Another of these therapy drawings. They're getting better as I do. ^^ I'm starting to feel a lot better--some form of routine and stability plus new dose of medication is really making me turn around a bit. I'm going to keep with this and have daily drawing sessions in the afternoon. And for now, dinosaurs are still the ruling idiom. :D

So here's Dracovenator.

A little-known close relative of the ever-popular (and poorly represented) Dilophosaurus. Dracovenator was slightly smaller, with some significantly different crest features and other non-surface-level adaptations which make it hard to tell apart from its cousin. But this should be well-known about animal # A raccoon dog and a red fox share a general shape, but they certainly aren't the same species or belong to the same genera! In much the same way are Dracovenator and Dilophosaurus both dilophosaurid dinosaurs, but definitely not the same.

Dilophosaurids tend to be known for their quirky front jaw--the "notch" that it possesses as well as very long and slender teeth compared to other theropod predators. This has led paleontologists to wonder if maybe dilophosaurids were generally adapted for catching aquatic prey instead of land-based like the coelophysids, but nothing is known for sure. It's very possible that some species were fish-eaters, others were more interested in small dinosaurs and reptiles, and some had very generalized diets. Some remains of what is thought to be a Dilophosaurus contain some fish scales preserved in the gut. Dracovenator less is known about, even the exact shape of its crest. The only confirmed skull remains are from the lower jaw and parts of the snout. It may not have even had a visible crest when seen with its flesh on.

And keeping with the science on coelophysid-type dinosaurs in the Jurassic, this Dracovenator is covered in a coat of simple feathers, thinner on the underside, thick and patterned on top. Skin impressions have shown what are probably small feathers and protofeathers even on the feet of coelophysids and dilophosaurids, which may have helped muffle their footfalls and leave less visible track, either in hunting or escaping larger predators. There's more than one reason to evolve fluff, yo. Some of those reasons are badass. Remember--tigers are fluffy. People take them pretty serious!