I believe coolsteph has a point about the bejeweled emperor scylarian, so I propose this rewrite:
"One of the larger splits off the rosy scylarian, the bejeweled emperor scylarian has evolved a more robust, powerful form, as well as a prominent tailfin and larger flippers. A much more capable swimmer than any scylarian that has come before it, they effortlessly cruse through the water column, only occasionally slowing down in order to bask near the surface. While one might view this as them being slow swimmers, the truth is in fact the opposite, as they can produce enough power and speed through movement of their tailfins in order to breach the water's surface and rise several feet into the air. The truth behind their periods of near-stillness is that it attracts various smaller sea life to them that will gladly clean their bodies of external parasites.
These scylarian mate for life, forming pairs that will stick together for their entire lives, which can be as long as twenty years. Working together, they cooperate to hunt down various smaller prey species, often forcing them into bait balls before slamming into them with mouths agape in order to devour as many as they can, as well as potentially stun others for later consumption once the prey inevitably disperse. Young - often born in groups of seven or eight - are showed no parental care, and will often shelter themselves beneath the tangled roots of islandballs similar floating structures out in the ocean. Should they survive their youths, they will reach their full size with three years and attain sexual maturity within another. Once they do so, they will often seek out a mate with which to spend the rest of their lives with. Should either mate die off, though, such as to predation, they will not seek out another.
Their name arises from their bones, which, upon the removal of the surrounding flesh, appear to be nearly an iridescent shade of green in color. At a glance, one would not be faulted for thinking that it was the bones themselves that have taken up this near-luminescent, vibrant coloration, but this is not what is going on here. In actuality, this emerald-like hue is due to the presence of a pigment known as biliverdin that, like in the gar and such of Earth, saturates the structural protein known as collagen that encompasses the bones, particularly in the regions of the spin. This overly pigment-rich protein is the true source of the coloration, for without it, the bones of the bejeweled emperor scylarian would be no different from those of any of its kin."
- - -
I like the design of the tambuck, and I'm getting some mink/otter vibes from its appearance.
"One of the larger splits off the rosy scylarian, the bejeweled emperor scylarian has evolved a more robust, powerful form, as well as a prominent tailfin and larger flippers. A much more capable swimmer than any scylarian that has come before it, they effortlessly cruse through the water column, only occasionally slowing down in order to bask near the surface. While one might view this as them being slow swimmers, the truth is in fact the opposite, as they can produce enough power and speed through movement of their tailfins in order to breach the water's surface and rise several feet into the air. The truth behind their periods of near-stillness is that it attracts various smaller sea life to them that will gladly clean their bodies of external parasites.
These scylarian mate for life, forming pairs that will stick together for their entire lives, which can be as long as twenty years. Working together, they cooperate to hunt down various smaller prey species, often forcing them into bait balls before slamming into them with mouths agape in order to devour as many as they can, as well as potentially stun others for later consumption once the prey inevitably disperse. Young - often born in groups of seven or eight - are showed no parental care, and will often shelter themselves beneath the tangled roots of islandballs similar floating structures out in the ocean. Should they survive their youths, they will reach their full size with three years and attain sexual maturity within another. Once they do so, they will often seek out a mate with which to spend the rest of their lives with. Should either mate die off, though, such as to predation, they will not seek out another.
Their name arises from their bones, which, upon the removal of the surrounding flesh, appear to be nearly an iridescent shade of green in color. At a glance, one would not be faulted for thinking that it was the bones themselves that have taken up this near-luminescent, vibrant coloration, but this is not what is going on here. In actuality, this emerald-like hue is due to the presence of a pigment known as biliverdin that, like in the gar and such of Earth, saturates the structural protein known as collagen that encompasses the bones, particularly in the regions of the spin. This overly pigment-rich protein is the true source of the coloration, for without it, the bones of the bejeweled emperor scylarian would be no different from those of any of its kin."
- - -
I like the design of the tambuck, and I'm getting some mink/otter vibes from its appearance.
I agree with coolsteph, since that would be a sufficient diet for such small predators. In addition, I agree with cube about the potential fix for the pedesorms, since that would allow for more active descendants (though it still leaves the issue that one of them evolved bones).
It'll be interesting to see how these affect the fauna, since they should technically make it easier for some species to climb up these titanous trees.
Pygmy Lyngbakr (Taumafiskur parvosicete)
Creator: Nergali
Ancestor: River Lyngbakr
Habitat: Maineiac Temperate Coast, North Jujubee Temperate Ocean Sunlight Zone, Jujubee Tropical Ocean Sunlight Zone, South Jujubee Temperate Ocean Sunlight Zone, Oz Temperate Coast, Hydro Tropical Coast, Jlindy Tropical Coast, Dass Temperate Coast, Soma Temperate Coast, Chum Tropical Coast, Elerd Temperate Coast, Driftwood Islands Tropical Shallows, Driftwood Islands Temperate Shallows
Size: 4 m Long
Support: ???
Diet: Carnivore (Strainerbeak, Scuttleball Gillfin, Shadow Seaswimmer, Sardchovy, Pebbleback, Cerulean Gillfin, Bejeweled Emperor Scylarian, Royal Scylarian, Hullback, Diamond Pumpgill, Bigmouth Strainerbeak, Ceryco, Ocean Scorpodile, Bargeskin, Torpcoat, Marine Tamow, Tilepillar, Plump Gillfin, Speartooth Seaswimmer, Rusty Seaswimmer, Hemodohve, Sindohve, Sinduhk, Jlindohve, Southern Strainerbeak, Crushermaw Scylarian, Spineflipper, Aqueryn, Aabaalki, Fiesta Leafshell, Hustlyn, Coasterlina Leafshell, Tamwodjir, Shorelance), Scavenger
Respiration: Semi-Active: Ram Gills
Thermoregulation: Ectotherm
Reproduction: Sexual, Live Birth, 2 Genders
With a turn towards predation, the river lyngbakr found itself taking up the mantle of apex predator within the regions it inhabited and dominating a niche that previously had only been held in the open ocean by the hafgufas. No longer would they be content to dine just upon plankton and shoals of tiny gilltails like most other lyngbakrs, for instead they had turned to actively hunting much more sizeable prey, such as seaswimmers and scorpodiles. With time, as competition grew within the great Maineiac river, some descendants of these powerful predators made their way back towards ocean. They did not, however, remain the huge predators that stalked the riverways, but had instead shrunk in size. They were now pygmies amongst their own kind.
While still fairly large for a scylarian, this rather dramatic shift in size came about as an adaptation towards hunting. Lacking a very hydrodynamic form - the morphology of most earlier lynbakrs bore remnants of their ancient scylarian's serpentine form, and were slow, passive planktivores - their tails have begun the process of being selected towards a more lunate shape. Evolutionary pressure is selecting for thinner, taller tails, not unlike those seen in terrorfang hafgufas, but such a process takes time. While the shape would be poorly suited for fast-paced swimming in a larger organism, a much smaller one, meanwhile, would be able to better utilize it, and as such over the generations these lyngbakrs have grown smaller overtime. While they are unable to terrorize anything even close to approaching their own size, they are more than capable of hunting down a variety of smaller prey species, as long as they can either catch them unaware our outpace them.
Forming pods of up to thirty members, they loosely group together in the search of prey, relying on their numbers to confuse and overwhelm prey while at the same time deterring would-be predators. Mating occurs year-round, with the resulting offspring being born after nearly a year-long gestation period. Said young will remain with the pod for up to four or five years, after which the males will head off to live on their own or form smaller packs of three to five members, while the females will remain with the original pod. The average lifespan for a pygmy lynbakr, assuming it doesn't succumb to wounds, disease, predation or otherwise, is about twenty years, though some particularly venerable members may live as long as forty.
When do people think we should hold the vote for Prime Specimen? I know some people's submissions are still WIP. Do you all think you'll be ready by the end of the week?
Oh, I must have missed that when I copied my format. So very sorry, it should be fixed now.
| QUOTE (Disgustedorite @ Jun 20 2021, 01:04 AM) |
| Anyway, the changes to those species in the redraws seem a bit large. Could you justify some of the changes / explain why they were made? Nergali |
Quite simple. One, I was trying to make them more naturalistically colored, and two, I was trying to make them more resemble the overall look of the rosy scylarian, that way it made more sense that they evolved from it, rather than the original ones being seemingly more drastic in terms of changes.
Since the original Srugeing didn't depict it, I wouldn't force anyone else to do so, especially since on the discord we've been discussing what the larval/juvenile form looks like.
Other than that, this is a beautiful looking srugeing, and I like the coloration a lot, as well as the design of the beak.
Other than that, this is a beautiful looking srugeing, and I like the coloration a lot, as well as the design of the beak.
Just as I've said before on the discord, this is a very interesting species and I like it a lot.
It's adapting to cold environments? Neat! That's one way to beat the competition, as I doubt many other species will be able to live there, so they'll have those regions all to themselves.
I concur. It also looks very beautiful, and it never occurred to me to go seahorse/bat. That's really creative.
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.
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.
I am submitting updated artwork for two of my older scylarians, the Bejeweled Emperor Scylarian and the Needlenose Scylarian. I'll post both so that the comparisons can be made.
Old Artwork
New Artwork
Old Artwork
New Artwork
Old Artwork
New Artwork
Old Artwork
New Artwork
| QUOTE (Coolsteph @ Jun 17 2021, 09:24 AM) |
| Feel free to make the Caliga extinct: its artwork is the ugliest official artwork I've ever submitted. If there's ever an official-art re-do option, I'll do that one first. |
I believe that you can? You just need to have it checked out like any species submission.
What a delightful new predator, certainly a shocking new development on the ocean scene, it seems.
Thanks for pointing those out, I fixed them. And yes, it's good to see Fermi getting some diversification. Though I believe Fermi has 4 habitats, since it has a tundra too, unless you were counting both beaches as one.
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.
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.
Made the changes, and yes, referring to the flora as purplery instead of greenery was intentional, given how much their is. As for seashrogs, that is possible, but I'd leave that to dorite to decide if they would hunt these.
Made the fixes. I also fixed the reproduction due to an error pointed out to me on the discord.
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.
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.
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