Manothronax

Manothronax dinychus was a large theropod dinosaur known from the late Iridaceous period of western Rathnir. One of the largest predatory dinosaurs currently known to science, Manothronax was also one of the first known dinosaurs described by the Rathnir Paleontological Society and as such its skull is featured on the logo.
== Taxonomy and Naming ==
The name Manothronax dinychus comes from Old Viodoxan, though the exact meaning as intended by the species' describer is lost to time. The suffix -thronax is a variation of "onax" meaning "king" or "master", and the species name refers to the two-clawed hand the creature bore. However, the Mano- part of the name may refer to "porous" as the type specimen featured large visible blood vessels, or to the hand of the creature itself.
Taxonomically, paleontologists classify Manothronax as a theropod dinosaur, belonging specifically to the clade Venatopoda with the other large theropods. Other dissenting scientists classify Manothronax and its kin as a large parvopod, belonging to the clade of typically smaller bird-like theropods. Its closest known relative is Glaciesaurus, a similar albeit smaller predator from even further north. Together these two and their relatives exist in the family Dinychidae.
== Discovery and Description ==
Manothronax is known from multiple geologic formations across Syltör. Originally found in the Bjornsull Formation of Nebskoslavia, later finds have uncovered additional specimens in the Ostron Formation of Aurlûnor and a few associated teeth in various locations across Andorn and Bardonia. Some authors have suggested that the Aurlûnoren specimens belong to a new species, Manothronax ostroni; other authors have argued otherwise.
Manothronax was a large theropod, and one of the largest; only the earlier Audalosuchus and Torvodontosaurus are known to have been larger. Measuring at around 12 meters long and nearly 4 meters tall, Manothronax was not only large but very robust. Its skull was very compact, with banana-sized serrated teeth and a small bony crest or "crown" above each eye socket. Like other members of its family, it bore only two fingers on each hand. Its legs were long, but scientists are still debating wether or not it was fast enough to run at high speeds. The implications of its potential top speed may suggest a mode of predation- wether or not Manothronax was an active pursuit predator or an ambush predator.
== Ecology ==
When Manothronax lived in Syltör about 71 to 69 million years ago, the temperate climate of today was not present; instead, the region was much more lush, with large forests of mixed broadleaf and conifer trees. Many of the environments that fossils from that time are preserved in resemble the modern swamp forests of Nir Province, Aurlûnor- notably in the freshwater portions of the Ha Anga Bayou. However, most of what is known of the highland regions is that they were fern prairies, with scattered stands of palmetto, magnolia, poplar, and ginkgo trees, as well as the aforementioned mixed tropical forest.
Animals that lived alongside Manothronax include the horned herbivore Triceratops, ostrich-like parvopod Nebskornis, and the large "duck-billed" dinosaur Paracryptosaurus. We know that Manothronax predated upon Paracryptosaurus as a "smoking gun" fossil containing an embedded Manothronax tooth inside a Paracryptosaurus caudal vertebra exists; the latter animal's vertebral bone had scarred, healed, and grown around the tooth before it died, implying that the hardy herbivore survived the predator's attack.
Category:Animals
Category:Fauna
Category:Extinct
Category:Dinosaur
Category:Prehistory
Category:Traveler's Era