| A NATURAL HISTORY OF §

ARULL [MAND

FOREWORD BY
PETER JACKSON
 $35.00 U.S.
$48.00 Can.
£25.00 UK.

THE WORLD OF KONG

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND

I Was an uncharted island ernranunece off the

coast of Sumatra, it was a land whispered

about by merchants and sailors. It was a place
so unbelievable that no one dared believe in its
existence. Except one man, the extraordinary
showman Carl Denham. Many will,.of course,
remember his show on Broadway and its tragic
ending. But. New York is not where the story
ended, itis where it began.

In 1935 a joint expedition of several prominent

universities ‘and organizations called. Project
C2acy was launched. Its Selec mission goal Was

to create the first of several field guides to Skull

Belemewetieailiicem ulatWexerlativaweo etielsteaelniay
5 (ec
of their time; where dinosaurs roamed, evolved,
and still lived. Only a year later it was discovered
that the island was doomed; the geological forces
that had_ formed the island were now tearing it
apart. Slitene ‘ie ke only seven more Al ycaurhace|

expeditions roma slemtievatele Yo ceva iacmelciuntleuteyn

and the start of World War ID.

[he journals, sketches, and detailed notes of the

scientists who braved Skull Island would have
continued me) gather dust on shelves across the

evitas were it not for the work of the authors

of this book. Here for the first time is their
work, collected in a comprehensive edition of
the natural history of this lost island. Here is The
World ofKong.
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 Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2022 with funding from
Kahle/Austin Foundation

https://archive.org/details/wetaworkshoppresOO0Ounse
THE WORLD Of

KONG
POCKET BOOKS, a division of Simon and Schuster, Inc.
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Copyright © 2005 by Universal Studios

King Kong, the movie © 2005 by Universal Studios
Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP.
All Rights Reserved.

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ISBN-13: 978-1-4165-0519-8
ISBN-10: 1-4165-0519-9

This Pocket Books hardcover edition November 2005

POCKET and colophon are registered trademarks of

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For information regarding special discounts for bulk purchases,

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 I,
i
vf

250A INE ol
FOREWORD

first saw King Kong w hen I was eight years old and establish the look of many of the more memorable creatures

in many ways the world of Skull Island has been Wn the story, Not the least, Kong himself.

a driving force in my creative life ever since. Phroughout preproduction Weta’s team of artists and

The film was first made in 1933 and featured the awe- designers immersed themselves in the world of Skull Island,

inspiring work of stop-motion animator Willis H. O'Brien creating hundreds of illustrations and maquettes of animal

and the extraordinary art of Marcel Delgado. | watched it and creature life-forms. The walls were thick with pinned

from beginning to end—spellbound! art and the shelves swayed under the weight of sculptures

King Kong had revealed a world of possibility comme large and small, as design ideas began to take shape.

not just about what film could do, but about the power of Weta Workshop was awash with creature designs, but

imagination itself. we knew that only a handful of these would ever make it to

The irony of the story, which is about a filmmaker who the screen. Which is not to say that this work was wasted.

is searching for a lost world, was certainly not lost on me The audience may very well never see the / rex braving the

when, decades later, | found myself contemplating the task horns of an adult bull Ferructus, as it scrambles to protect

of filming Skull Island with a camera crew of my own. its young, but the scars on the creature's hide and its broken

Only this time the question was: What would it look teeth bear testimony to a colorful life lived beyond the eye

like... now? of the camera.

The production design of the 1933 film brought Skull In the end, what you see in the film represents only

Island to life in mysterious and dangerous ways. The film a tiny portion of Skull Island's infinite possibility. The

was so terrifyingly real for the audience of the day that peo- mysterious world that emerges unbidden out of a togbank

ple were said to have run screaming from the cinema! Skull comes entirely from the world of the imagination and there

Island was a place of wonder, beauty, darkness, and adventure. is no limit to where imagination can take you,

Above all else it was the lair of the giant ape: King Kong. This book is a collection of imaginings from the minds

The task of bringing Skull Island to life was the respon- of the artists ac Weta Workshop. It is a rich and complex

sibility of the talented artists working at Weta Workshop gallery of amazing Creatures, some of whom appear in the

and Weta Digital. All of this was under the stewardship of movie and some of whom lurk, juste out of shot, behind

our film’s Production Designer, Grant Major, who worked in moss-covered, vine-entangled trees.

close collaboration with Richard Taylor and myself. The creatures in this book are presented as authentic

A key part of the design process for any film is creating subjects of natural history. They are born of the imagina-

a believable world. If you are making King Kong, this neces- tion, but they are drawn as you would expect to see them in

sitates an in-depth exploration of landscape and habitat and life. But perhaps more important, they represent the promise

animals and creatures of all kinds. of things yet to be discovered, the possibility of what could

At Weta Workshop, a design team was responsible for be—if we choose to loosen the bonds of everyday percep-

populating Skull Island with a rich ecosystem that would tion and dare to wander for a while...in the dark realm of

both SELVe. aS the backdrop for the film’s narrative and

the fantastic.

_
PETER JACKSON
 ONTENTS

INTRODUCTION WL, THE WINDING SWAMPS

AND WATERWAYS
LEGACY OF THE VENTURE:

A BROKEN LAND - BLOOD OF THE ISLAND

THE MYSTERY OF THE RUINS PIRANHADON

A MENAGERIE OF NIGHTMARES INVERTEBRATES OF

THE WETLANDS AND RIVERS

SCORPILO-PEDE 96

CLEANUP CREW Oo
(IRE CRUMBELING COAST
MINIATURE BATTLEGROUNDS 100
AND. VILLAGE
MALAMAGNUS 102
FORBIDDING COAST
ISLAND BREEDING SANCTUARIES 104
CRUSTACEANS OF THE COAST :
MOUTHS IN THE MuRK 110
TARTARUSAURUS :
FISH SPECIES 112
THE JUTTING CLIFES-
SWAMP-WING 116
THE ESTUARY
WADERS OF THE WETLANDS 118
SKULL ISLANDERS

IV. THE STEAMING JUNGLE

I. THE SHRINKING LOWLANDS A GARDEN OF TITANS

A HABITAT IN PERIL VENATOSAURUS

BRONTOSAURUS 44 FOETODON

LIGOCRISTUS: CARVER -

FERRUCUTUS DIABLOSAURUS

V. REX ASPERDORSUS

CARRION EATERS: TREE-TOPS

CARRION STORKS CENTIPEDES OF THE JUNGLE FLOOR 160

CARRION PARROTS THE JUNGLE CANOpy - 162

TERROR’ BIRDS JUNGLE FLIZARDS 166

NIGHT STALKERS HERBIVOROUS CHAMELEONS: 169
CENTIPEDES OF THE JUNGLE CANOPY

CANOPY INSECTS :

FLYING RATS

BIRDS OF THE CANOPY

EISES SIAM \SMS

Q9
LIFE IN THE GLOOM

DEPLECTOR 88

GARNITCTIS 90

92
VULTURSAUR-

' DARREN UPLANDS

THE ROOF OF THE WORLD 196

TERAPUSMORDAX - 198

KONG 210

ORES ANS)

V9
L\CKNOWLEDGMENTS

> Tr
COMPARI SON CHART MA)
SIZE
 «>A ‘ Red ] . >
This Island 1s a zoologist § dream

—anda field sclentist s nightmare. :

|| FALL EXPEDITION, 1937.

 » SKULL ISLAND — eRe

( Key

a Uplands Coastal

eS Jungle s Pits and chasms

ae Lowlands Ee Waterways
.

Peerqq0a0000 [/,//

Natural Scale 1 : 50,000

(at the Equator)
BECACY .OF
THE VENTURE

In 1933 Carl Denham shocked the world when

he unveiled King Kong to a stunned crowd at the

Alhambra Theatre. The twenty-tive-foottall ape

delivered the scientific community a one-two punch

that sent it reeling with the impact of this incredi-

ble discovery and subsequent tragic loss. But Kong

Was JUST the beginning.

An entire island, bursting with prehistoric wonders,

existed. If Kong had shocked the scientific world,

Skull Island's emergence from the shroud of legend

Into reality shook It LO IES COLE: Not since Columbus

discovery of the New World had mankind been

offered such an Opportunity tO explore a land trapped

In) GinrVe: Kongs chest-beating roar at the summit

of the Empire State Building heralded the re)greatest

discoy cry of the century—arguably, the millennium.

In the wake ot the islands unveiling, UNIVCrsITIes and private Lead by Carl Denham, this three-month expedition set out
ro)

Organizations across the planet fumbled to dispatch teams to systematically explore and document the island
ra)

to Invest gate
re)
and catalogue its wonders. The race of the
Project Legacy—as it was called—suttered its own share of
century was on. Rival expeditions fought for exclusivity and
mishaps and attrition, but ic was a far cry trom the earlier
justification, each asserting its own legal standing to be First
ill-founded attempts The most important realization of this
on the island. Only a handful of the two dozen expeditions
1935 trip was the understanding that Skull Island was too
successtully made landfall, and—of those—halt were woefully
new, too strange and, above all, too dangerous to explore
unprepared for the terrors that awaited them.
and study in so short a space of time With countless dis

Skull Island ate expeditions with all the appctite ot the full coveries of new species and new behaviors every day, it

crown rexes that ruled the landmass in Kong's

5 absence. became paintully clear that decades of study might scrape the
es
After a year of disastrous excursions and tragic loss of life, surface of what the island had hidden from the world for so

al properly prepared, jointly managed and financed effort was long Project Legac) was expanded toa long-term study, with

finally organized by the three ¢

biggest
fete)
interested concerns annual expeditions; the long-term goal was of establishing@)

a permanent base of Operations on the island.

INTRODUCTION
 . a
ts t Ley
GSES, a

It was during the second incursion, in 1936, that the truth cumbed CO inevitability and sank, taking with it its mysterl-

ot Skull Island's ceological fragility became clear. A huge ous people, MONSTCrS, and undiscovered history Into the SCa,

earthquake sank one part of the island, killing five team the legend-become-reality became legend again. The secrets

members. After careful exploration by a team of geolo- that Were learned, Wn that short Space of LIME; Were all that

OISTS, the expedition realized that Skull Island Was a doomed would ever be rey ealed.,

oddity, a scab on the earths Crust that Was about to be

[his IS a collection of those SECrets—a bestiary of a lost
SCratc hed off.
world. Bought with blood, catalogued through observation,

Kongs brict appearance and destruction in Manhattan in and preserved in word and sketch, the memory of Skull

1938 paralleled the discovery and loss of the island. Barely Island is bound within these pages as a gallery of the terrible

fifteen years after its discovery, Skull Island and all its and wondrous, an account of nature gone mad and an illus-

wondrous secrets were lost to the waves, the island torn trated menagerie of evolutionary marvels. The incomplete

CO Pplcces by the same irresistible geologic force that had findings of those few short years of study are collected here

preserved it for So many eons. In the Intervening years between and accompanied by dramatic illustrations of what Was the

revelation and oblivion, Skull Island hosted JUSt Seven short last great discovery of our time: the Kingdom ol Kong.

Project Legacy expeditions. When Skull Island finally sue-

A NATURAL HISTORY O}
 a > cack -
eg
ies. Ser

le wonder Skull Island lay undiscovered for so long

Jutting out o! the perilous sea, west of Sumatra, the island

he
in the |heart of a region afflicted
Ff la by intense magnetic
]
and violent sea storms. The very rock of which
 housand rs, the isl shrank dramaticalh footprints of the coastline to be mapped with reasonable accurac)

|| A ourveys Of the sea floor around Skull Island allowed pa / Lelling a Story of dramati CHANGE

|| é

Once part of a much larger landmass, ancient Gondwanaland, ation to the same forces that were tearing it to pieces by the

Skull Island sat square on the turbulent boundary of the mid-twentieth century.

Indo-Australian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The plates

The coastline shattered and fell away while the entire island
rolled Over ONC another and STICSSCS caused violent racturing ; : .
Was sinking, In the island's heart, volcanic forces brought
of the Indo-Australian plate beneath the island. Significant
3 5
water and mud bubbling to the surface while other areas
volcanic activity resulted. Fissures and pressure spots created ;
5 were gnawed hollow from beneath, leavingt a crumbling land
ce) re)
land and forced molten rock to the surface while, at the Same
full of jagged abutments and bottomless chasms.
time, ¢ great chunks of the island fell INtO the deep SL bduction
c

trench that marked the plate edge. Skull Island owed LESKCLE=

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND

 {ege Nibesaeiey tein bas IMMUNE

[he first sight to greet explorers of Skull Island was che

mighty wall that divided humanitys meage! settlement

from the cerrors of the jung interiol Auge and impos

ing this enormous structure dwarfed che puny village hud

dling In its protective shadow This was not the work of

chat struggling populace but the legacy of some older, fat

More advanced ( iviliz 1t1ON long POTI

Giant stone ruins of this ancient society dotted the entire

island. Vast edifices jutted from che shrouding jungle

and tumbled down the COasl CoO disappx LI INTO the SCa

Beneath che tangled forest that en cloped the island in

a choking green embrac great city had once breathed

Study ot these remains ind ot the orcal wall itself which

vad run im an unbroken circle round th ntire centel

IOFCION ot the island told ota culture three thou ind yCars

old. Architectural parallels suggested Southeast Asia as a

romeland

t was theorized that ancient colonists brought with them an

established culture as evidenced by the great cary ed statues

and shards of magnificent pottery left behind [hey were

devoted culture who revered the giant apes that abounded

throughout their art. Some have speculated the apes may

have arrived with the colonists, alluding to a symbiosis

between the people and the ancestors of Kong

18 | INTRODUCTION
 The exact Nature ot the extinction that befell these people

remains a mystery At least a thousand years ago they were

wiped out leaving little behind but SstoOWaWay Lats and the

stone skeletons ot their city on a doomed island. The uns le

ro)

swept In to reclaim the land, inexorably spreading its cendril-

like FOOT fingers OVCr the eroding architecture, turning slazas

a)

and markets Into clades and barnacling tOWCIS with ferns and

enarled creepers
5c The Dctgreat wall crumbled as surf swallowed

the land, and its few projectingro) stretches stood like grave-
ra)

stones 1n the erecn swathe, monuments to the lost civiliza-

tion of Skull Island.

A MENAGERIE
OF NIGHTMARES

Tiny Skull Island was once part of the vast and ancient

continent of Gondwana in prehistoric times. What

came to be Skull Island was a stretch near the coast of

the great Tethys Sea, rich in life. When this landmass

broke away, many prehistoric ancestors of the island’s

modern inhabitants rode with it, guaranteeing their

survival when catastrophe and ecological change wiped

them out everywhere else in the world. Others joined

later, rafting, swimming, or flying to the island sanctu-

ary. Land bridges came and went, bringing new fauna;

each adding to the diversity of the island,

Over the millennia the island eroded. As habitat was

lost, life was concentrated into ever-shrinking areas.

Competition became fierce. The island saw an evolution-

ary arms race erupt, forging a menagerie of nightmares.

 JHE
(RUMBLING (OAST
AND
VILLAGE
“To see mankind reduced to such a state,

rodent-like, fearful and small, is humbling.

Man is no hunter here. He is prey. ‘
 Skull Island’s coast was a savage warfront between land and

sea. Heavy oceanic swells buffeted the shattered coast

eating rocks and ruins

lI
alike
oe
IcaviIng a jagged Shorelne
lI
KC

a jaw of broken teeth

On the western flank the sea crashed against sheer cliffs and
|
shardlike escarpments Ancient ruins wound through the

] | | | ]
cracks in the rock, soulless atriums echoing with the pound

ing of the waves. Seabirds made t Cll homes here mM tne

myriad cuts and ledges resident culls and seasonal migrants

Petrels, (gannets,
oO
and cormorants dived for fish in the rich

cold waters of the trench that abutted the island

By the twentieth Century the few humans that lived on Skull

Island scraped a living On this barren shore, their village

perched ona thin sliver of rock JuttiINe INTO the SCa beyond

the warding great wall

On the far side of the island a slow sinking brought the sea

gradually inland. Where once lowland forests and flood-

plains stretched the high tides drowned the land There

were a few beaches n the More sheltered inlets between the

rocky headlands.~ These were the transitory homes of fur

seals and SCa turtles. Patrolle d by hu ¢ re predators and scaven-

re)

Pers, these inlets were every bit as forbidding as the western

fe}

clitts to the human inhabitants.

HAPTER |
 - Soe Se

SRE *

\ ct .

4
4a -
‘

Fok :
;
> RF v
i
 (CRUSTACEANS OF THE (OA Sa

a
<1
Pe x

OSTEODOMUS

Crawling over rocks and flitting through

tidal pools were many and varied crustaceans-

copepods wood lice, shrimp crabs, crayfish, and countless

others. Most were familiar SPCCICs, but Skull Island had Its
SGU TUGATIES
oddballs Coo, Not least among, them the chunky hermit crab

Osteodomus Large for a hermit, the biggest individuals had Scutucaris was a flattened lobster from the Scyllaridae

difficulty locating shells of sufficient size co fit. Innovative family, including slipper and Spanish nosed lobsters

little opportunists, they made use of anything that even Scutucaris was extreme even among these squashed-looking

vaguely fic the bill, including hollowed bones, giving the crustaceans, with Its almost CWO dimensional body designed

Species Its name It Was not uncommon to sce a seal skull CO allow It to slip InvO cracks and splits in the rocks of

scuttling Over the rocks with spiky legs protruding the shoreline

Predatory fish and octopl could be evaded by hiding m8) the

Biv DUS GU Ls Narrow fissures that were Common along the shattering Ccoast-

line Scutucaris also hunted WwW the cracks, hauling out small

Lividuscutus WaS a dark-blue shelled herbivorous lobster prey that would have evaded Most crabs or lobsters of similar

with delicate claws but lon ¢ y powerful legs for clingin g CO SIZE. | he crustacean Was OMNIVOrOUS, taking anything It Came
ro) re) Oy ie

the wave-pounded rocks. Che SPpccics could exert remark- across. The sharp-bladed claws could prize open bivaly cs and

able grip for 1ES) SIZE, hauling

oO
itself along
co}
the dangerous snip the muscle that held the two halves shut to get at the

splash ZONC where IC harvested algae from the rocks. fleshy shellfish inside.
5

24|| CHAPTER 1. THE CRUMBLING COAST AND VILLAGE

CUNAEPRAEDATOR

A stocky little land crab unlike any other, burly Cunade

vedator was a remarkable creature Having forsaken the

water, it ranged the coastal cliffs and the boarders of the

jungle Cunaepraedator had developed adaptations to live

entirely free of the sea, not having to return to the water

CO breed

Carrying tertilized eggs ina special cavity beneath the body

females kept theit precious charges moist and safe as they

developed hatching into tiny versions of their adult form.

[he larval Stage Was skipped entirely

The tiny crabs clung to. thei parent for the first days o1

weeks of life, crawling over her shell and down her limbs to

feed, but never leaving the safety of her body. The mother

crab would seck out one of the many seabird colonies that

dotted the island's cliff-bordered shoreline and deposit her

young there, removing them from her body by brushing

Against litter Ol delicately brushing them with her pinecrs.

In the nest the young would grow quickly, consuming

detritus and leftovers of seabirds meals or the remains of

dead nestlings. Once the birds fledged and the nest was

abandoned, the halEerow nN young crabs moved oft tO yon

(o)

their parents In the jungle fringe as free-roaming SCAVCNECTS.

Cunaepraedator Was also remarkable for having a second

arge pair of pincers. Among females, this second pair was

ust another set of tools for foraging,¢c but their real function
yecame apparent during the mating season, when males used
their primary claws to engage and pin those of the r mates.
J OQEG

ifting her, claws locked, to tilt her vulnerable underside up,

the second pinecrs were used by the male to gently deposit

seed INO her ces Mass. Having done SO, he would let go

and beat a hasty retreat Out of range ol her retaliatory Snaps.

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND | Ph

 JD Ra NRO NIRS

lartarus. Urus SACUUS

The largest of the coastal predators, /artarusaurus was a conflict with Onc anothet when individuals met Ovel kills

terror that the native foraging sorties prayed they would Large fat reserves iccumulated in thei tails ilowing the

never run into Huge and hungry, with bone cracking Jaw S species to go without feeding fol long pi riods. This stored

and powerful limbs that could propel the carnivore fastet Chere y would grant smalle animals SOC reprieve 08) the

than any man could run for short distances, this brute could battle to compct for survival when food was scarc«

make short work of unwary villagers Fortunately, its rang

Tartarusaurus had a chick, rhinoceroslike hide that pro
was limited to the far side of the island, where it subsisted
tected it from harm. Males fought each other for resources
on seals, coastal reptiles, and Limusaurs. Zurtarusaurus also
and access to females. Armed with thick, curved claws on
took carrion when it could find it, possessing the strength
each forelimb, males battled upright bala ng on the
to tight other meat eaters off their food. The carnivores
sturdy hind legs whilc they I iked each other vx 1CS¢
ability to stand on its hind limbs permitted it to reach
scythelike claws Despite the ferocity of the matches, their
low cliffnesting birds too, raiding their nests for eggs and
thick skins and resilient scales usually protected them from
chicks, lictle more than ciny snacks for the canklike reptile
serous injury

The seasonal nature of many of their coastal food sources,

such as the fur seals, meant 7artarusauruses were nomadic,

following the food. This brought them Into frequent

26 | CHAPTER I. THE CRUMBLING COAST AND VILLAGI

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND | 7
 PEWACER DON
Pera erdon exitialis

A long snout armed with rows of thin-bladed teeth iden

tified Peracerdon as a fish cater, though ic readily took

scabirds, eggs and even unguarded seal pups when the

OPpOrcunicy presented A Spce ialized theropod the clegant

wadel stalked the perimetcl of the island gripping the

rocks with its viselike claws. Even heavy surf didnt deter

it. Peracerdon could strike quickly with long foreclaws, or

Its gin-trap snout, to snatch precy out of the shoreline pools

and along the waters edge A long tail balanced Peracerdon

as it clung in the splash zone, keen eyes piercing the waves

to reveal fish and crabs.

Equally at home mn calm Ors thrashing Scas, Peracerdon Were

found all along the shoreline, from the surf-punished and

ro)

crumblingc reets to the quict coastal sw amps.

LIMUSAUR
E TMUSAUrUS corrodomolluscus

Clinging to the spray-lashed rocks with its broad, clawed teeth. The pudgy oddballs tore the entire shellfish loose

feet was the peculiar salamanderlike Limusaur. Flabby from. its anchorage in bunches and swallowed the shardy

amphibians, remarkably adapted to survive in the salty pulp, shell and all. Tough-walled guts protected them from

water, Limusaurs grazed the splash zone, scraping mussels the bite of the shells as they passed through.

and other shellfish from the rocks with their stone-hard

A NATURAL HISTORYOF SKULL ISLAND || 29

Skull Island’s temperamental geology rendered

its coast a crumbling maze of cliffs and promon-

tories jutting out of and over a savage sea. The

jagged projections provided protected ledges for

seabirds and other wildlife to nest upon and pre-

cipitous lookouts for predators to scan for prey

R
below. There were few beaches on the island’s

coast, sO compctition for their use was fierce.

DRAGONSKIN

Varanus dracopellis

Dragonskins were striking MONnICO! lizards

that recently colonized the island but had

evolved Into a new SPCEles, Having likely

arrived on rafts of vegetation O1 driftwood

from somewhere in Southeast Asia, they developed

brilliant red scales that were even more vivid in the breed

ing season. The precise function of the markings is not

clear, though it may have been to startle predators. Both

sexes were brightly colored.

Dragonskins fed on eggs and small creatures they found along

the rocky shore and on the clifts they nimbly climbed.

BISGUS
Discus ora

Discus was a species of flying lizard that made its home on

the rocky shore. Pretty green-and-yellow lizards, they took

their name from their round wings. These enabled them

to make short, quick flights between rocks in pursuit of

insects and to avoid the gulls that preyed on them.

 EST Gay
On the easrern shores of Skull Island, where

the rivers flowed down into the sea and the

land was slowly sinking much of what had

once been floodplains or low jungle was

drowned in growing swamp Where once

low forests grew adjacent to the river, insteac

: tide-flooded swamps lap punctu

ated only by the stumps

of choked trees

ACIEDAGIEYLUS NEFUNDUSAURUS
Nefundusaurusus acerbus
T % P 3 is : i =

Aciedactylus mandocaris

Aciedactylus specialized in eating shellfish in the swampy Stalking the shoreline of Skull Island was a brutish four-

estuaries and mangroves. Broad, splay-toed feet kept the legged heavyweight with a taste for tlesh Nefundusaurus

dinosaur from sinking into the sodden mud and sand, but Was NOt a dinosaur but an ancient archosaut a G roup that

its Most peculiar adaptation Was the second par ol nostrils predated dinosaurs. Its huge olfactory canal afforded the

mounted atop
i Its triangular
D nasal crests. animal an acute sense of smell The majority of its diet

Was decaying fish Ol othet tide stranded carrion, W hich the

Aciedactylus primary nostrils could pinch shut when exhal-
Nefundusaurus was led to by ribbons of rot wafting to its
Ing, forcing air into the resonating crests and small sec
nostrils on the breeze
ondary nostrils to Crumpet calls CO One another. he main

function of these secondary nostrils became cleat during Nefundusaurus used ICS SIZE LO also steal meals from smaller

feeding. Sealing the primaries Aciedactylus could breathe carnivores, including the coastal crocodilian Dirusuchus

through the nrigh-mounted secondaries while most of its (Dire-crocodile ) through intimidation and brute force.
ct (

head was down in the shallow water Ol mud ol the estuary, With powerful jaws, they were capable of wolfing down
grubbing for shellfish. Carcasses whole. Even robust shellfish and turtles could be

cracked and swallow ed, digested lace In the reptile’s incredibly

Its teeth were short and thick for crushing mollusk and crab

acidic stomach, | Ive prey Was taken when It could be caught.

shells. The placid theropod instead defended itself with longre)
Fat-rich seals were ambushed trom behind cover on the
bladelike claws On its fingers, flexing and brandishing them at
rocky she re,
potential threats to warn them away.

32 || CHAPTER I. THE CRUMBLING COAST AND VALLAGE

 eg FEOAITORE
oe

SOF IMOnE

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND | i)

 RN ce ee ea rTA PD
Ts 2S ASIN
Le ee

Precariously perched berween the oreal wall and

the furious sea, Skull Island’s human inhabicants

clung tO a meager existence on a barren wedge ot

black rock crusted by thi croding architecture of

ICS past inhabit Ls Between the S¢ hollow remind

ers of the glory of an ancient and nameless culture

' ~ ¥
ch poverty stricken islanders cked out what living
14
they could against incredible odas

| | ] ]
Beyond the wall, an island of ie faut waited
' 1 |
\ ith claw LI [ ( | ( ( Na h

| | ; j |
dared GONE -OVEL bh d 1d B nd tne \ llag the

unforgiving sea claimed its own quota of humanit

Lite was hard and grim, but ther vas food to be

| | ] Ted | ] ] {
found by the bold [he ocean had tood t iter in

the form of rich sea life, though the natives had to

| 1
brave death to snatch it from the

The ingenuity of the people was pitted against the

: ‘ ; ;
full force of the elements and natures most fright-

ening monsters Moving around the broken coast

above the tide, pole-vaulting met leapt from rock

I tc
] )
CO rock CO plumb new fishing grounds Le flooded
APES ot old halls and temples uninhabited NNCe THe. timc

of the ancients, sheltered hidden colonies of anemones anc

crabs to be plundered Tethered to their friends, fishermen

chose moments of calm CO dive fo. shellfish and scaweed

a ling upon ingenuity ind bravado, the natives created diz;

scattolds of black wood and scrappy yarn to bridge yawning

gaps between abutments of stone and splintered ruins

opening new foraging ¢ rounds tor ¢ xploitatior

So stretched for resources, this tested people let nothing go

tO Waste Competition was intense and that which another

could
}J
sometimes be taken by force The will of the

strong ruled all

A NATURAL HISTORY O} SKULI Is AND

(aue = Sees Ve
ASE CoM TROT yea

In a world in which humans were reduced to inseces by

the power of the elements and the scale of nature's beasts

where lite Was eked Out beneath the ruins of an Ancient and

untachomable superpowe! the forces chat ruled assumed

the powe! of deities Che sea and roc KS WCIC eods beney

olent and wrathtul On a whim Phe beasts that marauded

the Coast OF salivated W the jungle WCC like demigods

vengeful, hunery spirits in service to che capricious elk

ments. Even the black stone uins and the limited pro

tection they (
dDrave, Were Its CO loyal believers from unseen

omnipotent benefactors And the dDgreatest

( of these natural

forces was a creature, somehow part human and animal, an

uncomfortable fusion of both the (

SAVALC and scnticnt [his
D

] /
Was almighty Kong, a scarred face upon which could be the men af the island

hung all the invented motives of a cruel world

()

It was little wonder that the people of Skull Island, so

if y)
UPON PIS SKIN
/
punished by CIFCUMSTANCE and hardship, lived In feat of

the forces of their world and sought to appcase the mighty

Kong. They believed that in return for sacrifices, they might

co}
Secking to appease him, the old shaman-women, who were

Gain
¢ respite from his wrath Emer ¢ TING from the £
jungle the leaders of the islanders, dictated the sacrifices of worthy
c oO

tO roar at the Gales, the oreat ape Was a powcr CO feat and subjects. Young(=) women were given to Kong as offerings,
5
dec-

Satisty. orated like (2)

gifts.
 [The roots of this tradition were difficult to trace [he Once chosen for the sacrifice, a young woman was torn from

exact OFigin
3) of the natives was unknown [heir physiology the arms of her family and dressed for the ottering \s

did not closely match that of any of the regions inhabit means ol reconciling grict and loss and the inevitability of

ants and their myths hinted al possible stranding, SO! it 1S theit daughter's face, a bride's relatives participated in the

conceivable they came from very far away fashioning of her ceremonial necklace, a orim thing of hait

feather and bone

The wizened shaman-women interpreted the best COULSC fot

their peoples survival. The position Was Passe d down mate \ ich pragmatic resia@nation families presented theit daugh

nally each generation having ICS leader and het cadre ot aca ters for sacrifice, sending their loved ones through the wall

lytes and hopeful SUCCESSOFS. [his elder based POvernance

reo)
screaming or drugged in a macabre carnival of fire and chant-

represented the only order the SOCICTY had beyond the rule ing The great wall, with its carved visages and pitted etti-

ot might. gies, was set ablaze with oil-fucled fires in a terrifying specta-

cle that stained the sky with ITS violent amber clow
In the hopes
i of appeasing
Pt the wrathful Kong,5 Skull Islanders

undertook their sacrificial duties with unrestrained fervor

40 || CHAPTER 1. THE CRUMBLING COAST AND VILLAGE

 JHE
VHRINKING
LOWLANDS
——S—
II

‘As much a danger to the expedition as any

dinosaur was the despair. While we were

walking Among wonders, the constant danger
and our tragic losses were hard to bear.
They certainly took their toll.”

||SPRING EXPEDITION, 1936

 On the eastern side of the mountainous spine that bisects Over time, as the island shrank and the encroaching sea

Skull Island, a network of rivers, fed by runoff and springs gobbled up much of this region the inhabitants were forced

weaved through a wide land ot gentle

to)
country swathed 1 into the jungle borders to survive Surveys showed the

low scrub and patchy crasslands

re)
These lowland flats and overall size of the open lowland habitat had been reduced

wide Grassy valleys were home to the largest

te)
of the island's by nearly cighty percent in less than a few centuries. This

inhabitants Towering sauropods and brawny ceratop concentrated Species It) €Vel tighter clusters and intensitied

Slans chewed the OTASSCS and mowed the jungle perimeter, the compctition In the low forest areas
5

keeping 1C at bay, while giant, predatory Vastatosaurus PLEXES

re)

stalked the herds at a distance Beneath them all, legions

of insects went about their secret lives, mimicking the epic

struggles of the dinosaurs.

‘2 || CHAPTER II. THE SHRINKING LOWLANDS

 LOWLAND ENVIRONMENTS

Lowlands

ON mee Great wall

Su amp

Waterways

y 4 Village

S Kong S Lan

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND | 13

he largest animals on Skull Island, the mighty Brontosau

ruses Were capable ol reaching lengths of well over a hun

dred feet Theis long necks allowed these sauropods

CO graze foliage as high as twenty feet tbove the ground and

theis Massive bulk placed Full grown Brontosaurs well out

side the weight class of almost all ol the island 5 predators

Though superficially similar to their extinct prehistoric

ancestors, the Brontosauruses of Skull Island developed sey

eral distinct features that llowed them CO flourish ( nlike

: ;
sauropods of the Cretaceous and Jurassic eras, they were

viviparous, giving birth to between one and three live young

dieamcinnG This majo physiological development was in

; ea ree
response to the constraints of island living. A slower repro
oe ; "1
duction rate kept the population In Dalance with the smallel

habitat and fewer resources Li e-bx mM \ |

 ay L ,yront |

osaurus. S Ver

within hours of birth, reduced juvenile mortality thanks to As they matured, young females would leave to join oTmmer

the security afforded them by being able to move within the herds, while )young: males stayed
) with the ¢group to assist in

safety of the herd. defense. The sheer size of the adults protected them from

almost all of the island's predators, but young were at risk

Young were cared for and protected by all members of the
from VK rexes and other large Carmnlvores. Wich a single adult
herd, which could number between six and twenty individ-
bull leading each herd, younger males Were inhibited fron =)
uals. Regardless of parenthood, all members of the herd
achieving full maturity by pheromones exuded by the bull,
would share duties of protecting young from predators.

GRAZING FLEIGHT COMPARISON

25 feet

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND

ensuring he fathered all the herd’s offspring. Immature males Apart from their size, the primary defense mechanism of a

rarcly achieving even the size of mature females, were there Brontosaurus was its strong tail, When threatened, a well

fore more likely targets for marauding I’ rexes, effectively aimed SWIpc¢ could wind Or even injure an unwary predatot

decoys fot breeding stock of the herd

Phe towering herbivores were also responsible for cleat

Drontosdaurus Was the tallest herbivore On the island raz ing new areas of forest growth in their guest fol the most

ING the highest ol branches while the Ligocristus and othet digestible food sources. Moving through the jungle between

midsized herbivores browsed On smaller trees. \ CLaAtOPStans che open lands familics ol Brontosauruses created Fame

grazed the low shrubs ferns and BrASses and small plant Craus clearing paths through the thick forest with thei

eaters ted around them at ground level thus each herbivore great strength

species avoided competing with each other for food

When the herd was separated during feeding,o Brontosauruses

communicated with one another by STOM PIN signals that

were transmitted through the orround Ove! short distances

and received by other members of the herd through the

pads of their feet Simple alarms could be easily transmitted

by individuals teeding on the outskirts of the family group,

alerting the entire herd to any danger.

\ NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND | |

 1] if a af

& ‘ ii de TY ~ 7 FA

_% ye \
ay * i

ed Es a i

y,

» s /~
y £OCris! LEIP OGETLES

The most numerous large herbivores on Skull Island, swimmers, Ligocristuses were also among the only herbi-

Ligocristuses congregated in herds numbering several vores that would readily take to the water to escape land-

dozen individuals. Skull Island’s Ligocristuses were duck based threats. Nonetheless, they were the staple prey spe-

billed ornicthischians, with broad, three-toed feer and cies for many different predatory creatures from I” rexes to

distinctive wide, ducklike snouts. With no other defenses, larg bird specics

safety was found in numbers, where many eyes improved

Mottled markings camouflaged the Ligocristuses when in
the chances of predators being spotted, Being( strong
co) tea}
the dappled light of the forest or the deeper jungle In

the open theit patterning helped break up their outlines.

Being MOrc sure-footed and agile than the great lumbering

sauropods, Ligocristuses were able to move with greatel Case

4* : through the many different vegetation zones on the island

¥ j
granting them access tO a wide range of tood SOUTCCS All-

purpose feeders, they ate a variety of vegetation: grasses

lean eS, water weeds, roots, and even bark

 SKULL ADAPTATIONS

Ligocristuses were highly vocal animals. The valleys echoed

constantly with their trumpetlike vocalizations as they

called tO one another tO maintain herd cohesiveness while

moving through the dense and obscuring jungle, and to

reassure one another of safety when grazing in the open.

Their vocabulary was surprisingly large, with a range of calls

for different purposes, Soft rumbles made while cating

signaled the availability different foods to others and COM-

plex
cgrunts were used to communicate social messages
c of

dominance and mood berw een individuals.

IZOCIISTUS skulls included several specialized [ea-

tures supporting their lifestyle Gile WD) High vocal,

the) had enlarged PESONALING chambers 1) their skulls and

crests through which they were able to trumpet loud calls to

One An othe r

Their broad snouts widened into hard. flat beaks, ideal for

plucking and grinding ad wide FANG of vegetation Powerful

muscles drove thei StVONg Jaws, which lacked front teeth, but

were lined with low, hard molars at the back | fig 2) Vegetable

Malte? mashed between the hormy plates of the beak Wds passed

back to be thoroughly pulverized and pulped before swallow

ng | distinctive side to-side che wing motion and the ability

to store food in the cheeks lent these dinosaurs a distinctly

/. pf. +p , win
cowlike COUNTENANCE AS [Ney Gute th) Crazed, perpe tuall cheu ig
f e i / c

On the 1} cud.

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND

Breeding
Sporting prominent bony crests with long trailing fins of displays and bellows. Bulls excavated performance scratches
skin, Ligocristuses were able to communicate mood and in the earth and competed for female attention with pos-
breeding status visually. In a mechanism similar to that turing and loud calls. Territorial sparring matches over
of a chameleon, colored cells on Ligocristus crest could the best display positions were common. In the breed-

flush to create different hues on the skin as a result of hor- ing season, exhausted competitors made easy pickings tor
monal signals.
e In the breedingg season, males would signal
Fs Wisc predators.

dominance and sexual maturity with deep vermilion crest

EYES ON THE HORIZON

J the Malnh COUrSE of Many of the island's predators,

; "fe }
| Iwocristuses were forced 10 Maintain a constant lookout

for danger. Eyes were positioned high On the head and angled

outward to take in an almost full 360-degree view. The pupils

were horizontally slotted to concentrate vision along the horizon

line. At Shane paper vulnerable during low feeding when their

heads were down, their eyes were able to swivel, maintaining a
horizontal bias regardless of the snouts angle.
6 2 3

CHAPTER IJ. THE SHRINKING LOWLANDS

 AP
eigpoPL sght

i 7
PE i
 Among Q the Most IMIPreSstve herbivores on Skull Island
o

were the mighty Ferrucutuses Heavily built grazers with

Massive shoulders and CHNOrMOoOUS frills ol bone and Spine,

these powerful animals Were dangerous prey fou the

island's carnivores

Despite their fearsome ASPCCl and AQETESSIVE Manner,

Ferrucutuses were exclusively herbivores, cating low shrub

bery and USING thei nasal horns Co UProot tall cycads cto

get CO the fruit WW the crown of the plants Jungle cleared

by Brontosaurus herds Was quickly reduced Co grassland by

shrub-browsing Ccracopsians, their hard beaks making short

work of the thorns and woody stems.

Ferrucutus herds could number up to around twelve indi-

viduals. Herds claimed and defended small Cerritories where

cess were laid, giving them time to develop In safety. Young

immediately joined the herd upon hatching and gained the

protection of the group. When threatened by a predator,

JRELETAL ADAPTATIONS |

EGiiehug

| ( HAPTERI], THE SHRINKING LOWLANDS

 the herd instinctively closed around the young, presenting ads a female. They collected small harems anc iarded them

a Yin ot outward facing horns and frills while the domi jcalously Fichts between males were frequent Young bucks

nant male would then rush forward CO challenge the intrudet congregated In bachelor herds honing theit sparring skills

Even the biggest and hunegriest | VEX would think CWICC with playful bouts until they were large and strong enough
about tackling an enraged bull Ferrucutus
to challenge for their own harems

( ertainly a threat CO would-be predators the head arma Full dominance fights could be bloody, with Injury NOt
ment of a Ferrucutus Was primarily used In dominance uncommon and death NOU unheard ot Even superticially

tights between adult males contesting lordship ot thei small wounded bulls could die of Nasty infections later.
herds ot females and yOung Intensely territorial and pug-

Nacious, adult bulls could =OTOW tO almost

re halt again as large

56 | CHAPTER II. THE SHRINKING LOWLANDS

A NATURAL HisTORY OF SKULL ISLAND ! SH
 Head Frills
las rel the Frill, the More SE€nlor the
The
5
animal seemed CO be the rule among the
@}

ceratopsians of Skull Island. Starting out

small in juveniles (fig 1), the shields of the

herrucutuses ore; wroughout their lives

with the oldest animals supporting huge

and claborate horned frills. Adult females

had large shields and horns (fig 2), but by

far the most impressive arrays wer those of

the big adult males g 3 Some bulls had

] ]
horns o er six feet long. In mature animals

the itera! Fol the shield above the brows would

| | di vey
chang color in the breeding season to indi|

Cate readiness to mate n some cases this

| ;
display was cnough ct ntimidate a com

f Pa , Bat |
petitor into giving up before any lolence
; | ;
occurred Among female the second

| <4 |
cheek horns were Darely noticeable and the

small Il hornshorn |
at the center top of the shieldId

rarely grew long eno igh to cross Only

the largest males developed a full crossover

and this was a sood measure Of the age ol

] }
the animal

Skull Island was home to a unique species of

termites that built vast castlelike termitar-

ies rivaling the biggest of the island’s dino-

SduUlrs Im SIZe A typical colony might house

as many as tive million individuals Several

species ol dinosaur made use of the tiercely

protective MISC CEs: combat skin pa ra-

sites. Animals like Ferrucutus actively pro-

voked the Cermites tO swarm Over their hic ES

by rubbing themselves against termitaries.

While their own skins were tough enough
to withstand the termites’ bites, unwelcome

dermal parasites on their hides were not

sO lucky.
The Moloch-like Calcarisaurus was ad small, thorny rep Smell Was Cadlcarisaurus principal
]
sense and
J
it was used LO

tile with a near impregnable hide Despite its small size track down small lj urds
]
rodents, and |
]
large invertebrates

few predators bothered the plucky liccle tank out of ae) che scrub and Open regions ( entipedes were a particu-

respect for its battery of spurs which covered almost every larly favored prey and were excavated
}
from thei
|
burrows by

surface of its body. A secreted irritant along the edges /

Calcarisaurus with its strong diggingg claws. The bites of the
of Calcarisaurus spurs helped to drive home its message large Skull Island centipedes did NOU WOrry the animal

of inedibility CO the CurlOUsS OF stupid

One predatot alone was a threat to ( alcarisaurus

Such a solid defense granted

oO
Calcarisaurus impunity to Venatosaurus, intelligent and adaptable, had developed strate-

wander the island without fear ot molestation by Carmivores gies for flipping its prey to expose the vulnerable, less heavily
As a result, Its eyesight and hearing Were poor, having little armored underside, restricting ( ‘alcarisaurus to regions W here
need for those senses to alert It CO danger. the predators seldom roamed

CHAPTER II. THE SHRINKING LOWLANDS

 TLERMITLO SAURUS
Formicavoro

One of the strangest ol Skull Island's unique animals was

the bizarre insectivore Formicavoro. Vhe Ant-swallower had

a shared ancestry with meat-eating quadrupeds however, it

opted for a dict of termites, ants, and othet small Insects.

Wich sturdy claws and protruding tusks, Termitosaurus

could tcar into subterranean Nests and concrete-hard Ger

mitarics, allowing a remarkably mobile, long, sticky tongue

a to lap at the insects inside. An acute sense of smell ouided

the plunde Vybex anima! CO the NULSCTrY chambers of an ant

OF Tenmite COmmMUnIEy where the protein-rich larvae could

be found.

Formicavoros could defend themselves with force when nec-

Cssary, but their principal defense Was a pale of brightly

colored dorsal fans that were rapidly deployed and flashed

CO startle would-be predators.

Solitary creatures, they paired only briefly In the breeding

fo}

scason. Small batches of EGS WELe laid in shallow, covered

fete

pits and left to dev clop and hatch on their own. The young
) t
dug their W ay CO the surface, fully developed and ready to
fe}

ES embark on thelr long Careers as terrorizers of Skull Island's

small and ML Itilegged fauna.

 The bigg« St predator On Skull Island Was the Vastatosaurus V. rexes had larg heads, filled wich long teeth that were

rex. Like their prehistoric Tyrannosaur relations, the Skull constantly being regrown CO replace chose lost In Con

Island I rexes had little competition for thei spot as Hlict Their heads were intensely reinforced with heavy

top predators In spite of their size, they could turn on a bonc As the primary weapon ol the animal, an indi

surprising burst of speed for short periods, cloc king up to vidual Vastatosaurus’ head was often distinctive being

25 mph for limited stretches in pursuit of prey covered in scars and calluses. Abnormal bone growths formed

from old battles with precy othe: predators rivals Or even

] PONES developed many unique features Over the SIXTY
7 |
mates Narrow SNOrt rib cages ind a large gap between the
tive million years since the agre of dinosaurs,
ribs anc hips allowed rexes surprising flexibility for animals
but they still bore several recog-
|
ot their SIZC, a NeCCCSsary adaptation cto the broken terrain of
nizable similarities to their
Skull Island.
Cretaceous ancestors.

heit forelimbs were small In comparison with the

rest of their bodies, not growil 1g as fast as the t

of the animal so that by adulthood this dispar-

ity in spite of their size was strikingly evident

Early [yrannosauroids had only CWO fingers On Chel

forelimbs, but Skull Island | Pex es had three

When dra gene CArCcasses, che tiny

arms helped pin the meat

AQAUTST the body and

prevent ne SWING

ing around
 While juvenile 1’ reves tended to cluster in the thick jungle

interior, the large adults hunted mostly in the open areas

of the lowlands where they could move freely Largc bulls

sought the most open territories while mature females usu-

ally staked claim to areas on the fringes of the thicker forests

\W here they could find hidden HEstine sites.

oO

Fiercely territorial, adult 7 rexes suffered no rival encroach-

ments on their hunting grounds Territorial boundaries were

regularly marked with urine, and dawn roaring would rein-

force claims to land. Neighbors could tell much about the

phy sical condition of the owner of a territory from the smell

of its urine and the sound of a roar. Displays and scenting

minimized potentially dangerous controntations between

animals of different sizes. Occasionally disputes between

evenly matched l/ rexes could erupt. With the threat of seri-

ous injury, these confrontations were usually resolved with

intense roaring matches in which each animal attempted to

intimidate the other Into PIVIT

1g Way Howevei when this

| CHAPTER II. THE SHRINKING LOWLANDS

 A STORY IN SKULLS

he extent l0 which Skull Island Ve rexes had developed inferred missing-link species (fig 2) show how the skulls became

S777CE the Cretaceous T. rex ( fig 1) was most in evidence more robust and heavily armored, culminating in that of the Skull

by COMPpPATISON between skulls Developments traced through an Island species (fig ;

A NATURAI HISTORY O} SKULI ISLAND | 65

failed violence ensued Older Kore ves DOE the CrISSCrossins stealing meals from unguard d kills aking 1d\ antage ol the

| | s might move
scars of many such fights season of nomadic adult malc bi Id adolkk scent

,
IN CO ¢ laim CUrT¢ nel undefended territory as their own
| XCCPUlONS CO their solit uy existence were Made In the breed

VY SDIECICS but
Ing scason Mak S would leave the Il hunting erounds CO seck

Out females WW season If the femal Was receptive she would midate sm ler

accept the bull and the couple might STAY together hunting carnivores
into giving
up thei CTLV¢ hu ‘ie! gly

;
in her territory for several days before she tired of him and a meal wa ifer to obtain| } ippropri

j
sent him on his way \dolescent /| ves—secking to hone Ise Care | nad n |

their hunting skills—would sometimes follow adults at a sak ble of pro ll tl most d

distance during the Mating scason, wat hing and OCCASION lly cure that d the 51
Pheit MaSSIVC JAWS could CXert astounding PECSSUTC shactet WCIC likely Bani though most were too small CO provide

Ing bones CO CXPOSC the rich Marrow less robust predators more than a snack, The greatest challenge for the hunter

were unable CO reach lay in not being spotted by prey Adult / rexes were dark in

coloring and, despit their size, could be surprisingly stealthy

\s hunters, Skull Island's / ves tended to employ ambush
using shadows neat the fringes of scrub, rocky outcropping:OS
5
tactics, USIN&S Cover 1n and wound W iterholes OF aM forested

Or ruins CO hide thei approach

areas tO Surprise prey / cristuses were the primary prey

oF { |
adult CNS |
the most‘ | |
abundant /
Ferructus anc | The I black SC ali 5 also aided | (Pan UGK Warming up Qui¢ y

b a s were more dangerous prospects however, if a WN che MOPrnIngs boosting their energy levels to gain an
ra)
|
young Or SICK anima! could b¢ separated from the protec advantage OVCI sill sluggish herbivore S
c I

tion of the herd Il could be 1M Casy <ill \ny smaller Species

ctl 4 ade
 SKELETAI ADAPTATIONS

Lo iilipie. , pa ) ] ] j ;
kull Island \ rexes Ndd large, 7 vad, three toed |feet. These breda / l
Cdadl a 1 ) f EXCTIING
f ASLONISPIN
rear
big
Lg feet were an adaptationi that allowed
/ /
the l
heavy animals / /pressure y to splinter bonef and crush RB limbs.
H Plinte ail u L177) Their7 teet]
lC€lyn were p
peg

10 if
PUL ANA / Stalk
[ /h through
; ¢ f ] 111 ,
Swamper terrain | than 7 ,
thet r bulk
MuIK would
Would “ike
/ rather
if than
tha edged, i fo plercing
L and / Mashing
| |

othe rWwISE SUP pore. The hug Jaws WeVC the largest of an) land

68 | CHAPTER
II. SHRINKING LOWLANDS
CARRION EATERS

¢ CAESAU RUS
Lycaesaurus kirkii

The mammal-like reptile Lycaesaurus was an intelligent,

dog-sized predator that hunted in the grasses. Mating for

life, pairs dug burrows in the volcanic soil and lined them

with dry vegetation for their pups—most often twins.

They took a wide range of prey, feeding on any thing smaller

than themselves, and often followed large carnivores like |

rexes in the hopes of scavenging morsels from their kills,

or using the cover of one of their attacks to grab unde-

fended young dinosaurs.

 CARRION INVERTEBRATES

esponding to blood SCENT large flightless Scissor Beetles

hopped 10 CATCASSES with their grasshopperlike legs

Huge, she €) slike mandibl s allowed the be ¢ th S 0 carve off

] li
CDUNRKS of meat

Laden with squirming grubs, Hair) Maggorflies swarmed at

carrion sites to de posit their young. The predatory maggots fed

! ’ fs : Se :

not on the CATTION but On the Maggots of other 7S€CIS, Adult

oe :

flies could fall victim to their voracious offspring if they were

unable tO deliver the mM L0 food within the first hours of hatching

The Skull Island Meat Weevil laid its resilient CLES deep in the
Carrion-Eating Specialises
carcasses of dead animals, where they would survive ingestion by Phe currency of Skull Island was flesh, and business in the
meat-eating vertebrates passing intact through the dige stive tract lowlands of the diminishing island was booming Filling
to emerge As larvae i the dung the niche ol the Carrl1On Caters were at least a dozen Oppor-

tunistic species, ranging from the giant 1” rexes to tiny scav-

Cn¢eing insects

Unattended kills were rare gifts, so each species relying on

carrion as a food source developed its Own strategies for

ensuring a stake at a kill) For some, that meant getting there

first. Scavenger birds often followed large predators aie Al Ghee
The two-foot-long Carrion Centipede would steal and bury meat tance, watching for a successful hunt.
from a carcass.

CHAPTER II. THE SHRINKING LOWLANDS

Most colorful among them were the many and_ varied brightly painted Insects exuded NOXIOUS che nicals from their

species coexisted on the island. shells intended fe) prevent them from being accidentally caten
carrion parrots. Halt a dozen ro)

| hree distinct and remarkable storklike SPCclcs evolved with by other scavengers. Their claborate markingsro) loudly adver-

featherless heads for diggin o deep into carcasses, and special- tised their extreme inediblity. Swarmingro) on a kill, they could

ized beaks suited to specific tasks. Gulls and other regional deter even the MOST hungry scavenging birc Or reptile, gain-
D
e

seabirds were part-time carrion caters, unlikely to pass up an Ing exclusive access TO a Carcass.

opportunity for free meat. Skull Island was also home to

species of o
Dts giant gray Agama. Usually hunting small prey in

the scrub, the surly reptile wasnt one to pass up the offer of

meat.

Skull Island’s Ornate Carrion Beetle was an unwelcome sight

a kill. Drawn from miles around by the smell, these

On
 (ARRON SUORKS

Profanornis sordicus

Gruesome looking birds, che large, flight

less Profanornis sordicus was an opportunist

feeder, bulk-loading chunks of carrion meat

in its distended crop when available, but

also actively hunting small reptiles, large

INSECts, ung ruarded chicks, OF JCven dino

saur young Nestin g in scrub, the young

hatched mobile and perfectly capable ol

feeding themselves, though they stayed with

their parents for the first year of lite for pro

tection. Indiscriminate feeders, even other P. sor-

dicus were a potential threat to young birds, NeGessi=

tating close parental SUPCIVISION.

rOfANOTNIS SPinosus

The largest of Skull Island’s four carrion storks, Profanornis upon their parents for the first months following them

spinosus was named for the thorny projections on the tip around the shallow waterways and neighboring grasslands

of its bill. It tended to live in and around the rivers that as they learned to hunt for themselves. Both males and

crossed the lowland regions.

ts)
The toothlike thorns on its females sported GIESES, though these were larget and MOTC

beak helped IC catch fish and amphibians such as Swamp- colorful in males

Wings. It also readily ate Carrion. Young Wie dependent

laenes Olea fH) Rea

F ]
/ wie
l@ry Carrion Parrots "iat LFOPSITLICUS ¢ ilidus Possessed

ji / ] J / J an
DAVE SPAarp DeARS [07 PENAING [lesp [YOM Carcasses ANA SHap

/ IS pf /
ping small )O7LCS The MOST bri Pty color / Spec 1¢ red

rings Were a SIGN 0; SEXUAL MATUTTIT)

2 || CHAPTER II. THE SHRINKING LOWLANDS

Exploiting a ready food source, many of Skull Island's par-

rots were full-time carrion eaters. Strong beaks and natu-

rally inquisitive natures made the partially featherless, rau-

cous parrots the perfect candidates for the job. Their

ancestors probably arrived on the island only a few mil-

1On years ago—their adaptation and diversification having

occurred quickly in evolutionary time scales.

\ NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLANI

 DUNGABEL
LIE
Nigra assida

Thanks to huge herbivore ike Brontosauru

impressive deposit: of dung were abundant on Skull

Island The Dung Beetle Nigracassida tircle sly

harvested small balls of dinosaur scat, bur 1g them

for later The beetles principal enemy was the

W hit Wedgehe id (Cuneatu

inch lizard th LC specialized In Catll o the mM)

~ 4 y °

aa
fs se
: “A é
ov
Pee
han
Sars
a ave
ae ’ s >
Yl

f TERROR BIRDS

ZLEROP TAR Ye
Pa ok eee ;
LCLrOPLleryx
L -

Skull Island was home to several species of

large flightless birds The largest were heavily

built, predatory species with great axelike beaks

Zeropteryxes were among heaviest of these, stand-

ing as high as a man and with powerful run-

ning legs and huge claws. Armed with enormous

razor-tipped, spadelike beaks, they were formida-

ble predators. Anything that moved was potential

game The bladelike edge of the bird’s beak was as

lethal as a pickax to small animals not fast enough

to wet
c away.
nivores, Drulorn Wa np

ral dow n prey ll

i I

] ] ] r
sight the bird ¢ ild detect small m

grasses that betrayed small prey hidden oC} }

: 1; hel] | |
huge adzelike bill was «

exerted a bite terrible enough to kill

and

with a singie Chomp

where thei egos remained conceaica but

eround permitted the parent a view of pote

cl | | t -
threats. Mothers showed intense vigilance ite
n protect ¢

;
ing their eggs, going without food for up to a month

during arcane: to remainCe

incubation at he the nest
Bera tg hickseG had ae
; ea |
camoutlaged plumage for hidit ind followed thei!
nae
mother
ban
when
oh
snc
merino
unt
la Choug!
Old
enone oO fend

tor themselves

‘ ' ;
Cunning: Lycaesaurus developed
I tactics to

lure Brutornis mothers off their valuable eggs

Conspicuously approaching the nest to catch the

bird's eye one Lycae aurus would ack aS. a decoy,

luring
$ the
IITOCTECTIVE bird ott her clutch while tne

other raided the unattended nest A valuable pro-

|
LEI SOuULGcEes the melon-sized egos
55 were worth the
oc

risk of teasing such a dangerous predator The decoy

 Fp.

sete

animal had to judge its lead carefully. If it went too far

the Brutornis might abandon pursuit to return to

ICS Cees, too close and the ploy could

turn to disaster, the would-be

ego thieves becoming

dinner for the

starvingre) bird.
NIGHT STALKERS
VOLUCERICTIS
Volucerictis
Flying lI vasel, 1S-18-inch wingspan

Emerging at night of cre Skull

Island’s lowlands The insectivorous lVolu 1 dimin

utive cousin of J tpusmordax, \eft its daytime roosts

caves and hollow trees to hunt on the wing at dusk. Wich

IMPressive night vision, the batlike predator was ible to

‘ I

hunt on ill but the darkest hights

Viciously territorial, mated pairs o1 single animals maintained

]
ZCLO tolerance on interlopers neal thei rOOsTS especially

when young were present Deaths In airborne territorial dis-

putes were Not unheard ot and, as prey for larger Carnivores,

detiant Volucerictis would fight, bitterly biting and scratc ung,

CO the last breath.

PUGBAL
lurpis porcarius
i ) 4
FOut pl »-fO0l WI)? SPaz

Flying reptiles descended from cynodonts, Pugbats WEre down Eh) Masse ‘On young Or SICK individuals they had

nocturnal pack hunters specializing In taking dow n large isolated amid the throng, INSTINCTIVELY amine for the throat

prey Families of up to fifteen adults and their young and stomach, where thinner skin granted aGEESS tO) MOE

nested In hollow trunks and sheltered hollows created by blood vessels. Ferocious bacteria In the Pugbats saliva could

fallen trees On the edges of the lowland plains, emerging at bring on spontancous coronary shock in prey, dying of heart

sundow n to hunt In the half-light before full dark. Dozing failure in a matter of minutes after being savaged.

o razers 1n the open lands were their primary prey.

ro)
Few animals voluntarily sought conflict with the pugnacious

Spooking the herd with ecric calls, the pack would SWOOP little flyers.
real

San
PUGBAT FEATURES

Adult Male Pugbat

ouths were large and Among Pughats, males and females

rowed with tiny, very differed in their wing tips. In males,

sharp teeth. The bald head allowed who were larger

‘S
than
:
females, the

it to be plunged deep inside Car- phalanges was split at the distal joint,

0 tender meat. allowing greater finger mobility,

CASSCS 12 search

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND

 L
Va
}

\|

|
1]
|

>
|
|

|
|||
|

MOONSPIDER

Gale Odes luna

Rodents, lizards ground birds. and even dinosaur chich

Night on the ground on Skull Island was a dangerous time

were potential victims. A bite from tl izable arachnid

and place to be if you were small. Among the invertebrate
discomtort to even an idult dino
with those of could Cause significant
predators few had Jaws that could compcte

saul Moonspiders hunted at night to avoid becoming pr

the Moonspider. A variety of Sunspider, not a true spider,

huge crushing mandi- to diurnal birds and other large hunters

the ten-legged Moonspider sported

and paralytic venom to make short work of its prey.

bles
 JHE
WINDING JWAMPS
AND
WATERWAYS
Sa ||

“A losquito nets here GG useless

—better 10 use barb wire and SCnLVIES.

Ay

seese"
~VeSeo
2
 >

Re ee ees
reve a 2

e.

Water is the lifeblood of any ecosystem, and nowhere was These CXCCNSIVE aquatie systems of streams, rivers lakes and

this more evident than on Skull Island. High raintall for swamps were home to many of the island's unique life-forms

much of the year ensured that a constant flow of water Microscopic but vital alg and protozoans bobbed along

worked its way across, into, and under the land. This con drawn by the current Swarming silver flashes of fish shoals

stant flow sculpted the landforms, carved deep gullies, and numbering in the thousands, wound like underwater trains

leveled the grasslands It filled holes to create pools and through the boughs of wet-footed forests Long-necked

murky swamps and fed the ravenous jungle that swathed birds and thin-snouted fisher reptiles stalked through marshy

most of the island. It defined and sustained much of the sinks. In the deep black-brown water of the wide, slow rivers,

land's geography and fed all of its inhabitants. leviathan killers sinuously slipped unnoticed by the prey

they marked.
os

e
4
a
:
j
M
ry
5
4
mn
E
8
ell
i.
in,
Sireprise Attack
Despite the serenity ol the waters Skull Island's

rivers and pools were atl least as dangerous as the

jungle. The deceptively serene waters hid a menag

eric of terrifying creatures, among them the night

marish predator Piranhadon

wf

Piranhadon hunted SECLIONS of rivers edges that sloped

steeply, permicuing It tO lurk very close tO the beach

while still remainin oO hidden beneath the surface.

co}

Lying along the bottom, the fish’s two enlarged and

sensitive barbels picked up footfall \ ibrations through

re)

the ground that W ould Seemal the approach of potcn-

tial prey. Drawn to the bank to drink, animals cast

tellrale silhouettes across the water's surface as they

Came within range of the predators strike.

A sweep of its mighty tail would send the Piranhadon

surging forward, its luge,

Dgaping head propelled out

of the water to grab the unfortunate victim. Often

the prey would be lifted high into the air to crash

down violently iain into the boiling water, firmly

te}

trapped between the fish's gin-trap jaws. ; still aliy S

after the impact of the attack, prey was dragged

strugglingto} beneath the surface to be drowned and
swallowed whole.

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND

 PIRANHADON

Piranhadon titanus

The unchallenged master of the waterways ol Skull Island

was the gargantuan Piranhadon titanus, named more for

its carnivorous habits than for any resemblance to a truc

piranha A titanic fish, it grew as large as some whales

Was an ambush predator mostly taking tcl

P ranhadon

restrial prey that came to drink—only to find themselves

dragged down to a watery doom Phough It would also

hunt below the surface, the majority of Piranhadon’s prey

was taken from the bank or plucked from the surface while

attempung a Crossing>

Piranhadon’s eyes were large, but not terribly acute [heir

VISION Was restricted EQ) CRLECMIES ot light and dark. Staring

up, they would respond to shadows created AGAINST the bright

light of the sky that indicated potential prey on or near the

surtace Underwater prey Was more ditticult to discern in

the murky water,

Their bodies had evoly ed CO allow short bursts of high speed,

as befitted an ambush predator, but would need CO Est for

long periods betw ecn attacks,

Massive banks of gills supplied the fish with oxygen from

the water. Water that was heavily clogged with silt made it

difficult for the species to breathe, restricting its access to

the river system Piranhadon had elongated necks that were

flexible sO as tO allow them CO Weave through the flooded

forests and narrow waterways they hunted in spite of their

great size Side-to-side tail movement provided propulsion,

while the massive paddlelike pectoral fins stecred che animal

with SUFPTIsIng agility. Streamlined and smooth the great

teh He

beast could move swiftly through the watecl creating barely

a ripple on the surface to betray ITS passage. [he larect the

fish, the faster it could swim.

88 |
 fies
89
A NATURAI HISTORY Ot SK l Isl AND
|
 Male Piranhadon were much smaller chan the giant
re)
females Young were born live in groups ot around a dozen I ully live

rarely exceeding twenty feet In length and outnumbered feet long at birth they Were ilre id) tormidable aquatic pred
ro)

them several times Ovel During the mating season, the big ACOrs and took Co hunting WwW the shallows right away Here
5 D

females made no effort to accommodate the affections of they pertected their ambushing techniques on Watcl birds

]
their many tiny suitors. Only the strongest and fastest males and small dinosaurs. Juvenile Foetod crocodilelike preda-

could catch up with them and deposit their seed thereby tors ot the jungle were Common prey snapped up as they

cuarantecing the best genes for theit offspringra) floated On the surface in their nursery Proups

90 | CHAPTER III. THE WINDING SWAMPS AND WATERWAYS

 RIVER PARASITES

Estrivermis

Estrevirmis used its s larp-rasping mouth to dig into the

flesh of a host until it located a blood vessel, sometimes

several inches deep using icselt inside Il fed on life SUS

taining blood directly from the veins. Once attached, the

parasite remained embedded, ICS rail dangling outside the

body ot the host, expelling Waste and coos Ito the water.

P
~ 0 fanus

A variety of large, free-swimming tapeworm, Profanus peri-

odically attached to host animals, where it rasped away the

skin to expose the flesh. Exuding an anesthetic to numb

the wound, eggs were laid into the flesh while the para-

site remained attached. Upon hatching, larvae lived in the

wound until old enough tO SWIM aWay and breed.

Contereobestiolla
GNLCHING-L1itle-VeAaSI l > 2HCPES LOng

Larval Contereobestiolla were tiny creatures living in still

freshwater. They remained as larvae until accidenta ly
ingested by a fish host, whereupon they attached to the

gut lining and pupated, hatching as mature arthropods to

roam the cut freely. Adults lived on food swallowed by the

host, multiplying and growing until they infested the entire

te) te}

rastrointestinal
Ge tract, sometimes causing great discomfort.
(=) foe)

Cutiscidis

Skin-crab, 1-4 inches across

A remarkable variety of parasitic crab, Cutiscidis attached

itself to a host's skin and fed from the wound. The Skin-

crab’s Carapace formed a protective scablike Cap, to shelter

the parasite as it re)grew. The crab detached only to breed,

dropping to the riverbed to locate others of its own kind,

atter which it would seck a New host.

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND

ip
Plagued by parasites, one of the most unconventional

behaviors exhibited by Piranhadon was voluntary beaching

Selecting an appropriate beach that provided sutticient slip

way for returning to the water, the fish would swim at speed

up and onto the shore. Several bird species knew this behav

ior and would fly down to meticulously clean the predator

of its unwanted passengers alongside two small lizard species

Despite the usual danger the predator presented, whilk being

groomed and attended It was no threat, willingly permit

ting enterprising cleaner birds to pick parasites and food

from between its mighty jaws. The fish could stay ashore

for only a short time before suffocation and heat compelled

it to submerge Using its huge pectoral fins to heave itsell

Piranhadon flexed and arched like a gigantic seal, sliding

back Into Its natural habitat.

A case of convergent evolution with the neopedes, Nepalacuses were medium-sized aquatic neopede h
I

Nefaco SUS Was descended from primitive cephalochordates, webbed membranes between their legs, yielding them great
/

a family from which lampreys and hagtish sprang Instead agility and efficiency as swimmers. Several species had

or eyes Nefacossus used ICS rudimentary lateral line to |

evolved, with varying degrees of |leg |
reduction and varied

home In on movement 1n the watcl that would betray the webbing contigurations

presence ot small prey

ERWAY ‘S
 Phe MOST Active predator AMON the neopedes

ASpiscimen had a soft body chat eranted t tlexibil

ity but contined it to the water, The reat legs were

replaced by a flat tail and the jaws were hard s ICINYD

plates They hunted small tish in swift streams

Aquatic
| Hydruscimex was the largest
S neopede
| of all. Its

poison was more dilute than many othe: species, but its

sheet Size meant It could myect lethal doses with a single

bite, subduing even small dinosaurs

Less of a swimmer, Mortifillex used a fishlike lure to attract

prey Specialized legs near the head were adapted for

re
=sPaspin =¢ x IDEEV W hile fast-acting nerve poison Was injected.
c c c

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND | 95

S@ORPIOCeREDE

Nepapede har pagabdominus

Skull Island's centipedes were CVvery bit as remarkable as any bodies ot water were bordered by sufficient Crops ot their

of the island S other inhabitants Developing In 1sSOlation, a favored tood algae As lary LC they We're pred iwory swim

number of them had grown to exceptional SIZC and sported mers. As adults they lived around the waterline, Scorp

extreme specialization Im ia number ol biological traits. pede: grazed algae from logs, rocks, and tree trunks with thei
te

Among sOMcC SPCCICs these traits were so extreme as to shearslike mouthpat Cs

justify inclusion In a new family, the Skull Island neopedes.

Like other neopedes of Skull Island, Scorpio-pedes had spe-

Among the most specialized of Skull Island's neopedes was cialized legs Their first pall had adapted CoO become aids

the Scorpio-pede. Though not the largest of these strange for grazing, while all those behind the next five walking pairs

descendants of centipedes, they were by far the most numer- had been shed entirely

Ous. Colonies ot the large invertebrates thrived wherever

 I J
11d under branches or vegetation overha?

ena = l ee) ; - ]
Hatch ng nympns fel into the water where (he)

;
[ree-sSwimming
P > predators
pred ator lonnid
devoid of CXTCTHAL
WhLEGS

] ] ] ] ] /
1Jlé7vy three year s the nymphs
! shed their skins to emerge as fully

formed amphivu us adults

Intensely terri torial, the jumpy invertebrates would react

defensively to any incursion into their immediate surround-

Ings, arc hing U NEE WAGs eco brandish their venomous tails
ra)

another unuSsuUe il trait among their kin, which usually had ve

re}

OMmoOUS JaWS Ta ther chan tails. Armed with sharp, hollow ta |

prongs, Scorpio-pedes tails could jab through thick hides
fe)

deliver a pote tially life-threateningte) poison. Large reptiles

suffered only discomfort from the venom, enough to warn

them away. .F‘Or smaller animals— including

fe)
MOST mammals

and birds—a s ingle jab could be a death sentence, the fast-

actingte) poison killing within

to)
minutes. Most creatures knew

better than CO enter Scorpio-pedes Grazing grounds.

ce}
Working cleanup Wn the wetlands Was a tcam ol Carrion,

eating invertebrates that made a living ot MOppimng up the

remains ot kills made by predators Not COO picky about

what One ate mecant there would always be food available

Several unique species of crabs had adapted co fulfill this role

Impurucaris (Unclean-crab) was a small carrion crab with

paddles giving it limited swimming ability, while the hefty

carrion whelk, /neulti lepas (Squalot limpet) exuded a saliva

that softened bone, allowing the snail to rasp away mouth

fuls. The largest crab, Funucaris (¢ orpse crab), grew up to

eight inches across the Carapace Strong pincers with sharp

bladed ed (alFCS sliced meat away from bone but could also

manipulate small morsels with SULPTISINg grace and delicacy

when pickingD the Vcry last Scraps from a skeleton

 NE ELE Aul Lee CRO UROS

pond skaters skimmed che water, propped on

and pooled, Or became trapped Predatory
Where the rivers slowed

splayed legos as they hunted on the filmy surface. Mirrored

in quirks of Skull Island's geography, the brackish Wwatcl

backswimmers nearly two inches long hung

for armies of tiny inverte below, rapacious
became a miniature battleground

scnses primed for the bowstring pluck of prey

brates, all Warring W ich One anothei tor survival. suspended

on the Watcl Both predators detected ripples of poten

An arms race Was 1n effect, with each SPecies trusting im its

tial prey on the, surface film like warships scanning for radat

Own particular specialization to grant i¢ a WINhIne edge Ove!

SIANACuUres Zoning nm on the cellrale ripples their snapping

ICS COMPCTICOLS, predators, and prey. It lin Ing I the jungle

forelimbs grappled and pinned while spearlike mouthparts

Was a dangerous proposition, being small and underw ater Was

pierced to suck vital juices
POSICI\ ely perilous.

100 || CHAPTER IIJ. THE WINDING SWAMPS AND WATERWAYS

Mosquito larvae and their kin, w rithing fitlike in the thou- date the life fluids it drew from the flesh of dinosaurs with

sands, were food for fish of all kinds. As adults they emerged ies lawepodermic mouthparts. Growingc almost two inches

from the water like rising apparitions, brightly colored and long, the drone of its wings maddened Ligocristus
é
youngoO in

jeweled with sparkling, metallic patterns. Skull Island had their island nurseries in the hot months when vast clouds of

countless unique species. Mortaspis (Death-wasp), with its the Vv ampiric insects rose out of the sw amps to plague
fs them.

yellow and black barring and striking deaths-head markings,

Was not a wasp at all, but a bloodsucker related to mosqui-

toes. The brilliant red Spinaculex (Need e-gnat) had tall

spines and a bulbous thorax and could cxpa id TO accom mo-

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND

IN { A \ \ | N] ] \
1Vi \ | HNN
MeN NST MON ENCES)

V < Hays 4

dwelling reptiles Valamagnuses browsed reeds tion—all adule members of che herd part
Large herd

guarding theit Cerricory agoressively Py ils

ilies, and shrubs WW the shallows apy and around the
Walel

CO predators such as | VOXES they LW Icom encroacncrs

waterways Vulnerable

tendec 10) browse along the riverbanks cone pl che shallows

In the breeding season Vialama

to afford carnivores less cover for ambushes and allow for | | SilVKiI
and intolerant (
ageressive
00

a quick retreat to deep water. In the river, their size kept |

Cerrictorics Lara rubl ry egg were laid

them safe from all but the largest of the aquatic predators | |
near th rive edgy |
amid vegetation

Smaller terrestrial threats were seen off through intimida

well developed and WCI¢ QuICE to join the h
I

stantially in their first yeat

 MASSIVE JAWS

if rou f |
ilamagnuse: had Cnormous Jaws for reptiles thet

hel [Prey ]
ti HY Pile PerBivorous, [PIP TNPLess
lve tusklike

/ ) ih hk
CLD were Mmployed i COnLEeSTS af dominance Rival locked

Pe Mie oe j ]
S like battling stags and tried 10 force One ANODE) aside

P OWT] UL / NECK l MUSCLES

/ WeETe is
[DE sui
KC) ]
10 (he contest, f And / young

) / / /
males would hone their strength in mock battles

curious addition to Skull Island's cast of zoological

misfits was the Dirt Turtle (Foeduchelys hospes)

an unremarkable Species but for its habit of eating the feces of

other river inhabitants like Malamagnuses Their fecal diet

was supplemented with insects and snails. The species was

effectively a marshland cleanup crew, removing waste left by

dinosaurs and other large animals UsINg the Wwalerways

< < é
 ‘ t

a
\ NT
} ‘ ‘

. i tie |
Seeking
to avoid predators and eggie C C

mothers chose to nest on small islets and

14 : 4 /
Were exposed during the driest months Away ft pre

atory eyes, }
the =
nests were |
less likelyIne to lL,
be lord
raided }
CCW

“e : Lf
of Skull Island’s land-based predators were clined to

SWIM and the rivers OWN resident carnivores were Most

watel bound

Lett to develop on their own, the small clutches of eggs

would hatch WwW synchronized batches CO MaAaXIMIZC the chances

of survival for the young. Calls of the hatchlings drew thei

parents bac k CO the islands where they would Stay for several

days until the young were STrON enough CoO risk leaving the

safety of the sanctuaries

For adults the short SWIM across a Liver Or through Marsh-

lands Was No great hardship. For New hatchlings, however,

this trip could be perilous. Several Species of water pred-

ators made IC their business CO be W acing nearby when the

adult Ligocristuses returned to guide their young back tO land

again aLiel hatching,

104 || CHAPTER
III THE WINDING SWAMPS AND WATERWAYS
A relic of a long-gone age the larg arrowheaded tetra

pod Inoculopalus had remained largely unchanged since the

Permian age The wide meat eaters preferred co lurk in che

stagnant pools and weed clogged marshes of Skull Island's

waterways, where murky water and tloating scum helped

mask their presence. Oversized relatives of modern sal

amanders and trogs they were ambush predators, taking

tish, wading birds Ol anything small enough to fit down

theit throats

Despite Possessing legs, Inox preterred not to leave the

water unless compelled to do so, either by lack of food o1

shrinking territory in times of drought. The ungainly animal

was capable ot hauling itself short distances over land but

;
was vulnerable out of the water

Nn thei tadpole form young Inoxes lived in muddy creek

eds Surviving On a mixed diet of carrion, insects and orubs,

small tish, and algac They appeared similar CO the adults

UT lacked back legs and the distinctive triangular skull until

ully mature
 WDUSAGR
Udusaurus turpis

An aquatic reptile from the same family as the SINUOUS herding schools of theit preferred prey small fish Into

Turturcassis, l dusaurus Was a compact, bullet-headed Cais culs-de Sac OT close CO the surface where the \ could be COr-

vore that hunted the CUVGLS: ah packs of jal a dozen. Air nered Individuals took turns surging Into the clustet tO

breathers, Udusauruses could dive for up to three minutes, grab mouthtuls ot tish

106 CHAPTER III. THE WINDING SWAMPS AND WATERWAYS

 SKULL ISLAND SNAPPER:

[nimicostium insula

A varicty of rorcoise that had only recently

in evolutionary terms exchanged a terrestrial

existence for life in’ the water, Skull Island’s res-

ident Snapping lurcle was not a (true turtle at

all Phe most obvious feature of the species

.
land-living past was its shell, which, unlike most

aquath turcles was high and domed instead

of flat Phe carapace was tall and knobby

like some Asian tortoise species which may

well have been its ancestors—but the head and

face were similat Co the unrelated American

Snapping Cul tlc

[he species had rejected the herbivorous diet of

its tortoise ancestors in favor of a menu rich in

meat. Snappers were fiercely predatory Being

slow moving they favored ambush predation

| hey waited hidden In the reeds and mud Or 1n

shallow water in order to drag W ading birds and

other unsuspecting prey to their Watery doom

lurturcassis

aI he long reptilian predator Turturcassis With IS

long neck and SINUOUS build Was a lithe hunter

ot the tlooded forests and deeper rivers, where

IC preyed upon tish and turtles lurturcassis

had a unique trick tol dealing with the CUrIcs

that made up the bulk of its diet Retreating

Into their shells attorded no protection CO the

armored turtles The relentless lurturcassis

could plunge ICS long tubular head Into the

head Ol limb Oopcnings ol the shell liter-

ally devouring5 the turtle from the inside out,

c

Jeaving an cmipty husk of carapace behind.

Among the turtle SPCcies upon which

lurturcassis ted Was the loggerhead a Species

of ocean-roaming sea turtle. Skull Island had its

108 || CHAPTER III. THE WINDING SWAMPS AND WATERWAYS

 ‘ L. lane

own population of the turtles living In) ENE widet stretches of a recent addition CO the island's menagerie, NOT yet distinct

its primary river. Unlike their pelagic COUSINS, these turtles enough tO warrant a subspecies classification.

lived entirely in the freshw ater river. They appeared CO be

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND || 109

 MOouTHS IN THE MURK

The brutish lookingro) ,OtTOM dwellers Sepulcro and Papilio Sepulcro, In particular, Was capable of an IMpPLressive ¢—Jape

were ambush feeders Lying concealed In the silty waste Even fish OL other Aquatic animals close to 1tS OWN SIZe were

of the riverbed, the broad fish would wait for small prey, sometimes taken the stomac h be IngS
c
expandable to admit

usually tiny schooling fish, to swim within reach. With a very large pre)

single sweep of the tail, huge mouths opened wide, they

W ould su ree forw a rd, SW allow Ing everything in the immedi-

ate water with a single enormous bite

110 | CHAPTER III. THE WINDING SWAMPS AND WATERWAYS

PRPLETO

Elaborate Papilio was easily distinguished from the similar- ing season males would engage in graceful displays of their

habited Sepulcro by its array of fanlike limbs and fins. In wide fans to impress potential mates. The broad fins were

most respects the fish resembled its competitor, though

t it also used to stir up bottom muck In W hich the fish would

tended Co favor ny ertebrate prey Over fish. In the breed- conceal itself and aw alt the approach of prey.

BRORDIMORE

A NATURAL HISTORYOF SKULL ISLAND | We]

 FisH SPECIES

Sun-fin, Heliolepis pinnula (Sun-fin

2 Gribbler, Ambulol pis scutops Walking-fin shield-fac

Logue Fish, /y2 isufurcifus innatopiceu Swim-in-darkness Unseen-1 eu

3

4 sJoodtish Saneuichthys rufus Red Blood fish

5 -rickle Fish, /chthyspineus celox (Swift Fish-of-thorns

6 anderichthys, Panderichthys malus (Uely Pander s-fish)

i Javelin, Aclys festinus (Hast) Javelin

§ Morsel Fish, Ofella pe rp wulus (Very-small Morsel

g) ire-side I Cul US pe rile AUIS ] & r) small “i sk 171

10 Needlemouth, Acusos cadaverosus (Gha

112 | CHAPTER III. THE WINDING SWAMPS AND WATERWAYS

Segnix,
te}
Segnichthys incurvus (Crooked Slow-fish)

Rapanatrix, Rapanatrix wootteni (Woottens Ravenous-water-snake)

Ghoulfish, Idolonichthys ferrugo (Rust Apparition-fish)

Hamudon, Hamudon festinus (Fast Talon-tooth)

Sparkleside, Micocallum pearct (Pearce Sparkle-hide)

Bile-fin, Bililepis catus (Clever Bile fin)

Rhadamanthus, Rhadamanthichthys luminoscutica (L uminous-whip Rhadamanthus-fish

Sicklefin, Sicililepis minimus (Small Sickle-fin)

Shagfish, Estric¢ hthys hirsutus (Shaggy Glutton-fish)

Stink-fish, Foetidichthys hebeo (Sluggish

fare)
Stinking-fish)

A NATURAI HISTORY O} SKULI ISLAND

 SPUNK Ion NEEDLEMOUTH
/ te cr
ACUSOS CAAAVETOSUS
Foetidichthys hNeveo

An agaress ive predatot of the rivers, the Needlemouth was

Phe broad-bodied Stink-fish was a slow-moving barb with a

huncer found throughout the streams and tribu-

predators Glands on the inside varlike
nasty surprise for would-be
raries of the island. Needlemoutrhs were swift and mancu
walls of the anus produced a powerful chemical cocktail

able to negotiat the leaf-choked jungle streams in

when threat verable,
that could be released in a cloud of evacuation
of their favored pro small to midsized fish. Thes«
Phe milky cloud ol chemicals and Waste Was potent pursuit
ened

were che sharl ot the watcrway Whil

hunery attacker lt also IMpress! r hunters
enough CO dete even the most

many of ch reptilian river I mbt hunters

an adhesive quality chat bound It to the SKID fot
possessed

chased down th Ir fast-moving PI matcn

its nauseating taste cnsuring the Needlemouths
some time after contact,

( onsequently, Stink fish wcrc ing thei speed and turn: n flat-out race
memory ol the encountet

aMone the only inhabitants ot the SWaMps and waterways

to roam carefree and without fear amid even the Most

able

fearsome of aquat iG killer Ss

114 || CHAPTER III. THE WINDING SWAMPS AND WATERWAYS

 As

Phe scourge of the waterways of Skull Island was

the swarming Killer-cel Appropriately named, the

bug eyed tish were lethal in numbers. When attack

ing, their razor sharp teeth shredded skin and flesh

CO ribbons WW NO TiC

Not true eels, but a unique species related to lam

preys, Killer-eels staked claim to sections of river

they patrolled and guarded jealously. Schools of up

to a hundred hunted together. Injured or sick prey,

fish or reptile, were the preferred variety [heir

tactics involved overwhelming an animal with multi-

ple attacks, each member of the school surging in to

rasp bite-sized chunks of flesh out of the prey.

; :
Slow prey Was the mainstay o their diet, as the

Killers could not sustain high-energy activity for

te)

long periods without resting. ‘Or the MajOricy of

ro)

the time the schools swam slowly, expending as little

energy as possible, until ONG Ge would come upon

a potential food source. Then, spurred into activity

by the scent of blood in the water, the entire school

would attack, overwhelming the prey and often strip-

ping it to the bone with their many-toothed, circular

mouths within minutes.

Killer-eels eggs were laid in sticky masses in the

water weeds, but suffered dreadful attrition, being

food to many small fish and invertebrate species.

Coupled with short life spans, this helped keep their

numbers in check.

The species was also very vulnerable to changes in

water temperature or acidity. Even small changes,

if too sudden, could have disastrous consequences

for a school.
 SWAMP-WING

Xam opteryx

Skull Island's Swamp WINgs were AMON che odde St

results ot selective pressures on an otherwise

defenseless food SOUTCE In FeEsponsc to the threat

ot predation a Species ol bizarre frogs evolved with

enlarged membranes between their ringers and bac k

along thei arms tO their tails In a fearure analo

gous to a bat’s wings. While the forelimbs wer

enlarged the real legs were small by frog standards

and theit ability to jump Was limited to a boost

tor takeotts

Their facial features were stunted and almost

tadpolelike in appearance Swamp-wings mouths

sported a fan of needlelike teeth. Not true teeth,

they WEE sharpened serrations On the frogs Jaw,

protruding through their gums.

re)
Like so many

of their strange features, these were unique to

the SPCcics.

GROWTH AND CHANGE

wamp-wings laid eggs nN clusters of hundreds, hidden amongst | nl yf ¢ g Around

the reeds and water weeds in an effort to avoid the attention 1¢} ‘ / i OPUul ))

R ana /
of predator 5 [) RS [he l v} Hk Nt DUG

) , / ] 1} }] ]
Eges that survived the Wo weeks of development hatched OUL 11Lt0 By fifte eekS (the froglets rese mbled adults more than tadpoles

Sr Per , |
liny tadpoles that WEVE alread) ACTIVE hunters pursuing small 17S8€CIS >
TeMANCe ON Ald breathing
Ss
COM
-

} j ) ]
and arthropods in the safety of the weeds water. cClamberingS about on Ogs, TOOTS and

At seven weeks old, tiny spurs began to form on the flanks that would

€ ventuall) be COME legs

116 || CHAPTERIII. THE WINDING SWAMPS AND WATERWAYS

Swamp-wings were not accomplished flyers Onee mature the Species avoided SWIM Ming
ca)

The extent of their aerial prowess was fre lS much ads possible In che Watcr they were

quent short-distance flights It was a barely Casy prey for large fish and birds their Wings
o

controlled glide punctuated by rapid flapping being ill adapted for SWIMS Agile climb-

fits, However, it was enough to get them CLS) with gripping

re) re)
pads on theit COCs and

from tree to tree in the swamps and away fingers, they lived mostly on the boughs ot

from predators WW the water or on land wet-rooted trees or in floating vegeration.

| heit flight Was not accurate enough to allow

them Co reliably hune on the WINge; therefore,

J c

MOSC of their diet Was small invertebrates

caught while grounded.

 WDE Or THE Whos Ns

Waders Olea | kinds—birds, dinosaurs, and others found

wetlands rich In food Filling niches usually

the swampy

by birds elsewher« SOM ot the island's dinosaurs

occupied

ie xhibited bizarre Spc ialization

Faleatop: (Scythe-face) was a wading theropod that fed on

che larg earrion whelk. The bow shaped toothless snout of

the dinosaur was pertectly adapted to slide inside the shell

of the mollusk slicing the snail from the walls of its home

Intact, CO swallow whol

Herons and cgrets patrolled the shallow pools Some like

the Skull Island Egret, were native to the island, while most

were found throughout Southeast Asia

118 || CHAPTER III. THE WINDING SWAMPS AND WATERWAYS

 Using the shallow ponds as Nurserics, baby Foetodons swam

AMON the weeds, hunting invertebrates and Swamp-wings

until old and large enough to survive ashore DuringD their

infancy they were often prey for wading birds, che sharp pick-

ax bills of herons like the Great Grey making 0D short work of

thei leathery armMotl The tables would be turned when the

Ciny reptiles were grown

Skull Island's resident Loggerheads fed in the brackish shal

lows among the clogged weeds Herons and cegrets would

sometimes alight upon theit domes shells

Cheropods were al i ruably the MOst successful dinosaurs on

(=)

Skull Island exhibiting stunning diversity ACTOSS the many

SPCe ICs present Among the MOST specialized Was the Ciny

splay toed fisher Fi lus (Fork-finger

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND || 119

 CAT TT
OMS DUAS
< AWN

/
/ Ai f i / 1} t] UU
] /

A dedicated fish eatet Imbulaquasaurus was a

slendet theropod related*to the Venatosauru Species

With long limb ind an elongated need toothed

snout, the predator was id lly suited to life as a

fisher

Specialized eyes minimized the effect of glare on

the water. Cunningly, they chose hunting spots that

| { t H
wer shaded by cliffs or « rhanging vegetation to

| {] pat oS ee lie +t
further cut down retlectiot tha nig npcar lel!

ability to pot fishEe. ibs)

belo tl | l { \ 4 ted
\dapted to

pin slipper rast-MOving fis! th \ WmMilal

to the crocodili n g@harial r /\SI I I IMOSt

three feet ) g I

dil Li 1 IT a4
/

sight evel bi iS BK 1 lo I

Phe lar est of the d iS )

| ae |
ruses were strong cnoug ») be able| .
to wade| ]
deef

into fast-moving water to snap up prey that I

fishers were either too small to subdue or found

too difficult to reach hey hunted throughout t

island, rrom the coastal marsh uf tne fast Ho ving

rivers, and into the tiny tributary streams. -A particu

lar specialty of the species Was waiting next to rapids

to snap up the Skull Island freshwater mullet species

Vic yeallum Ol Sparklesides as they made thei Way

up and down the rivel Living n the estuary MOST

of the yea Sparklesides spawned in inland pools,

forcing them CO make the perilous JOUTNCY upstream

and back CVCcry breeding Scason imbulaquasauruses

timed their arrival at che rapids to be ready and

waiting when the first fish headed upriver, each dino-

saul taking up position ina traditional spot Displays

and growls were usually enough LO /SOLU OUL ISSMES of

dominance and tights over prime tishing sites quickly,

perncenge all concerned tO CONCENtIALE On the busi-

ness of catching fish

 SCISSORGH EAD
Axiciacephalus curio
Thin Scissor-head, 3-4 feet long

A curiosity even on an island of curiosities, Ixiciacephalus

Was quite possibly the strangest predatot On the island.

Actually descended from a pterosaur, the specics had given

up flight entirely, specializing to an extreme. Slender anc

stilt-le ooe d, It had an oversized, scissorlike head with mete

fete)

j
locking rows ot fine, comblike teeth. Phe legs Wwerc oddly

proportioned with long shins that elevated che creature

above the streams where IC hunted fish with ICS unusual

head The forelimbs had evolved Into CNY Hlippe rlike

appendages, while the tail was shortened and stift

The functions of these bizarre characteristics became clear

when the creature entered the water. Livingro) in fast-running

streams, Axiciacephalus prowled the shallows like a heron

Out could also hold ICS breath and dive beneath the water

CO chase down prey along the bottom. Specialized organs

In the body and tail allowed the animal to maintain neutral

OUOVaNncy while Its streamlined shape afforded IT speed and Fe

¢ Trace underwater. Propelled along the StONnY bottom by ICS

te)

ong legs, Axicioceplahus could chase down fish. It could use ;

oa te before diving, cormorantlike, and continuing to hunt along
its long snout to retrieve aquatic invertebrates hiding under 7 , ss ;
- : the streambed. Axiciacephalus was able to hold its breath tor
stones on the bottom.
several minutes below water. In the cool water, blood could

Sphinctered nostrils, high on the head, permitted hus 88) be draw n from the outside Surfaces OF Its body cto retain heat

quickly take In alr On the surface and seal the airways tightly extending IvS hunting periods

27) | CHAPTER III. THE WINDING SWAMPS AND WATERWAYS

 JHE
TEAMING JUNGLE
tT

“Where else on Earth do centipedes eat dinosaurs?”

a
|| SPRING EXPEDITION, 1937.
PCM DENEOr UL TANS

pooled between burccress roots several feet deep

jungles ot Skull Island WCIC without doubt leaves
Phe tangled

writhing with arm-thick centipedes and

comple xcs On che planet WW places and
the Most IMPLessive forest

Gnarled trees the size of skyscrapers erupted Wn knotted luminous slugs

root jumbles from the broken volcanic earth kneire cco

Unde rstanding wh re one |
specics stopp¢PI d ind anothei began

Systems existed within the great arms of singl trees with

a cask ine) the grecn mele All kinds of Organisms
Was

unIgue Species coddled aMone theit leaves and vines

plant animal, * of something in between—twisted around
Undergrowth taller and denset than full-sized Crecs els«
Cac h other Ina Vay dance fol SUTVI\ i [his
and through

where n the world, choked the sodden eround hundreds of

extreme cnvironment that I varded extrem dapta
was an

feet below the light-gobbling r Canopy Snakelike vines and

tions in its inhabirane: Phe fight to I fashioned man
strangling creepers Cl isscrossed, struggling with one anochet
bizarre life-forms, som« pre historic holdov nd othe
in a slow fight for li(Drhe and water. Fungi the size of arm
skewed versions of recognizabl moder peci
chairs jutted from sponge-damp wood to vomit clouds of

The jungle sweated in an everlastin ‘light. Leafy brane

TOXIC spores Into the sodden all and thick Scas ot rotting

high above, stole light before it could filt to th floor, ren

dering a world in muted green during the d At night cool

moonlight was echoed in luminot pool | light mitting

creatures calling insects to their doom. The creatures of the

jungic learned to use this darkness to their advant ge, con

cealing themselves in its protective embrace or developing

means to pierce the unrelenting gloom

 JUNGLE ENVIRONMENTS

In the battle for watel light and food each had its Own descended from that az of ruling reptiles. In the hot, wet

card to play. Plants defended themselves with toxins, only dark of the jungle, dinosaurs and their prehistoric kin were

to be eaten by creatures with immunity. Prey hid beneath protected from the passage of time and forces of change that

camouflage, only to be detected by a hunter’ heat-sensitive destroyed them elsewhere. Here they flourished, evoly Ing to

organs Scaly armor met bladed claws Sharpened teeth new extremes 11 their green bow Cr,

crashed on hardened horn Lapping tongues recoiled from

polson Nature Was at Wal with itself and reveled Lo TES

Own INnhovations

| he humid jungle ot the island recalled the ancient

Cretaceous, and perhaps this Was why sO Many of ISS) denizens

 *

"mm

Rees
 VENATOSAURUS

Venatosaurus saevidicus 220A more

Furious Hunter li ard [6-24 feel lone

SKECEIAL ADAPTATIONS

enatosauruses were lean killing machines with bodies built to keep them strong and durabl Their heads were tapered and

to combine speed, power, and agility Their bones were slim narrow, rowed with slender teeth edged
: like razors but rigid
S and

and hollow 10 Cul down on superfluous We ight but honeycombed tough for thrusting 7110 thick herbivore hides

128 | CHAPTER IV. THE STEAMING JUNGLE

Skull Island’s pack-hunting Venatosauruses took the advances In the labyrinthine jun rle,
te}
[heir nimble hip jomts permitted

and specialization of their Cretaceous dromeosaurid fore- them CO crouch at ground ley el, their stomachs touchin isg the

bears and developed them to a new extreme. Their keen eround, Yeu still be poised Co pounce at a moments Novice.

eyesight, o reat
ral
speed, and killing
ct
TOC claws they shared with This adaptation permitted the large
ra)
hunters to make use of

their ancestors, but Venatosauruses had taken these adapta- surprising]y low COVCL when preparing an ambush.
5

ulions and added a few more to make them even more effec-
The eyes were positioned high
D
on the head, allowing a
tive killers. Lumbering V. rexes thundered about Skull
Venatosaurus tO
IPCE OVEL COVEE while still remaining
re)
almost
Island as brutish analogous relics of their long-lost dino-
completely hidden from potential prey. The pupils Were

saur kin. By contrast, the Venatosauruses were a New breed

catlike, slitced and able tO dilate CO let In more light when
of hunter, the likes ol which had only begun to appear mn
hunting 1 the unbroken shade beneath the Oreat trees.
the late Cretaceous. With sixty-five million years of evolu-

tion behind them, these New predators had time to sharpen The rib cage of a Venatosaurus was reduced in length, but

their killing tools to an unparalleled edge. deepened, granting more flexibilicy ac the waist with no

reduction in lung capacity—a trait more commonly found in

Mobile hips allowed t re legs to swivel out farther from
mammals. The deeper profile yielded more muscle attach-
the body than any |rchistoric drome ysaurid, While this
ment, increasing strength CO the arms and a more powerful
flexibility was a trade-off that lowered the animals top specd,
grip On struggling prey.
re) rele) to)
it afforded Venatosauruses vastly superior agility
ra)
and flexibil-

ity—traits more valuable than a winning straight-line sprint

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND | 129

 HUNTING BRONTOSAURS

cae

I |] J +L I
he crumbling prenative ruins dotting Skull Island created between buildings to afford them ambush si , ind i gabe
parallel AE
path

unusual landscapes that Venatosauruses learned to use to to outrun and outflank intended victims once a chase had begun

7 ] These TACHICS required fewer punters [0 act np Dp ame

thelr De nefit Calt ulating intelle ct Was perhaps the species most

er
lethal weapon SUT PASSING even their teeth and claws He rding Broken ground and guicnes created |! the ruins made effective

pre) down what MUSE ONCE have been s(reers and 1110 cul-de-sac traps fo Venatosaurus to drive prey into for slaughter

courtyards hunting packs made USC of the alleyways and channels

Venatosauruses were found throughout the heavily forested the only SPCCles that actively preyed on adult Brontosauruses

regions of Skull Island. 7 hey preferred the dense jungle No other predator on the island, includin o
te}
the mighty ]

to the open stretches because It atforded them more cover TONES, could match the size of the prey they brou g he dow n.

during hunts and ample concealment for their own nests Packs split, certain members strategically revealing them-

and young. Packs with territory bordering the forest edge selves, to panic and stampede a Brontosaurus herd in a pre-

would sometimes make sorties into the open lands to hunt, determined direction Flankers took up the chase, molesting

but usually only under the cover of darkness. Diurnal / the giants onto a course they had selected: across danger-

rexes would kill a Venatosaurus if they were ever to catch ously broken ground, over bluffs, or into dead ends. Injury

one. However, by sticking

c
CO the jungle,
c
the smaller preda- or death among the herd laid meat upon the Venatosauruses

tors avoided competition and danger. table, row arding theit Cunning with rich bounties of Carcasses
c

large enough Co feed a pack for a week or more.

Venatosauruses were intelligent and social hunters, iving

in small packs of six to twelve adults with their young. In addition to the Mant Brontosauruses, almost any mid-

Coordinating their hunting sorties with impressive cunning, sized or large jungle herbivore might find itself on their

packs had developed specific techniques for tackling poten- menu, including any of the Ccratopsians and the blade-backed

tially dangerous animals at minimum risk. Venatosaurus was

130 || CHAPTER IV. THE STEAMING JUNGLE

Asperdorsuses. A brave Venatosaurus Mg it even occasionally nest usually undet the roots of a large CLEE; until they were

try its luck with a Diablosaurus. old and scrong cnough to Follow the pack Ona hunt. INE all

times the young were guarded by a low ranking escort. | his

Theit strong social structure was key CO Venatosauruses:

SCntry would remain at the nest site when the rest of the
SUCCCSS, Meaningful Communication between individu

pac k hunted
als allowed tor the level ol coordination employed m8) their

hunts, but also minimized incthicient compctition and Con A single Venatosaurus pack ranged over a large territory

flict within the pack with well-defined borders. Tree scraping and regulas marking

with feces or urine rcintorced these borders with rival packs.

An alpha breeding pau dominated the pack, but breed
Where territory was contested, posturing and Noisy dis-
INg was not restricted to them Chicks born NCO the strict
plays WCre usually enough Co defuse tensions and resolve the
c
hierarchy inherited the rank ot theit parents.

matter, Rarely did a border dispute turn violent.

lenatosaurus chicks WCIC born live and Were cared fol by the

whole pack. Food Was brought CO them Wn their excavated

BETHAL COUSINS

5 if one variety of lethal Venatosaurus was not enough, use arboreal routes, sprintingS silently: along& overhanging,
ESS mossy:

Skull Island was home to a second, closely related species, bough: and logs, when sneaking up On prey.

Venatosaurus impavidus (Indomitable Hunter-lizard). Smaller

Better low-light VISION made them effective twilight hunters, UsINg the
S J. c is
than V. saevidicus, V. impavidus was no less impressive a pred-
changing light 10 catch prey al their Most vulnerable, either taking
Qype) ac e iS
ator. Distinguished by their striped brown coloring and blue-
daylight herbivores as the light failed Or SAVAGING nocturnal prey still
J < < é Orie s
tipped tails, these lithe hunters tended to favor the dark valleys
ata disadvantage iN the half-light

and ravines, often hunting along the riverways, where the Skull
Their bright blue tails were used in sexual displays. More vividly
Island Gaur and | igocristuses were concentrated, At half the
colored individuals seemed t0 be most sought after aS Mates
weight of the big Venatosaurus, V. impavidus Was also able 10

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND

 ut Ty

A most curious member of the Skull Island menagerie, and great

5
wal and the many ruins scattered through the forest ot

a regular on the menu for Venatosaurus, was a species of tall Skull Island

eattle called Gaur. Quite obviously a rela ively recent arrival,

The Gaurs survived surprisingly well on the island long after
Skull Island’s Gaur was almost identical to a mainland Asiatic
their human masters were lost to history and in spite of pre-
species, suggesting that it may have been imported to the
dation. Their long curving horns and mass made them
island some time 1n the last thousand years Or SO by a pre-
worthy adversaries for predatory species like Venatosauruses,
vious civilization originatings on the continent. The logical
E and their dark coloringOo helped them blend in with their
assumption would be that this same civilization buile the
jungle surroundings.

BODY LANGUAGE AND BEHAVIOR

CHALOsaeUses had nimble fingers and remarkable dex- lDd urinelg rtshipp, fe ? ‘ ignaleiled / re?
}. J } r
ferity with thei Grasping fore laws l MIgue Among dino- through
ug sinuous
y raised
ised tail
fall waving
AVING or OT a dropping 1g and
and facing
[acing awa)
aWa

74t4 +]. 7 / iieen ‘ys / J / i 5

aurs, they used thelr Phands to MAnIPUlate (heir environment to Males announced their affection by strutting with hands clasped at
Fines +f AA are. Maes a lf Pre y e
] ) 56 iy ’
their advantage.
¢ When crouchingf behind cover, Venatosauruses the chest and bigh tail [lickin

} F ,
would reposition the obscuring vegetation to better hide themselves

and create Openings through which l0 Sp)

CHAPTERIV. THE STEAMING JUNGLI

 display foward vival Venatosaurus« 07 OLDE) IHLAT to the

{hpréal were usually Il panied &

accompanied DY roaring and | ground Pa CVAPLING

Ve al Peete FAY Pesan emy /

Ng Venatos LUrUS¢ vould hold their tal hign and VIOLA

1 fief / J ,
loreclau extend d and fl He whpue yey ruck df Up thé eartp
Jungle Delinquents
Pregnant l. rexes laid thei eggs in huge mounds of col

lected leat litter in secluded spots in the jungle Phe natural

decomposition of the detritus provided an ideal incubation

tor the developing embryos trecing the parent to wande!

in search of food. Periodically the female would return to

the nest site to urinate on the mound, the pungent scent

being enough to ward off most marauders, though noc all

Phe stealthy Adlapsusaurus (Sneaky-lizard) seemed immune

to the dire warning given off by the urine. In face ic was

drawn CO the scent like a dinner bell and specialized 8)

raiding nests, even those of a ” rex Quick reflexes and

keen hearing were the trademarks of the egg thief. It would

make stealthy sorties to retrieve its prize before retreating

toa hidden den to eat

| VENES hatched unassisted as tiny replicas of their parents,

completely capable of takin x care of themselves from the

ra)

moment of emergence Hunting> in the jungle undergrow th,

c

they oraduated to taking larger and larger pricy as they oLew,

starting out with centipedes and lizards sniffed out in the

leat litter

Grouping togct Yer into small packs of similar-aged animals

for protection, young ] rexes would take dow n larger prey

together, but without any of the sophisticated coordination Until Maturicy, i TeEXES bore strong barring, which helped
5D

characteristic of Venatosaurus packs. The young dinosaurs camouflage them in the jungle. While still young, they were

would remain in these loose affiliations until the onset of potential prey for other carnivores, so the striped green and

puberty, when their SIZC began to inhibit their effectiveness black of their hides helped conceal them from threats as

as jungle predators forcing them Into the more open forests much as It assisted their own hunting,
ro) ro)

and plains of the lowlands.

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND

iz
 a kill were lost and conflict was inevitable. Unseasoned in

the art of sizing up opponents, young I” rexes often bore inju-

ries sustained in contest with the dangerous Venatosauruses,

and deaths were not unheard ot when clumsy challenges Over

food went awry.

ScentingD Venatosaurus chicks in a nest, a Dgang of Z rexes

might also attempt to bully a lone sentinel off guard duty

CO get to the chicks, only Co be surprised by the rest of the

While in their packs, the pugnacious juveniles took advan- pack returning in response to the guards alarm calls. The
:
tage of their strength of numbers to bully other carnivores black jungle was an unforgiving school for young carnivores
5

of kills. On a Gang of hungry Ve rex toughs, the subtle pos- and attrition among the students was fierce. Only the quick
fe} te)

turing and warningre) hoots of a Venatosaurus pack defending learners survived to graduate as adults.
5

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND

 FOEZODON

Foetodon ferreus
( Si

SKELETAL ADAPTATIONS

SSDS FS
= B&@enasees 2p —
<< =

I IS
P58 Be SEES
I3 LADY
LY U

ANE longer a water predator like its ancestors, Foetodon /

predator Foetodons sometimes suffered from a disfiguring
]
relied upon the power of its strong high mounted back legs infection picked up from the leaf litter So virulent could the
/ ]
l0 propel it forward when striking Because juvenile | oetodons infection become that even the bones of the animals frequentl)
| /
still Spent much of thein lives 1 Water, a large powerful, broad bore cruel scars

tail like a crocodile 5 WAS retained 771 the largely land-based

140 || CHAPTER IV. THE STEAMING JUNGLI

The giant, broad-bodied Foetodon was a surly jungle pred- Foetodons physiology
) dD) was geared
c toward small bursts of activ-

ator and scavenger, well adapted to life prowling the leat- ity with longa) periods of rest in between. When lunging, it

litcer-choked jungle floor. Skutes along its back betrayed could do so with frightening speed and power, The massive

the species crocodilian ancestry, but the snout was short jaws exerted a stagecring pressure, enough to shatter bones

and heavily reinforced for bone crushing and brutal territo- and cripple, thereby ensuring that even if it failed cto kill or

rial confrontations. secure the prey with the first bite, the wounded victim was

unlikely to be able to escape.

Foetodon had poor eyesight, but, as a solitary ambush pred-
ator, this did not impede its success. Lying concealed The species had an excellent sense of smell for tracking

beneath leaves in excavated scrapes along the edges of game wounded ptcy.
J
It also used Its keen nose to orub
ct
Out inver-

trails, the predator would wait patiently to ambush_ oblivi- tebrates living amid the thick leaf litter. This veritable sea of

ous prey using the path. Most often these were small herbi- decomposing vegetable matter could be many feet deep and

vores—like Pugiodorsus or one of the large Hightless birds— hide all manner of small snacks to interest a hungry Foetodon.

caught unawares as they picked their way along the path, but Indeed, the young lived exclusively on these morsels while

Foetodon took virtually any prey available. The boorish car- still small and concealed themselves in the detritus from

nivore couldnt afford to be choosy. Its attitude was one of larger predators, including their own kind.

“bite first and ask questions later. As such, much depended

upon the effectiveness of the first, powerful bite.

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND

J
 {varu

thing from carri

An intensely

to bulk-load

tion late! 10.

ee
strength kept it
An agile arboreal predator, Scimitodon preyed on birds Females laid their eggs
faxes)
In clutches of two or three inside

and lizards, both on the ground and in the trees. Solitary a hollow tree OF IM a Cave beneath roots. Staying with the

hunters, except W hen mated, Scimitodons were surprisingly eggs,

BD she incubated them and reared the pups W hile the male

strong tor their size and could take down even some of the hunted and returned with food for her and the young. Young

large flightless birds that made the jungles their homes. were born with short teeth, able to chew the small morsels of

meat their mother would slice off for them. Their full sabers
Scimitodons were incredible leapers. They could cover as
didnt grow until they were a year O d. Once the pups were
much as twenty feet with a single jump. Bounding from one
around four months old, the facher would abandon his mate
branch to another, they could sometimes cover several miles
to return to a solitary existence. The young remained with
without touching the ground. Scimitodons had long, curved
cheir mother, learning from her as SIE hunted, until the fol-
claws but used them most y for climbing, preferring to
lowing breeding scason W hen she would drive them away and
fe}
employ their daggerlike teeth when subduing prey. Usually a
seek out a hew mate.
single bite Was enough CO impart a killing wound,

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND

Heavily built carnivores that prowled the jungle floor and Preying on almost anything that crossed their path as they

lower boughs, ( arvers were limber hunters with a dextet prowled the dark, the powerful jaws of Carvers could inflict

] ]

ity to match their great strength. They mated for life, form savage wounds. They could even bring down animals as large

Ing strong palr bonds and hunting together silently as a juvenile Diablosauru

Although days and nights differed little me) the deepest Carvers were provcective ot thei kills often dragging them

recesses of the jungle, where sunlight rarely penetrated several miles through the jungle to a defendable position

Carvers were mostly nocturnal predators [heit eyesight betore dining A pal of Carvers could spend several days

Was keen ane theit hearing and sense ot smell even keenet CONSUMING a Carcass dozingdD and eating at a leisurely pace,
ro)

but their rea edge In hunting

5
Was a specialized heat Sensing
5
until there Was nothing left Everything
D Was caten Their

Organ locatec on the snout Analogous in function to the powerful Jaws could crush bone, leaving little for any Sscaven-

pit organ of some snake SPCCICs, this remarkable adaptation gers Walling patiently for the scraps.

exposed concealed prey by their thermal signature

THE STEAMING JUNGLI

 Prey SPECIES

Sylvaceratopses ip ( ) /) iy

) |
ugiodorsus squ meus

1evAS Pugiodorsuses 7 laled ta)

art of Carvers, even at

, ] }
1G4 {hen ava facing to protect them
= < [
; - ] F
from pursuing predators, forced Carvers to take care when making

L f } woe ay (AS Po a OS oar

RlLMg VilesS. 1 Wise Nunte) made sure to bite lou AMMING J07 the

SLOMACD OY ECR

;
Hebeosaurus torvus (Grim Slugeish-lizard) was slow moving

and MYOPtU but SUL PriSi7. aly diffu ult to qui kl kill A thick neck
I i e
]
and reinforced throat pipe made deliveris i ra fatal bite harden than
l :
. ] ] /
for most similar sized pre) Generall, the ergnteen foot herbivores

WweTC brought down by pairs of Carvers Acting together tO subdue and

maim. Hebeosauruses tended to die messily and slowly

 ANISAURUS
MOCANISAUrUS
terrible-dog-lizard, 3-4 feet long

Armored cynodonts, Dinocanisauruses lived in tight packs

of up to a dozen adults and as many pups. The a SEressis Cc

little predators were highly social, depending upon one

another for defense of the den, their territorial boundar-

ies, and coordinated hunting. Pack life was dictated by a

strict hierarchy, with a matriarch in charge and all pack

members having clearly detined roles. Young hatched in

heavily guarded, shallow dens, scraped out beneath trees or

in cracks in the rocky forest floor. In good hunting years,

several females might hatch pups and raise them together,

bur in lean seasons the matriarch would destroy the eggs or

hatchlings of lower-ranking females to reduce competition

with her own young. AYUAEORNIS

Hylaecornis maximus
Dauntless little hunters, they prowled the jungle floor and
I
Big Fovest-bird
] 4—5
c /
feet
j
shoulde;
as high into the trees as they could climb, taking small and
large prey as a team. Dinocanisauruses communicated with The common and widespread Hylaeornises
: were ground
t

whistles and snorts through their nostrils, coordinating their NGSECIES. making their MES tes weliel the deep shadows between

actions to ‘outflank and corner prey. Though complex, the roots of giant trees. Flightless, their agility and speed

their pack behavior was not as sophisticated as that of through the jungle were their greatest defense against
re)
pred-

Venatosauruses, which would pricy upon them, given actors like Dinocanisaurus, though they could deliver a kick
the big

the chance. that wise predators knew to be Waly of when cornered.

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND | 149

NOG UU PERRY AGL
Noctuperv.
L

The nocturnal Noctupe rvagus Was a sharp eyed forager amid

the leat litter of the jungle floor. With a powertul kick and

saw-toothed beak, the bird was quite capable ot defending

itself from small predators and more than a match for the

poisonous centipedes that it fed on exclusively Despite its

size, the bird was able to delicately hold and dismember the

centipedes with its foot and beak removing the poisonous

mouthparts with a surgeons de Xtcrity

To hide them from harm Noctupervagus eggs were dark

and covered in a rich membranous coating, ideal for the

growth of small spores and mosses. Shortly after being

laid, the Cees became covered In small plants, camouflag-

Ing them W hile their mother fed in the jungle nearby. 1 LE

trade-off for the protection was that the plant growth could

cause difficulty for the young5 trying to hatch. Parental

assistance was essential to a successful hatching.

CHAPTER IV. THE STEAMING JUNGLE

PINNATONO

Pir NO Was a flichtless bird with a small head CoO reach

inside thorny bushes rol hidden berries and othe fruit

Though outwardly defenseless, Pinnatono had one ace up its

feathered sleeve Making up about a quarter of Pinnatonos

diet was a rather noxious berry that most other species lett

alone tor its extremely hot flesh. Immune to its gut-searing

qualities, Pinnatono bulk loaded the fruit In the acidic

stomach of the bird it acquired newfound potency, giving oft

a foul gas that rose heavily from the feces, breath, and pores,

On command LIUNNALON could recall ITS stomach contents

Into an inflatable cullet

D In ICS throat and regureitate It, with

SUrprisIng aACCUuracy and projection, to discourage threats.

(=)

Even the MOST armored of predators would avoid the acidic

pulp, which caused extreme discomtort to the Cyes and other

SCNSITIVE parts.

A NATURAL HISTORYOF SKULL ISLAND || 1S]

 DIReBLOSAWRUS

Diablosaurus rufus
)

With their crusty armored backs and thick hides the immediate family units or mated pairs Solitary animals

imposing r Diablosauruses
Diablosauruses hadhad | few enemies I cir Size anc | particularly males were not uncommon

indifference to attack, thanks to their armor, assured them

Male Diablosauruses had the largest horns, though they were
of safety once fully grown. Only the young were vulnera-
present in females as well. The exact configuration of horns
ble CO predation by midsized tO large predators and, for this
and osteoderms seemed CoO vary widely between individu-

reason, they Were closely cuarded by the adults

als and May have served some rudimentary identification

Young were born live and grew in the protection of their Process Both males and females had garish, ruddy heads.
to)

familial group until old enough to strike out on their own ( ONSPICUOUS amid the dark foliage, they assisted individu-

in search of a mate Being seldom molested by predators, als 1n finding one another In the low light of the deep jungle.

Diablosauruses usually associated In only small numbers, either | he markings aided In intimidating would-be predators.
ce) (2)

CHAPTER IV. THE STEAMING JUNGLI

2 ||
Diablosauruses had poor vision, primarily relying on smell to

find food. Their unreptilian, mobile lips and flat, grinding

teeth were adapted to shred and crush the tough ferns that

covered the jungle floor. 1 hey also used their great strength

to strip particulai vine species that they favored, tearingca) the

CreCpcrs free with mighty tugs of their OTcat heads.

te)

In overall body shape Diablosaurus resembled ceratopsians,

burt instead of being relatives of Skull Island's several ceratops

species, Diablosaurus represented an unconventional offshoot

of the sauropod lineage. With truncated necks and stubby

tails, they had evolved armor placin q

S
po ida stocky physique

instead of the elongated necks and tails that are the lines

most famous features.

SKELETAL ADAPTATIONS

iablosauruses were studded

with horns and osteoderms,

an effective armor against the teeth

and claws of Skull Islands preda-

lors Despite their size, they were

sure-footed, walking on the tips of

their dainty looking but sturdy 10e€S,

nimbly picking their way through

the thick underbrush and uneven

ground of the forest floor

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND || 153

 , } * |. ‘ 2 I ] Jas
thick o/h vegetation Narrow in cross section the)
eSS heavilh built than the glant Brontosauruses moving through

Mies rela ] oe eee hye ihe phe } ] | a, } ,

Asperdorsuses had longfs limbs and high$ bellies compared
i
had long‘ tails to valance their elongated
S
necks

f0 their lowland kin This CAVE them ple /1t) Of clearance whe 1

154 1 CHAPTER
IV. THE STEAMING JUNGLI
ASPERDORSUS

Asperdorsus bellator
fal

Second only cto Brontosauruses in size were the giant

Asperdorsuses, narrow bodied, long necked, armored sauro-

pods of the deep jungle. Cousins of the more heavily built

Brontosauruses, they were tall and limber necked. Sticking

o the thick, wooded regions, Asperdorsuses were grazers of

midlevel foliage that was out of reach for most terrestrial

slant eaters of the jungle. heir narrow draft allowed these

Miants CO Maneuver adeptly between the twisted and densely

ce)

sacked CECES: despite their great SIZE.

c

Asperdorsuses had an excellent sense of smell, guiding them

to their favored food Species in the relentless dark beneath

the jungle canopy. Their small heads were tooled with snip-

ping and grinding reeth. Asperdorsus had a fondness for

several small fruits that ripened at different times of the year,

so their slow and meandering migration through the forest

followed an annual rhythm as dictated by fruiting times.

Hard osteoderms studded Asperdorsuses’ tough hides, and

their rigid dorsal spines were hard enough to impale clumsy

@Q nemies. Thick armor and their sheer mass put them out of

the weight class of most predators, though Venatosauruses

and Carvers were game. Both predators were sufficiently

a rmed and cunning enough \8G) eine Even these dangerous

c c / c

killers W.Ghe wary of the long tail of an. Asperdorsus, which

was capable of breaking bone with a powertul enough blow.

Solitary for most of the year, in the breeding season

Asperdorsuses located one another with low-frequency

rumbles that they produced in their stomachs. Males did

their best to impress females by leveling small areas of jungle,

using their tails to thrash and shred vegetation and push over

smaller CECESS In this Cc earing, they stamped and rumbled,

crashing about to make as much noise as possible. Females

were drawn to the biggest

bE and most destructive performers,

seekin g the strongest males to father their offspring,

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND || S33}

 TREReEORS

Sylvac Cralops

SKELETAL ADAPTATIONS

ie Ng legs Lave Sylvaceratops excellent

speed and agility With three strong

toes on each foot which bore resemblance

to mammalian hooves, these rather beauti-

ful dinosaurs had excellent grip and balance

The nimble Sylvaceratops could jink and

spring l0 avoid attack CULLING a ZILZAL LING

] ]
[yall through the dense 17Vees and VINES that

few predators could match

156 | CHAPTER
IV. THE STEAMING JUNGLE
 Jeep ime] the steamy jungeie, a bizarre membet ol the cera Like Ferrucutus Sylvaceratops traveled in small familial herds.

Ops family had adapted CoO life amid the tangled trunks Males competed fOnm access to females but became Cerrito

\\ here the lowlands but \ Fe PrUCHTUS bore the build ot a rial only during the breeding season permitting several adult

reavyweight boxer, the eracile Sylvaceratops had a danc males CO COCXIST In harmony within the Same herd for most

ers physique Fall and lit Ns they were harrow through the of the year.

dod) to allow them to slip easily through the dense maze

Adult males’ Crests became elaborately colored duringD the

of trunks, their long crests lying flat along their necks as
breeding scason, with the MOST brilliane attracting a larger
they pressed through thick vegetation
harem of females. Small horns also sprouted seasonally and

When threatened Sylvacerat Ps would rely On speed were used in Jousting fichts between the bulls to assert dom-
Ome

and agility to escape. Only during the Mance The curving horns allowed the COMpcting
o
dulls CO

nesting season would bulls stand ¢ srapple,

(o}
the Wihher bringing
o
an Opponent to the oround
(=)

their ground, lowering their In CONTESTS that were as much ot balance EO) brute strength,

shieldlike faces to the ground Horns Were shed later, MIMWMIZIng the chance oO Snags
o (2)

to form a wall of bone or aeentanglements.

ee

and horn between and

Sylvaceratopses subsisted on shrubs and undergrowth, supple-
ro)
their vulnerable cogs and
menting their diet with seasonal fruit and nuts fallen from
would-be predators.
the canopy. At certain times of the year the SPECcIes would

demonstrate uncanny intuition, waiting below a particular

cree the very day the fruit began cto fall.

 The broad-bodied Monstrutalpus Was a eround forager

of the deep jungle. Named for its excavating talents,

Monstrutalpus had strongro) forelimbs for diggingro) our. the

tubers, roots, and fungc | upon which It lived The beasts

strong sense‘nse of of sme ‘ll led

Ed! tO E
1f the |1oOGatlOn
the Of f CHOICE
cl Items:

buried several feet underground.

Flat, spatula-shaped teeth cut and sliced through thick roots

while, farther back in the mouth, broad, crushing molars,

powered by luge Jaw muscles, rendered even the toughest 3408 IURe os 4

matter to pul 0) and mash

female took her pick ot mates, usually more than one, from
In the breeding season, Monstrutalpus females exuded a pow-
among the hopetul SUICOLS.
erful musk that would draw males from far and wide. It was

not uncommon for several males to follow a female around I rege

TOS
tate)
WEE buried to develop on their own, the young
J c
emere-
o

for days, trying to block one anothers advances, while the Ing only after digging their Way to the surface.
0O 0

158 || CHAPTER IV. THE STEAMING JUNGLI

MCE RCURISAURUS
Atercurisaurus

The last of their kind, Skull Island’s small population ol Small herds of around a dozen females with young were led

surviving Stegosaut descendants clung to existence in ferny by matriarchs, with satellite bachelor bulls who were never
valleys deep in the interior of the island Impressively rar away In the breeding scason bulls would take Curns

armored with a studded hide, tall dorsal plates, and lethal approaching the herd and displaying hoping to win the

abdominal and tail spikes, (tercurisaurus Was not an easy approval of the matriarch and her followers. If accepted, he

lunch for predators, but competition with more success would be allowed Co temporarily jon the herd o alning access
fe} ro)

tul herbivores on the island Was Causin (u

Oo
their Numbers to the cows for a few short days

to dw indle
Atercurisaurus Was a noisy species, producing a range ot

{rercurisaurus had ad slow metabolism, necessitatingg almost sounds, from squeals and orunts to deep cizzard rumbles.
fe) o

constant grazing Overspecialization was the bane of the Specific sounds had different meanings.(oe) Reassuring murmurs,

species {tercurisauruses ate only a handful of ferns, all of made while eating, seemed CO IM part an “all 1S well’ signal Co

them rare due to competition from modern plants. Having other members of the loosely dispersed herd as they grazed.

to spend time hunting out this rare food—only to have Begging squeaks from youngsters stimulated parents CO dis-

tO share IT with other generalist grazers would almost gorge their meals, while a similar sound produced by a low-

certainly have led to the eventual extinction of these remark- rankingaf adult conveyed submission before the matriarch.

able plated dinosaurs, had the destruction of the island not Severa bellow Se each specific to a particular threat, alerted

occurred the group

fe)
to danger, the adults reactingce) accordingly tO

protec C their young.

Megapede horridus Megapede dereponecis
P
bristiing (es f
Gtlant-fee ie Cer OIE7 Créeping death Giant feel NEOs ti

Skull Island’s huge centipedes were serious contenders as Megapede dereponecis (fig 3) was the largest centipede to

predators of the jungle

S
undergrowth
c
and dw arfed their of F- have lived. Too heavy to haul itself very high into the

shore COUSINS. Several giant SPecics prowled the leaf litter, trees, it hunted among the roots for small prey, includ-

cating invertebrates, rats, lizards, and other small prey. ing dinosaur chicks, which it quickly immobilized with

eonlenee and fast-acting venom.

Megapede horridus (fig 1). was” among the largest of

these. The wriggling

5
killer had strong
ce)
legs
Oo
for grappling Mother MM. dereponecis nested in rotten logs,
co)
chewing chan-
prey, pinning the struggling victim while its cruel venom nels into the pulpy wood, where they laid their Eggs. They
oD oD

took effect. were particularly territorial during this time, attackingco} any

intruders that threatened their developingto) offspring.

ro)

Gyas gyas
Megapede humus

20 30) IH}

With huge mandibles, Gyas (fig 2) was a specialist egg

c
Broad-bodied Megapede humus (tig5 4) was a chunky bur-

cracker, The scissor-jawed brute used the astonishing power TOWEL that would follow other invertebrates Ol hats under-

of its mandibles to crack the eggshells of ground-nesting eround, Longro) front sets of legs
o
were used to dig¢5 and

birds and then lap up the escaping fluid. to subdue precy.

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND | 16]

An ecosystem of its own, distinct from the lightless depths W this no-mMmans land by whatevel claws, ringers, Or prehen-

of the broken jungle

te}
floor, the lofty canopy was a green sile limbs they had, swatted by eleme1 tS Uy SELVIGE iio: the

maze of dizzy spans and shifting leaf walls. Wind, either inexorable pull of gravity By whatever adaptations they

vently
ral caressing OF violently shakingD5 rendered the Canopy a might POSSCSS, the inhabitants ot the jungles ceiling strug-
c ct

world in perpetual Motion. [his Was a transitory environ gled to interrupt and steal what water, light, and life they

son Kes oueer | place that water light and life passed through on could as It passed, fragile things clinging to a tenuous
te) oO

their Way CO the earth. The creatures of the Canopy clung existence
BURGLAR MONKEY
Pi ros fOr hHovus

Phe curious Burglars were not true monkeys at all

but relatives of tarsiers and loruses primitive pri-

mates akin CO the ancestors of modern monkeys

and apcs [he liche licelc Opporctunists clambered

among che high branches of the canopy, cating

fruit, nuts, flower buds, and insects, but also had a

taste for bird and lizard eges taking them straight

out of their nests at night

Burglar Monkeys were not especially fast or possess-

ing ol impressive defenses like many otf the island’s

denizens. To avoid predators they curled up in com-

munal dens inside holes in trees during the day,

emerging at dusk when their keen senses gave them

an edge.
(o)
alt [IGKA sees
Cc
Die tél ulithos avacone

Dwarting its closest competitol for the title,

Stickalichus was the largest spider to have evei

lived Although It Was mostly legs this spider

was huge b comparison with any othe arachnid

|
species, even the giant bird cating spiders that

previously held the record Sticl lichus fed on

birds, but these birds were as tall as men. They

were also partial to dinosaur. A spider thar ate

dinosaurs—if evel there w a singk inimal that

exemplified nacuré nsanity on Skull Island

Stickalichus was it

Named tor the petrified husks of its dt IcKea

prey that littered the ground below Its roost

oe | ] -- oul
omous Stickalichus
was too large to spit regulal

web It did exude a stick IK, but Chis was usc¢

primarily to create a nurse! ror its young, rathel

I i

than a trap for prey. Instead, Stickalithus relied

] | |
on its camouflage, hiding among w Dranches

and foliage where its silhouette was broken and

c

discuised hh pically the glants would roost CI

1 1 ‘he | 5,09 ]
game trails snatching tlightless forest birds and
| es e
small dinosaurs that passed below

W ICR ED ewer ek

Phe spiny orb spider /mpiutextor strung its

thin webs between the brane MGs CO CHsShare

small birds Wsects and the occasional Flizard.

Wicked Weavers had a fast-acting5 venom, usually

paraly; pH 2 theit prey within seconds hei webs

were strong but the larger prey they preferred

Was somctimes able to writhe Eee, tearing away

chunks of web and falling to the forest floor,

out of the spiders reach f bitten, the spiders

venom quickly subdued prey, MInIMAZINe the

/ c

chance that the hunter MISH loose ITS meal.

Per ELE Re SEM Wel fap
les ADE
i per

Among the most remarkable of the flying lizards of Skull

Island was the fairylike Feather Devil. Totally unrelated to

any other flyingro) lizards on the island, Feather Devils had

developed attenuated scales analogous CO birds’ feather “A

These lay flat along the lizard’s sides while climbing and

hunting, but flicked open CO allow the little Insect eater to

5

flit from tree to tree in pursuit of prey.

Of all che flying lizards, they were the most agile in the air,

changing direction in midflight to chase insects or avoid a

predator W ith graceful case.

Feather Devils could bark and did so tO COMMUNICAatC with

each other in the dark of the jungle. Males barked to pro-

claim ownership of territory and to impress mates. At

certain times of year the forest rang with the froglike croaks

of hundreds of the ciny lizards laying claim to their particu

lar stretches of branch.

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND

 JUNGLE FLIZARDS

Skull Island's isolation Saw an explosion ot diversity aMOong

NGS endemic lizard SPCCcics, with many developing limiced

flight capabilities One group In particular uUnIQuUuc CO the

island but related to Agamas developed close to a dozen

Species These were the remarkable and often spectaculat

flying-lizards, or | lizards

Alatusauru y sanguideia

The fiery-scaled 4 sanguideia was one of the most common

species in the successful Alatusaurus flying-lizard genus, |

the True Flizards. The species had a long whiplike cail,

fully two-thirds of their total length, and a thorny head.

Males had the most pronounced thorns on theit ciny skulls

and used them to intimidate one another, They lived on

small IN'SEEES,

Aliepesaurus ferox

Closely related to True | lizards, Wing-foots had small WINg

planes between their TOES and a primary wih membrane

that had migrated forward to run along the forearms, sup

ported in flight by their clongated little fingers

Alatusaurus cinnabaris

The brilliant 4. cinnabaris was a fearless hunter of small

invertebrates. A plucky liccle predator, IC darted close to

big dinosaurs, grabbing bugs that were disturbed in their

destruc tive wa ke.

166 } CHAPTERIV. THE STEAMING JUNGLI

Phe largest of the Flizards / pe rerandis could alice

only short distances but Was a strong climber, Males

had short horny ¢

Drrowcths Ove! theit eyes fot territorial

tights Each Grand Flizard would try to force his rival

Ort a contested branch theit short horns locked like

Minature CCPATOPSIANS

A vivid berry-eating species A. scintilla males showed off

their fire-engine-red paint jobs to IMpress females mn the

dark jungle.

SND

Sole representatives of their SENS, Novusauruses had forked 4)

. bb
tails and odd cheek ¢
WINGS. They ate only butterflies
c

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND | 167

 AEROSAUR
Aerosaurus verdens

In testimony CO the boundless INng@enully ot nacure

Jerosaurs were yet another convergent line of unrelated

lizards Native O Skull Island Being able CO Cscape

flying

& =
on the Wing, It would seem, Was COO valuabl« a
d predator
¥
%
tO pass Up wh n bx Ing dc alt 1 hand in evolution W ith
card

¢ %
webbed mc mbranc s bercween thei long cocs and along the II
S

limbs Cheese anolelike flyers could sustain only short olides

from bough Co bough but they were usu lly enough tO Savc

them from the jaws of big centiped Sor other flight

he {
te
ny
i less canopy predators
eg >

[he agile Skull Island Hawk, however, was not

SO easily avoided [he handsome bluish bird could

adeptly pluck an Acrosaul out of che ir in midtlight

 HERBIVOROUS
CHAMELEONS

The Canopy ot Skull Island's jungle played host CO the

world’s biggest and strangest chameleons Evolving in iso

lation after some chance colonization several million years

ago they had grown to gigantic proportions and embracec

a diet of high energy canopy fruit Phe largest varicty was

almost three feet long

Their natural climbing skills allowed the

species to clamber into the highest

branches to obtain their prizes, while

their mimetic camouflage protected

them from arboreal predators A

half dozen species developed on the

island, most of them being exclu-

sively fruit eaters Iwo chameleons

supplemented their fruit with insects,

when they could be found, while a third species

dined entirely on sap and nectar.

TRIDENT CHAMELEON
Chamaeleo CUSpIS
lrideHxt Chameleon 7 iIhNCNES LONG

Sr eVir ere EAN 1,

Furcifer barrus
Z : 7 ; c 22 Mey
Ll@ pyar! Kogue LZ, SDD PIE

HONEY FONGUE
Chamaeleo mellilingus
=f J a >) AdeM or c .
Hone y-tongue Chameleon, [2 Siva igi! he 5 lon g
sek Ss 3

FAT CHAMELEON

Furcifer adipatus
aed ae Se a
Florid Rogue,
é 30-36 inches long&

|| 169
emaiepee see Nera
CENTIPEDES OF THE JUNGLE.CANOPY
Idolon illotus

Idolon wus (tig 1) was a voracious predator of thi high

canopy, where it core long the branches in pursuit ol
Flizards. Contrasted with the he wyweight centipedes of
the jungle floor, / s was a lightly built sprinter. Its

lechal yVenom killed small prey within moments of biting

thus reducing the risk ol MWyury CoO the huntes

ola peace
A0LO? venesaucus

[dolo enefaucus (tig 2) was an ambushet hiding amid

dense leaves and Vines to pounce On prey such aS Insects

spiders OL li ards Lhe predators dull otay coloring helped

them blend into the shadows hiding them from both prey

ind predators alike Phe centipede-eating Skull Island

Hornbill Was Immune to their venom

OHGS Mother of all bugs

| he largest of the tree-dw elling centipedes, Omnimatercimex

(fig 3) preyed on the young and defenseless, unguarded bird

chicks or dinosaur babies. A single dinosaur chick could

feed the centipede for weeks. Having made a kill, che cen-

tipede would eat its way into the carcass, scenting it with a

pungent repellant to ward off scavengers and allowingg it to

consume its prize In peace from the inside out.

 CANOPY |INS niGa lay

The canopy of the jungle veritably teamed with life they clung to life on a single (dele All were united by

Countless insect species swarmed in rick clouds through their shared insectile Craits: Six legs: an exoskeleton; three

the leafy maze, some gentle graze Ss, others Cenacious segments
5
héad, thorax, and abdomen; but beyond this,

hunters. Some were heavily camou laged; others loudly their Varlatlons were as complex and diverse as any other

advertised their poisonous armor. Some abounded in animal group in the world

Swarms SO thick they hid the sky, wh CeSOMECAWelLe Ss OM rake

|| CHAPTER IV. THE STEAMING JUNGLI

Shaggy W ing, (( OMOSOS Pte vO Shagg) “WING Unguasilus, l nguasilus ( Claw-fly )

Celocimex, Celocimex horribilis (Terribl Swift-bug M. imperius, Megalatus imperius (Imperial Big-wing)

Fallow Mantis, /zaratumantis (Fallow-mantis) Noxmuscus, Noxmuscus furvus (Black Night-fly)

Guard-bug,E Custocimex : ferratus (Iron-clad Guard-bug)

& Virucinifis, Viru inifis (Poison-insect)

Jewelbug, Chrysidicimex tobin (lobins Jewel-bug) Lividuvespa, Lividuvespa (Blue-black-wasp)

Firebellied Trec-talon, Hylaeohamus (Tree-talon) Picchbug, Picewscutum (Pitch-black-shield)

Savage-enat,
(oye)
Efferu ulex niger (Dark Savage-gnat)

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND | NAS)

 Peculiar Bugs

was a voracious flyinggS |predator, but one that

Noxmuscus

posed lictle danger to other jungle invertebrates unless they

happened to be its favorite food Sap Snails. Plentiful

throughout the dense forest, Sap Snails were climbing mol

lusks that fed from the trunks of several species of tree

shells protected them from MmoOst

Theis thick whorled

ol the Wasps SIZC but Noxmuscus came

would be predators

che job A long extendible tube, slightly flac-

equipped fol

tened and heavily reinforced projected from the wasps face.

this CO pry the snail otf its grip rolling It

Noxmuscus used

letting It drop CO the jungle floor where It would

Over Ol

necedlelike proboscis deep Into the snail and suck

stab the

the juice from its inners

Paying the ultimate price tor ones offspring Was a distinctly

uninsectile trait, but male Unguasilus made It a lifestyle

Having paired successfully, a female laid her newly fertilized

on the Carapace ot her mate The parasitic cees fused

cogs

to the male, drawing nutrition directly through his porous

exoskeleton. On hatching, the maggots found themselves

attached to a Warm anc ready food source 1n the form of the

unfortunate male Over successive days the voracious orubs

, would gradually eat their father alive, eventually pupating

t

inside the dead husk of the male and emerging later as min-
a c~ 2

lature W aAsps from his C ried COLPSe

176 || CHAPTER IV. THE STEAMING JUNGLI

 FLYING RATS

HOW LER
Aligerattus
,
bombus
D ] =
DOOM if NOCA-VAl t .-fOOl WINGSPall

Dominatin e)r the skies of Skull Island were not birds, but

flying
yane rodents. While the most impressive of these lived in
SKULLAISLA ND AW Ui eee
the uplands, the jungle
: was haunted by the eerie shrieks of
Noctadorior alba
the smaller Howlers, shaggy acrial predators with leathery
]j “ee }
F =
White Attack-by-nigh Y-1nch ] wingspan
;
wings and sharpened teeth. Their bulbous eyes were keen,

able to pierce the obscuring dark beneath the canopy where White bats Were not true bats, but an analogous
is species

they hunted birds, rats, large insects, and lizards A. par- descended from rodents. How EVE; like bats, they had huge
S
ticular favorite was the Skull Island White Bat, which the ears and hunted by sonar. Their eyes were almost entirely

Howlers tore from their roosts during the

ro)
day Or caught
ra)
on rone and covered over with skin.
¢
5
They hunted insects and

the wing at dusk. small centipedes at night.

| CHAPTER IV. THE STEAMING JUNGLE

A NATURAI HISTORY O! SKULI
 ISVSCONE
ree
A NOP Y

While birds may not have laid exclusive claim to the sky

on Skull Island, they were represented in good numbe1

nonetheless. Their most impressive representatives were

undoubtedly the giant flightless avians that rivaled some

dinosaurs in size, but in the heights of the jungle canopy a

collection of remarkable and unique Species left theit own

indelible stamp on the world’s natural history.

Related to the Carrion Parrots, the Martial Parrot (1) was a

handsome macawlike bird. Skull Island had its own wood

pecker. The Dark-wingte) (2) was not a true woodpecker but

another example of convergent evolution. | ikewise, the ciny

Brightbird (3) was a hummingbird analogte) descended from

Indonesian swifts. The Skull Island Hawks (4) and Hornbills

(5) were predators of the treetops, while the ornately

adorned Dapper Crow (6) was an opportunist, taking what-

ever morsels it could find, animal or vegetable.

180 | CHAPTER IV. THE STEAMING JUNGLI

 JHE
ABYSSAL CHASMS

] 5 +] . ‘
D1OvING that pit Was like LUVNING
co) l fey

OVEr STONES 1 Had Oe :

Lig ON arene, (Caloxeny

half of Skull Island wer deep Down here, even th strangest ol che jungles prehistoric
Latticing the southern

the result of violent qual es and wate! creatures seemed out of place and normal by comparison rol
fissures and chasms,

by che splitting rock underground rivers this was domain of monsters. In-the dark, rancid hollows, fat
erosion. | xposed

by ereatures from che light huge invertebt 1C¢ ruled defying the appal
and vast grottoes WCIc opened CO colonization

springs disgorged tepid water that ent order of things above. Served areliable, if irregular, diet
of the jungle Deep

with the dripping fluid and rot from the surfac¢ ot falling vou tation and meat from the surface, a raft ol
mixed

a steamy soup rich in minerals and chick with nightmarish scavenge! ind opportunist had evolved to
creating

organic slop Flooded by rains and nourished by gcothel seize whatever landed in their midst Skitcet uttling

In the Crust ind sQUITIMINE thing h Id CO [ th Out nd lit ll g i

mal upwellings these abyssal LOMeSs and blisters

of the island were world unto themselves. Normal rules of the wet wall

nature seemed not to apply

AN,
OFA CHASM

ust as the jungles of the surface were

ordered with tiers, the pits had a form

of ArCANE order all their Own,

Winged predators like Lerapusmordan

used the 1WISLING chasms 10 herd and harass

smaller [hing animals 110 dead ends, where

they trapped and caught them

Hanging like apes from the boughs of giant

stone trees, Deplectors and Rat Monkeys

leaned OuL from the walls of the pis to se1ze

passing prey.

ack of ravenous Weta-rexes, defying

égravityZ as they
js scampered across the slip-

pery chasm walls, ran down their prey and

dragged it down struggling.

Decarnocimex, Abyscidis, and other meat-

harvesting opportunists at the base of the pit

plied their macabre trade, carving up the

corpses of‘the pits victims.

The fluidic waste at the bottom squirmed

with nightmarish Carnictis.

sad tihts.c as
DEGARNO.CIMEX
Decarnocimex
Flesh removing bug Se iG) fe él long

Decarnocimexes were flesh-eating,c oversized relatives of Adult females would drag morsels of food back to holes dug

crickets with bladed forelimbs for tearing apart CarcaSsecs. In the chasm walls, where they laid their cees Depositing

Aggressive hunters as well as SCAVCNECTS, Decarnocimexes the mcat, they would seal the holes with a mucus Cement.

would attack small animals unfortunate enough to fall Into Sate within their sealed nursery the young would hatch and

their hellish domain, Carving them up with their claws and live off the rotting meat until mature enough to chew their

razor-sharp mandibles. Way through the plug to freedom

WETA-REX
Deinacrida rex
Terrible-cricket king,
fo
2-3 4
feet longS Related to the Wetas of distant New Zealand, an ocean

away, these huge prehistoric crickets vastly outsized their

~“
‘“ antipodean cousins Appropriately dubbed Weta-rexes, they

= were not shy herbivores but ferocious, pack-hunting preda-

tors of the caves and chasms of Skull Island Swarming in

huge numbers, they would overwhelm and wear down any

prey they Came across, shredding even the largest of dino-

SAUrs with a thousand pals ot shearing mouthparts.

ran)

pvsewh le fie
qussstaul
 ARAG
EEN Oe CLAW
Arachnocidis
a

The nightmarish Arachno-claw was an over-

sized arthropod with a life cycle as bizarre as

its size and appearance. Living in the light-

less chasms that rent the fractured island’s

surface, they laid their MICFOSCOPIC ¢

eggs in the
rexe)

carrion they and their fellow pit denizens fed.

Most never survived to hatchins g, destroy ed by

other Carrion feeders or drow ned in the thick muck.

However, a lucky few survived long enough

ce}
to be ingestec

sy the sluglike Carnictis, later hatchin ¢(2)y in the worms

( rut, where they spent their larval stage livingfo) as intestina

Olems c

yarasites. Years later, fatted on the meat they stole from their

worm host, they underwent a metamorphosis and emereec

rom. the slugs rectum as miniature adults, crawling out

ce)

CO join their parents as free-roving SCAVCNACES and predators

of the abyss.

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND

 DEPSECTOR

Deplector
Keaper, F feel long

Blind Deplectors were giant land crabs that lived in the

cracked and « rumbling rock walls of the abyssal fissures chat

spiderwebbed the shattered island Hanging in place with

.
their enormous claws folded mantis style in front of them

they waited for small prey to pass the mouths of their holes

Pheit long antennac Were sCNSitive CO vibrations In the all

enabling them to pinpormt pre \ dc SPIle lac king eyes

The most common prey were the tiny Vultursaurs that few

1 thick flocks through the chasms at night hunting moths

[The hunters would find themselves prey snatched from

the air by the switchblade pincers ot the Deplectors in the

canyon walls Despite a single crab taking up to a dozen of

the little flying reptiles ina night they made barely a dent in

the vast Vultursaut numbers

When lunging, Deplectors threw all their weight Into

the attack, relying on elastic, stringy excretions from thei

abdomens to tether them tO the rock preventing a tall

At will, they could Sever these sticky anchor cords tO Move

a about freely

188 || CHAPTER V. THE ABYSSAL CHASMS

fire nee 0
ee
*

e
NY

Ce
&
 Mature females laid bundles of several hundred eggs in the

back of their caves. The tiny white young hatched and

dispersed into the chasm Cl Timeassc:

OF all che species on Skull Island, Deplectors exhibited

the most extreme sexual dimorphism, with mature males

a speck next to the i THANE

ca)
females. The Carapaces ol Wy

female nymphs darkened and hardened with successive molts

as they ¢ >rew, A mature female could be up CO eight eet

o

n length, with claws extending a further six feet and anten

nae as long as twelve. Males, however, remained mW their

arval forms: small, pale, soft-shelled, and detenscless. [hey

colonized the nurseries at the rear of females caves,

ertilizing cess 1 exchange for the safety provided by their

enormous landladies.

(GAR
NT CLS

Carnictis sordicus
Vile Meat-weasel, f—-13 feel lon 3S7

Undisputedly the most repulsive denizen of the hellish rents Lacking eyes or a face of any sort (unless a sphincter-maw

in the Skull Island interior was Carnictis. Writhing, serpen- of teeth could be considered a face), Carnictises were little

tine, vermicular predators of the tepid sludge that suffocated more than an animated stomach that folded in and out of

the depths of the chasms, they were feeders on the dead itself with obscene undulation.

and wounded. Carnictises were slow moving but relentless.

c

190 || CHAPTER V. THE ABYSSAL CHASMS

Intestinal pabasites Similar cto che Cape worms

that can infest humans. the ancestors of

Carnictis lived in the vucs of largc predatory

dinosaurs where they devoured the halt digested

flesh swallowed by their hosts. At some point

in their history, chese gut parasites must have

evolved so they could survive outside the con

tines of their hosts’ intestinal tracts. They made

their new homes in the geothermal spring-ted

sludge that clotted the bowls of the island. It

is theorized that long ago, a I’ rex-like preda

tor fell into one of the chasms and died, its pal

asite cargo disgorging slowly from the carcass

CO tind themselves In the rich Organic river 1n

the pits base. Instead of drying up and dying,oO

they thrived. Warmed by the hot, geothermal

watel bubbling into the syrup of the pits, the

worms Were sustained on the flesh of animals

alling into the chasm trom the jungle above.

Parasites no longer they swelled to disturbing

new proportions and became carrion eaters in

the abyss. With their new size and strength

they could overwhelm and consume live prey,

dragging the slow OF wounded to their deaths

below the surface.

Requiring very specific environmental condi-

tions, Carnictises were restricted to a few cav-

ernous rents and sinkholes that suited their par-

ticular needs. Squirming downstream through

the muck to where the chasms opened into

rivers was death. The cooling water sucked

their life away, while any pit chat saw a drought

of carrion or fresh mecat would similarly devas-

tate the Meat-weasel.

However, Carnictis had developed a survival

strategy. While the adults were susceptible

to change, eggs could survive for decades in a

dormant state, waiting for a return of favorable

conditions to hatch and spread.

NR S AUR
]
Vultursaurus
Vultursaurs Gespice appearances Were Not pterodactyls. [he big-eyed
5 flockingte) creatures were nocturnal, roostingD on

In fact they were the sole SULVIVING representatives of ledges Or mm deep jungle shade during the day, emerging in
te) toler are)

a remarkable second dynasty of flying theropods that Vast flocks CO hunt INSCCTS al night | hey had excellent night

developed batlike wing membranes instead of feathers. VISION, their reflective eyes able to discern distance and depth

Theit W1INgs Not single sheets of skin as on ptcrosaurs— In even dim starli K rht. Only on the blackest nights were they
ra)

were divided sy extended fingers like bats. Broad and ( rrounded.

D

supple, thei wings were able to be realigned with ease 1n

flight. Their flapping was not as efficient as either a bird’s

or bats but was more than sufficient to keep them aloft.

\
A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND | 193
AB Aes GIDTS
Abyscidis occisor

Smaller relatives of the mighty Deplectors that clung ro the

walls of the chasms, Abyscidises were dog sized crustaceans

that lived in the shadow of che g lesh caters of che

dark. Primarily scavengers, they were unparticular feeders

taking any organic matte they could scavenge dead o1

dying Phe chunky invertebrates clustered in loose colonies

at the base of a pit or in deep caves, [he nymphs hatching

in large numbers, used the rivers of organic slop to migrate

around their dark domain locating an unclaimed section

of cave or chasm shoreline to mature in and establish

a new colony
 JHE
BARREN ||PLANDS

vim had to live anywhere on this God-forsaken rock,

it would be up high, in those hills.

way above that hell of a jungle.

Leave it to the monkey to get it right.

. Cc |ee

| FALL EXPEDITION, 1936

 THE ROOF
ONE IEE, IVIL)

Rising above the green shag of the jungle like che spires of

some croding casth the great sping of Skull Island was the

mountainous ride that ran its crooked length Flanked

by ruin-studded lesser peaks and black crags that brok«

ch choking tree line, the central rise was a row ol jagged

bald summits. Harsh elemental forces of wind and rain

pruned back che jungl s insistent efforts to colonize thes«

roc ky he ights

Ancient eruptions and lurches of the earth had created these

heights long ago Now, as the island slowly fell away, they

jutted above the jungle skeletal ind grim the bones of

a dying beast pale and gaunt

[his harsh land, which Was aS much sky 1S rock Was the

domain ot only the toughest plants Low wind-bludgeoned

scrub, cushion-leated Sprigs and rock-hugging lichen they

were hardy SUrVIVOLrS capable ot squeezing lite out Of the

stone they clung to

c

In turn, the stump) plants were grazed by thick-skinned

herbivores, quitters of the steamy competition of. the jungle

seeking to scrape a living in the windblown uplands Some

were agile rock runners, fleet of foot. Others were lumber-

ing brutes but held to the stone with iron grip Following

them all were the flesh lusting predators slaves to the scent

of life sustaining meat

Into this landscape ot grand vistas and butteting winds, the

ous GD last of the great apes retreated to make his reftuge—a bleak

hermitage tor the lonely kin Oo

cDb

UPLAND ENVIRONMENTS

( plands Swamp y 4 | illage : x y

SS Great wall Waterways @ Kong s Latr

Wal

196 | CHAPTER VI. THE BARREN UPLANDS

 PRESRS
MOR DAX

Lerapusmordax obscenus

Lord of the skies over Skull Island was no bird of prey or

pterodactyl, but a naked bat-winged rat with a stench to

make noses bleed lerapusm wdax obscenus, in appearance

a hideous mix of bat and mole rat, was in fact a species

of flying rodent. It was the largest of the Volucerattidae,

a family of winged rodents peculiar to Skull Island.

A handful of the related species existed elsewhere on the

island, including Volucerictis and the Howlers, but all were

dwarted by this monster

lerapusmordaX had thin, almost transparent skin and light

but strong bones. [hey had good eyesight and were excel-

lent flyers. Despite their size, they were quite maneuverable,

able to tip and roll in the air in pursuit of one another or
winged pricy.

198 || CHAPTER VI. THE BARREN UPLANDS

lerapusm daxes made their homes in vast caverns in the

uplands, hanging batlike from the cave ceilings by their feet

at night The cave floors were littered with the feces of

their colonies, which could number in the hundreds. Their

waste contained pungent chemicals that, in sufficient quan-

tity, induced watering eyes and burning nostrils in other

species. The reek of this accumulated waste was so overpow-

ering that it drove w ould-be predators away from the colony,

guaranteeing the safety of the young and infirm, Excrement

often caked the bellies of the creatures, but they appeared

unattected. Indeed, this may have been a defense in and

orround,
of itself Even when on the te}
far from the colony,

Terapusmordax was unlikely to be bothered by land carni-

Vores due to the nauseating stench.

Colonies were matriarchies, ruled by pugnacious females

awash with male hormones to increase their size and strength.

These brutish females roosted, foraged, and shared the raising

of young together. The solitary males nested in small satel-

lice bachelor colonies of a dozen or so animals for mutual

protection at night. Not being social, they bickered con-

stantly. Among males, infection due to nips and scratches

was common. They were kept at a distance from the colony

due to their propensity to kill pups in order to bring their

 NO SURVIVORS
ne creature alone made a living in the rank pestilence below

Terapusmordax colonies—the pale Megapede impurus

A predatory centipede almost three feet long, M. impurus crawled

in the filth beneath the colony waiting fo the inevitable fall of

careless young Terapusmordaxes gave birth to litters of four

to six pups and attrition did occur. A simple fall could result in

disabling injury. If the venomous centipedes found the wayward mothers back into season. Males were driven out of the nest

pup before it could i rawl back it Was doomed. while still young. [he solitary males pups picked each other

off, to avoid potential rivals later in life. The unprotected

male pups also fell prey to other predators. Consequently,

adult females outnumbered males, due to the extra protcc-

tion living as a group

c
afforded female pups.

lerapusmordaxes were omnivorous, cating fruit and nuts

from the jungle, and plucking lizards or small dinosaurs from

the ground when they could get them. They often caught

food on the wing, chasing birds and other fying creatures,

Common prey were Vultursaurs and Volucerictises, which they

caught at dusk.

200 | CHAPTER VI. THE BARREN UPLANDS

SKIN-BIRD
Cutisaves atroxoides

Skin-birds were another of Skull Island’s diseurb-

ing and unique flying rodent: species. Unlike the larger

lerapusmordax, skin-birds did not cluster in colonies but

lived singly. Phey were dedicated hunters, purely carnivo-

rous. They ate only small lizards and other terrestrial crea-

RUres; SIMCe they were hot nimble Cnoug rh to take flyingg

prey in the air. Skin-birds were not as adept on the wing

as most of the other flying rodents, gliders

te)
more than full

flyers, I hey hunted in the air but landed to catch prey.

G, atroxoideses were among the only SPpecics that seemed

ts j

unperturbed by the noxious dung smell of Terapusmordax

colonies. Brave individuals would penetrate a colony to

prey on their pups, but they would have to be quick to

get In and out before being set upon by the big rodents.

Lerapusmordaxes would drive Skin-birds away from their

colonies when they spotted them.

Seth hose 03

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND | 201

 >PO aaa os
mos

Not a) CIEE crocodile the Jear-croc was a thick-tailed lying alongside ITS SPCclallZead W

OmMNnIVOroUs reptile with a belch tO W ake the dead Among D be heard Mies away, MINN

the noisiest animals On the island the Bear-croc laid claim viduals Their thick tails

tO patches of slope-hugging vegetation by bellowingD5 roars through lean months

c

that were enhanced by reverberating chambers In its gut,

ede Ui EaBOWS

GrazingoO the borders of the junele where it 5gave way into

SCLeEe and rock, the ( haly CtOps a hard headed COUSIN TO

Ferrucutus, ate subalpine vegetation

(ah but avoided the thick

forest. Chaly-topses were rare, but the clash of their glad

iatorial contests 1n the breeding season rang throughout

ra) 2}

the upland regions.

Do Males would joust and butt violently

to secure a harem of females. Their fights were amon o the

most brutal of any ceratops species, with frequent fatalities

and injuries. Most bulls bore extensive scarring and broken

Or damaged horn array 3

202 | CHAPTER VI. THE BARREN UPLANDS

J2
) IfUrcalops peritus
J
rea-face, O-L1U feet long

The gazellelike Bifurcatops was the smallest and most deli-

cate of the ceratopsians of Skull Island. Its distinct horse-

shoe crest and horn array was not robust enough for phys-

ical contests. Instead, males engaged in elaborate dances,

bowing and swaying before females to impress them.

Fleet and nimble, they could traverse the dizzy heights of the

crumbling mountains with ease and grace, Oograzing low plants

that studded the rocky slopes in herds.

 Aes
pul LS
Arsarticaedes agilis
Nima ble Si / led al-nuU? t Meee ey feel longa

Arsartis Was the of prey. A solitary killer, IT would use cover CoO get as close
Bizarre theropod descenda UES; the racy

Bifurcatops herds. In a to prey as possible before Initiating a chase and then run It
principal hunter of the mountain

Arsartis had returned Ome: down with supcrior speed and maneuverability. Kills were
reversal of evolutionary trends,

for greater stability AIS ihe hurled itself along made catlike, pinning the animal with ITS foreclaws while
four-legged gait

the treacherous terrain of the crumbling uplands in pursuit delivering a lethal bite.

BIDENSAURUS
Bidensaurus mactabilis
Deadly J]
Two-fanged lizard,
: /
5-6
&
feet long

’ 3 4 — \\
LO Me
Oh a
ti
4

Bidensaurus was a dog-sized nocturnal carnivore closely season, when mated pairs might stay together for several
related to Lycaesaurus of the lowlands and the impressive months. Bidensaurus used an acute sense of smell to sniff
fan-backed Gladiodon. Solitary, d
except in the breeding a
out small or sleeping prey in the dead of night
Cc é Cc si

206 | CHAPTER VI. THE BARREN UPLANDS

Resplendent Gladiodon—with its fiery stripes, featherlike The eo)
magnificent colo1 scheme p ayed a part Wa) the claborate
o

dorsal fan, and longDb saber teeth Was a dandy mammal COUrTING rittta s of Gladiodon. \n the breeding5D season they

like reptilian predator lt preyed On herbivores, includ gathered in traditional sites to strut and pose, shaking their

ing(oO B tPCALOPS and ( /

halysceratops, but specialized WD taking dazzling dorsal fans and yawning to show off their teeth.

other predators ladiodon pounced on prey, inflicting Males displayed to entice mates, while females

fatal wounds with its scimitar teeth. Releasing the victim wandered among them choosing those

It would track the prey as It staggered away uncil Overcome chat most impressed them

by blood loss
 MALEVOLUSAURUS
Malevolusaurus perditor
a result ol dominance battles between the tiercely territorial

creatures Males had knobbly CrOWNS with which they would

Pugnacious and ill-tempered, the burly Ma/ MSAUTUS Was
butt ONC another but biting and clawing were COMMON
an Opportunistic predator ot the highlands lt S¢ avenged

carrion Of wounded prey from other predators dug small

Vialevolusauruses \aid thei eggs in scrapes on the sunniest
animals from burrows, and uprooted plants for their roots
slopes where they would be naturally warmed. The great-

and tubers.
est threat to newly hatched chicks came from their own

kind —eighty percent of young fell prey to hungry adults in

The distinctive sails, an heirloom of Permian pelycosaut

their first year This cannibalism was an effective popula-

ancestry, were an adaptation Malevolusauruses employed CO

tion control, as little else ate them. Only the saber-toothed

Warm themselves in the morning, boosting theit energy levels
a] ] } } rz
Gladiodon hunted full-crow n Malevolusauruses.
for the day. Many were badly torn or otherwise scarred,

208 1 CHAPTER VI. THE BARREN UPLANDS

DRACO
Dracomicros hospes

Large flying lizards, Dracos made their homes in the upland Wing flashing was also employed among Dracos to intimi-
cliffs above the jungle. Camouflage was their principa date rivals and attract mates. The little horned males faced

defense. Most of the time their bright, barred wings were off on prominent boulders, bobbing their heads and flashing

folded discreetly at their sides. When threatened, they their wings in elaborate dances.

would initially freeze, but if danger persisted, their wings ; ;

: Females gave birth to live young, as many as six at a time,
would spring open, startlingc the predator and buying the
: which were able to fend for themselves immediately, Birch
lizard a moment to jump and glide away to safety. Usingfe}
Was timed toa lu Var phase to cnsure the best possible chance
the elevation afforded by cliffs and taking advantage of
for the young to survive. At certain times of year the rocks
custs, they could sometimes
to)
glide several hundred feet.
teamed with tiny Dracos.

OOO vOooOoOO — a
;

|
3
s

suntan: nar A cE setae Ben A

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND

At the center of Skull Island living in a cavernous lair sus

pended high above the jungl and lord of all he surveyed,

Was Kong Phe last of his kind Kong was a huge and pow

erful ape, far larger than any hitherto known species eal

was the king ot his world, a nightmarish force to the Skull

Islanders, and an anomaly to science Kong became the

Icon for the wondel and powel of nature im) his time

When discovered by the Western world, sadly Kong(te} was the

sole representative of his species Though he Was almost

certainly part ora family and perhaps a sociery once, he had

been on his own fora long time As such, this g reat a P cs

(3) D

behavior had changed as a reflection of his loneliness and in

response the shoulderingCal of the pressures of his world upon

him as an individual and nota member of a group.

The origin of Kong's species is as obscure as Skull Island Though Kongss physiology bore strong resemblances to that

itself. but W hat S€ems Certain IS that his kind arrived no of African gorillas, some have theorized that the giant pre-

earlier than a few thousand years ago and were not native historic ape Gigantopithecus was a possible ancestor.

to the island. Mainland Asia is the likely point of origin.

LISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND

// SO, A 0

of L171

] ]
10saurs and othe

] / /
vidence of sele

at / / J
theory of Kongs kin being revered
]
}
]
/
] } e
} } 124
}
of the island Perhaps the apes were also

RES ) | IS ] urd) ] }
bred by [ems Pe 1 [hey were orot t with the ancient colo

/ 7 A
N11StS from some lost empire in Asia? [he answers to these ques-
!

1100S May never be known.

Living Together
From COMParisons mad with extant Apc species else where

in the world and the scant remains found on the island

it can be interred that Kongs species likely once lived in

small tamitial units \\ hile Kongs home Was IN the moun

Ctamnous uplands ie SCG his probabl that his kind would have

lived Wm the jungle where tood Was MOre abundant Kong

would make SOLVES INTO the jungle and othe parts ol the

island to teed, returning to his lair tor satecy, ith the added

protection of a >sroup the anerent tpes would hot have had

CO do this

Adults could have protected the young from dangerous

animals and guided them in the finding of food. While

young were vulnerable, che huge adult males were easily a

match tor the most dangerous carnivores on the island. The

apes were able to combine massive strength with incredible

dexterity. They also had the added advantage ot grasping

hands on all four limbs and, as other apes hay ce show n, the

intel IGENCE CO Strategize and outthink Opponents.

In their groups, strong emotional connections between

ind viduals would hay c yielded tight alliances, and the com-

municative skills of the apes would have served to reinforce

their bonds. Vocalizations formed a strongce) part of the mighty chest-pounding, standing roar Was an unmistakable

proclamation of power and dominance. Though he lived

Spee es communication, but subtleties of body language

and posturing were as important. At their most subt Cc,

alone, Kong retained many of these behaviors. Some of
re)

Ora olance ice) acknowl- them Were similar enough tO complex human behavior tO
these could be a flash of the cy elids ro)

end of the spectrum, tne suggest strong emotional development in the ape.
edge another apc. At the other (eye) o
c

\ NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND | lis

Age-old Enemies
Clearly evident me) the SCALS borne by Kong and

in the bones of his predecessors Was the Age old

CHMITY that existed between the lant apes and the

| FOXES Boch immensely powertul animals these

great titans clashed again and tain in what MUST

have been r
dDrround shaking contests of tooth Versus

rist reptilian bloodlust Versus PETAL Cunning

]
} renes viewed YOUIS Apes as food and were brave

Ol toolish enough to risk Injury CoO ect at them

Both SPCCICS would have taken the Opporcunity CO

kill the young ot the othet IN an alten rpt CO elimi

nate future threats and neithet would have accepted

the encroachment ot the other to thei territory

Subadult ] rEXES less Wary than their SCnlors and nn

a hurry to establish territories of

|
their own, would

have been led into conflict with the apes

The apes used whatever lay at hand as weapons, and the

rexes came armed with massive, crushing gin-trap

jaws. The beasts could inflict savage wounds upon

one another. Most clashes would have been short—

one party backing ott W hen the odds were evaluated

as out of their favor. But when the stakes were high

enough, the conflicts became battles to the death.

\ NATURAI HISTORY Ot SK
By accident and attrition, Over the ecenturies Kones kind

|
were whittled down pe) number. Like other great ape

SPCcles they bred seldom and the young took years to

attain self-suf LELEMEV, Injury and sickness WCIre killers as

lerhal as any | TEX Or Venatosaurus, and each death would

have been a b OW tO the SPCcies Although probably Nevel

Numerous by the time ¢ arl Denham’'s expedition uNCO\

ered the islanc Kong was the last ot his great race

[he strange relationship he had developed with the Skull

Islanders that clung to life on the coast was symptomatic

of the unnatural situation in which Kongo persisted He

was an intelligent social creature living alone Perhaps the

living offerings of the islanders appealed to some aspect of

Kongs need for company? Regardless they did not fulfill

ING Detensive and pugnacious, the Mant ape Was a product ot

the peril that surrounded him all his life

Kongs body was a book of his life, each scar telling a tale
of his survival alone on Skull Island. He lingered on against

the odds, his intelligence and sheer brutish will carrying him
through the loneliness and peril of the island. He triumphed

In a hostile world that he made his kingdom.

It was somehow fitting, then, that his downfall would come

rot at teeth of a V rex but at the tiny hands of the creatures

that trembled betore him. 1 in) humans, and one in particu-

ar, came as invaders to his domain and forever changed it

and him. Kong died not in some battle with the monsters

Me struggled AGAIN Se daily va] his Savage kingdom, but far away,

struggling CO be anything but alone again.

re)

elie!
A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND ||
 REDITS

WRITER

Daniel Falconer

RESEARCH

Ben Wootten

EDITOR

Margaret Clark

ART DIRECTORS

Ben Wootten and Daniel Falconer

EAL OUTARTIST

Amanda Smart

FOREWORD
Peter Jackson

PRINCIPAL ILLUSTRATORS
Greg Broadmore

Stephen Crowe

Daniel Falconer

Chris Guise

Gus Hunter

Christian Pearce

Paul Tobin

Ben Wootten

COVER ARTIST
Gus Hunter
.

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND ANS)

 _ —— ——: — .
id ee mT RAE TERN PIT PPE DE
yee TENTE TF EET TT Sa a- eee % iiten
j: a fo

4 eS t A \ t eee +s a , ¢. 5
. M eee 5 i d , é \

Back Caw s ad = a
Ss Vhretws Crews Pulsreen laps
pin 1 Broa eat! Galo, Caren
‘ [Siendvane,

Ue Verathans., Paz Sacks , Carin Cuts Ciws Bee sec: i

Bon

" aac _— >

— —~—
Srot Qo 5: Chamshen Peart, fe katana Sine 7 Janie Reale Dk |sLewrel, |

SUPPORTING ILLUSTRATORS WETA WORKSHOP PRODUCTION MANAGER

Gino Acevedo Gayle Munro

Johnny Brough
evinerts = PHOTOGRAPH
) >
ERDh}
; Steve Unwin
Christian Gossett

David Mengral
LAYOUT CONCEPT

WETA CREATIVE DIRECTOR Amanda Smart

and Paul Tobin

Richard Taylor
ENDPAPERS MAP

Daniel Reeve
WETA WORKSHOP MANAGER

Tania Rodger
re)

220 || CREDITS
SKULL ISLAND CREATURE CONCEPTUALIZAT ION/ WORLD DESIGN CREDITS

Gino Acevedo Stephen Crowe [om Lauten

Rob Baldwin Bryce Curtis Alan Lee

Saul Barnes Jason Doc herty Gareth McGhie

Sam Belcher Daniel Falconer David Meng

Jeremy Bennett Ryk Fortuna Les Nairn

Jamie Beswarick Brad Goft Christian Pearce

Shaun Bolton Christian Gossett Jonas Springborg

peers
Steve Boyle Chris Guise Miles Teves

Greg Broadmore Ben Hawker Dominie Till

Don Brooker Bill Hune Paul Tobin

Johnny Brough Gary Hunt Greg Tozer

Sourisak Chanpaseuth Gus Hunter Steve Unwin

Keh Chon Wee Tira Iraka O'Daly B (Sal W I otten

A NATURAL HISTORY OF SKULL ISLAND || 22

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

this Thanks also to Gayle Munro Amanda Smart, Gino

hanks and praise to all those who made

Matt Dravitski Mike M« Neil Jan Blenkin

book possible We, the artists at We Ca Workshop Acevedo

would like especia ly to thank Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh Jenny Williams, Andrew. Smith Wendy lilyard Ross

and Philippa Boyens, through whom a new generation Collinge, John Ewen, Jeremy Bennett, Matt Appleton
ren)

will discover Skull Island and without whose support Mike Grealish, and Ben McFadgen tor t CII support

and friendship this indulgence of fantasy could never and ASSISTANCE

have succeeded. Thanks to the immeasurable contribu Weta

Huge thanks to the many cre minds at
tions and leadership of Richard Taylor and Tania Rodge ie
Workshop, Weta Digital ind Big Primate who ha
who championed and held Co their course of seeing
had a hand in the crafting of this world There are
this book published through many a storm and swell.
many artists who have contributed in countless ways to
Thanks to Louise Burke, Scott Shannon, Donna O'Neill,
the environment and menagerie ot Skull Island yer are
John PaulJones, Fausto Bozza, Twisne Fan, and Margaret * “ | ]
not credited directly In this volume From sculptol

Clark of Pocket Books for their partnership and belief | | |

and concept artists to mold makers and painters, greens
I c
in us and the many long hours put in to help this idea
hands, model makers texturers, modclers, and anima-

come Co print.
tors, all of w hom have lent their artistry and diligence tO

the task of ImaginingD this incredible world and her

creatures for the screen and now also this book.

 P
Such a work owes much to the pioncers of old, who /
j
first realized and revealed Skull Island for the world
1933
back in 43. Thanks therefore are due to Merian C.

Cooper, Ernest B. Shoedsack, Edgar

5
Wallace, James
Ashmore Creelman, Ruth Rose, Carroll Clark, and the

incomparable Willis H. O'Brien and Marcel Delgado,

who breathed lite into the creatures of Skull Island

that sustains them eighty years on. Their vision con-

tinues to be an inspiration both directly and indirectly,

as long as Kong lives in the imaginations of cinemagoers

and readers all Over the world Among this esteemed

company we must also include and thank Our friend

and hero, Ray Harryhausen, who has kept the magic alive

and inspired and aw ed us all.

 ite

ae
leyye

ee
‘inion
PNG
ADS a ==
GT
{an
e
, FONEa
a5

=> imo
——2
 i

=
> Pce

Ph. oF
i
* 4 . ell iy he,
 rarer é r 92° 55°
| 92° 45' 92° 50’ : ; Ter oe 2 ee eee
{ Pant Che eS = . — — a = ————S—-
Tit rr = ne = sat
a —s SO
ees=sw fro
pes as
Se hn Wwa Fe oi Ss os Ssh bos Titt Fae
\asos Sea oo eee

iH u .
| : # i » 0 ; 5 . 23

5 | 5 26 B Ea B 9) tng\z P “7
| 22
e

H
2

1m id
¢ —\ 25
5 he \
}ep if
g Ho\ i
Ky i; a ?
i 0 Northoest Banks 3
:
S
.
: , Northern Bight ry
z 8 26 =H
on 10; do
—= . 2%
;8 iy
| iq 2B

4
ie
| H 21 ss
u ‘ rocks
atlowtide
iH =
4} <>

| {l-
=
breakers at low tide
H a“
lh
\H
1G 7

ae “9 WS ‘ ( ; Vile ‘ : ae ; cc
gee ee: : ’ . M =. : a 2 4 ia.
= a s= F BAY % * 2 Dz : } Fj 4
Be

| 2

0 30 ra
25

wr 31

? SKULL_ ISLAND
if As surveyed April - September 1936

Natural Scale 1: 50,000 {at the equator) ’ 3

SOUNDINGS in FATHOMS
ahaa
Mercator projection

= :;
ri

t: 2 3
Ws 7 > a of %
1H
. » . 26
q4
im | a HW
ind rs
‘W " ey
UW ’ wT Fogbanks persist throughout allseasons
Q } \ 40
+ \ B\ : .
a i — rt = rrrry I tops tty on dt st aon eee »bm rit re! as rit L aes 12 Sass os = rt tre =e r =f UF i311 i = riIr4 r = = rrr SIT ees = x = onoe itu

S 92° 50’ 92° 55’

WETA WORKSHOP
esponsible for designing Skull Island and
Rewete Kenai elyetiee com wacom
pre <onks
epic King Kong, the artists at Weta Workshop have
created a rich and diverse world of wonders
and terrors to thrill audiences everywhere.
Hundreds .of drawings and. sculptures wére
created to populate the mystery island, building
a comprehensive menagerie with complex
ecosystems and forbidding habitats. [hough only
a handful will appear on screen, presented within
these pages is a vast collection of creatures and lore,
each Resatetea by depicted with production art and
Hanailliterlslelcexeivee especially for this book.

Register online at www.simonsays.com

for more information on this and other great books.
Also visit www.kingkongmovie.com for movie information or
www.wetaworkshop.co.nz to learn more about the team at Weta Workshop.

Universal Studios’ King Kong movie copyright © 2005 Universal Studios.

Kong the 8th Wonder ofthe World™ Universal Studios.
Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLP.
All Rights Reserved.

Jacket illustration by Gus Hunter, Weta Workshop

Back flap photograph by Steve Unwin, Weta Workshop
Printed in the U.S.A,
 9
FATMNAN]
PSl416"585
MEDIA TIE+)
1416505199 167117865
WORLD OF KING KONG ISBN-13: 9 -4165-0519-8
127 FILM VIDEO 1¢
ISBN-10: 1-4165-0519-9
WORKSHOP |

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POCKET
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