| Skull Island Snapper | |
|---|---|
 | |
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Name: |
Inimicostium insula |
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Abilities and Weapons: |
beak, armour |
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Occupation: |
Ambush mesopredator |
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Home: |
Skull Island |
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First Appearance: |
"The World of Kong: A Natural History of Skull Island" (from 2005) |
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Diet: |
Carnivore |
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Status: |
Rescued from extinction during the 1938 expedition on Skull Island. |
The Skull Island Snapper (Inimicostium insula - "hostile orifice island") is a voracious terrapin adapted for aquatic life. Despite its appearance, it is not a true turtle itself and its similar appearance to the American Snapping Turtle is an example of convergent evolution.
Facts[]
A variety of tortoises had recently exchanged a terrestrial life for a life in the water, as such, the Skull Island Snapper is not a true turtle but a terrapin with amphibious adaptations. Its shell has evidence of a land past similar to that of some Asian turtles because its carapace was shaped like one, but its head and face are similar to unrelated American snapping turtles.
The species rejected the herbivorous diet of its tortoise ancestors and instead favored meat. They are ambush predators: they wait hidden in reeds and mud to drag wading birds and other unsuspecting prey to their watery destination.
Trivia[]
- Snapping Turtles are ambush predators and are not built for pursuit hunting. They usually hunt fish or small amphibians, so it is odd for the Skull Island Snapper to also target birds as they are not adapted for this, even when factoring the prospect of these birds dive-bombing near them.
- Due to their adaptations, they would come in direct niche conflict with Mortifillex, as both are ambush predators that inhabit marshes and swamps. The only way both species could niche partition is via diet. The former is a generalist whereas Mortifillex is a specialist avivore.