To be fair this guy is living in an environment where fossilization is highly likely. Therefore fossil abundance may not directly correlate with population abundance.
In fact, all fossilized individuals represent 0.001 percent of all individuals that ever lived, so for them to have had multiple fossils, there would have to be multiple individuals in one location which coincidentally was a place with high rates of fossilization.
@@SonKunSama that's not necessarily true. traits can persist if they have no disadvantage or if they just work well enough but aren't the most efficient
@@mrs.schmenkman Surname of the dude who discovered it, if I remember right it was someone else who named it Sharovipteryx in his memory after he passed away
@wu chi true, I saw a previous comment that said the awesomeness of dinosaurs should be enough to attract audiences and keep them engaged, although I would argue presentation is also important too.
Whenever ancient reptiles come up, there always seems to be discussion over whether they’re allied with the archosaurs or the lepidosaurs. I’d be really interested in a video about the divergence of the two clades, or maybe something about the history of the squamates.
Squamates haven’t changed as dramatically as Archosaurs have. Lizards have by and large kept the same body plan and physical characteristics for hundreds of millions of years, only occasionally losing their legs in select lineages, leading to various types of legless lizards, and most famously snakes. Snakes are by far the most specialized squamates, having absurdly long necks and torsos, lacking eyelids and external ears, varied dental morphologies, and of course lacking limbs altogether.
Wouldn't the absurdly long neck also be useful to spot predators from a long (lol) distance? I like to think that they occasionally stood up on their hind legs and stretched their necks to get a good look at everything around them
I would love it if all the big documentary company's would give some attention to the early Triassic and its beautiful weird animals! Just imagine Tanystropheus with modern animations and graphics and practical effects!
@@archaon1400 Sea Monsters was Great! It was such a cool documentary style that I don't then anything else has done (prehistoric documentary's I should specify). Not to mention the animations and models were fantastic!
I find when cleaning my 4 year olds room with lots of toys scattered about, it’s easier to sit on the ground, or have a stool and grab everything around me, rather than to stoop and move around. Similarly, the long neck seems to mimic this strategy, where the most efficient way to harvest things is to stay in one place and use your arms (or neck in this animals case) to grab stuff around them. What I don’t understand is how they defended themselves.
This video answers "how" reptiles got longer necks but to answer "why", I think it's highly related to the difference between the rib cage shapes of mammals vs reptiles/birds. Mammals' are short and that allows us to roll vertically easier and reptiles have long rib cage so they can only sway their vertebrae left/right and thus have to have long neck to compensate for vertical movement.
You completely glossed over the later developments of this animal and how it deferred extinction for a longer while by diversifying into the more select niche of rap music when it worked with the Wu-Tang Clan on their debut track "Protect Ya Neck."
It's a shame we only tend to find larger and more robust skeletons because if we could see the prey animals living in their environment it would explain so much more about their adaptations. When I look at that long neck it seems ideal for probing into dense weed beds for bugs, amphibians, and fish fry, but they were to dang squishy to get fossilized.
Those back teeth resemble that of specialists that eat small marine life, such as shrimp and krill. Lots of lobes, to pass water through while catching small critters.
@@tnntaronewsnetwork4514 I think the song you are looking for is called Dreamer by DivKid. Also if you're into that kind of music you have to check out "Says" by Nils Frahm.
Just speculation on my part, but I feel like the base of their necks and the upper back would be much more defined by muscles to support their heads. I wouldn't be surprised if this species was bulkier and more muscular than depicted in art and may have contributed to their success. Just take a look at Giraffe anatomy.
Depends on the metabolism herons have a very active metabolism and thus need more calories these guys don't look to have had a build requiring anywhere near as active of a metabolism so I don't see why it couldn't some species of crocodiles can live off one significant meal a year.
Could also use the neck the same way pleisiosaurs did, but in grassy estuaries. Walking through shallow waters but the head is far enough from a noisy body to surprise any fish in the shallow, grassy floodplains
If it wasn't capable of swimming, maybe it could've waded through shallow water like a certain theropod dinosaur, using its neck to reach prey in deeper water.
Long necks seem to be a recurring theme among the archosaurs from the present subject to the sauropods, all the way forward in time to swans and geese, which can fly, and emus and ostriches, which can’t.
I’m so fascinated by these reptiles and plesiosaurs. We have no long necked aquatic reptiles or mammals today, only land birds… ostriches… and yet we have geese and swans, which live ON the water….
What if it was in the same niche as snake? Like it could coil it's neck back and dart it forward to attack. Or it did that under water peaking it's head out and shooting it out to get bugs who would never know they where in range. But who knows, we'll just have to clone it back to life to find out.
Kinda sounds like it was living the Sauropod life but just eating different foods. It's suggested that some Sauropods would eat ground level plants rather than reach up into the trees. So they would anchor themsevles safely out of the swamp or river bank and then use their long necks to allow them to reach plants without having to step in the mud and risk getting stuck. Eating fish could use the same strategy but the targeted food source would be different.
excellent way to spend 8 minutes, thanks for making these videos! little question: why did you drop the background music from your videos? I really liked it, it fit very well with your voice and style of narration without being distracting
I love your channel. I was wondering if you check out these three giant salamanders. two ftomthe Paleocene epoch called Aviturus exsecratus, Piceoerpeton and one from pleistocene Florida called Batrachosauroides dissimulans. I think it's fascinating that there ware large amphibians living during the cenozoic.
I can imagine the smaller ones scurrying up and down trees using their neck to probe holes for insects. Would those three pointed teeth be suited to crunching up exoskeletons?
What is the evidence that it held its neck out straight like the pictures? Could it have held its neck bent like a heron? This could give its head more speed for catching fish.
Would really appreciate if you would set up a playlist. The videos are so short it's a pain to keep having to get and click on the next video. If I let yootoob choose the auto play I' always end on the dark side of youtube eventually.
Where do you get your information for these videos? Or do you just know this stuff because it’s really interesting. Like your channel is making me realize I want to have a career with paleontology
A part of me likes to imagine that Tanystropheus scraped along the bottom a bit like a Thalassocnus, half your length and a fifth of your weight in your neck is still a little bit ridiculous and we did have a paper last year that pointed out the high position of the nostrils. But honestly that's the wonderful thing about these animals, it's difficult to know!
The idea that the big ones fed on fish like a kind of land-based gharial that didn’t need the specialties for swimming seems plausible and the smaller ones merely fed on smaller ponds for minnow-sized fish too small to be worthwhile for the larger ones. This could have been an advantage because the water bodies in question were widely separated or maybe just that it was the first strategy that happened to evolve.
To be fair this guy is living in an environment where fossilization is highly likely. Therefore fossil abundance may not directly correlate with population abundance.
true, but tanystropheus fossils are also geographically very widespread, which is an indicator that they were common and successful animals.
@@CHRB-nn6qp copious amounts of sprinkling
@@samuelmatheson9655 silly quantities of tossing
In fact, all fossilized individuals represent 0.001 percent of all individuals that ever lived, so for them to have had multiple fossils, there would have to be multiple individuals in one location which coincidentally was a place with high rates of fossilization.
Let's be honest nature just want to make a funny looking lizard
I know it's a joke but the whole point of evolutionary biology is that no traits are evolved without a reason.
*archosaur
@@SonKunSama *without a selective pressure
reasons require intent
God invented dinosaurs right after the cannabis plant!
@@SonKunSama that's not necessarily true. traits can persist if they have no disadvantage or if they just work well enough but aren't the most efficient
"Sharovipteryx" means "Sharov's wing," not "foot wing."
"Podopteryx" was already in use, so this creature was renamed.
I feel kind of like an ass for correcting such a delightful video. But this jumped out at me 😢
So what does sharov mean?
@@mrs.schmenkman Surname of the dude who discovered it, if I remember right it was someone else who named it Sharovipteryx in his memory after he passed away
What about Titanopteryx 🙄
That stood out to me, I wasnt familiar with a latin word root for sharov
Long necks were a thing back then. Also, that splash sound in the intro is the best (waited a long time to say this lol)
Guh-DOOSH!
This channel is so underrated. Your voice is perfect and the videos are incredible
I concur!
I agree, though he needs to have a louder voice and some personality aswell.
That about sums it up
@wu chi true, I saw a previous comment that said the awesomeness of dinosaurs should be enough to attract audiences and keep them engaged, although I would argue presentation is also important too.
It's very factual without being overly boring, and I love the ken burns styled illustrations!
Whenever ancient reptiles come up, there always seems to be discussion over whether they’re allied with the archosaurs or the lepidosaurs. I’d be really interested in a video about the divergence of the two clades, or maybe something about the history of the squamates.
Squamates haven’t changed as dramatically as Archosaurs have. Lizards have by and large kept the same body plan and physical characteristics for hundreds of millions of years, only occasionally losing their legs in select lineages, leading to various types of legless lizards, and most famously snakes. Snakes are by far the most specialized squamates, having absurdly long necks and torsos, lacking eyelids and external ears, varied dental morphologies, and of course lacking limbs altogether.
I also want a video on the basal Lepidosauromorpha/Archosauromorpha lineages, it always confuses me a bit
Wich animal where the Axis?
@@SarastistheSerpent Well, Mosasaurus were lizards that became marine apex predators, do not underappreciate the Lepidosaurs.
Speaking of which, it's fun to imagine that snakes are just a head and very long neck
Haha!
😂
Ah yes, the Triassic!
Earth's early acces phase
Mmmh, I'm sensing some Zootier vibe around here!
@@duneydan7993 *Tierzoo you mean?
:3
@@approximateCognition Omg! How did I messed that up?!🤦🏽♂️
Your not funny
@@JcoleMc I know, but I'm trying anyway
Wouldn't the absurdly long neck also be useful to spot predators from a long (lol) distance? I like to think that they occasionally stood up on their hind legs and stretched their necks to get a good look at everything around them
Were its hindlegs that strong?
I like to think they drunk bud light and knew how to party .
Moth Light Media out here really invading the ecological niche of PBS eons
I would love it if all the big documentary company's would give some attention to the early Triassic and its beautiful weird animals! Just imagine Tanystropheus with modern animations and graphics and practical effects!
We have one from Walking with... series. It is focused on Sea Monsters of different time periods
@@archaon1400 Sea Monsters was Great! It was such a cool documentary style that I don't then anything else has done (prehistoric documentary's I should specify). Not to mention the animations and models were fantastic!
@@archaon1400 Only problem, it's represented as a fully aquatic animal ^^'
@@krankarvolund7771 and it's tail got ripped off
@@themellonman8909 Oh yeah, the lizard-like tail XD
Tanystropheus: "I had a long neck before it was cool."
This is becoming my favorite channel, keep it up, you are awesome!
Yeah okay nerd. I bet you like learning stuff in your free time
Same!
Ah some of my favourite Triassic oddballs! Great video.
That's funny, because I've also watched your Tanystropehus video.
Your voice is so relaxing. I always listen to this channel before bed. Only problem is, I have run our of videos so now I an rewatching
Also, who remembers this animal from Chased by Sea Monsters and thought it could drop its tail?
Me
Me
Me
I love how your videos take subjects that have already been brought up a million times before but adds details that no other mentions
I find when cleaning my 4 year olds room with lots of toys scattered about, it’s easier to sit on the ground, or have a stool and grab everything around me, rather than to stoop and move around. Similarly, the long neck seems to mimic this strategy, where the most efficient way to harvest things is to stay in one place and use your arms (or neck in this animals case) to grab stuff around them. What I don’t understand is how they defended themselves.
Too cool
Your knowledge is impressive and I can only echo that this channel is underrated and your work impeccable
It must have been very graceful, to see in motion.
The soft background music on your earlier videos went very well with your voice. Please bring it back. Great video as always.
Thank you for your excellent and informative video. With the modern day reptile at 3:12, these animals have such an ancient appearance to them.
This video answers "how" reptiles got longer necks but to answer "why", I think it's highly related to the difference between the rib cage shapes of mammals vs reptiles/birds. Mammals' are short and that allows us to roll vertically easier and reptiles have long rib cage so they can only sway their vertebrae left/right and thus have to have long neck to compensate for vertical movement.
"When tanystropheus was at large" I think you mean at length
Underrated comment
girth is the most important thing
You completely glossed over the later developments of this animal and how it deferred extinction for a longer while by diversifying into the more select niche of rap music when it worked with the Wu-Tang Clan on their debut track "Protect Ya Neck."
Had me in the first half not gonna lie
@@Sin10el me too man🤣🤣🤣
Your content has only been improving with each video. Love this channel
Another fantastic exploration of another intriguing ancient animal. Very much enjoyed it!
LOVE this channel!! Great for when I’m working and need to LEARN NEW INFORMATION, great job
I love this channel. Never anything but the highest quality and most interesting topics.
Instead of going to a therapist, i listen to this mans voice.
Your content is extremely educational. Keep it up.
Imagine them having a pain in the neck. I can! (sorta)
Pfffffffffffffttttttt.........🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Awesome! Tanystropheus has always fascinated me as a bizarre and unique marine reptile.
I reckon they lay on their bellies at the edge of the waterside with its long neck submerged and waited for pray to come along
They would have to be able to breathe underwater for that though..
The smaller one seems like it would eat insects or other small animals.
It's a shame we only tend to find larger and more robust skeletons because if we could see the prey animals living in their environment it would explain so much more about their adaptations. When I look at that long neck it seems ideal for probing into dense weed beds for bugs, amphibians, and fish fry, but they were to dang squishy to get fossilized.
Those back teeth resemble that of specialists that eat small marine life, such as shrimp and krill. Lots of lobes, to pass water through while catching small critters.
I love your channel. My only comment is that I miss the music used in some of your older videos.
I watched one of your videos and now I can’t stop
I love this channel
The love of the channel will always trump the glory seekers claiming "first!"
Hey Moth Light Media where do you get your music?
@wu chi I mean like that music you’d used to get in the older vids
@@tnntaronewsnetwork4514 I think the song you are looking for is called Dreamer by DivKid. Also if you're into that kind of music you have to check out "Says" by Nils Frahm.
@@highorder2904 thanks for the help
[1st date]
(thinks) dont let her know ur a Tanystropheus
**sees pond, cranes my 30ft neck towards it**
ya could i get a ton of fucken fish
Amazing channel! Love it so much! Informative, soothing, and consistent as hell
Always amazing how much can be learned from bones that technically aren't even there anymore.
I need to stop watching these videos to go to bed. I end up staying up late watching.
I discovered you from NORTH 02 and I have to say your channel and NORTH 02's channel are one of my favorite channels on UA-cam!
Great video, beautifully presented!
Hey man, I am always looking forward to your videos. I am subscribed to you since you had about 5k subscribers. Keep up the good work
love the content
It’s crazy to think about how many different creatures used to live here
Just speculation on my part, but I feel like the base of their necks and the upper back would be much more defined by muscles to support their heads. I wouldn't be surprised if this species was bulkier and more muscular than depicted in art and may have contributed to their success. Just take a look at Giraffe anatomy.
Very interesting and informative, thank you.
Awesome video. Can you do one on hooved mammals? Specifically even toed hooved mammals
Could a body that large be sustained with the lifestyle of a heron?
Depends on the metabolism herons have a very active metabolism and thus need more calories these guys don't look to have had a build requiring anywhere near as active of a metabolism so I don't see why it couldn't some species of crocodiles can live off one significant meal a year.
Nice to see you nearing 150k followers
Could also use the neck the same way pleisiosaurs did, but in grassy estuaries. Walking through shallow waters but the head is far enough from a noisy body to surprise any fish in the shallow, grassy floodplains
Fish: over there
Tanystropheus: more necc
Imagine having a neck that long and turning your head the wrong way and pinching a nerve
Giraffes: Am I a joke to you?
No, they’re just not Reptiles.
The moth is back. Awesome.
I remember the BBC special with Nigal Marvin great vid! Could you please to a video on mustelids, keep it up!
0:52 this must be the inspiration for Sandile in pokemon
It’s amazing to think of the time involved here.
Anyone else expected this video to be on sauropods? Not disappointed tho
hell yeah new moth light
This channel is so amazing. I love this.
This is amazing
If it wasn't capable of swimming, maybe it could've waded through shallow water like a certain theropod dinosaur, using its neck to reach prey in deeper water.
A very satisfying review of what we know about this fascinating animal!
When your dinner gets to your belly half an hour after you eat it.
Long necks seem to be a recurring theme among the archosaurs from the present subject to the sauropods, all the way forward in time to swans and geese, which can fly, and emus and ostriches, which can’t.
Lol I just came from a North 02 and a Ben G Thomas video, you guys are some of the best!
Congrats! You have a new subscriptor!!! 😉😉
I always loved these animals
I’m so fascinated by these reptiles and plesiosaurs. We have no long necked aquatic reptiles or mammals today, only land birds… ostriches… and yet we have geese and swans, which live ON the water….
What if it was in the same niche as snake? Like it could coil it's neck back and dart it forward to attack. Or it did that under water peaking it's head out and shooting it out to get bugs who would never know they where in range. But who knows, we'll just have to clone it back to life to find out.
Kinda sounds like it was living the Sauropod life but just eating different foods. It's suggested that some Sauropods would eat ground level plants rather than reach up into the trees. So they would anchor themsevles safely out of the swamp or river bank and then use their long necks to allow them to reach plants without having to step in the mud and risk getting stuck. Eating fish could use the same strategy but the targeted food source would be different.
excellent way to spend 8 minutes, thanks for making these videos! little question: why did you drop the background music from your videos? I really liked it, it fit very well with your voice and style of narration without being distracting
I’m really surprised how clearly you speak awesome content as always
I love your channel. I was wondering if you check out these three giant salamanders. two ftomthe Paleocene epoch called Aviturus exsecratus, Piceoerpeton and one from pleistocene Florida called Batrachosauroides dissimulans. I think it's fascinating that there ware large amphibians living during the cenozoic.
I can imagine the smaller ones scurrying up and down trees using their neck to probe holes for insects. Would those three pointed teeth be suited to crunching up exoskeletons?
So their long necks were essentially long fishing rods.
No that's not remotely what he said
@@TheBigMclargehuge Its an informed inference. They WERE long fishing rods and nothing you say will change that.
@@iaw7406 True
Are the mating in the thumbnail 🤣
Thanks for another great video! Liked as always
Macrocnemus reminds me of a wingless dragon, tbh
Love to see tanny!!
What is the evidence that it held its neck out straight like the pictures? Could it have held its neck bent like a heron? This could give its head more speed for catching fish.
Moth you're legit my favorite channel rn; keep up the good work dude :>)
Would really appreciate if you would set up a playlist. The videos are so short it's a pain to keep having to get and click on the next video. If I let yootoob choose the auto play I' always end on the dark side of youtube eventually.
I love these videos but I miss the music. It was soothing and fit really well, please consider bringing it back
Tanystropheus has also been found in the Southern Alps in Northern Italy.
Their food would expire by the time it reaches the stomach
best paleo channel
Where do you get your information for these videos? Or do you just know this stuff because it’s really interesting. Like your channel is making me realize I want to have a career with paleontology
A part of me likes to imagine that Tanystropheus scraped along the bottom a bit like a Thalassocnus, half your length and a fifth of your weight in your neck is still a little bit ridiculous and we did have a paper last year that pointed out the high position of the nostrils.
But honestly that's the wonderful thing about these animals, it's difficult to know!
Hello, SKSKSFTHCH
The idea that the big ones fed on fish like a kind of land-based gharial that didn’t need the specialties for swimming seems plausible and the smaller ones merely fed on smaller ponds for minnow-sized fish too small to be worthwhile for the larger ones. This could have been an advantage because the water bodies in question were widely separated or maybe just that it was the first strategy that happened to evolve.
Man Mark Witton drawing are so amazing
Love your videos! Keep it up!!
I bet he was like nature's fishing rod
Tanystropheus are my favorite triassic animal.
Very interesting!
Been waiting for this one!!