Sagan 4 Forum [Menu]

WIP (regarding organ development due to Sealsaycer's potential retcon)
Kadabanjas (Signumsaltator spp.) [When the Spa (croatian), Signal-Dancer]
Creator: Salty
Ancestor: Sealsaycer
Habitat: Ovi, Drake-Orpington, Talon-Dixon-Fermi (Beaches and Wetlands)
Size: 5-10 cm
Support: Endoskeleton (Bone), Shell (Bone Encased in Keratin)
Diet: Omnivore: Deep Moleherbs, Fern Asterplents, Flopleaves, Ghost Mycostrums, Grassterplents, Mellowbulbs, Myserchen, Shootstems, Twistworms, Tabletufts, Mini Wormbacks, Nimblemites, Pentamowers, Plentmowers, Prongleg Scaleworms, Scale Knightworms, juvenile Twistworms, juvenile Wortopedes, juvenile Paneltopedes, juvenile Patroclimas. Larvae: Planktivore (>1 mm)
Thermoregulation: exothermic
Respiration: Active (Internal Gills), Active (Lung-Like Stomach Chamber)
Reproduction: sexual (male and female), eggs

HABITAT
The Kadabanja have adapted further to life on land, and have spread across the exterior beaches and wetlands of the continent of Wright. Adults live in burrows and will feed on flora and fauna on the beach and in the tidal zone. They are still tied to the sea, as few species on land provide the necessary vanadium required for their blood proteins. To deal with winter and other environmental stressors in their range, Kadabanjas are able to undergo brumation.



ENDOSKELETAL DEVELOPMENTS
Their endoskeleton has adapted to better suit life on land. They have an increased number of chevrons to provide support for the body and protect the nervous tissue. The most anterior chevron has developed to partially encase the brain, providing the organ protection and giving a connection point for jaw muscles. Their tail chevrons have also adapted to life on land. In order to more quickly travel around on land, it has adopted a new method of locomotion. Rather than simply dragging its body across the ground, Kadabanjas use their tail to support their weight. The last chevron of their tail has become much larger and broader, supporting a cushion and allowing for the tail's use as a walking limb. Their leg bones have also adapted to this locomotion. The bones have elongated and ossified, and the finger bones have unfused, allowing for greater strength and flexibility. This myriad of changes to the bones have freed up the belly limb and allowed it to regain use. Although it is still too weak to support body weight, it now serves a purpose in sexual selection.



ORGAN DEVELOPMENTS
Their internal organs have also adapted to a more terrestrial lifestyle. The air stomach has become more distinct from the digestive system, shifting away from the gut stomach so as to not risk impairment from a large meal. The internal gil-like folds have increased in scale and complexity, allowing for far better efficiency in breathing in the low oxygen conditions. The connection to the esophagus has also developed into a simple trachea. The muscles around the air stomach provide a simple pumping action to pull air in and out of the organ in sync with the Kadabanjas gulps.
Their cloaca has migrated halfway up the anal arm so as not to be obstructed or damaged while on land. Their eye scales still require shedding in water, but each eyes scale clouds and requires shedding at a different time than the other eyes, this results in the Kadabanja only losing sight in one of its six eyes at a time, and only until it can next shed that eye scale.

REPRODUCTION
The shedding of eye scales and reproduction are their only direct ties to water, as it can live out of the water the rest of the time. Their reproduction is fairly similar to their ancestor, with their eggs hatching into free swimming bilateral offspring. The young live in brackish and salt water, with the majority of species spending their larval stage entirely in the sea. This has allowed the genus to colonize the islands of Huggs and Yokto.



MATING
Mate selection has developed significantly, with the development of fitness displays. The Kadabanjas belly limb has developed into a display fan, showing bright coloration. The color and condition of this fan, along with the range of motion of the belly arm, indicates fitness to mates and rivals alike. Males and females will broadcast their fitness, and have much the same display features and behaviors, as both individuals play equal role in judging the fitness of their prospective mates.

the font used isn't good for diagrams. It looks like an alien alphabet on skim or glance.

QUOTE (Disgustedorite @ Mar 9 2023, 07:17 PM)

the font used isn't good for diagrams. It looks like an alien alphabet on skim or glance.

I did not find the font to be a problem. It could be that, when I read, I read, rather than "skimming".
To what degree, if any, should fonts in diagrams or official art adhere to "skimmable readability" or readability in general? Should this be put to a vote?

The problem is that people with dyslexia may not be able to read it even when trying. I think fonts used for labeling in diagrams should be dyslexia-friendly, at the very least.

It's a comparitively minor point, but I also think it makes sense to reserve display typefaces for large text. I'm a little surprised Coolsteph didn't point that out, actually.

(Side note: anyone, if you ever make a font-related decision that you later regret, you can at least take pride in the fact that it was a better decision than whatever Acclaim Studios was doing when they were making the 2003 platformer "Vexx":)

Click to expand