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Elkhorn (Pteraramus nautolimax)
Creator: HethrJarrod
Ancestor: Elahpekomlap bubblehorn
Habitat: Soma Temperate Archipelago Beaches, Ramul Subtropical Beach Archipelago, Soma Temperate Sea, Jujubee Temperate Ocean (Sunlight Zone), Jujubee Subtropical Ocean (Sunlight Zone), Ramul Subtropical Coast, Russ Subtropical Coast, Sparks Subtropical Coast, Steiner Subtropical Beach Archipelago, Steiner Tropical Beach Archipelago, Steiner Tropical Beach
Size: 40 cm wide, 12 cm long
Diet: Detritivore, Planktivore, Filter Feeder
Respiration: Active (Gill-like Pores)
Thermoregulation: Ectotherm
Reproduction: Sexual, Hermaphrodite, Clump of Eggs in Water

The Elkhorn split from its ancestor, the Elahpekomlap bubblehorn, when some became isolated in the Steiner archipelago region. Growing four times as large as its ancestor, the Elkhorn is truly a sight to behold. Propelling itself through the water with the power of the wind. It collects food on its horns, larger horns meant being able to collect more food particles to eat. If not cleaned regularly, particles on the horn will cause the flesh to calcify and die off, forming small holes that eventually heal.


Like the E. Bubblehorn, the elkhorn can propel itself through the water backwards to escape predators, using a siphon and two nearby chambers to pump water in an alternating fashion. It can curl up its enormous fan horns if it needs to get into small spaces. When curled up, the elkhorn can use them for swimming. When fully unfurled, the horns stretch 40 cm across.

With the siphon pumps giving it enough speed it can propel itself out of the water with its horns unfurled, and into the air for a short while. While it is gliding, the horns of the elkhorn will pick up all manner of detritus, plankton, and other things that the elkhorn will clean off of its wings and eat after it dives back underneath the waves.

The elkhorn migrate from the temperate waters of the Soma sea to the tropical waters around Steiner. They do this by resting on the surface of the water, and holding their horns up to catch the wind, like sails. Along the way forming groups called navies.

Other than that, it is like its ancestor.

This post has been edited by HethrJarrod: May 6 2023, 03:24 AM

What a fun design for a critter

Here is my biggest question, why would a bubblehorn take this kind of lifestyle? How did this strategy even develop?

QUOTE (OviraptorFan @ Apr 30 2023, 10:49 AM)

Here is my biggest question, why would a bubblehorn take this kind of lifestyle? How did this strategy even develop?

Added to description

Bigger horns = collects more food

That does not answer my question, why would this bubblehorn start doing things like leaping out of the water and gliding?...there isn't going to be that much nutrients in the air compared to in the water.

Also I feel like the way it glides is not that plausible, feels more like what a plane would do compared to a living creature..

Also simply scaling up the horns comes into problems, as such horns would cause large amounts of drag which in turn makes swimming less efficient. Plus they would also require more energy to sustain, so just scaling up the horns results in diminishing returns.

This post has been edited by OviraptorFan: Apr 30 2023, 09:32 AM

Possibly name a smaller dumb predator that leaping out of the water would allow escape from




These are basically gliding squid so look into that group of critters for inspiration

This post has been edited by colddigger: Apr 30 2023, 09:40 AM

Turning from a snail-like thing into flying fish like thing seems like too much change in one gen.

A transitional form might be needed this gen instead, and that this iteration should be saved for the next gen or two.

Though most are slow crawlers this one's ancestor actually was already jet propelled, I think escaping predators in shallow waters would be an easy explanation.

QUOTE (OviraptorFan @ Apr 30 2023, 12:30 PM)

That does not answer my question, why would this bubblehorn start doing things like leaping out of the water and gliding?...there isn't going to be that much nutrients in the air compared to in the water. Also I feel like the way it glides is not that plausible, feels more like what a plane would do compared to a living creature.. Also simply scaling up the horns comes into problems, as such horns would cause large amounts of drag which in turn makes swimming less efficient. Plus they would also require more energy to sustain, so just scaling up the horns results in diminishing returns.

The horns roll up. I’m pretty sure I mentioned that, didn’t I?

Changed the art a little bit to focus more on the sailing than the gliding. Nothing else has really changed about it otherwise.

Oh huh