That's some interesting innovation to the phyler body plan.

"Like getting rewarded for doing a trick, they have developed a compulsion to bury seeds."
That doesn't really make sense. Dogs are rewarded for doing a trick within seconds, if not quicker. According to the book The Science of Consequences, humans are unusual for being able to learn from very delayed consequences. If, however, rotten matter in their nests was such a health hazard it would kill or sicken Drakeshrogs who spent too long to get rid of it, there would be evolutionary pressure for Drakeshrogs to become "conscientious" and become likely to bury rotten food.

There are still a few errors I pointed out earlier. For example, the semicolon before "deforest" is misplaced. Here's a guideguide on how to use semicolons. Colons might be easier to use, though.

"Despite all this improvement this "farming" is a step up from caching food similar to a dog burring a bone. "

But the previous sentence suggests it comes from a nest-cleaning instinct....?
"caching food similar to a dog burring [sic] a bone" suggests the abstract situation of a dog burying its bone is, itself, food. I recommend, "step up from caching food, much as a dog buries bones."

Let's hope Google doesn't get the wrong idea from the terminology you've used...

"network of root-like tongue" Network of a root-like tongue.

I wonder how many times Sagan 4 has yielded the trend of "adult females are basically flora, young, immature males are basically insectoid pollinators".

It's hard to find the overview pages. Although they're sorted by TaxonomyTaxonomy category, the actual Taxonomy link on the front page of the wiki doesn't seem to link to them. There are also some pluralization errors on the overview page, like using "Worm" and "Bearhog" in the singular.

I think Kruggs and Cryoflora (tealflora?), Ukfauna (or specific offshoots, like Neuks' lineage) need overview pages. Cryoflora is a big group, so it might be better to limit it to particularly diverse offshoots.There's also Mason offshoots, such as Gildlings; the Gildling line is notable for still existing due to the Hikerflora genus group on Sagan 4.

It all looks good. Does this one outcompete the Grazing Gossalizard, or did you plan on making another split?

Haha. Spring 2019 is nothing. I'd say, "Conceptualized before the limbo and posted after that" counts.

The submission is now complete.

Trivia: This organism may have taken the longest between its initial concept design or sketch and actual submission of all Sagan 4 organisms, at six years, five months, and twenty-one days. Obviously, the mention of the Seashrog wasn't in its earliest conception, or even conceptions from earlier in 2021. Originally, they ate only Fermi Tuffdras, but its logical diet expanded by the time I got to submit it.

"the Tundra" that should not be capitalized.
"without given a single bother" That sounds like odd Internet lingo derived from Winnie the Pooh's "oh bother" catchphrase; I recommend using "without a second thought" or "carelessly trample them".
There's a spacing error in: "ancestors(taking)".

That's a unique art style. How did you make it?

I know Shrogs tend to be highly effective predators. Has this species made any species extinct or extirpated?

You should double-check how its diet overlaps with the Argusraptor Complex and where, because the Argusraptor Complex has made some of the prey on the Skewer Shrog's list extinct in some areas.

"stomps three times with each hand" It's not possible to stomp with hands.

"fir those" should be "for those".

"extra vegetarian skewers" They aren't vegetarians, nor do they have vegetarian individuals. "Vegetarianism" is a specific diet or dietary belief system. The Mediterranean diet may involve fish and whole grains, but an animal which eats fish and whole grains isn't a "Mediterranean dieter".

"acting similar to a spear" Does the Skewer Shrog itself act like a spear?

It looks like Handlicker Dundis are a popular food. Are Sitting Dundis and Dundiggers eaten, too, or are their defenses effective against them?

It's nice to see the Ferine appreciation. It's also interesting to see your art with a background. The art is good: I like the pose, proportions, and variation in eye position relative to its ancestor.

Are they able to digest the seeds inside fruits? I'm particularly interested in whether they can digest Brickbark Ferine seeds. You mentioned "favorite local trees"; what makes tree species or varieties their "favorites"?

"forget about" should be "forget about it".
"Dome shaped" should be "dome-shaped".
"deforest the land they also" there should be a colon or semicolon between "land" and "they".
"planing" should be "planning".
"However what[...]natural range" It seems there are words missing here, because I can't even figure out what sort of sentence was intended.
"hands manipulation" should be "hands for manipulation" or "hands' manipulation". (I recommend the first.)
"become the flora" Did you mean "beyond"? Could you specify which flora are spread beyond their natural range?

"Be collecting seeds" That sounds like a command fused with a gerund (e.g., "running"). Can you revise that?
"have to be. A lone" The period should be a colon or a semicolon.

" the their" Their.

" vocalizations.However" There's a spacing error.

"berries. Such as "kokokoko" means" You probably meant: "berries, such as "kokokoko" for".

"ripest most unbrused fruit" There should be a comma after "ripest", and "unbrused" should be "unbruised". I have to wonder why the word "most unbruised" is used intead of "least damaged" or "least bruised".

"Their more[...]tail-axes". This section has a few run-on sentences that should be merged.

"better than their ancestor" At climbing, right? That should be specified.

"trees.Their long flexible spine" There's a spacing error. Using "their" and "spine", in the singular, suggests they collectively have only one spine.

It's fascinating. I also like the art.

Since the hybrids don't seem to have a lasting population, it would make sense to depict a hybrid as a supplementary image or section, if included at all.

I wonder how the Bannertail can even describe nest-making techniques. Is it just a choppy stream like "Wood-yellow, soft/tender, down, adobe" (Use yellow Vesuvianite tree wood that's still flexible, lay it down, put adobe over it) that requires some interpretation, or is it more sophisticated?

Is either organism capable of asking questions? Gorillas don't ask questions, but parrots can, judging by the famous Alex the African grey parrot. I'm imagining the Bannertail babbling semi-coherently about nest techniques and the Drakeshrog patiently waiting for it to elaborate, because it can't ask questions.

Interesting...another nigh-sentient creature to use adobe. I wonder if the Nauceans are surprised the planet yields so many spiky "beaver-chimps", relative to intelligence and architecture.
If the juveniles eat parts of large kills, should their diet be listed as "scavenger", or "parents' kills"?
I like the texture and musculature. The last paragraph is also interesting.

It's good to see you making big fauna...relatively speaking. I was going to ask how it can survive in the boreal habitat when it seems to not have notable adaptations for mountain winters, but Sagan 4 seems warm now, with reduced ice caps, so the adaptive need is probably lower.

I like it distinctive coloration.

I noticed the angle of the lower eye of the eye triangle is slightly farther back than more typical arrangements, which could be useful.

There are two cases of "it's" in the first two sentences when "its" is meant.

"important sicne" Since.

"cluches" Clutches. "However to get to it" That's a rather choppy sentence. I recommend merging it with a previous sentence.

" its arsenal," The comma should be a colon.




"Argusraptor Complex eggs and larva" That should be "larvae".

"Chaparral" is spelled with one "P" and two "R"s".
"smaller inside"? What do you mean by that? "It's signature" should be "its signature".
"while can be" was probably meant as "while they can be".
It's odd to say 25 mm instead of 2.5 cm.

It's a small description. Can you add a little more? I know some tiny insects that live among leaf litter are blind. How good is this one's vision? I figure its vision is probably fairly good, which does bring up why it needed the whiskers. Are its foods often hidden from the eye?

It's a good thing you mentioned it was a Mason replacement. "Goutis" sure are distinctive. I figure that, with how colorful and distinctively-patterned it is, it would be a favorite wild animal of many people, had Sagan 4 had people with zoos.

(Pioneeroots, Marbleflora, ) Did you intend to add something after "Marbleflora"?

Well, I don't see any other problems. Does anyone else have comments to make?

GIMP is free. Paint.net might have similar brightness and contrast options, though; it's worth researching.

Ah---those are Paleozoic/Mesozoic crocodile relatives, aren't they? If so, that's fascinating. They get so little attention.

QUOTE (Disgustedorite @ Mar 6 2021, 07:29 PM)

I think she just means like, either color the background in too or make it white

Yes, precisely.

Observe:



In retrospect, I could have simply handled the image back to you, but the screenshot of how I did it might be more helpful for later submissions.

The background lighting is conspicuous enough that, unless there's a stylized rock wall, volcanic ash-fall, or fog behind it and it's being uniquely illuminated, I recommend enhancing the background's contrast to flatten the illumination differences.

I like the shading of the prongs in the background and the view of the roots.

"The Steppe Lizalope’s" That should be "The Steppe Lizalope".
"wide variety of producers" is odd, in this context, because one can easily use "flora".

"lay their eggs, instead they" The comma here should be a period.

"much like their ancestors" Much like their ancestors', with a plural possessive.

" take a bit" A bit of what? I recommend using units of time, whether it's minutes or hours.

"mound although" I recommend adding a comma between those words.

Does this replace its ancestor? It seems like it would. If so, that should be specified in the description.

On an unrelated note...did you draw the dinosaurs in your avatar yourself? If so, that's very impressive.

"vivus slither worm" needs to have "Vivus" capitalized.
The template still needs to be capitalized. Please consult other organism submissions to see the correct formatting.
The picture still needs to be moved up to the top of the submission topic. I also recommend removing the dots, because the dots are so many and so obvious it could easily be construed, outside of viewing this thread, as actual features of the organism.
"Felines" still needs to be fixed.

While I strongly recommend cleaning up the image using GIMP or other photo programs, merely trimming the image to remove the partial image of that other organism would work. I also recommend trimming the left side of the image, as there's a lot of blank space there.

You need to capitalize the things in the template, such as species names. It is also customary to not use double-spacing when submitting organisms.

"the three toed scramble" should be "the three-toed scrambler". (I personally prefer capitalizing species names, but it's fine as long as you're consistent in the description.)

"bye its relatives" By its relatives.

The art needs to be on top. I recommend using GIMP's contrast enhancement options to improve photographs, if you can't scan a drawing. I noticed there a few dots on the organism. Are these drawing artifacts, or does the the Three-Toed Scrambler actually have a few small spots?

"come bye" should be "come by".

" is not just finding food for yourself, but making sure yourself wont come up on the menu." That can be easily omitted, or rewritten to mention that other organisms occasionally eat it.

"felines" This is technically a "shrew" (Cynosaur). Calling it a feline is kind of like calling a thylacine or fossa a feline, but even more inaccurate. Using "feline" as an adjective, particularly a quantified one ("with feline-like grace", etc.) should still be acceptable, though.

" will fall prey to the predator. In this inhospitable environment." That needs to be merged.

" Like the bobcat and lynx." The "like" should not be capitalized here.

"a albeit" An albeit, though I'd recommend the more normal-sounding "albeit at a".

Sayront (Vexillaphore ovismimis)
Ancestor: Blubber Flapper
Creator: Coolsteph
Habitat: Fermi Temperate Beach, Fermi Polar Beach
Size: 1.2 m
Diet: Herbivore (Fermi Tuffdras, Baebulas, Crowngeas, Pelagic Puffgrass, Raft-building Cone Puffgrass)
Reproduction: Sexual, Two Genders, Frog-like Eggs Laid into Pool Chamber Organ

Sayronts are covered in scales, giving them an overall pine-cone-like shape. They are giganototherms roughly the size of small sheep, who live in herds of six to eight individuals.

Due to the intense competition for blackflora such as sunstalks, it avoids that entirely by specializing in less-abundant but largely unexploited resources of purple flora, most notably Fermi Tuffdras that wash ashore. They are most common outside of Mangrovecrystal groves, for Mangrovecrystals make poor habitat for them and their grey-and-black bodies are awfully conspicuous against yellow-and-green Mangrovecrystals. Still, they occasionally venture into the Mangrovecrystal groves to eat purpleflora. They do not typically swim.

Their “scales” are tiny, former wings (modified shoulder-clubs) that consist of spongy keratinous tissue, blubber, and some skin. The scales on its upper flanks, roughly near its shoulders, retain significant mobility, while in others, the scales can be moved just a little. They can expose the underlying skin as a form of thermoregulation, either to heat up or cool down. The scales around the rear only develop in adult Sayronts. Their primary function is clasping onto the other’s hip-scales while mating, although it can be folded over the rear during very cold weather to protect against frostbite.

Reproduction

Sayronts make three to four young a year: more than than would be expected for something of its size and metabolism. It’s a holdover from an ancestor, the Leaping Flapper, with its very high death rate borne of flying accidents and poor suitability to a polar clime. Sayronts mature faster than its ancestor, with a short generation time. They migrate along beaches not because it can’t withstand the cold of its habitats, but because females require a lot of food to generate so much young.

Along with the Snapjaw Sandcrock and Quadracroc, they are the only Fermisaurs (at the time of its evolution) to use internal fertilization. It was a very useful trait to evolve, as the female lays her eggs directly into her pond chamber organ and does not secrete them outside her body. Much like a tailed frog (Ascaphus), male Sayronts fertilize the eggs using extensions of the cloaca that resemble a small tail. As the Sayronts’ environment is often cold and they are technically ectothermic, with limited ability to heat up their own, the structure is retractable and typically kept inside the body. Sayronts mate while standing rear to rear.

Predators

Although too large and well-armored for some predators, they are appealing prey for others, especially Seashrogs. They have rich, flavorful meat that tastes of the sea, and their protective scales are no match for Seashrogs’ formidable spears. Seashrogs often kill them by stabbing them in their unarmored faces.

The color brown makes them nervous, for it is a rare color on Fermi, found mostly on Seashrogs: one of their chief predators. In temperate areas, they are most active in the morning and evenings, just to avoid the diurnal Seashrogs.

Other Details

A rare mutation can color Sayront’s internal organs blue, similarly to its eyes. This is normally impossible to tell in a live Sayront, until one sees blue-tinted cloacal extensions of the male.

A Sayront is surprisingly agile if there are obstacles in its path; it can still jump if needed.