Congo mokele (SciiFii)

The Congo mokele (Mokelesaurus congolensis), also known as the Congolese mokele, is a species of non-avian titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the rainforests and wetlands across Africa to help boost biodiversity. The Congo mokele can reach lengths of 12 meters (39 feet) and weights of 6 tonnes, though individuals this large are rare and they usually grow slightly smaller. Unlike most sauropods, the Congo mokele is adapted to an amphibious lifestyle, and actually somewhat resembles the popular outdated reconstructions of Jurassic sauropods. The Congo mokele has robust, barrel-shaped torsos and comparatively short limbs. Like the skeletons of many diving birds, their air sacs no longer invade the bones, keeping them solid and heavy and allowing the animals to stay underwater with little effort. The Congo mokele has eyes and nostrils positioned near the top of its skull, allowing the animal to breathe and survey its surroundings while remaining mostly submerged. As it is smaller than many other titanosaurs and often share the waterways with a variety of big predators, Congo mokeles have the most extensive armour protection of any sauropod. This armor consists of a combination of closely packed ossicles, rounded scutes and triangular spines. Congo mokeles feed on a wide variety of aquatic foliage ranging from riparine weeds to marine seagrasses. These sauropods live like hippos, walking along the riverbottom while placidly plucking at aquatic vegetation, sometimes using their necks to reach foliage growing on the riverbanks without leaving the water. They are often accompanied by swarms of fish that either snatch up small invertebrates in the kicked-up silt or graze on algae growing on the dinosaurs' scaly flanks. Formidable armour renders the adults effectively immune to attack from the large crocodiles that share their habitat. Brooding mothers lay their eggs in a simple, fiercely guarded pit on the riverbank. The hatchlings are 65 cm long and form creches among the reeds and sheltered pools. The conservation status of the Congo mokele is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts and the Congo mokele's wide range.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii