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Name: Slugger (Gymnosaliankas pistos)
Ancestor: Common Oceanscooter, Drakescooter
Creator: HethrJarrod
Habitat: Sparks Tropical Beach, Steiner Tropical Beach Archipelago, Steiner Subtropical Beach Archipelago, Steiner Tropical Mangal, Steiner Subtropical Mangal, Russ Subtropical Coast, Sparks Tropical Coast
Size: 16 cm long
Support: Endoskeleton (Cellulose)
Diet: Herbivore (Twinkiiros, Pioneer Twinkolemon, Pioneer Twinkorn, Pioneer Twinkoshroom, Pioneer Trunkiiro, Pioneer Twinkoral, Buoy Twinkoral, Joined Twinkoral, Platebranch Twinkoral, Pioneeroots, Marbleflora), Coprophage, Scavenger, Photosynthesis
Respiration: unknown
Thermoregulation: Ectotherm
Reproduction: Sexual, Spawning, Two Sexes

The slugger is the result of the common oceanscooter and drakescooter reproducing in the same pool of water. That both organisms had the same ancestor, the seascooter, produced some genetic abnormalities that by chance proved beneficial instead of an instant death.

Like the ocean scooter, the slugger is more adapted to aquatic life. The toes have grown a patagium extending back to the tip of the tail. They have the beginnings of a support skeleton, a U-shaped rod of flexible cellulose. Its muscles and tendons attach to this rod, allowing them greater speed in the water. By flapping its limbs it can produce an undulating motion which is very effective underwater.

However, like the drakescooter, it can leave the water and crawl onto shore. Like the drakescooter, the slugger has a throat pouch that can be filled with water. It uses this so that it doesn’t dry out on land. It can also use this water to slowly dissolve its food. While waiting for food to digest they will rest on the beach. Along with twinkiiros, they also dine on squaphaneer, slaesosaur, phlinch, and nixie dung as well. It will eat almost anything.

Like both of its ancestors, the slugger has a series of spikes that deter predators by creating an electric current through them. They are used as warning calls to notify other Sluggers of an encroaching predator, such as a Phlinch. They will shock predators that get too close.

The slugger will crawl onto land every spring and spawn in pools of water. They then crawl back to the ocean. Sluggers mature rapidly, in a manner of a week once fertilized. They live for two to three years.

Fun Fact: Its excrement helps to build the wonderful sandy beaches of the Steiner archipelago.

Supplemental Images:






This post has been edited by HethrJarrod: May 20 2023, 03:44 AM

Ah, a beach builder

Review (WIP)

ART
Art Present?: Yes.
Art Clear?: Yes.
Gen Number?: Yes.
All Limbs Shown?: No.
Reasonably Comparable to Ancestor?: No. There appears to be no remnant of the leg-like limbs of the ancestor.
Realistic Additions?: No.

NAME
Binomial Taxonomic Name?: Yes.
Creator?: Yes.

ANCESTOR
Listed?: Yes.
What Changes?: Multiple.
External?: Dramatic external changes, especially in regards to the limbs.
Internal?: They have begun to evolve an endoskeleton composed of cellulose.
Behavioral/Mental?: No longer territorial in regards to food supplies.
Are Changes Realistic?: External changes at the very least have not been explained.
New Genus Needed?: Yes.

HABITAT
Type?: 3
Flavor?: 2
Connected?: Yes.
Wildcard?: No.

SIZE
Same as Ancestor?: Yes.
Within Range?: N/A.
Exception?: N/A.

SUPPORT
Same as Ancestor?: No.
Does It Fit Habitat?: No.
Reasonable Changes (if any)?: No.
Other?: Appears to be based on a notochord (at least in appearance), but is connected to the spines and such, which would cause it issues.

DIET
Same as Ancestor?: No.
Transition Rule?: Yes.
Reasonable Changes (if any)?: Yes.

RESPIRATION
Same as Ancestor?: Unknown, but presumably similar.
Does It Fit Habitat?: -
Reasonable Changes (if any)?: N/A.
Other?: N/A.

THERMOREGULATION
Same as Ancestor?: Unknown, but presumably similar.
Does It Fit Habitat?: -
Reasonable Changes (if any)?: N/A.
Other?: N/A.

REPRODUCTION
Same as Ancestor?: Yes.
Does It Fit Habitat?: Yes.
Reasonable Changes (if any)?: N/A.
Other?: N/A.

DESCRIPTION
Length?: Fairly short, should be expanded.
Capitalized Correctly?: Yes.
Replace/Split from Ancestor?: Split/
Other?: N/A.

Opinion: Rejected. The primary issue is that the morphological changes are fairly drastic and are not well explained.

This post has been edited by Nergali: May 19 2023, 07:19 PM

The legs and toes are still there, just a bit more realistic. Since it had been decided that most scooters did not have a much in support structure.

The legs and toes are the leading edge. They connect back to the tail in a fleshy patagium.

Changed a few things around in the description.

Decided to go with an ancestor that was a better fit, to hopefully get this thing working.

Common ocean scooter is a great ancestor choice.

While such a hybrid is allowed by the letter of the rule, would it not result in unfit offspring that cannot function on land or in water and thus die without reproducing?

Even if not, why would it evolve this undulating fin instead of going for an oceanscooter-like fin which it would already have the genes for and doesn't have to spend millions of years changing over to?

What was the advantage to batoid locomotion again? Maneuverability?

https://sagan4alpha.miraheze.org/wiki/Flatscooter

I actually wonder about this guy as an ancestor if you want something flat.

Predation after hidden prey could select for maneuverability, alternatively if already flat escape from predators by sudden direction change.

This post has been edited by colddigger: May 20 2023, 08:50 AM

Please move this to the graveyard. I am no longer working on it.