Sagan 4 Forum [Menu]

Reef Phlock (Micansihippus chiesa)

Creator: Hydromancerx
Ancestor: Argeiphlock
Habitat : Dass Temperate Coast, Wind Temperate Coast, Dass Temperate Coast, Wind Temperate Beach
Size: 70 cm Long
Support: Unknown
Diet: Herbivore (Pioneeroots, Marbleflora, Snotflora, Twinkorals, Twinkiiros, Marine Crystals, Flashkelps, Chitjorns), Photosynthesis
Respiration: Active (Lungs)
Thermoregulation: Endotherm
Reproduction: Sexual, Live Birth, Two Genders

The Reef Phlock split from its ancestor the Argeiphlock. It has moved to the coast where it could better escape predators into water or back onto land. Like most phlocks they travel in herds and graze the local flora. They eat micro-flora that grows on the shore or in the shallows. It uses its butt-nostril to breathe while eating submerged. its body is fatter with blubber to both help it retain heat in the cool coastal waters but also keep it buoyant in the water. Due to this they cannot go too deep into the water. But it helps keep them from drowning like a life vest.

They are very social and will warn others of predators by making a tooting sound from their butt-nostrils. Their bodies are covered in marine flora. This both helps camouflage females but deter predators.Males on the other hand have bright red wings that resemble Earth coral. The bright red is used as a mating display much like antlers or a peacock tail. Their sticky plent-sweat contains "rooting hormones" to keep the flora from washing off. Some subspecies of Twinkorals now specialize in growing only on Reef Phlocks due to their ability to protect them from herbivores. Their butt-nostirls are yellow to mimic Twinkorals so it is not so bvious where they are breathing from. They also can close up when submerged underwater. When snotflora blooms they sometimes can develop a toxin in their blubber. They are immune to the snofloa toxin, but predators who eat them during this time can get sick. Their hoofs are now spade to help better dig in the sand.

Much like their ancient ancestor they nest communally, producing many young to counter their high predation rates. While the females tend to their offspring, males will keep watch on full alert for danger. These nesting grounds are on the shore and are used each mating season. Since babies do not have enough toxin in their blubber they are easy targets for predators.Thus their parents must be vigilant.

This post has been edited by Hydromancerx: Nov 16 2021, 01:07 PM

"They eat micro-flora that grows on the shore or in the shallows.it uses its butt-nostril to breathe while eating submerged. its body is fatter with blubber to both help it retain heat in the cool coastal waters but also keep it buoyant in the water."

There's a punctuation error or two in this part here

"They are very social and will warn others of predators by making a tooting sound from their butt-nostrils. Their bodies are covered in marine flora. this both helps camouflage females but deter predators.Males on the other hand have bright red wings that resemble Earth coal. When snotflora is blooming they sometimes can develop a toxin in their blubber. They are immune to the snofloa toxin but predators who eat them during this time can get sick."

More grammar, spelling, and spacing errors

Also, how does it hear each other's sounds while submerged in the water, or am I overthinking that part?

Also, for it to grow marine flora on it, I am to understand that its metabolism has reduced? Since that is how sloths can grow algae on their fur, whereas the case for sea turtles growing excess barnacles on them tends to be a sign of poor health.

So wait, why would a fleet footed species of phlock go down this route? If anything wouldn’t it make more sense for one of the more basal species to do this?

Also what is going on with their hooves? They look very odd...

This post has been edited by OviraptorFan: Nov 16 2021, 06:03 AM

QUOTE (OviraptorFan @ Nov 15 2021, 07:22 PM)

So wait, why would a fleet footed species of phlock go down this route? If anything wouldn’t it make more sense for one of the more basal species to do this?

Sagan 4 Alpha does not, at least for the moment, distinguish between subpolar and polar biomes. It could be that it got fatter to adapt to harsh subpolar winters in parts of its range, which necessarily slowed it down somewhat, but additionally made it more buoyant, and perhaps increased its tolerance for immersion in cold water. If it had reason to go into the water frequently, such as a predator that wasn't especially good at swimming or couldn't dry itself off quickly when that was a health concern, or there being more or higher-quality food in the water, or both, it might go in the direction of being a blubbery semiaquatic herbivore.

I'm also not sure how the flora can grow on it, much less in such abundance. Does it have rock-like skin that provides an ideal attachment point? Does its plent-sweat contain "rooting" hormones or a sticky compound? Does it deliberately glue it on? Are these commensal, specialized species?

"snofloa"
That's a typo of "snotflora", because this doesn't seem to a bizarre Snoa flora. (The Mostly Purple Snoa is the only Snoa descendant to still have "snoa" in its name, anyway.)

The stuff growing on them can be like algae growing on manatees.

Though I think it should be mentioned a bit.

What are the red parts on the wings? I'm afraid that this looks like some kind of cartoon coral monster more than an actual animal. I'm sad about this, because I like the concept. I just feel like it needs some changes.

QUOTE (CosmoRomanticist @ Nov 16 2021, 11:16 AM)

What are the red parts on the wings? I'm afraid that this looks like some kind of cartoon coral monster more than an actual animal. I'm sad about this, because I like the concept. I just feel like it needs some changes.

"Males on the other hand have bright red wings that resemble Earth coal. [sic]".
Those seem to be large, colorful display structures, and not camouflage, much like the tail feathers of peacocks. If, somehow, that's not considered plausible, it shouldn't be too hard for someone to make a Candycane Bonegrass descendant after the fact that looks like those red wings, or modify the art so it looks a little like Candycane Bonegrass.

QUOTE (CosmoRomanticist @ Nov 16 2021, 12:16 PM)

What are the red parts on the wings? I'm afraid that this looks like some kind of cartoon coral monster more than an actual animal. I'm sad about this, because I like the concept. I just feel like it needs some changes.

There are actual animals that look like this.

QUOTE (OviraptorFan @ Nov 15 2021, 05:22 PM)

So wait, why would a fleet footed species of phlock go down this route? If anything wouldn’t it make more sense for one of the more basal species to do this?

it was the only one that had an adjacent biome to the beach. The others were too far.

QUOTE (OviraptorFan @ Nov 15 2021, 05:22 PM)

Also what is going on with their hooves? They look very odd...

i added some text about it now.

This post has been edited by Hydromancerx: Nov 16 2021, 12:55 PM

QUOTE (CosmoRomanticist @ Nov 16 2021, 09:16 AM)

What are the red parts on the wings? I'm afraid that this looks like some kind of cartoon coral monster more than an actual animal. I'm sad about this, because I like the concept. I just feel like it needs some changes.

They are only on males as a mating display. Think of it like antlers.

So what is it photosynthesizing with? it seems to not have any anthocyanin in its main tissues and there is no chlorophyll visible on the underside of its wings.

Also, after with discussion with the taxonomy team, it was decided that this should be a new genus. May we suggest Fuscornatitherium (beast that is decorated with algae)?

This post has been edited by OviraptorFan: Nov 17 2021, 10:34 AM

Seconded. I'm not sure plents can even be that color (teal) without structural color, which their green pigments would interfere with, so unless there's justification, it shouldn't be performing photosynthesis anymore.

Mmm, there's teal hostas and conifers.
Wouldn't say they're quite that shade though.

Approval Checklist:
Art:
Art Present?: Y
Art clear?: Y
Gen number?: Y
All limbs shown?: Y
Reasonably Comparable to Ancestor?: N
Realistic additions?: Not exactly, will explain as I go.

Name: Reef Phlock
Binomial Taxonomic Name?: Micansihippus chiesa
Creator?: Hydromancerx

Ancestor: Argeiphlock
Listed?: Y
What changes?:

• External?: Flora hanging on to its body, teal color, blubber, red structures on males, Smaller size???
• Internal?: "Rooting Hormones", Sometimes toxic blubber
• Behavioral/Mental?: Lifting its tail out of the water

Are Changes Realistic?: Only the teal color is. Otherwise, no. The "rooting hormones" appearing make less sense for this organism when it could have a more textured body and a lower metabolism, which would make more sense for the flora to attach; furthermore, how the flora looks on its body reminds me more of a Pokemon design than something for Sagan 4 admittedly, the red structures on the male would probably also catch the attention of predators, which should be acknowledged. Also, I'm rather surprised it is smaller rather than larger with its design in mind. As OviFan mentioned, why would a fleet-footed phlock make such a sudden change to this form without any sort of transitional species in between?
New Genus Needed?: Yes, this is admittedly quite a leap from the Argeiphlock that there's no way it should retain its ancestor's genus name.

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

Size:
Same as Ancestor?: N
Within range?: Y
Exception?:

Support:
Same as Ancestor?:
Reasonable changes (if any)?:
Other?:

Diet: Herbivore
Same as Ancestor?: Y
Transition Rule?:
Reasonable changes (if any)?:

Respiration: Active (Lungs)
Same as Ancestor?: Y
Does It Fit Habitat?: Y
Reasonable changes (if any)?:
Other?:

Thermoregulation: Endotherm
Same as Ancestor?: Y
Does It Fit Habitat?: Almost
Reasonable changes (if any)?: Added on blubber, but did not mention it under Thermoregulation
Other?:

Reproduction: Sexual, Live Birth, Two Genders
Same as Ancestor?: Y
Does It Fit Habitat?: Y
Reasonable changes (if any)?:
Other?:

Description:
Length?: Reasonable
Capitalized correctly?: Y, but grammar errors are rife in the description
Replace/Split from ancestor?: Split
Other?:

Status: Rejected (I regret to inform you that this species will have to be rejected due to the reasons listed. However, you can try again with a more primitive phlock, a transitional species, and a redraw of the Reef Phlock that meets these critiques)

Species should not be rejected for fixable errors. I believe that this can be fixed easily by replacing the rooting hormones with something like a skin texture that these flora are able to grow on easily, causing them to naturally grow on it like they would on a rock.