 m) long. It is lightly built, which, along with its long, muscular legs and grasping forelimbs, betrays its dromaeosaurid ancestry. The skull, however, is markedly different from its ancestors and adapted for catching fish- the jaws are long and practically toothless except for forward-facing, needle-like teeth at the front. These are ideal for catching fish and resemble those of the fish-eating gharial from Asia. Ambulaquasaurus also has several thin, orange crests on its skull and back, which look slightly similar to the dorsal fins of some fish (although they are not real fins). Their function is unknown; they might play a role in communication
Thanks to their size, Ambulaquasaurus are powerful enough to hunt in deeper, faster-flowing river sections where the current is too strong for smaller fish eaters. They often pick shadowy spots (under cliffs, for instance) which reduce the glare (reflected sunlight) on the water. Also, their eyes are also adapted to minimize the glare's effect on the accuracy of their vision. Ambulaquasaurus has also learned the timing of the migration of the Sparkleside fish (Miocallum)- when these fish travel from the estuaries near Skull Island's shores to the inland pools where they spawn, several Ambulaquasaurus will certainly be on their path.
[edit] Adlapsusaurus
Adlapsusaurus ('Sneaky lizard') is a fictional dinosaur described in the 2005 book The World of Kong, an encyclopedia about the ecology of Skull Island as depicted in the 2005 remake of King Kong.
Adlapsusaurus is a theropod with a semi-quadrupedal posture, running on its hind legs but dropping to all fours when resting. When doing so, the creature walks on its knuckles. Adlapsusaurus is brightly colored, with red tones on its back, head and arms. It also has two red crests on its head, positioned right after each other. They are probably used for communication.
Adlapsusaurus is a specialized egg thief. Venatosaurus saevidicus often protect their eggs by urinating near the nest; the urine's pungent smell drives most egg thieves away. However, Adlapsusaurus is actually attracted to the smell because it indicates the presence of a meal. Usually, it quickly snatches an egg away and flees to eat it before the dangerous parents can catch it.
[edit] Arachno-Claw
Arachno-Claw, correctly called Arachnocidis (Spider-Claw), are fictional, oversized arthropods from the 2005 movie King Kong. They live in the caves branching off from the main chasm. They live there until their antennae sense that something has fallen into their domain. They have 6 legs that are used to walk, and another 2, greatly shortened, legs that are used to rip prey to pieces.
They have very strange life cycle that begins with the parents laying microscopic eggs in the carrion they eat. Most are either killed by other carrion-eaters or drowned in the slop that sits in the bottom of the pit, but a few are ingested by Carnictis. There, they live out their first few years as parasites, until they are old enough to leave and join their parents in the abyss.
[edit] Asperdorsus
Asperdorsus bellator (Rough-back warrior) is a fictional dinosaur described in the 2005 book The World of Kong, an encyclopedia about the ecology of Skull Island as depicted in the 2005 remake of King Kong.
[edit] Physical appearance
Asperdorsus is a sauropod, related to the giant Brontosaurus baxteri. It is smaller, reaching lengths of 36 to 42 feet (11,90-12,70 m), which is small compared to other sauropods but large for a jungle animal. It has a typical sauropod appearance- a long neck and tail, a small head and elephantine legs. However, it also has less conventional features, such as sharp spikes on its back and under its neck, supported by vertebrae. There are also some small spikes under the base of the tail, but these are not directly attached to the local vertebrae. These spikes bear resemblance to those of the real life prehistoric sauropod Amargasaurus. They are used in self defense.
[edit] Behavior
Unlike the plains-dwelling Brontosaurus baxteri, Asperdorsus lives in the thick forest. Despite its size it has little trouble moving through the jungle, thanks to its narrow body. Because of its unusually large size for a forest animal it can graze at much greater heights than other forest herbivores, effectively eliminating any competition. Unlike prehistoric sauropods, Asperdorsus is a solitary animal, only gathering in the breeding season. The animals find each other using low-frequency rumbles produced in their stomachs. Males try to impress females by destroying as much jungle vegetation as possible and making as much noise as they can.
[edit] Brontosaurus baxteri
Brontosaurus baxteri ('Baxter's thunder lizard') is a fictional dinosaur described in the 2005 book The World of Kong, an encyclopedia about the ecology of Skull Island as depicted in the 2005 remake of King Kong. It also appears in the 2005 film, trampling several of Carl Denham's expedition members in a stampede deliberately caused by hunting Venatosaurus saevidicus, and in the 2005 video game adaptation of the movie. They roam the lowlands with the Skull Island hadrosaur.
[edit] Name
Although the creature is fictional, its name is not: Brontosaurus was an official dinosaur genus from 1879 to 1903. In 1903 it was discovered that Brontosaurus remains actually belonged to the genus Apatosaurus. Because this genus was described earlier (in 1877), it replaced Brontosaurus as the official name. Brontosaurus continued to be a popular synonym, which is probably why the creators of The World of Kong chose to use the name for this creature. The species name, baxteri, is a tribute to Bruce Baxter, a character in the 2005 remake, who is a popular actor.
[edit] Biology
Brontosaurus baxteri is the biggest creature on Skull Island and rivals its prehistoric sauropod ancestors in size. Adults can reach lengths of 80-120 feet (24-36 m), enabling the herbivorous creatures to graze at heights that no other Skull Island plant-eater can even begin to reach. Physically, the creatures are virtually identical to prehistoric sauropods- they have massive, elephantine legs, long necks sporting small heads, and powerful tails used for self defense (although few predators dare to attack fully grown adults).
Unlike prehistoric sauropods, Brontosaurus baxteri give birth to live young that, much like baby mammals, can walk within hours after birth. This, coupled with protection from every older herd member, greatly increases the infants' chances of survival. Because the massive herbivores could easily destroy Skull Island's vegetation and thereby the delicate ecosystem, their numbers are kept in check by a slow reproduction rate. Brontosaurus often create game trails in forests, leaving a path of demolished trees which other herbivores previously held back by the thick vegetation can now pass.
Female Brontosaurus leave the herd when they mature, preventing inbreeding. They join other herds while the males stay to defend the herd. The herds are lead by an adult bull which produces pheromones which stop younger males from reaching (sexual) maturity, making the bull the herd's only reproductive male.
During feeding, the herds often separate. In order to stay in touch with each other, the members communicate by stomping on the ground, producing vibrations which are carried far enough for all members to sense them. Individuals feeding on the outskirts of the herds often serve as sentries, warning the other creatures of predator attacks.
Ironically, the only threat of attack came from an animal much smaller than it - the venatosaur. Rather than strength, Skull island raptors hunted using intelligence. Members of herds would strategically reveal themselves, as seen in the 2005 remake of King Kong, and stampede them down narrow canyons in order to cause critical or fatal injury. Although, in the video game a Vastatosaurus Rex is shown to have killed one of them before it comes hunting for the humans.
[edit] Diablosaurus
Diablosaurus rufus ('Red devil lizard') is a fictional dinosaur described in the 2005 book The World of Kong, an encyclopedia about the ecology of Skull Island as depicted in the 2005 remake of King Kong.
[edit] Physical appearance
Diablosaurus is a large quadrupedal herbivore of about 20-25 feet (6-7,50 m) long, standing up to 11,5 feet (3,50 m) tall. It looks very mammalian in appearance, having stout, hoofed feet, a short tail and a head very similar to that of bovines. Unique in dinosaurs, it has flexible, muscular lips. Its rust-colored head sports two large, blunt horns which are the largest in males. Occasionally, a Diablosaurus has three horns. On the neck and back, Diablosaurus has armored plating consisting of large knobbly spikes and smaller, mosaic-like scutes. Overall, the creature resembles a rhinoceros.
[edit] Ancestry
If the creature's strikingly mammalian looks aren't strange enough, its descendance surely is- Diablosaurus descends from the sauropod group. These creatures, for instance Brachiosaurus, Diplodocus and Skull Island's Brontosaurus baxteri, are well-known for their size, long necks and tails, and elephantine legs. Diablosaurus has a short tail and neck and, while certainly not a small animal, is not nearly as big as most sauropods. Its armored plating suggests that it might have evolved from the Titanosauridae family- some titanosaurids had armored plating on their back, very similar to Diablosaurus's.
[edit] Behavior
Adult Diablosaurs are fairly safe from predator attacks, but youngsters are not, so the adults often protect them. Despite this, it is not a very social animal, primarily forming small groups with direct relatives or partners. Especially males are known to live solitary. It's possible that the animals identify each other using the configuration of their horns and armored plating, which seems to differ greatly between animals (it may even be unique in each specimen).
[edit] Discus
Discus ora ('Coast discus') is a fictional lizard described in the 2005 book The World of Kong, an encyclopedia about the ecology of Skull Island as depicted in the 2005 remake of King Kong.
Discus is a green lizard of 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm) long. Highly similar to the real life Draco lizard (though unrelated), it has developed the ability to glide using 'wings' consisting of flaps of skin supported by highly elongated ribs. Discus takes its name after the shape of these 'wings'. It also has flat protrusions on the sides of its head, serving as secondary 'wings'. Also, it has two small horns above its eyes and a small one under its chin, all consisting of an elongated, enlarged scute.
Discus live on Skull Island's coastal cliffs, gliding between rocks. Fast and fairly agile, they often use their gliding ability to chase insects and avoid their chief predators, gulls.
[edit] Dragonskin
The Dragonskin (Varanus dracopellis) is a fictional monitor lizard described in the 2005 book The World of Kong, an encyclopedia about the ecology of Skull Island as depicted in the 2005 remake of King Kong. Its genus name, Varanus, is the actual genus name for real life monitor lizards.
[edit] Biology
Dragonskins look like typical monitor lizards, with a long tail, long toes with sharp claws, a relatively long neck and a forked tongue identical to a snake's. Although The World of Kong doesn't mention it, it can be presumed they also have a Jacobson's organ, just like other monitor lizards. They are 2-3 feet (60-90 cm) long. What makes Dragonskins unique among their relative is their coloration- they have a beautiful red and black color scheme, whereas other monitor lizards are generally far less colorful. Even more unique, Dragonskins have a sail on their neck which continues onto their back. Its function is not explained; possibly it is for communication (it is also brightly colored) and/or warming up in the sun.
Dragonskins are excellent climbers and often scale the rocky cliffs of Skull Island's coast, eating bird eggs and small creatures.
[edit] Descendance
Dragonskins are thought to have arrived on Skull Island just recently, based on the many similarities they still have with their ancestors. Like most new species arriving on islands, they probably came as accidental passengers on natural rafts consisting of driftwood or vegetation clustered together.
[edit] Ferrucutus
Ferrucutus cerastes ('Horned iron-hide') is a fictional dinosaur described in the 2005 book The World of Kong, an encyclopedia about the ecology of Skull Island as depicted in the 2005 remake of King Kong. It also makes a small cameo in the 2005 movie, drinking from a lake at the bottom of the mountain where King Kong's lair is, and is featured more prominently in a scene in the Extended Cut, in which it attacks several members of the rescue party before being shot to near death, similarly to the Stegosaurus scene from the first film.
[edit] Physical appearance
Ferrucutus is a descendant of the Ceratopsidae family which includes creatures such as the famous Triceratops. It is about 24-34 feet (7,30-10,30 m) long and stands about 10 feet (3 m) tall. Physically it greatly resembles its ancestors- it has a stout, powerful body with strong, elephantine legs. The basic layout of the skull is also similar- it consists of a powerful, parrot-like beak capable of slicing through tough vegetation, horns on the head (including rudimentary cheek spikes) and a large frill at the back of the head which has two large openings in it, covered by skin (these become brightly colored during the mating season). However, like all ceratopsian genuses, Ferrucutus has its own unique array of horns. It has far more than other species- two medium-sized ones and several more smaller ones sprout from the snout, and the crest also sports several large horns, similar to the extinct ceratopsian Styracosaurus. Between the nasal horns, Ferrucutus has a bony bulge, similar to Pachyrhinosaurus. Bulls have the longest horns, and they increase in length by age. The two small horns facing towards each other atop the crest often cross each other in old males. The Ferrucutus resembles an Achelousaurus with some spikes on its face.
[edit] Behavior
Ferrucutus are herbivores, grazing in small herds. They often use their horns to uproot trees with leaves too high to reach otherwise (cycads, for example). The horns are also used by males in the breeding season; they often fight with each other over the females' attention, interlocking their horns and pushing each other with full force. Injuries and deaths are not uncommon. The horns are also used to intimidate and sometimes attack predators. Coupled with the creature's aggression, these formidable weapons cause many predators, even the mighty Vastatosaurus rex, to think twice before attacking adult Ferrucutus. When one does attack, the herd forms a protective circle around the youngsters, effectively shielding them from any possible attack.
[edit] Ligocristus
Ligocristus (meaning Hoe-crest) is a fictional dinosaur living on Skull Island in the 2005 adaptation of King Kong. It can grow up to 8 to 10 meters (26-34 feet) long. It was the most numerous large herbivore on Skull Island. Like parasaurolophus and saurolophus, it had a long crest pointing backwards. It was inspired by the "sprintosaurs", which are works of Dougal Dixon.
[edit] Lycaesaurus kirkii
Lycaesaurus kirkii (Kirk's wolf lizard) is a fictional reptile described in the 2005 book The World of Kong, an encyclopedia about the ecology of Skull Island as depicted in the 2005 remake of King Kong.
Lycaesaurus are brown quadrupeds reaching 4-5 feet (1.20-1.50 m) in length. Having descended from mammal-like reptiles, they have several mammalian traits such as multiple types of teeth (canines, incisors, etc.). Overall their build resembles that of a wolf, earning them their name. They look highly similar to the Permian mammal-like reptile Lycaenops, a gorgonopsid synapsid, but was larger.
Lycaesaurus are intelligent hunters living in homagamous pairs, digging burrows lined with dry vegetation where they leave their young. Opportunistic predators, Lycaesaurus prey on anything smaller than themselves and often follow larger carnivores, scavenging from their meals or using their attacks on herds for cover, snatching away unguarded young amidst the chaos.
[edit] Nefundusaurus
Nefundusaurus acerbus (Troublesome abominable lizard) is a fictional reptile described in the 2005 book The World of Kong, an encyclopedia about the ecology of Skull Island as depicted in the 2005 remake of King Kong.
[edit] Physical appearance
It is a quadrupedal, green/blue colored creature reaching lengths of 16-24 feet (4,85-7,30 m), standing up to about 6 feet (1,80 m) tall. Descending from archosaurs, it looks highly similar to the Rauisuchidae family, especially the large species Postosuchus and Saurosuchus. Nefundusaurus has some crocodylian scutes on its back and small, angular crests above its eyes. Its relatively short jaws have an odd shape- the upper jaw is very high and massive, whereas the lower jaw is quite low and weak looking (similar to the dinosaur Carnotaurus). Nevertheless, they are capable of delivering mean, powerful bites, even breaking through the armor of turtles and shellfish.
[edit] Behavior
Nefundusaurus are coastal scavengers occasionally ambushing live prey like seals. When scavenging, they are not shy of using their size to intimidate smaller predators, stealing their kill. Their acute sense of smell, caused by a very large olfactory canal, helps them find their meals, which are mostly the beached, rotting cadavers of sea creatures.
[edit] Megaprimatus kong
The Megaprimatus kong is an extinct species of giant gorillas.
[edit] Physical Appearance
Megaprimatus kong have same body shape as the gorillas, as well as hair colour.
[edit] Behavior
Megaprimatus kong enemies are the Vastatosaurus rex and even Venatosaurus, will even hunt and kill adult Megaprimatus kong,although they have little chance of winning. Dominant male will defend it family against intruders, just like the silverback gorilla. Males also have a silver hair on their backs.
Scissor-Head
The Scissor-head (Axiciacephalus curio) is a fictional reptile described in the 2005 book The World of Kong, an encyclopedia about the ecology of Skull Island as depicted in the 2005 remake of King Kong.
Physical appearance Scissor-heads are wading swamp hunters similar to herons. Though flightless, they have descended from pterosaurs, a group of flying reptiles related to dinosaurs. Their hind legs are much longer than their ancestors', and their wings have been reduced to useless flaps. The short, stiff tail is used for balance when fishing. The Scissor-head's only pterosaur-like feature is its long beak, lined with needle teeth.
Scissor-heads are about 3-4 feet (90 cm-1,20 m) long and also about that tall.
Hunting Scissor-heads hunt like herons, snatching fish from the water with their beaks. Occasionally, they dive down to chase prey, remaining buoyant thanks to specialized organs in their tail and body and using their powerful legs to swim. Their nostrils have sphincters, allowing them to be closed while diving. While swimming, Scissor-heads draw blood from the exterior of the body, retaining heat for longer periods of time
[edit] Tree-tops
The Tree-tops (Sylvaceratops) is a fictional dinosaur described in the 2005 book The World of Kong, an encyclopedia about the ecology of Skull Island as depicted in the 2005 remake of King Kong.
[edit] Physical appearance
The Tree-tops descends from ceratopsians like Triceratops and is related to Skull Island's Ferrucutus. It is smaller than most prehistoric species, measuring 12-16 feet (3,60-4,85 m) in length and standing up to 7 feet (2,10 m) tall. The Tree-tops's legs are unusually long for a ceratopsian, and sport large hooves. The outer toes have become rudimentary, not touching the ground. Overall they are similar to horse legs, especially those of the prehistoric species Mesohippus. Tree-tops lack large horns, only sporting a small blunt one on their snout and some ridges above their eyes. The creature's generic ceratopsian frill has some knobbly protrusions, but otherwise lacks horns and is fairly long and narrow. Overall, the skull is similar to that of the primitive prehistoric ceratopsian Protoceratops.
[edit] Behavior
While Ferrucutus rely more on brute force in self defense and often stand their ground when under attack, sometimes even retaliating against predators, Tree-tops always flee, relying on speed. This is different in breeding times, though bulls aggressively defend their mates' eggs from potential threats. Similar to Ferrucutus, Tree-tops live in small herds with bulls coexisting peacefully outside the breeding season. During the breeding season, the skin covering the openings in the bulls' frills is colored elaborately. Males use this to compete for female attention, sometimes also attempting to topple each other in pushing contests.
Tree-tops feed on shrubs and other low vegetation, and also show a liking to fallen fruit and nuts. Mysteriously, the creatures are somehow able to sense when and where ripe fruit will fall several days in advance, waiting under the tree in question until it does.
[edit] Vastatosaurus rex
main article:v-rex
Vastatosaurus rex (Ravager-Lizard King) is a fictional, larger relative of Tyrannosaurus rex, and a monstrous predator of the lowlands of the fictional Skull Island, featured in the 2005 film King Kong.
[edit] History
Since the evolution of dinosaurs never stopped on Skull Island, the Tyrannosaurus rex kept evolving into a bigger, scarier, more vicious beast called Vastatosaurus rex. As shown in The World of Kong, the skull evolved over time to be thicker and bulkier, giving them extra protection. They also became larger by at least 10 feet, and developed an extra finger on their arms which acts as a thumb. It is possible that the extra finger allowed the V. rex to pin down food. Ever since they evolved, Vastatosaurus has been in conflict with Megaprimatus kong who are a giant species of gorillas. V. rex has always threatened the mighty but more peaceful primates who are herbivorous. While Kong is able to defeat three Vastatosaurs, others of his species appear to not to have been so fortunate. Kong is the last of his species, leaving us to assume his relatives fell victim to the Vastatosaurs and/or other island predators. Unfortunately, he is captured by humans, and eventually dies in the United States, thus sending Kong's species into extinction and leaving the Vastatosaurs with no natural rivals. According to The World of Kong: A Natural History of Skull Island', V. rex could break into sprints of up to 25 mph (40 km/h) over short distances.
[edit] Appearance
Vastatosaurus are large carnivorous theropod dinosaurs, about 40-50 feet long and 20-25 feet tall. They had blackish blue scales, but a pale yellow underbelly. They had small arms, only about 3 feet long, and were heavily armoured. While Tyrannosaurs had 2 claws on their arms, Vastatosaurus had 3, which helped them pin dead prey to their body when dragging it to a place to eat. The feet of V. rex were very large in order to walk effectively on the broken and uneven volcanic terrain of Skull Island. The bones in the hips were also much narrower than T. rex making it more agile and "snake-like" to navigate through dense foliage. Narrow, short rib cages and a large gap between the ribs and the hips also helped the creature's flexibility. Their skulls were shorter but a lot stronger and more heavily reinforced than a T. rex, and were made for ramming into rivals and prey, crushing bone with a bite force of around 5.5 tons. These carnivores were at the top of the food chain, with their only natural rivals being the apes of Kong's species and each other.
[edit] Life cycle
The females lay their eggs in large mounds of decomposing leaf litter. The natural decomposition heats the eggs, allowing the mother to hunt as she needs. She will periodically return to urinate on it, warming it more.
[edit] Juvenile Vastatosaurs
The eggs hatch in a few months, and the hatchlings are already capable of hunting on their own. They form groups of similar-aged animals for protection, but they do not hunt with the sophistication of Venatosaurus saevidicus. They start out hunting insects, but gradually start hunting bigger and bigger prey. Death was likely, and attrition was fierce. Only the strongest and smartest made it to puberty.
On the onset of puberty, the dinosaurs leave the deep jungle to go to the lowlands of the island. There they steal carrion from the elder creatures. The young might try to take territory from the older animals, or they might follow the older pairs, watching them hunt and stealing a kill.
These versions of V. rex are only seen in the King Kong video game. They seem to be near adulthood but can be killed by humans. They also aren't very big in size, leaving one to believe they are around their teenage years although in the game it was clear that they weren't hunting with their parents which means they were becoming more independent.
[edit] Adult life
When they became adults, they would hunt animals like Ligocristus (a hadrosaur, probably descended from Parasaurolophus) and young Ferrucutus (a ceratopsian probably descended from Triceratops). The sheer size and power of the Vastatosaurs meant that, apart from each other, they only had one natural enemy - the giant apes of Kong's species, Megaprimatus kong, who used massive strength, superior agility and intelligence - their greatest advantages - to subdue their foes. In fact, the Vastatosaurus's most effective weapon, its large, powerful jaws, could be a big weakness when battling one of the giant apes if the rex was pinned to the ground. Despite this, battles between the two species could be incredibly violent and well-matched, with both taking the opportunity to target the unprotected young of the other whenever they could, in order to eliminate future threats.
Their territory ranged over a well-defined area, to avoid competition, but there were times when they fought. This was not usually physical, however, but usually consisted of roaring and intimidation. When this didn't work, violence invariably erupted. Older males had many scars from such battles.
Males usually had large, open territories. Females had territories on the fringe between grasslands and jungle, where they had spots to lay their eggs. During the mating season, males left their territory and sought out a mate.
They used ambush techniques, as they were too large to run down all but the slowest prey. The greatest challenge was not being seen, but their black scales helped hide them in the shadows. These scales also helped warm the carnivore up, providing extra energy and an advantage over the cold, slow herbivores. They were also heavy duty scavengers where they could take carrion, using their massive size to scare other scavengers off. An incredibly acidic stomach allowed them to devour even the most putrid meat.
[edit] References
Weta Workshop. The World of Kong: A Natural History of Skull Island. New York: Pocket Books, 2005. Pages 62-67, 137-139.
[edit] Venatosaurus saevidicus
main article:venatosaurusVenatosaurus saevidicus (Furious Hunter-Lizard) is a fictional dinosaur that measured around 16-24 feet in length and appeared in the 2005 remake of King Kong. There, the dinosaurs are seen herding Brontosaurus off a cliff. They also kill Carl Denham's cameraman.
[edit] Adaptations
According to the book The World of Kong, the Venatosaurs had several special adaptations that made them capable hunters in the jungle interior. One was mobile hips, allowing them to swivel out further and increase the animal's agility. Though their hips decreased the Venatosaurus' speed, it made them more agile in the twisted jungle. It also allowed it to duck under even lower cover, in order to hide more effectively.
The eyes were moved up on the head, allowing it to peer over cover while remaining hidden. The pupils are like a cat's, slitted and able to dilate to let in more light while hunting in the dark jungle.
The rib cage was reduced in length but deepened, allowing more flexibility but with no loss of lung capacity, a mammal-like adaptation. It also allowed more muscle, providing a better grip on prey.
[edit] Intelligence and social structure
The Venatosaurus' intelligence helped it learn to use its environment to its advantage. They used the broken ruins, for example, when herding Brontosaurs. Certain animals revealed themselves to the herd, driving them down a road while others went around the ruins. They would then attack, and with this tactic, it took fewer hunters to accomplish the same job.
The Venatosaurs were found mainly in the jungle regions. Vastatosaurus Rex would kill them, given the chance, so the Venatosaurus packs would normally stay away from the lowland regions. Packs with territory bordering the lowlands would sometimes journey into these areas, but only at night.
Venatosaurs were intelligent and social carnivores, hunting in packs of 6-12 animals. Coordinating their attacks with impressive cunning, they developed tactics to deal with specific animals. It was the only species that preyed on adult Brontosaurus baxteri (something not even V-Rexes would do). Success would lead to kills the whole pack could share for a week or more. As well as Brontosaurus, they hunted animals such as Asperdorsus, Tree-tops and even Diablosaurus.
The pack was the key to their success. Their intelligence minimized competition, and allowed for an amazing level of coordination. Alpha pairs dominated packs, but they were not the only pair that mated. Venatosaurs were born live, with the chicks gaining their parent's rank. They lived in a nest that was normally underneath excavated tree roots, and were guarded by a low-ranking Venatosaur at all times.
[edit] Lineage
Venatosaurus saevidicus is related to 2 other species on Skull Island, as well as the likely descendants of Velociraptor, Utahraptor, or Deinonychus. Venatosaurus impavidus (Indomitable Hunter-Lizard) was a smaller species in the same genus which hunted in the valleys. A closely related species was the fishing Ambulaquasaurus cristarufus, a dinosaur about 10-14 feet long that ate fish in the rapids of Skull Island's Rivers.
[edit] Bibliography
Weta Workshop. The World of Kong: A Natural History of Skull Island. New York: Pocket Books, 2005. Pages 128-135.
[edit] Vultursaur
The Vultursaur (Vultursaurus) is a fictional reptile described in the 2005 book The World of Kong, an encyclopedia about the ecology of Skull Island as depicted in the 2005 remake of King Kong.
Although it is very similar to a pterosaur, the Vultursaur is actually a theropod dinosaur- this is an example of parallel evolution. The wings are identical to a bat's, consisting of skin spanned between strongly elongated 'wing fingers', with two normal wings located at the front. This design is also similar to pterosaur wings, although these have only one wing finger. The Vultursaur also has a short tail and powerful, birdlike hind legs with an opposable toe. Its fearsome looking head sports large eyes and eardrums, and needle-toothed jaws ending in a small beak.
As indicated by its large eyes and eardrums, the Vultursaur is nocturnal, living in Skull Island's dark ravines where it roosts during the day. At night, it emerges to hunt insects in great numbers. Vultursaurs are not great fliers, but fly well enough to catch their prey. They are heavily preyed upon by other ravine-dwelling species - a single Deplector can eat several dozen a night - but their huge numbers protect them from extinction.
[edit] Weta-Rex
Weta-Rex is a fictional insect from the 2005 remake of King Kong.
Properly called Deinacrida rex ("Terrible-Grasshopper King"), they are about 2-3 feet long, and hunt in large packs. They are distantly related to the Weta of New Zealand, but they are vicious carnivores. They live in the chasms and caves of the island, and live mostly on the walls. They prefer to stay away from the base of the pit and they greatly dislike light. They overwhelm prey with their vast numbers and rip them to pieces with their powerful mandibles.
In the film, a pack of Weta-rexes swarm all over Jack, trying to subdue him before they tear him apart. Jimmy shoots them all without harming Jack.
(The use of a weta-like creature is an in-joke - Peter Jackson uses Weta Workshop for the effects in many of his films, including King Kong).
