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Name: Specklesnatch (Banderodoratus maculosus)
Creator: Clayren
Ancestor: Spectresnatch (Banderodoratus phantasmo)
Habitat: Hydro Tropical Rainforest, Hydro Tropical Coast
Size: 65 cm Long
Support: Endoskeleton (Jointed Wood)
Diet: Scavenger, Carnivore (Rainforest Gossalizard eggs and young, Tyrant Gossalizard eggs, Digging Gossalizard eggs and young, Spiny Dwarfjack young, Stubhead Bounder)
Respiration: Active (Lungs)
Thermoregulation: Heterotherm (Basking, Muscle-Generated Heat)
Reproduction: Sexual, Two Genders, Live Birth

The Specklesnatch split from the Spectresnatch over time, largely due to changing environmental conditions and the plentiful prey available outside the Mandate Limestone Caves. The lack of pigment and delicacy of the Spectresnatch’s skin left it vulnerable to even indirect sunlight when outside the cave. Some members of the species, however, began to make short hunting trips outside of the cave at night. Even at night these trips had to be very short and those that lingered too long suffered for it. But the extra prey more than made up for the risk. As time went on some Spectersnatchs re-developed some degree of pigmentation, allowing for longer trips outside at night. In time a speckled pattern developed on the skin of the organism, which resembled the pattern of moonlight shining through the thick canopy of the Barlowe Tropical Rainforest. As the southern half of the Barlowe continent was covered by rising sea levels, the Mandate Limestone Caves were consumed by the Hydro Tropical Sea. Those Spectersnatchs which were capable of living outside of the caves moved out into the Barlowe Tropical Rainforest, which would eventually become the Hydro Tropical Rainforest. The Specklesnatch remains a nocturnal hunter and spends the day in rocky, shaded areas. The dappled skin of its body allows it to move across the jungle floor stealthily, while its flexible purple neck and head blend in with groundcover plants like Tusovendis, Clusterspades, Barnline and Fuzzweed.

The large ears of the Specklesnatch have not only grown larger than those of its ancestor. The tympanic membrane now sits inside of a shallow bowl-shaped depression on either side of the organism's head. The rim of this depression is lined with slightly sticky nodules, which trap stray organisms or bits of shell or bone which might damage the sensitive membrane. It retains a powerful jaw that can break open eggs and crush the bones of small organisms. Its mildly toxic spit, inherited from the Slender Bandersnatch, remains more of an irritant to predators than a useful tool for hunting.

The body of the Specklesnatch is largely unchanged from its nearest living ancestor, with some exceptions. The front legs of the organism have developed long, nerveless nodules, much like those located around the ear. These, however, are not sticky and instead are dragged along the ground to disturb any scents left by passing organisms. This helps its flexible butt-nostril better pick up the scent of prey and predators. Said butt-nostril has grown longer and the olfactory pits more numerous. The rainforest has a much greater quantity of scents than the limestone caves of Barlowe and a more robust array of olfactory pits allows the Specklesnatch to sort them out. The eye-spots on its sides remain rudimentary, mostly used to judge how much time is left until nightfall or morning, based on the quantity of light.

The Specklesnatch is an opportunistic hunter. The eggs of Gossalizards are a major part of its diet, as too are burrows full of defenseless Spiny Dwarfjack juveniles. The Stubhead Bounder is one of the few adult organisms a Specklesnatch will take on. It will attempt to get its maneuverable head behind the Bounder and clamp heavy jaws on the thinnest portion of the tail. This will either prevent respiration or sever the tail and make locomotion difficult. The other Bounders will generally flee when this occurs, rather than risk the loss of another pack member. The Specklesnatch itself lives in a “wraith” of 5-8 individuals which share a cool, rocky nesting area.

This post has been edited by Clayren2:Electric Boogaloo: Jun 10 2021, 02:52 PM

over time in, ("over time")
"organisms head" (Organism's head)
"more powerful" Do you mean the muscles are more powerful, or its senses are stronger?

I like the color and art.

Okay, so I noticed that this only has generation 164 instead of "Generation 164A".

Glad to see bandersnatches getting some more love, especially for one of the weirder lineages of them.

*EDIT*

It occurred to me, but should these perhaps be referred to as spectresnatches like its direct ancestor (aka Speckled Spectresnatches)?

I only bring this up since their is a notable morphological distinction between them and other bandersnatches. The later has retained their eyes and have smaller ears, while the former have no eyes and instead have greatly enlarged ears. Oh, and the later also have eyespots on their backs derived from their wings.

This post has been edited by Nergali: Jun 8 2021, 06:07 PM

QUOTE (Nergali @ Jun 8 2021, 05:59 PM)

Glad to see bandersnatches getting some more love, especially for one of the weirder lineages of them. *EDIT* It occurred to me, but should these perhaps be referred to as spectresnatches like its direct ancestor (aka Speckled Spectresnatches)? I only bring this up since their is a notable morphological distinction between them and other bandersnatches. The later has retained their eyes and have smaller ears, while the former have no eyes and instead have greatly enlarged ears. Oh, and the later also have eyespots on their backs derived from their wings.

Eh, I think it's fine, as it reflects the a-taxonomic weirdness of how a lot of real species are named, regardless of how they're actually related.

You could call it a "False Bandersnatch", a la false vampire bats of Australia having nothing to do with real vampire bats, or mention in the description itself it's actually a Spectresnatch, for clarity's sake.

Other living bandersnatches are also sexually dimorphic, with females being facultative or obligate bipeds that use tools. I think it would be better to use spectresnatch here.

I've changed the name to Specklesnatch. The name Spectresnatch refers to the translucent skin of the ancestor, which is almost certain to go extinct soon since the caves that allowed it to exist have been gone for awhile.

Approval Checklist:
Art:
Art Present?: Y
Art clear?: Y
Gen number?: Y
All limbs shown?: Y
Reasonably Comparable to Ancestor?: Y
Realistic additions?: Y

Name:
Binomial Taxonomic Name?: Y
Creator?: Y

Ancestor:
Listed?: Y
What changes?:

• External?: Pigmentation, Long, nerveless nodules,
• Internal?: Tympanic membrane bowl, ear nodules, more olfactory pits
• Behavioral/Mental?:

Are Changes Realistic?: Y
New Genus Needed?: Y

Habitat:
Type?: 2/2
Flavor?: 1/3
Connected?: Y
Wildcard?: N/A

Size:
Same as Ancestor?: N
Within range?: N (30 cm -> 65 cm) Should be 2x of ancestor
Exception?: Maybe?

Support:
Same as Ancestor?: Y
Reasonable changes (if any)?: N/A
Other?: N/A

Diet:
Same as Ancestor?: Y
Transition Rule?: N/A
Reasonable changes (if any)?: N/A

Respiration:
Same as Ancestor?: Y
Does It Fit Habitat?: Y
Reasonable changes (if any)?: N/A
Other?: N/A

Thermoregulation:
Same as Ancestor?: Y
Does It Fit Habitat?: Y
Reasonable changes (if any)?: N/A
Other?: N/A

Reproduction:
Same as Ancestor?: Y
Does It Fit Habitat?: Y
Reasonable changes (if any)?: N/A
Other?: N/A

Description:
Length?: Good
Capitalized correctly?: N
Replace/Split from ancestor?: Split
Other?: N/A

Status: Pending

I'm moving this to the Graveyard due to lack of timely response. Please resubmit when Next Gen opens