Zalmoxes

## ZalmoxesZalmoxis (Thracian Deity)

* Adult
* Juveniles

* Exhibits insular dwarfism
* More robust than relatives

***Zalmoxes*** (named after the Thracian deity Zalmoxis, whose resurrection is likened to the excavation of this dinosaur's remains) is a genus of rhabdodontid ornithopod dinosaur that lived on Hațeg Island, an area which would eventually become a basin within modern-day Romania, 70 - 66 million years ago, during the Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period.

## Description

### Size and Physique

*Zalmoxes* was a fairly small animal, with the type species *Z. robustus* growing to a maximum length of 2.5 meters (8 feet, 3 inches), and weighed no more than 45 kilograms (100 pounds). As indicated by its species name, "robustus", *Zalmoxes* has a stout body that is more heavily-built than its relatives. This dinosaur is believed to grow slow and long, and, like most of the inhabitants of Hațeg Island, was probably subjected to insular dwarfism. However, as brought up by Dr. Darren Naish, lead consultant of Prehistoric Planet, it is possible that *Zalmoxes* simply inherited the standard diminutive size of its ancestors, with a 2012 study concluding that rhabdodontids really were that small to begin with, and that some species like *Rhabdodon* actually attained their larger sizes due to gigantism.

### Dentition

*Zalmoxes* is known from a skull that is 80% complete, indicating that it had a deep, triangular head that was large for its body size, its beak filled with the characteristic spade-shaped teeth of other rhabdodontids. A study in 2003 indicates that *Zalmoxes* fed on tough fibrous vegetation from angiosperms and ferns to horsetails and the soft shoots of various plants.

### Prehistoric Planet's Depiction

Prehistoric Planet depicts *Zalmoxes* with a black color scheme streaked with teal stripes, with a creamy white underside to serve as countershading to help further camouflage the animal in the shadowy undergrowth of the forests of Hațeg Island.

## Habitat

*Main: Hațeg Island*

Main: Hațeg Island

During the time of *Zalmoxes*, 70 - 66 million years ago, most of Europe was a series of islands scattered across the prehistoric Tethys Ocean. Hațeg Island, which would one day become a town in Hunedoara County, Romania, was 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the nearest landmass, and is estimated to be 80,000 square kilometers (31,000 square miles) worth of tropical woodland, sustained by braided rivers, lakes, and seasonal monsoons.

Due to limited resources on the island, most of the inhabitants grew smaller due to an evolutionary process known as insular dwarfism.

## Behavior

As a small animal, *Zalmoxes* is considered a light, easy snack by various large predators, from the giraffe-sized *Hatzegopteryx*, the pterosaur that serves as the apex predator of the forests of Hațeg Island, to massive mosasaurs like *Prognathodon* in the open sea. Due to its extreme vulnerability, this dinosaur needs to be very wary of its surroundings, preferring to mostly stay under the cover of vegetation, quickly crossing open areas to minimize the chances of being caught.

## Appearances

### Forests

***“ Even by day, it's still dark in the understory of the dense forests, such as this one in Europe. Animals of any kind are difficult to distinguish. Yet, they're everywhere. Telmatosaurus seldom breaks cover. And equally inconspicuous, Zalmoxes, the last of a very ancient dinosaur lineage. This forest is one of their few remaining strongholds. Seven inches tall, baby Zalmoxes are no more than snacks for many predators... but snacks are nonetheless worth eating, so they have to be cautious. ”***

― **David Attenborough**, *Forests*
The seventh, final segment of Forests takes place in the dark understory of a forest in Europe. As a *Telmatosaurus* keeps a low profile amongst the lush vegetation, five juvenile *Zalmoxes* warily look around, as they are about to cross a log over the river, out in a more open area of the forest. As they rush down a log, the last one to cross is suddenly snatched up and swallowed alive by a *Hatzegopteryx*. Gulping his snack down, the majestic pterosaur slowly weaves through the forest, at one point stopping by to check out one moss-covered tree before continuing his casual but regal walk, eventually making it to the beach, where he spreads his large wings, flapping them to keep them warmed up before picking at them, grooming himself.

***“ Many of the forest's permanent residents regularly come down here, because the plants are coated with sea spray, and are a welcome source of salt. Here, sauropods can meet one another, renewing family bonds, and creating new ones. But for Hatzegopteryx, the beach is a launching pad. Now, his wings will carry him to yet another forest where life proliferates more variously and more abundantly than anywhere else on our Prehistoric Planet. ”***

― **David Attenborough**, *Forests*
Some *Zalmoxes* are seen amongst the vegetation, looking around as *Telmatosauruses* feed on the salted vegetation, with one even licking a propped-up piece of wood on the beach. Two titanosaurs make their way down to the beach, affectionately rubbing their heads and necks against one another. And as the sun sets, *Hatzegopteryx* spreads his wings once more and finally leaves the island, flying off into the horizon.

### Islands

***“ The mouth of a river in southern Europe, 66 million years ago. In the aftermath of a tropical storm, debris is drifting downstream. And amongst the wreckage, rafts of wreckage ripped from the land. For a weary pterosaur, this one may be a welcome place to rest. But it's far from safe... ”***

― **David Attenborough**, *Islands*
In the first segment of Islands, a weary adult *Alcione* rests on a collection of vegetation in southern Europe, a raft drifting out of a river into the sea. For a moment, it feels safe, flapping its wings as the raft drifts on peacefully. But suddenly, sensing that something is wrong, the *Alcione* takes to the skies just as a hungry *Prognathodon* lunges at its raft.

Seeing yet another easy meal, the mosasaur approaches another raft, where a *Zalmoxes* begins to panic. Barely able to keep his balance on the drifting log, the ornithopod jumps into the water as the *Prognathodon* closes in on him. Paddling frantically, he manages to clamber up on a larger drifting island, retreating into the safety of the trees. However, he senses that he is not the first on the large raft, and looks around, sniffing.

***“ He is not the first here. Another castaway, a female. Their raft is drifting out to sea. Sometimes, castaways on rafts like these are washed up on the shores of distant islands. If they're very lucky, this pair could become pioneers... and may establish a new population, which eventually becomes a new species, unlike anything seen before. ”***

― **David Attenborough**, *Islands*
Emerging from the vegetation is a female *Zalmoxes*, which turns towards him in surprise. Together, the pair look out to the open seas, then turn to each other, nuzzling. The segment ends with the two *Zalmoxes* continuing to look ahead of them, with the waters stretching out for miles around them, and the afternoon sun shining down on their raft.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 *The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs*
2. ↑ Proceedings of the 7th Romanian Symposium on Paleontology, Cluj-Napoca, 22-24 October 2009
3. ↑ Naish, Darren (@TetZoo) (June 15, 2023) on Twitter, regarding the small body size of *Zalmoxes*
4. ↑ Phylogeny, Histology and Inferred Body Size Evolution in a New Rhabdodontid Dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Hungary
5. ↑ Osteology and phylogeny of *Zalmoxes* (n. g.), an unusual Euornithopod dinosaur from the latest Cretaceous of Romania