Larachoy (Larandum alpinus)
Creator: Coolsteph
Size: 1 cm (Boreal Ecotype), 0.5 mm (Alpine Ecotype)
Support: Unknown
Diet: Photosynthesis
Respiration: Unknown
Ancestor: Larands
Habitat: Drake Boreal, Drake Alpine
Reproduction: Asexual Spores
Larachoys live from 4.7 to 5.4 kilometers above sea level. It specializes in cold, dry, windy areas with thin soil, where most large flora struggle to survive. Its buried shells-turned-bases function as rhizomes. Larachoys live for many years, and often reproduces every year. It goes dormant during the winter. Larachoys live in large patches or even Larachoy-dominant meadows in their habitats, so much of the ground can look dark bluish-green.
Larachoys exist in two ecotypes: genetically distinct populations or varieties within a species locally adapted to particular environmental conditions, but whose phenotypic differences are too small to warrant being called a subspecies. The two ecotypes both exist within a high-altitude range in the Drake Boreal and Drake Alpine habitats. Both are descended from a dark green Larands species.
Alpine variant: Spindly, spoon-shaped stalks; typically three spore stalks. The roots become very fine and delicate mere millimeters off the base, and are almost inevitably separated if one lifts the organism from the substrate. They are roughly 5 mm tall when fully grown.The alpine populations are very dark green with a bluish tinge, due to slightly different proportions of pigments between ecotypes.
Boreal variant: Upright clumps with many spore stalks; more than the alpine ecotype, and typically five stalks. Its shell-turned-base is an inverted, flattened dome shape. It has thicker, sturdier, bristlier-looking rhizomes. The boreal populations are very dark green. They are roughly 1 cm tall when fully grown.
The boreal population typically lives under the treeline, while the alpine population typically lives above it. Where conditions are unusually cold and windy, though, the alpine population can be found a little farther down.
Alpine Hedgelog (Saepeligna alpina)
Creator: Coolsteph
Ancestor: Thorny Hedgelog
Size: 1.3 m (average)
Diet: Photosynthesis
Habitats: Drake Alpine (rare), Drake Boreal, Drake Rocky
Support: Unknown
Respiration: Passive (Stomata)
Thermoregulation: Ectothermic
Reproduction: Sexual, Two Genders (Flowers, Berries, Seeds)
Alpine Hedgelogs are shrubby, needle-leaved flora found 2.7-3.4 kilometers up in its habitats. They can slowly grow offshoots from their roots, allowing them to form broken “hedges” in suitable habitats.
Its leaves are stiff, thorny needles, borne in pronged clusters. Alpine Hedgelogs grow 1.0-1.8 m tall, with the smallest ones in Drake Alpine, and the biggest in Drake Rocky. Alpine Hedgelogs often have shallow, wide-spreading roots, due to the shallowness of suitable soil, especially in the Drake Boreal and Drake Alpine habitats.
Uniquely among contemporary Hedgelogs, Alpine Hedgelogs’ poisonous and acidic compounds aren't exclusive to its yellow berries. Now, its roots produce large quantities of the strong acids, helping it break down rocky soil. Its outer stem tissue also contains small quantities of the poison and acids. Generating its poison is energetically costly, so it makes the poison in its tissues and especially its fruits only as needed. They make fewer poisonous, highly acidic yellow fruits than their ancestor, and those fruits are less acidic and less poisonous. The berries often taste like rhubarb or sweet lemons, and the flowers often taste like sweetened cranberries. (The exact taste varies somewhat across populations.)
There’s a mismatch between the habitat of its ancestor’s chief pollinator, the Hopping Ketter, and its own habitat range. It therefore relies on smaller, more wide-ranging pollinators, such as Xenobees and Xenowasps. In Drake Alpine, pollination is rarer due to fewer pollinators around, so it produces fewer berries. Those in that population have berries that drop easily whenever large fauna (generally the Loafpick at time of evolution) brush up against them.
Population Notes
Despite the name “Alpine Hedgelog”, Drake Alpine actually has the smallest population of Alpine Hedgelogs. They live in only a narrow sliver of Drake Alpine in its east and northeast section, for almost all of Drake Alpine is 4 kilometers or above. It is called the "Alpine Hedgelog" because, at time of evolution, it's the only Hedgelog to live in Drake Alpine at all, and despite its limited geographic range is very conspicuous as the largest flora there (at time of evolution) and the only non-genus flora species. They are actually fairly common there, but their numbers are inherently limited due to the small sub-habitat sizes.
Typically, damage from pests triggers poison production as an epigenetic response, so those in more pest-ridden environments have more poisonous fruits. Drake Alpine, the yellow fruits are barely poisonous by normal Hedgelog standards and are simply astringent and sour; an adult human could eat an entire individual Drake Alpine Alpine Hedgelog’s crop of yellow fruits to no ill effect. Occasionally, the fruits of alpine populations are red rather than yellow, as its red pigments are superior at protecting it from intense radiation, but the trait is not universal among the population because of continued interbreeding between border populations. The berry color and toxicity variation fall within usual genetic variability within a species, like how some strains of the Earth plant Solanum nigrum have edible berries or red berries, despite the general rule of toxic, black berries.
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I don't know how it supports itself. I presume it's cellulose walls and generic woody or stiff herbaceous tissue.
I think I assumed there was a sliver of lower-altitude habitat in Drake Alpine due to imprecise color blurring on the right side of the habitat, but I no longer recall where the official altitude maps are. I've searched for them, and cannot find them.
Thrashing Seaswimmer (Xiphichthyophis monogamus)
Creator: Giant Blue Anteater
Ancestor: Speartooth Seaswimmer
Habitat: Oz Temperate Coast, Maineiac Temperate Coast, Soma Temperate Coast, North Jujubee Temperate Ocean Sunlight Zone
Size: 1.7 m long (including tooth)
Diet: Carnivore (Larvaback, Krillpedes, Miniswarmers, Diamond Pumpgill, Floating Pumpgill, Metamorph Spinderorm)
Respiration: Active (Lungs)
Thermoregulation: Mesotherm
Support: Endoskeleton (Bone)
Reproduction: Sexual, Two Genders, Live Birth
The thrashing seaswimmer has split from the the speartooth seaswimmer. Akin to other descendants of the speartooth seaswimmer, it is now fully aquatic, as it now rests one half of its brain at a time in the water, in addition to giving birth in the water. Stemming from this transition, it has now assumed an actively pelagic lifestyle, both in hunting fast-moving prey and in charging into shoals of small prey items in the sunlit zone up to 20 cm or smaller in length. In addition to an increasingly fusiform body, its caudal fin became heart-shaped, increasing propulsion. Two dermal ridges evolved on the lower sides, acting as keels for stability. Further enhancing its speed is the flattening of the stalked nostrils, as well as as of the two pairs of smaller dorsal eyes, reducing drag.
This species owes its name to a novel hunting strategy it employs. First, it looks out for groups or congregations of organisms like diamond pumpgills, krillpedes or miniswarmers with its large lateral eyes as it swims. Then, moving towards the targeted group, it charges into it, thrashing about, wielding a long, pointy tooth that stuns, shears or impales prey. The incapacitated prey is then suctioned into its mouth.
It must be noted, however, that this strategy is only utilized by males, for only they have the prodigiously long tooth for it. Further, ram-feeding unsuspecting lone prey is still a viable strategy to get by, and is, in fact, what females, lacking this long tooth, do. The vestigial canine teeth are useful for restraining ensnared prey when this method of feeding is employed, especially larger prey.
They retain monogamy from their ancestor, and these creatures typically live in pairs. The female stands to greatly benefit from her partnership with her mate, as her prosperity and thus fertility is highly dependent on his ability to hunt, which can be measured by the length of his tooth. Competition is also fierce; males will joust for their right to a female, who will move along with the victor, while the loser, if he doesn't have a broken tooth from this, will just have to find another female or wrest one from another male.
This post has been edited by Giant Blue Anteater: Aug 7 2021, 10:16 PM
Name: Ambrosiaraptor (Argusraptor mella)
Creator: Clayren
Ancestor: Argusraptor Complex (Argusraptor complicatus)
Habitat: Javen Tropical Woodland, Javen Tropical Rainforest, Javen Temperate Rainforest, Dixon Tropical Rainforest
Size: 1.1 m Long excluding tail
Support: Endoskeleton
Diet: Mellavore (Xenobee honey, Xenowasp honey), Carnivore (eggs and larvae of Xenobees, eggs and larvae of Xenowasps, Honey Toadtugas. Umbral Sphinxes, Chasing Twintails)
Respiration: Active (Microlungs)
Thermoregulation: Endotherm (Feathers)
Reproduction: Sexual (Male and Female, Bird-Like Eggs)
The Ambrosiaraptor split from its ancestor, the lesser Argusraptor and lives in the forests of northern Dixon-Darwin. The success of the terrible Argusraptor and lesser Argusraptor in outcompeting other predators resulted in large populations of both. Competition pushed some lesser Argusraptors south and west, into wooded biomes dense with vegetation and the nests of Xenobees and Xenowasps. These hives were attractive targets, filled with protein-rich larvae and eggs and energy-packed honey.
The Ambrosiaraptor has evolved a number of features which make it excellent at finding and harvesting entire hives of larva, eggs and honey. The first are irises which are positioned around the opening of each eyestril. These are each connected to a sphincter which can widen or narrow the opening to the eyestril. The benefit of this is two-fold. By narrowing the openings on its upper eyes the Ambrosiaraptor can operate in bright sunlight without sacrificing too much of its sense of smell. It can also prevent angry Xenobees and Xenowasps from getting into the very sensitive and crucial eyestrils which the raptor relies on. These irises cannot, however, prevent dust or debris from getting in entirely, as the Ambrosiaraptor lacks a pupil. Centrifugal crying remains a necessary behavior for the Ambrosiaraptor.
The line of armor plates which run down the Ambrosiaraptor’s back are in fact four distinct types of structures which have evolved over time for different reasons. The largest “plate”, located above the organism's leg, is in fact the raptor’s true head. This carapace protects the brain of the Ambrosiaraptor and is the oldest of the armored pieces. The first four segments behind the carapace are spinal plates which house and protect complex lungs, a trait first developed in the Harnessback. Additional spinal plates developed over time, as seemingly useless plates which lacked lungs provided additional protection against stinging prey. There are five such spinal plates between the lungs and tail of an Ambrosiaraptor. The six plates which are between the carapace and the “jaws” of the Ambrosiaraptor are the most dissimilar to those present on the Argusraptor. These plates have their origins in a casque, like those found in Terran Hornbills. Ambrosiaraptors are born with a small casque which continues to grow throughout their juvenile years. As they grow the casque will detach when it gets too large and begins to impede the organism's vision. A new, smaller one will grow in its place. By adulthood an Ambrosiaraptor will have three to five “discarded” casques which are fused to the skin on top of its proboscis.
The mouth of the Ambrosiaraptor has undergone some changes which better suit the organism’s diet and hunting habits. The tusk-like jaws are proportionally longer than those of a Lesser Argusraptor. These tusks are somewhat concave on the inside, leaving room for the Ambrosiaraptor’s long tongue. The tongue of the Ambrosiaraptor is very long and dexterous, capable of digging minute larvae and eggs out of a hive.
Ambrosiaraptors live in small packs of three to six individuals, led by a breeding pair. Mated for life, the breeding pair cooperate in stealing hives. One will slam its hooked tail against the tree or other structure to which a hive is attached, drawing as much attention from the inhabitants as possible. With some portion of the Xenobees or Xenowasps distracted the mate will approach and slam its own hook into the hive, then wrench the structure free from its mooring. It will vigorously shake the hive to spook as many remaining adult inhabitants as it can to leave, then quickly run away. Xenobees and Xenowasps are not like terrestrial bees, all adults can and do breed and nothing like a “queen” exists. As such these communities will quickly give up on chasing after their hive, as the structure is unsalvageable after being ripped down. For these newly homeless Xenobees and Xenowasps it is a better use of their remaining energy to quickly rebuild than to pursue any sort of revenge.
While honey, larvae and eggs are the favored food of the Ambrosiaraptor, it is not above hunting smaller organisms. The Honey Toadtuga shares the same niche as the Ambrosiaraptor and the two organisms often interact. Being larger and equipped with jaws that can easily crush the Toadtuga’s defensive spines, raptors are a major threat to the fluniform. Between predation and competition the Honey Toadtuga is now under threat of extinction in those biomes which overlap with Ambrosiaraptor territory.
The coloration of the Ambrosiaraptor varies based on its environment. Generally the upper body of the raptor will be of a color that blends in with the predominant foliage and the legs will be of a color that blends in with the ground.
This post has been edited by Clayren2:Electric Boogaloo: Aug 1 2021, 08:28 AM
Cliff Bristler (Polycaudofolium scopulus)
Creator: Clayren
Ancestor: Bristlepile
Habitat: Dixon-Darwin Rocky, Raptor Volcanic, Darwin Chapparal, Vivus Rocky, Vivus Volcanic
Size: 7m tall
Support: Cell Wall (Cellulose), Woody Trunk
Diet: Photosynthesis
Respiration: Passive (Stomata)
Thermoregulation: Ectotherm
Reproduction: Sexual (Hermaphrodite, Puffy Spores, Berries)
The Cliff Bristler split from its ancestor. In the mountains of Dixon-Darwin the lack of rain favors those photosynthesizers which can avoid predation and maximize water retention and sunlight. The Cliff Bristler split from the Bristlepile and flourishes on rocky areas which most herbivores struggle to reach. The roots of Bristlepiles which grew in the rocky areas of Dixon-Darwin developed to spread in search of water, growing into cracks and crevices to tap deep sources of water. The thin bristles of these organisms are excellent at retaining moisture while providing surface area for photosynthesis. The skin of the Bristler’s trunk is slightly photosynthetic as well and very sensitive to sunlight. When older branches begin to receive less sunlight because they are shadowed by newer branches, they will begin to die and eventually fall off. This is essential, because the Bristler has no water to spare for unproductive limbs.
The bristles which grow along the ends of branches on the Cliff Bristler are smaller and far more numerous than those of the Bristlepile. There is less need to protect against loss of water due to heat high up in the mountains, but rain is still infrequent. When it rains the Cliff Bristler will begin to produce sticky, sweet berries that give off a sweet smell. Flying frugivores and small omnivores capable of climbing are attracted to the smell and consume the blue fruits, which they spread in their droppings. This includes species like Nectarsnappers, Gryphlers, and Scrambled Shrews.
Pictured: Full color image. Visible are the Cliff Bristler, Pioneer Quillprong, Crystal Brambley, Signpost Crystamboo, Obsidoak, Cragmyr and various Pioneeroots.
This post has been edited by Clayren2:Electric Boogaloo: Jun 13 2021, 05:06 PM
Alpine Cirrus (Filamentocirrus cinereus)
Creator: Coolsteph
Ancestor: Hair Nimbuses
Habitat: Drake Alpine, Drake Boreal (4.6 km and up), Mae Volcanic (4.6 km and up)
Size: 18 cm long colonies
Diet: Photosynthesis (UV Light), Diazotrophy
Support: Unknown
Respiration: Unknown
Thermoregulation: Ectothermic
Reproduction: Sexual (Cellular Mating), Asexual (Colony: Fragmentation; Cell: Binary Fission)
Alpine Cirruses form large colonies of downy strands. In Drake Alpine, Alpine Cirruses live practically everywhere: other than Larachoys, it has few flora to compete with in its ground-hugging flora niche. Alpine Cirrus colonies are delicate, and easily smashed apart by organisms so small and light as a Loafpick. Thus, in Drake Boreal, it occurs only in the higher altitudes with somewhat sparser large, heavy fauna or large trees to block its light, and it is not so common, with smaller colony sizes.
Alpine Cirruses photosynthesize from their fronds. As the fronds absorb UV light, the photosynthetic pigment seems colorless to human eyes. They lack roots, but can slowly absorb minerals from dust, dusty breezes, and dung. Alpine Cirruseses are diazotropic, allowing them to fix nitrogen from the air.
Alpine Cirruses’ ancestors typically lived in clouds, which are more consistently wet and somewhat insulated from intense UV light than their alpine habitats. However, though Alpine Cirruses live in areas where ground-level cloud cover is common, the protective clouds are not constant, making photo-protection more necessary. Its low concentrations of allomelanins, a dark brown photoprotective pigment, help it survive sunny days, setting it apart from its colorless ancestor.
The species has only one defense against fauna that would eat it or break it apart: its two poisons, lyngbyatoxin A and debromoaplysiatoxin. The poisons cause rashes similar to seaweed dermatitis upon skin contact with various fauna, such as Loafpicks and their relatives. The poison is quick to decay, however, making litter layers of Alpine Cirruses harmless. It is more of an issue in Drake Alpine, where they exist in greater numbers.
Due to nitrogen fixation, Alpine Cirruses gradually make the thin soil of alpine and boreal habitats higher in nitrogen. Dead colonies turn greyish-brown and then dark brown as they decay. They form a significant litter layer in the higher altitudes of Drake Boreal. Alpine Cirruses’ spread by wind is limited, as they tend to be larger and heavier than their Hair Nimbuses ancestors. Therefore, their distribution is limited to fairly moist, high-altitude, high-UV habitats without too many large fauna to damage them or large flora to block their light.
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I'm having trouble finding the height listings for habitats or habitat types. I know it used to exist, but I can't find it. I know it used to mention Mt. Stratohorn, Mt. Cryostone or both. (Surprisingly, since Mt. Cryostone should have long since become an extinct landmark.)
Thanks to sad-dingus for the genus name.
Lotan (Letalicoluber toxipeltus)
Creator: Nergali
Ancestor: Ringtail Limbless
Habitat: Fermi Polar Beach, Fermi Temperate Beach, Fermi Desert
Size: 75 cm long
Support: Endoskeleton (Bone)
Diet: Adults: Omnivorous (Teacup Saucebacks, Bladesnapper chicks, Hockel, Snapflagg, Whiskerback, Twigdorse, Fuzzpile berries, Fuzzweed berries, Qupe Tree fruit); Juveniles: Carnivorous (Minikruggs, Krugg, Leafcutter Krugg, Spiked Krugg, Egg Krugg, Shieldworm, Lickworm, Snowsculptor Janit, Communal Janit, Spiny Wrigum, Pewpa, Infilt Pewpa)
Respiration: Active (Lungs)
Thermoregulation: Mesotherm
Reproduction: Sexual, Two Genders, Viviparous
On the island of Fermi, various species of limblesses have managed to maintain footholds within the chilling confines of its polar beaches. With so much competition located within such a limited region, combined with the harsh climate of the area, it was inevitable that some limblesses would either have to adapt or risk going extinct. The lotans are an example of a success story in this regard. Having split from their ancestors, not only have they managed to carve out a new niche for themselves upon the polar shores of their island home, but they have gone so far to spread further beyond their ancient territories and have even gained ground within the interior of the landmass.
Compared to their ancestors, lotans bear a darker color scheme to not only better blend in with the black sand and soil of the regions they inhabit, but also to help them to stay warm as their coloration is better at absorbing heat. They still maintain splashes of color and various patterns upon their hides, which helps to warn would-be predators that the lotans possess a second defense beyond the thin, easily broken-off spines that adorn their skin, their nasty bite, or a threatening swing of their thagomizers. Lotan flesh is toxic, though they themselves do not naturally produce it, and in fact young lotans lack it entirely. They gain their toxins from their diet, as juveniles will gorge themselves on a diet rich with toxin-laden minikruggs who, in turn, gained their toxins from their own diets of toxin-laden flora such as the various species of toxiglobes and the like. This chain of poison helps to protect the adult lotans, as the toxins that lace their flesh and spines make them nearly inedible to most other species, and will last them for the rest of their lives, which are typically in-between three and four years should they not succumb to injury or starvation.
The fangs of the lotan have lost the dimorphic nature of their ancestors, wherein one was notably larger than the other, even if it was already limited within ringtail limblesses. This came about due to a lack of selection for the trait, as well as due to their change in diets. With a gradual switch from larger prey to smaller species, as well as the inclusion of much more fruit in their diets, smaller fangs were selected for and thus became the norm within the species, much like it once was countless generations before.
Reproduction is not that different from other limblesses, though some changes in parenting has occurred. Two individuals will meet up, and should conditions be right - both adults are healthy, well-fed, etc... - they will go on to copulate. Once mating is done, they will work together to dig out a burrow so that they can raise their young within it. With up to three dozen young born at only around 3 to 4 cm in length, both parents will work to protect them, with each partner taking turns to hunt and gather food for both themselves and one another. Once the young are large enough, at around 10 cm at around 1 month, the parents will go their separate ways and leave them to fend for themselves. While not all will survive into adulthood, those that do will have no natural predators to threaten them.
This post has been edited by Nergali: Jun 14 2021, 03:50 AM
Lotan (Letalicoluber toxipeltus)
Creator: Nergali
Ancestor: Ringtail Limbless
Habitat: Fermi Polar Beach, Fermi Temperate Beach, Fermi Desert
Size: 75 cm long
Support: Endoskeleton (Bone)
Diet: Adults: Omnivorous (Teacup Saucebacks, Bladesnapper chicks, Hockel, Snapflagg, Whiskerback, Twigdorse, Fuzzpile berries, Fuzzweed berries, Qupe Tree fruit); Juveniles: Carnivorous (Minikruggs, Krugg, Leafcutter Krugg, Spiked Krugg, Egg Krugg, Shieldworm, Lickworm, Snowsculptor Janit, Communal Janit, Spiny Wrigum, Pewpa, Infilt Pewpa)
Respiration: Active (Lungs)
Thermoregulation: Mesotherm
Reproduction: Sexual, Two Genders, Viviparous
On the island of Fermi, various species of limblesses have managed to maintain footholds within the chilling confines of its polar beaches. With so much competition located within such a limited region, combined with the harsh climate of the area, it was inevitable that some limblesses would either have to adapt or risk going extinct. The lotans are an example of a success story in this regard. Having split from their ancestors, not only have they managed to carve out a new niche for themselves upon the polar shores of their island home, but they have gone so far to spread further beyond their ancient territories and have even gained ground within the interior of the landmass.
Compared to their ancestors, lotans bear a darker color scheme to not only better blend in with the black sand and soil of the regions they inhabit, but also to help them to stay warm as their coloration is better at absorbing heat. They still maintain splashes of color and various patterns upon their hides, which helps to warn would-be predators that the lotans possess a second defense beyond the thin, easily broken-off spines that adorn their skin, their nasty bite, or a threatening swing of their thagomizers. Lotan flesh is toxic, though they themselves do not naturally produce it, and in fact young lotans lack it entirely. They gain their toxins from their diet, as juveniles will gorge themselves on a diet rich with toxin-laden minikruggs who, in turn, gained their toxins from their own diets of toxin-laden flora such as the various species of toxiglobes and the like. This chain of poison helps to protect the adult lotans, as the toxins that lace their flesh and spines make them nearly inedible to most other species, and will last them for the rest of their lives, which are typically in-between three and four years should they not succumb to injury or starvation.
The fangs of the lotan have lost the dimorphic nature of their ancestors, wherein one was notably larger than the other, even if it was already limited within ringtail limblesses. This came about due to a lack of selection for the trait, as well as due to their change in diets. With a gradual switch from larger prey to smaller species, as well as the inclusion of much more fruit in their diets, smaller fangs were selected for and thus became the norm within the species, much like it once was countless generations before.
Reproduction is not that different from other limblesses, though some changes in parenting has occurred. Two individuals will meet up, and should conditions be right - both adults are healthy, well-fed, etc... - they will go on to copulate. Once mating is done, they will work together to dig out a burrow so that they can raise their young within it. With up to three dozen young born at only around 3 to 4 cm in length, both parents will work to protect them, with each partner taking turns to hunt and gather food for both themselves and one another. Once the young are large enough, at around 10 cm at around 1 month, the parents will go their separate ways and leave them to fend for themselves. While not all will survive into adulthood, those that do will have no natural predators to threaten them.
This post has been edited by Nergali: Jun 14 2021, 03:50 AM
Thanks to sad-dingus for the genus name.
Mehen (Fallacicoluber draconescens)
Creator: Nergali
Ancestor: Bloodskin Skywatcher
Habitat: Fermi Polar Beach, Fermi Temperate Beach, Fermi Desert
Size: 3.2 m long
Support: Endoskeleton (Bone)
Diet: Adults: Herbivore (Stoutplage, Segmented Carnofern, Polar Quilbil, Fruiting Glog, Polar Orbion, Pilonoroot, Qupe Tree, Greysnip, Greyblades), Scavenger; Juveniles: Omnivorous (Teacup Saucebacks, Polarblades, Fuzzweed, Fuzzy Beachballs, Minikruggs, Krugg, Leafcutter Krugg, Spiked Krugg, Egg Krugg)
Respiration: Active (Lungs)
Thermoregulation: Gigantotherm (Adult); Mesotherm (Young)
Reproduction: Sexual, Two Genders, Live Birth
On the small island of Fermi, numerous species of limblesses have managed to maintain a foothold within the polar confines of its southernmost beaches. With so much competition, both from kin and the native thornbacks, confined to such a limited region, it was inevitable that some limblesses would either have to adapt to the changing world around them or risk being driven extinct. The mehens are an example of a success story in this regard, though one that has arisen due to the exploitation of one of their cousins. Having split from their ancestors, the mehens have grown quite large due to conditions responsible for island gigantothermy. This has helped them deal with the bone-chilling cold of the polar regions, but has also given them an advantage when it comes to exploiting larger food sources found within the more temperate regions of their island home.
When fully grown, a mehen has few natural predators, outside the rare confrontation with a starving shantak, due in part to their great size compared to most other species on the island, but also due to their thick skin. Young mehens, however, lack these traits entirely and thus are quite vulnerable to predation. To get around this, they have evolved to mimic the coloration and, to an extent, the shape of their smaller cousin, the lotans. Newborn mehens lack the pronounced, bony domes that adorn their heads, instead bearing naught but smooth flesh and breathing tubes in its place. To further add to the illusion, the front fangs of the mehens have also lost their already limited dimorphism in order to better resemble the jaws of lotans. While this mimicry is far from perfect, it is enough to confuse most predators at a glance, something that often gives the newborn mehens time to escape or bury themselves into the sand, thus increasing their chances of survival.
As a mehen matures, it undergoes several growth spurts fueled by a diet rich in proteins. This carnivorous nature gradually fades away as they grow, as their large size makes them sluggish and thus ineffective predators. While they will still gorge on carrion, they do develop a preference for the various flora that grow upon Fermi, and their large size and powerful jaws make devouring the local purplery and such quite simple. Their equally large guts, however, are not the most efficient at breaking down flora, thus adults can be rather "gassy" as they slowly digest the food in their stomachs.
The sign of adulthood in a mehen is the growth of numerous lumpy domes upon their head. These bony projections are quite dense, and serve to protect their skulls from potential head wounds. They also serve a role in their mating displays. Just like in their ancestors, they will bang their heads against solid objects in order to create a drumming beat in order to define their territories and potentially attract a mate. Should they be successful when it comes to the latter, after the resulting mating both mehens will go their separate ways. The females will eventually give birth to several dozen newborns that are little more than 10 cm long in length. These offspring are afforded no parental care, and must quickly learn to survive on their own. While few will survive into adulthood, those that do will fear little on the island, and will live generally peaceful lives.
This post has been edited by Nergali: Jun 13 2021, 01:33 PM
Mehen (Fallacicoluber draconescens)
Creator: Nergali
Ancestor: Bloodskin Skywatcher
Habitat: Fermi Polar Beach, Fermi Temperate Beach, Fermi Desert
Size: 3.2 m long
Support: Endoskeleton (Bone)
Diet: Adults: Herbivore (Stoutplage, Segmented Carnofern, Polar Quilbil, Fruiting Glog, Polar Orbion, Pilonoroot, Qupe Tree, Greysnip, Greyblades), Scavenger; Juveniles: Omnivorous (Teacup Saucebacks, Polarblades, Fuzzweed, Fuzzy Beachballs, Minikruggs, Krugg, Leafcutter Krugg, Spiked Krugg, Egg Krugg)
Respiration: Active (Lungs)
Thermoregulation: Gigantotherm (Adult); Mesotherm (Young)
Reproduction: Sexual, Two Genders, Live Birth
On the small island of Fermi, numerous species of limblesses have managed to maintain a foothold within the polar confines of its southernmost beaches. With so much competition, both from kin and the native thornbacks, confined to such a limited region, it was inevitable that some limblesses would either have to adapt to the changing world around them or risk being driven extinct. The mehens are an example of a success story in this regard, though one that has arisen due to the exploitation of one of their cousins. Having split from their ancestors, the mehens have grown quite large due to conditions responsible for island gigantothermy. This has helped them deal with the bone-chilling cold of the polar regions, but has also given them an advantage when it comes to exploiting larger food sources found within the more temperate regions of their island home.
When fully grown, a mehen has few natural predators, outside the rare confrontation with a starving shantak, due in part to their great size compared to most other species on the island, but also due to their thick skin. Young mehens, however, lack these traits entirely and thus are quite vulnerable to predation. To get around this, they have evolved to mimic the coloration and, to an extent, the shape of their smaller cousin, the lotans. Newborn mehens lack the pronounced, bony domes that adorn their heads, instead bearing naught but smooth flesh and breathing tubes in its place. To further add to the illusion, the front fangs of the mehens have also lost their already limited dimorphism in order to better resemble the jaws of lotans. While this mimicry is far from perfect, it is enough to confuse most predators at a glance, something that often gives the newborn mehens time to escape or bury themselves into the sand, thus increasing their chances of survival.
As a mehen matures, it undergoes several growth spurts fueled by a diet rich in proteins. This carnivorous nature gradually fades away as they grow, as their large size makes them sluggish and thus ineffective predators. While they will still gorge on carrion, they do develop a preference for the various flora that grow upon Fermi, and their large size and powerful jaws make devouring the local purplery and such quite simple. Their equally large guts, however, are not the most efficient at breaking down flora, thus adults can be rather "gassy" as they slowly digest the food in their stomachs.
The sign of adulthood in a mehen is the growth of numerous lumpy domes upon their head. These bony projections are quite dense, and serve to protect their skulls from potential head wounds. They also serve a role in their mating displays. Just like in their ancestors, they will bang their heads against solid objects in order to create a drumming beat in order to define their territories and potentially attract a mate. Should they be successful when it comes to the latter, after the resulting mating both mehens will go their separate ways. The females will eventually give birth to several dozen newborns that are little more than 10 cm long in length. These offspring are afforded no parental care, and must quickly learn to survive on their own. While few will survive into adulthood, those that do will fear little on the island, and will live generally peaceful lives.
This post has been edited by Nergali: Jun 13 2021, 01:33 PM
Thanks to sad-dingus and Giant Blue Anteater for help with the genus and scientific name.
Scaletail (Medusadon muricauda)
Creator: Nergali
Ancestor: Ringtail Limbless
Habitat: Fermi Polar Beach, Fermi Temperate Beach, Fermi Desert
Size: 20 cm long
Support: Endoskeleton (Bone)
Diet: Adults: Carnivorous (Teacup Saucebacks, Minikruggs); Juveniles: Carnivorous (Minikruggs, Shieldworm, Communal Janit, Infilt Pewpa)
Respiration: Active (Lungs)
Thermoregulation: Mesotherm
Reproduction: Sexual, Two Genders, Viviparous
As competition increased within the confines of the polar coastlines of Fermi island, a combinations of both environmental pressures, predation, and competition with other species was putting a heavy strain on various older species of limblesses. They needed to adapt to a changing world or risk extinction. The scaletails are one such success story, and perhaps represent one of the most visibly distinct species of limbless to have evolved on the island of Fermi, as well as one of the smallest, due to the effects of insular dwarfism.
The most notable trait of the scaletails, beyond a reduction in the dimorphism in their front fangs - one is still slightly larger than the other, a holdover from its ancestors - is the presence of hair covering the majority of their bodies. This hair has its origins in the tiny, hair-like fibers that have adorned the bellies of all limblesses since their distant arboreal ancestors. While in many species of limbless, the sole purpose of these hairs was to aid them in climbing up vertical surfaces, within the scaletails it has found a new purpose. These hairs have spread all over their bodies, and along their sides and backs they have grown in both thickness and length. While they do manage to retain a bit more heat thanks to them, the true purpose of these hairs is a defensive one. Like the tarantulas of Earth, these hairs break quite easily and disperse readily into the surrounding air. Should they come into contact with the eyes or other delicate sensory organs of a potential predator, they will cause terrible irritation, to the point where they can even cause short-term blindness or breathing issues.
Another notable trait of the scaletails is also that which they derive their names from. Enlarged keratinous scales cover the tails of this species, highly visible compared to those that have traditionally covered the bodies of their ancestors, and are composed of the same material that cover their thagomizers. Serving a role in defense, the scales provide a layer of protection for their tails, which helps to prevent smaller predators from biting into them. In addition to this, several of the teeth have grown larger and developed almost needle-like tips. These fangs are especially useful for preventing small prey, such as teacup saucebacks, from escaping their grips once bitten into.
Reproduction in scaletails is unique amongst the limblesses. While most limblesses will change mates every year, scaletails tend to mate for life, which can be anywhere from two to three years. Once mated, the pair will stick together, find a secure crevice, and make their nest within. They are somewhat social in this regard, as they will willingly share their den with other mated pairs, most likely due to the added security that comes with it, but also due to their combined presence in such small spaces often being enough to make the air in the dens warmer by several degrees. Both parents will watch over the young, which are typically born in batches of a dozen or more, until they are large enough to leave the den and hunt for themselves, which often occurs within a month's time. While the diet of youngsters tends to consist of various small kruggs, they are also adept at infiltrating the nests of colonial janits, within which they will gorge themselves while the defenders have difficulty overcoming their bristly back hairs. Such a diet rich in protein helps them to reach their maximum size quite quickly, and most will reach sexual maturity within only six months, after which they will seek out a suitable mate and continue the cycle once more.
This post has been edited by Nergali: Jun 30 2021, 02:41 PM
Scaletail (Medusadon muricauda)
Creator: Nergali
Ancestor: Ringtail Limbless
Habitat: Fermi Polar Beach, Fermi Temperate Beach, Fermi Desert
Size: 20 cm long
Support: Endoskeleton (Bone)
Diet: Adults: Carnivorous (Teacup Saucebacks, Minikruggs); Juveniles: Carnivorous (Minikruggs, Shieldworm, Communal Janit, Infilt Pewpa)
Respiration: Active (Lungs)
Thermoregulation: Mesotherm
Reproduction: Sexual, Two Genders, Viviparous
As competition increased within the confines of the polar coastlines of Fermi island, a combinations of both environmental pressures, predation, and competition with other species was putting a heavy strain on various older species of limblesses. They needed to adapt to a changing world or risk extinction. The scaletails are one such success story, and perhaps represent one of the most visibly distinct species of limbless to have evolved on the island of Fermi, as well as one of the smallest, due to the effects of insular dwarfism.
The most notable trait of the scaletails, beyond a reduction in the dimorphism in their front fangs - one is still slightly larger than the other, a holdover from its ancestors - is the presence of hair covering the majority of their bodies. This hair has its origins in the tiny, hair-like fibers that have adorned the bellies of all limblesses since their distant arboreal ancestors. While in many species of limbless, the sole purpose of these hairs was to aid them in climbing up vertical surfaces, within the scaletails it has found a new purpose. These hairs have spread all over their bodies, and along their sides and backs they have grown in both thickness and length. While they do manage to retain a bit more heat thanks to them, the true purpose of these hairs is a defensive one. Like the tarantulas of Earth, these hairs break quite easily and disperse readily into the surrounding air. Should they come into contact with the eyes or other delicate sensory organs of a potential predator, they will cause terrible irritation, to the point where they can even cause short-term blindness or breathing issues.
Another notable trait of the scaletails is also that which they derive their names from. Enlarged keratinous scales cover the tails of this species, highly visible compared to those that have traditionally covered the bodies of their ancestors, and are composed of the same material that cover their thagomizers. Serving a role in defense, the scales provide a layer of protection for their tails, which helps to prevent smaller predators from biting into them. In addition to this, several of the teeth have grown larger and developed almost needle-like tips. These fangs are especially useful for preventing small prey, such as teacup saucebacks, from escaping their grips once bitten into.
Reproduction in scaletails is unique amongst the limblesses. While most limblesses will change mates every year, scaletails tend to mate for life, which can be anywhere from two to three years. Once mated, the pair will stick together, find a secure crevice, and make their nest within. They are somewhat social in this regard, as they will willingly share their den with other mated pairs, most likely due to the added security that comes with it, but also due to their combined presence in such small spaces often being enough to make the air in the dens warmer by several degrees. Both parents will watch over the young, which are typically born in batches of a dozen or more, until they are large enough to leave the den and hunt for themselves, which often occurs within a month's time. While the diet of youngsters tends to consist of various small kruggs, they are also adept at infiltrating the nests of colonial janits, within which they will gorge themselves while the defenders have difficulty overcoming their bristly back hairs. Such a diet rich in protein helps them to reach their maximum size quite quickly, and most will reach sexual maturity within only six months, after which they will seek out a suitable mate and continue the cycle once more.
This post has been edited by Nergali: Jun 30 2021, 02:41 PM
Shell-riding Shocker (Swimmyshocksr enkiremusaurobates)
Creator: Giant Blue Anteater
Ancestor: Carnivorescooter
Habitat: Krakow Polar Shallows, Coldigger Polar Coast, Fermi Polar Coast, Fermi Temperate Coast, Wind Temperate Coast, Dass Temperate Coast, South Jujubee Temperate Ocean Sunlight Zone, South Jujubee Polar Ocean Sunlight Zone, South LadyM Temperate Ocean Sunlight Zone, South LadyM Polar Ocean Sunlight Zone
Size: 60 cm long
Diet: Carnivore (Snatcherswarmer, Urmelia, Red Echofin, Imprisoned Wolley, Sheltered Gilltail, Follower Gilltail, Clarke Cleaner Echofin, Burrowing Quid, Chunky Zoister, Bloister, Fan Bloister, Flamboyant Fan Bloister, Gillarill, Greengill, Marine Fraboo, Featherbelly Foi, Sticky Urphish, Gray Muckraker, Scorpioraker, Hitchhiker Scuttler, Scuttlers; juvenile Sanddigger Seaswimmer, Bubbleweed Seaswimmer, Caliga, Uksip Lazarus, Seafin, Ocean Scorpodile, Clawbiter, Shaillor, Marine Arthrofin, Marine Bubblepede, Marine Filtersquid, Thornback Waterworm), Photosynthesis
Respiration: Unknown
Thermoregulation: Unknown
Support: Unknown
Reproduction: Sexual, two genders, spawning
The Shell-riding Shocker split from its ancestor, the Carnivorescooter. The lengthening of its limbs followed with the reduplication of the two digits in the Seascooter made way for another innovation: the evolution of jointed arms with opposing digit pairs capable of grasping prey in a vise-like grip. Moreover, due to a series of mutations, the digits now sport claws of the same material makeup as the spines lining its back, enabling this species to pin its prey into its grasp. These new adaptations move this species into strict carnivory from the facultative omnivory of its ancestor.
As an obligate carnivore, it utilizes a number of hunting strategies to catch its quarry, the vast majority of which take place near the sea floor. Utilizing a twin, split pupil in its single eyeball (which became sunk into the head, providing better streamlining), it examines very closely movement and patterns in the sand that stand out. Once detected, it will slowly swim—propelled by a weak, rudimentary tail—towards the prey item. It will then slowly reach with one of its arms. When felt, the prey item will be grabbed with its clawed, vise-like hand, and it will predictably resist.
This is then dealt with using a shocking new adaptation: as the spines lining the back shock potential predators, so do the claws for potential prey; when a resisting victim is grasped, it is shocked to immobilization or even death before being ripped apart by the numerous sharp teeth lining the mouth and devoured. When and whether this is used depends not only on how vigorous the prey's movements are, but also its size, for easy pickings like the Urmelia are simply grabbed and chomped.
Occasionally, it behaves as a pursuit predator, breast-stroking towards fleeing fast prey, then attempting to snatch them and shock them. It will even go as far as reaching inside other organisms to catch them; when pursuing a Sheltered Gilltail during crepuscular hours, for example, it will pursue them all the way to their home Crusicruge, reaching inside to grab and shock it. This, however, also takes the life of the Crusicruge itself, though that matters nothing to this predator as it scarfs down its prize.
The electrocuting claws are not the only thing that makes this species terrifying. The claws also benefit this species by enabling them to hold onto surfaces—namely, the shells of Tilepillars. Individuals can hitch rides on the backs of mature Tilepillars, carrying them wherever they go, including to the temperate coasts as they undertake their reproductive migrations. The result is a greatly expanded range where they exercise their electrifying reign of terror over the benthic, benthic-adjacent and burrowing organisms throughout. Armed with their defensive spines starkly advertised with a bright, equally electric shade of blue by the membrane binding them, they unimpededly carry out their rampage through Sagan 4's southern temperate and polar coasts and shallows, spreading like bright blue, aquatic wildfire.
NB: The folds along this creature's neck are just that, and are not gills. Nuevolución inexplicably added what appeared to be gills past the Carnivorescooter's mouth, so I interpreted them here as neck folds as the creature bends its neck towards its Imprisoned Wolley victim, which it is shocking.
This post has been edited by Giant Blue Anteater: Jun 17 2021, 08:48 AM
Snowy Florasnapper (Patiodrakon lagopus)
Creator: Disgustedorite
Ancestor: Fruitsnapper
Habitat: Maineiac Tundra, Maineiac Polar Scrub, Maineiac Polar Beach
Size: 1.5 meters long
Support: Endoskeleton (Bone)
Diet: Herbivore (Glaalgae, Cryobowls bowl and fruit, Mainestalk, Sunstalks, Pilunoroot fruit and leaves, Pilokepderi, Beach Piloroot fruit and leaves, Talfuzz, Pilonoroot, Retigroenx, Fuzzkern, Pilonomroot)
Respiration: Active (Lungs)
Thermoregulation: Endotherm (Downy Feathers)
Reproduction: Sexual (Male and Female, Hard-Shelled Eggs)
The snowy florasnapper split from its ancestor and moved into Maineiac’s polar biomes. It feeds on various polar flora and their fruit, which it grazes during the summer and digs out of the snow to eat during the long winter. It isn’t as great at flying as its ancestor, but can still take off to avoid predators. To adapt to the cold climate, its tail is shortened and bottlebrush-like, lacking the stabilizer which was prone to heat loss; it is proportionally larger; it can tuck its wing membranes under large “blankets” of plumage on its arms; and its legs are fully feathered. Much of its underlying anatomy is obscured by what some might describe as “sheer floof”. It is immune to the spicy taste of some of the flora it consumes.
The snowy florasnapper’s beak is far less extensive, making room for its cheeks, which keep food from falling out of its mouth as it chews with its teeth. A large gut allows it to digest the leaves it consumes, though it is not as efficient as a ruminant. Its jaw bones are sensitive to vibrations, allowing it to feel potential danger in the form of footsteps while grazing. Its coloration causes it to resemble a pile of snow while at rest.
The snowy florasnapper, being an egg-layer unable to evolve ovovivipary due to its hard eggshell, must breed in the short summer. Trees are absent in much of its range, so it nests on the ground, often communally and well-hidden among any available shrubs. Both parents watch over the eggs and hatchlings, taking turns incubating, and brutally attack anything that comes near that even resembles a predator. The chicks hatch fully feathered, extremely fluffy, and already able to run, and they follow their parents for the first year of their lives. Only half of all juveniles survive their first winter due to starvation and freezing. Snowy florasnappers reach maturity in only one year and can live up to nine.
The snowy florasnapper has spread the fuzzkern, the pilunoroot, the pilonomroot, and the pilonoroot to Maineiac Tundra through fruit and seeds. Some of the flora it spread depend on water; they survive in the tundra because, just like a real life tundra, it effectively becomes a wetland every summer due to snowmelt and a lack of evaporation.
Snow Corvisnapper (Corvidrakon lagopus)
Creator: Disgustedorite
Ancestor: Corvisnapper
Habitat: Maineiac Polar Scrub, Maineiac Tundra, Maineiac Polar Beach
Size: 80 cm long
Support: Endoskeleton (Bone)
Diet: Omnivore (Minikruggs, Silkruggs, Vermees, Teacup Saucebacks, Sapworms, Dartirs, Xenobees, Mountain Pedesorm, Shieldworm, Helmethead Uksip, Uksor, Iron Siever, Gushlych, Scaled Diveskunik, Karybdos, Gliding Gushstrider, Gushitos, Hidestrider, Snowy Florasnapper eggs, Corvisnapper eggs, Tipsnapper eggs, fruit of Cryobowls, Blastree seeds, Beach Piloroot fruit, Pilonoroot fruit, Fuzzkern seeds, Pilonomroot seeds), Kleptoparasite, Scavenger
Respiration: Active (Lungs)
Thermoregulation: Endotherm (Downy Feathers)
Reproduction: Sexual (Male and Female, Hard-Shelled Eggs)
The Snow Corvisnapper replaced its ancestor in its range. It lives in the polar regions of Maineiac. To adapt for the cold environment, it has fully-feathered legs and wing membranes. It is an opportunist and consumes various small fauna, fruit, eggs, and seeds. It is able to eat iron fauna, and what iron it doesn’t use for its blood and tissues is removed via its feces. It has been known to harass predators to steal kills and board beached wolvershrog nests to feast on their food stores. It varies somewhat in color pattern, but it is usually white with dark speckles, which makes it resemble a pile of snow dotted with either debris or ash from the nearby volcano.
The snow corvisnapper's mouth suits its lifestyle better than its ancestor's. Instead of its (note, unbeaked) jaws being shaped like a beak for some reason, it has a long snout typical of an opportunist. It retains heterodont dentition, but instead of a mix of pointed and peg-like teeth, it has dromaeosaur-like serrated teeth towards the front and troodontid-like teeth towards the back, allowing it to chew flora and caparaces alike and tear into meat with ease. It is somewhat social and may forage in small groups.
Like its ancestor, the snow corvisnapper nests in groups among rocks. Though it is not a mountain species, the rise in sea levels over the past few dozen million years reduced all landmasses to just their mountains, so even terrain near sea level is rough. Unlike its ancestor, both parents care for the eggs and take turns incubating them. Nesting occurs during the short polar summer. Juveniles gain full plumage and flight ability very quickly, but take nearly 2 years to reach full size. They can live up to around 15 years.
The snow corvisnapper has, through accidental consumption of eggs inside cryobowls which then survived the trip through its digestive system and landed in pools of snowmelt, spread the scaled diveskunik to Maineiac Tundra and Maineiac Polar Scrub.
--
Size note: It's actually similar in size to its ancestor. I took a guess at the intended length based on the animal it was modeled after. We should really stop using wingspan, it's awful for size charts, dioramas, and basically all other bonus content.
Aossi (Anthousai ailill)
Ancestor: Srugeing (Tumescaeus volatilis)
Habitat: Maineiac Boreal, Maineiac Temperate Woodland, Maineiac Temperate River, Maineiac Temperate Riparian
Size: 10 cm Long
Support: ?
Diet: Juvenile: Omnivore (Sugary Minicrystal, Microswarmers, Flovars, Floatfilms, Prongangels, Swarmerkings, Whip Swarmers, Chainswarmers); Adult: Nectarivore (Sappy Pinknose), Carnivore (Cloudswarmers, Mistswarmers , Minikruggs, Vermees)
Respiration: Juvenile: Semi active (gill); Adult: Semi-active (gill lung)
Thermoregulation: Ectotherm
Reproduction: Sexual, Two Genders, Eggs into water
As the [[srugeing]] continued the process of becoming gradually more adapted to aerial life, new niches opened themselves up to be filled, allowing for a diversification in species. One such species is the '''aossi''', an organism specializing in high sugar diets. Compared to their ancestors, the aossi are much better suited for a terrestrial lifestyle. While they still retain a larval state that is reminiscent of the ancestral [[gilltail]], they now spend longer out of the water as adults, growing a comparatively leathery epidermis layer that allows for moisture retention. They are also able to support themselves with a more rigid internal chitin endoskeletal structure called a gladius, in a manner similar in setup to that of terran cephelopds. This structure however in entirely internal and rather thin, resting directly between the dermal and epidermal layers of their skin, save for the skin on their tails. This structure is rather primitive and does not form until immediately prior to their emergence from water.. They are in their adult stage now for the warmer seasons, totaling up to 5 months. They will remain as larvae for up to 4 years, before they begin the process of maturing into their adult stage. This allows the aossi to keep their predators to a minimum, as both they and their ancestors are often opportunistically feed upon by mountsnappers, sormsnapper, and corvisnappers.
The aossi gets their main source of nutrients from the various small fauna that they hunt. Their hummingbird-like flight technique allows them to easily maneuver as they pick up the small insectoid fauna of the greater Maineiac woodlands areas. This flight technique comes at a cost, as it is extremely energy intensive, requiring the aossi to take frequent rests and to eat the equivalent of up to their entire body weight in calories every day. Adding to their flight burdens is their prehensile tails. These tails are needed to allow the aossi to grip to orbioflora branches to roost, but these also act as a drag on their flight. In order to help supplement these extreme energy costs, they feed on the sugary food sources available in their environment, mainly the sappy pinknose. Lacking a tongue, they instead have developed a fold within their stomach and throat, which they regurgitate up when they are within a sappy pinknose. This partial gastric eversion in may was both looks and functions like a tongue, granting the aossi the ability to lap up the sugary mucus and spore berries. the sappy pinknose has adapted to take advantage of this behavior, as the aossi are not the most efficient eaters, they will carry off spore berries on their bodies and in their droppings, allowing for the further spread of their food. Thanks to this feeding method, the aossi has actually allowed the proliferation of the sappy picknose to the environments that the aossi lives in, finding the abundant drooping orbion relatives fantastic hosts. The can now be found all over the woodlands of Maineiac. Even with the energy source of the sappy pinknose, they have shrunken dramatically in size compared to their ancestor, as their diet can not fully support organisms much larger than them.
The mating practices of the aossi have become more elaborate, due to ever increasing mate selection pressure. The males have developed increased coloration patterns to stand out for females. Aossi eyesight is not well developed, and so they must rely on this coloration distinctions to stand out among the foliage. When a male is accepted, the mating pairs will search for calmer bodies of water, usually within the riparian regions of the Maineiac river system, where the female will lay her brood, typically between 100-300 eggs, which the male will fertilize and then abandon. Fertilization will usually occur in anywhere between 40-95% of the laid eggs, with factors such as calmness of the standing water and fitness of the male contributing. On rare occasion, another male may come along and attempt to fertilize the eggs as well, attempting to capitalize on the possibility of there being remaining viable unfertilized eggs. If they do so while the previous male is still present, it will usually result in a "fight", which amounts to the males circling one another until one expends too much energy and gives up. These fights have been know to lead to the death of one or both of the males, as they will burn through enough of their reserves to collapse from exhaustion. This adds an extra evolutionary pressure on energy regulation, as the male with the better abilities to conserve energy will be the one most likely to survive, and thus pass on their genes.
A typical female Aossi
Snowmelt Srugeing (Volanix annuss)
Creator: Disgustedorite
Ancestor: Srugeing
Habitat: Maineiac Tundra
Size: 20 cm long
Support: ?
Diet: Juvenile: Carnivore (Cloudwarmer Larvae, Miniswarmers); Adult: Carnivore (Minikruggs, Vermees)
Respiration: Juvenile: Semi-Active (Ram Gill); Adult: Semi-Active (Gill-Lung)
Thermoregulation: Juvenile: Ectotherm; Adult: Heterotherm (Basking, Muscle-Generated Heat)
Reproduction: Sexual (Male and Female, Spawning)
The snowmelt srugeing split from its ancestor. It moved into Maineiac Tundra, where its niche was unfilled, and developed a very strange annual lifecycle. In order to survive in the tundra, it must take full advantage of the short polar summer. In the winter, it only exists as eggs locked in ice, using antifreeze proteins to stay alive and slowly develop. When the summer snowmelt arrives, the eggs are set free from the ice and hatch in the massive pools of water which form. In only 1 month, after feasting on tundra-adapted miniswarmers and cloudswarmer larvae which also take advantage of the snowmelt, the hatchlings grow into adults which then emerge from the water on the wing. The adults spend the remainder of the short summer spawning into every pool they come across, feasting on tundra-adapted minikruggs and vermees in between to replenish their gametes until the arrival of winter causes them all to freeze to death. About 30% of eggs survive the freeze and hatch the following summer, repeating the cycle.
The snowmelt srugeing loses most of its fins in adulthood for streamlining and heat retention, and it is smaller so that it may mature more quickly. The adult is better-suited to surviving the low humidity of the tundra, as its skin is relatively tough and chitinous, somewhat comparable to a Terran caterpillar. Its wings are leathery and more opaque. Small sclerotised hair-like growths around its wing muscles provide a small amount of insulation so that the heat generated by flight isn’t instantly lost, but if it ever stops flying for more than a few seconds, it must bask to recover. It is capable of keeping its lung-gill moist on its own, but may still dip its gill opening into the water to moisten it quickly. Its gill opening is usually held tight against its neck with only small openings at the corners exposed, so that it remains streamlined and can protect its respiratory system from invasion by disease or parasites. The lung is internalized in adulthood rather than bulging outwards in order to protect it from damage and further streamline its shape.
The juvenile snowmelt srugeing looks far more like a generic gilltail, though with some differences. Even at hatching it has unusually large pectoral fins, so that they may grow into wings as quickly as possible. Its gill anatomy resembles that of the surge gilltail, and the gill internalizes and turns into a lung before adulthood.
Submission for the Prime Specimen Contest.
Srugeing-of-Paradise (Tumescaeus elisiumipenna)
Creator: Nergali
Ancestor: Srugeing
Habitat: Maineiac Temperate River, Maineiac Salt Bog, Maineiac Temperate Riparian
Size: 20 cm Wingspan
Support: ???
Diet: Adults: Nothing; Juveniles: Carnivorous (Maineiac Bubblepede larvae, Flashfin Gilltail juveniles, Scraperbeak Gilltail juveniles, Pruning Gilltail juveniles, Dwarf Maineiac Gilltail juveniles, Toothbrush Arthrofin larvae, Scorpodile larvae, Riparian Scorpodile larvae, Finback larvae, Mistswarmer larvae, Miniswarmers, Minifee, Scuttlers, Frabukis, Minikruggs)
Respiration: Adult: Semi-Active (Gill Lung); Juvenile: Semi-Active (Ram Gill)
Thermoregulation: Heterotherm (Adult); Ectotherm (Young)
Reproduction: Sexual, Spawning in Water, Two Genders
Splitting from its ancestor, the srugeing-of-paradise has further adapted to life on the continent of Maineiac. Inhabiting the various ponds, streams, and rivers that are to be found within the landmass's warmer regions, their lifecycle has remained relatively unchanged compared to that of the srugeing: the majority of their lifespan is spent in an aquatic juvenile state, after which they will take flight in search of new water sources within which they may reproduce. Such a lifestyle, though seemingly simple, has helped to reduce interspecies competition as well as competition with other species of gilltails.
The juvenile srugeing-of-paradise is a quite a colorful species of gilltail, and for good reason. As they fan their fins, reveal their bold hues and dash about in the open waters, they are in fact advertising to any would-be predator that their flesh is toxic and that they are not good to eat. This toxin, however, is not of a deadly sort. Instead, the toxin causes those that would consume it to be overcome with a severe sense of noxiousness. The srugeing-of paradise does not produce this toxin itself, for instead it is the end result of a diet rich in several species of tiny freshwater minifee that inhabit the waters they call home. These minifee produce a much milder form of the toxin as a defensive mechanism, but juvenile srugeing-of-paradise are immune to it, and so it instead builds up in their flesh and organs until it reaches a far more potent state.
Physically, juvenile srugeing-of-paradise closely resemble the juveniles of the vaste majority of other gilltail species. It is only as fall approaches do they begin to undergo morphological changes that prepare them for adulthood, the most prominent of which involves their respiratory system. Relying on the traditional ram gill system for the majority of their lives, they slowly over the course of several weeks begin to transition to breathing air. As this occurs, the gill lungs they will utilize as adults will begin to grow in, and as they do so, the young srugeing-of-paradise will be compelled to breach the water's surface in order to take a gulp of air. While this doesn't replace their already present gill system, and they only need to surface every other hour or so, this supplement of gaseous oxygen, a substance normally forbidden to the water-bound gilltails, allows them to be much more energetic, which in turn gives them an advantage when it comes to hunting other, smaller prey, including the juveniles of other gilltails.
As winter comes and various pools, ponds, and even the edges of the great Maineaic River begin to freeze over, these juvenile gilltails will begin to undergo a process of transformation in preparation of the warmer months that will surely come once winter has ended. They will begin to burrow into the mud and form small cavities within it, after which they will secrete a thin layer of mucous and cocoon themselves within it, not unlike how some species of lungfishes of Earth do. As they await within their hidden burrows, they rely on their developing gill lungs to take in oxygen as their former gill exits are overgrown in flesh. During this time their pectoral fins begin to enlarge and strengthen in preparation for their first and final flight they will undertake once they emerge from the mud. It also at this time that their gonads begin to fully develop.
Once winter has ended and spring has arrived, the warmth of the sun will warm the mud and awaken the srugeing-of-paradise within, who will then squirm their way to the surface, dry off in the sun's light, and take flight. Compared to its ancestor, the srugeing-of-paradise is fairly similar in regards to overall morphology, with the only main differences being their much more vibrant coloration and enlarged fins. Males of this species have retained the prominent stripes on either side of their bodies, as they are primarily visual-based once they leave the water, and markings like this help to differentiate the sexes. Both sexes maintain their prominent beaks, though while they may now appear to be help agape, they are actually permanently placed like this. Adult srugeing-of-paradise have no need for functioning mouths - which now serve as yet another visual display - for they no longer possess a functioning digestive tract, instead relying on the stores of fat they gathered as juveniles while gorging on a protein-rich diet. They will inevitably starve within two to three days, during which, after they have already broken down their excess fat, will turn to breaking down their own muscles and organs in order to increase their odds of finding a new water source to spawn in, especially if the region is undergoing a drought or similar unfavorable conditions.
The mass flight of the srugeing-of-paradise is a colorful yet ultimately brief display. While thousands will take to the air - and in turn be gorged upon by whatever predators are about, for by this time their toxins have faded - they rarely live past a day. Too battered and bruised as their bodies break down from the strain placed upon them, once they have spawned they will be too tired to do so again and will instead drown in the waters the next generation to come will call home. But from this death, comes new life, as the waters become enriched in nutrients, which in turn feeds the plankton and those that feed upon it, producing a new source of food for the juveniles once they hatch.
A juvenile.
*Note, this species bears a fleshy palate within their beaks, and this lineage has not evolved a tongue.
This post has been edited by Nergali: Jul 8 2021, 11:51 AM
Srugeing-of-Paradise (Tumescaeus elisiumipenna)
Creator: Nergali
Ancestor: Srugeing
Habitat: Maineiac Temperate River, Maineiac Salt Bog, Maineiac Temperate Riparian
Size: 20 cm Wingspan
Support: ???
Diet: Adults: Nothing; Juveniles: Carnivorous (Maineiac Bubblepede larvae, Flashfin Gilltail juveniles, Scraperbeak Gilltail juveniles, Pruning Gilltail juveniles, Dwarf Maineiac Gilltail juveniles, Toothbrush Arthrofin larvae, Scorpodile larvae, Riparian Scorpodile larvae, Finback larvae, Mistswarmer larvae, Miniswarmers, Minifee, Scuttlers, Frabukis, Minikruggs)
Respiration: Adult: Semi-Active (Gill Lung); Juvenile: Semi-Active (Ram Gill)
Thermoregulation: Heterotherm (Adult); Ectotherm (Young)
Reproduction: Sexual, Spawning in Water, Two Genders
Splitting from its ancestor, the srugeing-of-paradise has further adapted to life on the continent of Maineiac. Inhabiting the various ponds, streams, and rivers that are to be found within the landmass's warmer regions, their lifecycle has remained relatively unchanged compared to that of the srugeing: the majority of their lifespan is spent in an aquatic juvenile state, after which they will take flight in search of new water sources within which they may reproduce. Such a lifestyle, though seemingly simple, has helped to reduce interspecies competition as well as competition with other species of gilltails.
The juvenile srugeing-of-paradise is a quite a colorful species of gilltail, and for good reason. As they fan their fins, reveal their bold hues and dash about in the open waters, they are in fact advertising to any would-be predator that their flesh is toxic and that they are not good to eat. This toxin, however, is not of a deadly sort. Instead, the toxin causes those that would consume it to be overcome with a severe sense of noxiousness. The srugeing-of paradise does not produce this toxin itself, for instead it is the end result of a diet rich in several species of tiny freshwater minifee that inhabit the waters they call home. These minifee produce a much milder form of the toxin as a defensive mechanism, but juvenile srugeing-of-paradise are immune to it, and so it instead builds up in their flesh and organs until it reaches a far more potent state.
Physically, juvenile srugeing-of-paradise closely resemble the juveniles of the vaste majority of other gilltail species. It is only as fall approaches do they begin to undergo morphological changes that prepare them for adulthood, the most prominent of which involves their respiratory system. Relying on the traditional ram gill system for the majority of their lives, they slowly over the course of several weeks begin to transition to breathing air. As this occurs, the gill lungs they will utilize as adults will begin to grow in, and as they do so, the young srugeing-of-paradise will be compelled to breach the water's surface in order to take a gulp of air. While this doesn't replace their already present gill system, and they only need to surface every other hour or so, this supplement of gaseous oxygen, a substance normally forbidden to the water-bound gilltails, allows them to be much more energetic, which in turn gives them an advantage when it comes to hunting other, smaller prey, including the juveniles of other gilltails.
As winter comes and various pools, ponds, and even the edges of the great Maineaic River begin to freeze over, these juvenile gilltails will begin to undergo a process of transformation in preparation of the warmer months that will surely come once winter has ended. They will begin to burrow into the mud and form small cavities within it, after which they will secrete a thin layer of mucous and cocoon themselves within it, not unlike how some species of lungfishes of Earth do. As they await within their hidden burrows, they rely on their developing gill lungs to take in oxygen as their former gill exits are overgrown in flesh. During this time their pectoral fins begin to enlarge and strengthen in preparation for their first and final flight they will undertake once they emerge from the mud. It also at this time that their gonads begin to fully develop.
Once winter has ended and spring has arrived, the warmth of the sun will warm the mud and awaken the srugeing-of-paradise within, who will then squirm their way to the surface, dry off in the sun's light, and take flight. Compared to its ancestor, the srugeing-of-paradise is fairly similar in regards to overall morphology, with the only main differences being their much more vibrant coloration and enlarged fins. Males of this species have retained the prominent stripes on either side of their bodies, as they are primarily visual-based once they leave the water, and markings like this help to differentiate the sexes. Both sexes maintain their prominent beaks, though while they may now appear to be help agape, they are actually permanently placed like this. Adult srugeing-of-paradise have no need for functioning mouths - which now serve as yet another visual display - for they no longer possess a functioning digestive tract, instead relying on the stores of fat they gathered as juveniles while gorging on a protein-rich diet. They will inevitably starve within two to three days, during which, after they have already broken down their excess fat, will turn to breaking down their own muscles and organs in order to increase their odds of finding a new water source to spawn in, especially if the region is undergoing a drought or similar unfavorable conditions.
The mass flight of the srugeing-of-paradise is a colorful yet ultimately brief display. While thousands will take to the air - and in turn be gorged upon by whatever predators are about, for by this time their toxins have faded - they rarely live past a day. Too battered and bruised as their bodies break down from the strain placed upon them, once they have spawned they will be too tired to do so again and will instead drown in the waters the next generation to come will call home. But from this death, comes new life, as the waters become enriched in nutrients, which in turn feeds the plankton and those that feed upon it, producing a new source of food for the juveniles once they hatch.
A juvenile.
*Note, this species bears a fleshy palate within their beaks, and this lineage has not evolved a tongue.
This post has been edited by Nergali: Jul 8 2021, 11:51 AM
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