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Obsiditall (Leucofolium longitruncus)
Creator: Disgustedorite
Ancestor: Obsidibarrage
Habitat: Barlowe Temperate Rainforest, Barlowe Temperate Woodland, Barlowe Chaparral, Hydro Tropical Rainforest
Size: 60 meters tall
Diet: Photosynthesis
Reproduction: Sexual (Airborne Cylindrical Spores)

The Obsiditall split from its ancestor. To make itself more difficult to prey on or knock down, it has become significantly taller. To help support its height, it also has more leaves. In order to avoid overheating in the warmer parts of its range, it has gained a set of white, highly-vascularized leaves which excess heat radiates from. These are near its top as to prevent them from being eaten and to place them in the coolest air it can access. It uses nastic movement to raise and lower these leaves as needed, such as to move them out of the way or shade overheating leaves. The main black leaves, too, can move, helping to prevent any given leaf from overheating while still tracking the sun. Living in environments wet enough where dehydration isn’t an issue, it can even secrete fluid--in this case, water mixed with some amount of waste--to evaporate and take excess heat with it; in essence, this tree can sweat. The leaves are similar to palm leaves in shape, as this makes it where (in young trees) only part may be bitten off instead of a whole leaf; though they are more numerous and redundant than its ancestor’s, its leaves are so large that doing otherwise would be very expensive. The change in shape also improves the Obsiditall's ability to survive powerful gusts of wind.

The Obsiditall has more leaves than its ancestor. This helps support its immense size. It now has multiple reproductive stalks, which are hidden deep in its leaves for protection. As before, they keep growing more and more spore chambers, which eventually drop and release their spores into the wind on the way down. The chambers do not get trapped in the leaves because of their round shape, which rolls and slides with ease. In addition to wind, fauna and rainwater will also spread the spores. Indeed, water is a necessary component for unrelated spores to meet and form a zygote.

Due to its airborne spores, the Obsiditall is present in both Hydro and Barlowe, the spores easily being carried between the two islands by wind.

This post has been edited by Disgustedorite: Nov 29 2020, 09:46 PM

Lahn (Gramenovermis vulgaris)

Creator: Bufforpington
Ancestor: Lahnworm
Habitat: Drake Plains, Drake High Grassland, Drake Chaparral, Drake Rocky
Size: 30 cm Long (Males), 25 cm Tall (Females)
Diet: Herbivore (Supershrooms, Sunstalks, Cryobowls, Glaalgaes, Pioneeroots, Marbleflora, Tepoflora, Fuzzweed), Detritivore, Photosynthesis (Males) Photosynthesis, Detritivore (Females)
Reproduction: Sexual, Sequential Hermaphrodite (Eggs)

The lahn evolved from a population of lahnworms that became sequential hermaphrodites, with the males looking nearly identical to their ancestors, and the females taking up a lifestyle similar to the long extinct treeworm with some notable differences. Because of its similarities with its ancestor, the lahn has replaced its ancestor in Drake Chaparral. However, the lahn failed to replace the lahnworm in Drake High Grassland due to its inability to cross Slarti Polar River, survive on the beach, or survive in wooded and polar environments. As a result, the lahnworm lives in the lands north of Slarti Polar River, while the lahn dominates all lands to the south.

The female lahn has forgone a motile lifestyle and remains planted in the ground. This allows it to survive off of photosynthesis alone. The females have lost their eyes during their metamorphosis, and their tail and cloaca protrude from the ground like a snorkel. Its feet and tongue have been modified into root-like structures so that it can remain planted into the ground. However, the tongue is the only root-like appendage capable of collecting nutrients. This tongue will continue growing throughout its lifespan, constantly searching for new nutrients and detritus to collect. Over time, the tongue will arch under the creature's body and branch into a dense network. As a result, young females can be identified by their feet-roots and tongue-root being the same length and face in the same direction, while older ones have a longer tongue-root that arches beneath the body. Females have another derivative trait, which is their bioluminescent leaves. These are used to attract males during the mating season. These leaf-lights are situated at the tips of its largest leaves, and only are lit at night during the mating season. Female lahns will store sugars inside of their leaves during the fall. When winter arrives, the females will use their stored sugar in combination with their ability to absorb heat through their leaves to survive during the winter. The leaves of the female lahn are succulent and have the texture similar to beef and have a bland, mildly sweet flavor. Females occur in high population densities, blanketing Drake Grassland, Drake Chaparral, and the southern part of Drake High Grassland in a layer of dark blue. This thick field of female lahns glows turquoise during the mating season, giving the fields they inhabit an otherworldly quality. The population distribution of female lahns in Drake Rocky however, is more sporadic, with patches occurring wherever the soil is loose enough for them to take root.

Male lahns are very similar to their ancestor, the Lahnworm, with two exceptions. Male lahns have thinner, less bushy leaves than their ancestor and have a predominately herbivorous diet. Males will roam in 'lawns' like their ancestor, searching for patches of small flora to graze on. Males will also feed on fallen leaves and other decaying plant matter. Males primarily feed on Marbleflora, Pioneeroots, Sunstalks, and Fuzzweed during the spring, summer, and fall and feed on glaalgaes, cryobowls, and supershrooms during the winter. The males use the same adaptations the females use to survive the winter. Males often find safety when travelling through fields of female lahns, as their leaves are the only visible part while travelling among the females, making them hard for predators to spot.

The life cycle of the lahn has become more complex. The lahn begins life as a male, and will continuously consume small genus group flora until it reaches maturity. The flora it selects becomes larger as the young lahn grows. This takes about one month. The male will then remain a male for about three years. Upon reaching the third year, the male will bury itself into the ground, leaving only its cloaca and leaves exposed. The male will then metamorphose into a female, which can live for 25 years if not consumed. The lahn's mating season occurs in the middle of spring. Males will select females with the brightest leaves. However, males will have a harder time determining the precise brightness of female leaves in settings where the females form sprawling grasslands. This results in the grassland populations have dimmer leaves than those in Drake Rocky. After mating with a female, the male will keep the eggs in his cloaca until they hatch. The eggs take about one month to fully develop before hatching. When this happens, the male will release the young lahns from his cloaca.

This post has been edited by Bufforpington: Nov 30 2020, 11:26 AM

Tasseled Phibi
(Amphiworm pilofunis)

Creator: Bufforpington
Ancestor: Cave Phibi
Habitat: Dixon-Darwin Water Table, Vivus Water Table
Size: 70 cm Long
Diet: Omnivore (Ghost Crystal, Table Kory, Cave Diaminet, Cave Prickworm, Clingerpede)
Reproduction: Sexual, Spawning, Eggs in Water

The tasseled phibi split from the cave phibi when a population added the abundant, unexploited crystal flora to their diet of shelled fauna. The largest of these species, the ghost crystal, caused this new species of phibi to select for larger sizes. This was reinforced further by the sheer size of the clingerpede. However, this size change made the cavepedes too small to serve as a proper food source, preventing them from entirely replacing their ancestor. Most of the tasseled phibi's old feelers have been modified into spikes. These spikes serve to support the tasseled phibi's fins and provide protection for the fry. In spite of this, the tasseled phibi's sensory capabilities have massively improved from its ancestor. The remaining tendrils have become much longer and more complex. The tasseled phibi has also developed two tendrils just above the eyes. These tendrils can be moved at will and are covered in the sensitive hairs that once only occurred at the tips of their fins. These sensitive hairs are also capable of detecting vibrations within a two meter diameter. The tendrils are also equipped with chemoreceptors. Unlike their ancestor, the cave phibi, the tassleled phibi will not reflexively snap at anything that touches it. Meanwhile, the tasseled phibi's eyes have atrophied into oblivion due to them being selected against as a means of conserving resources. Due to their large size and nutrient-poor environment, the tasseled phibi is more sluggish than their ancestors. The only time tasseled phibis will make any drastic movements is when they are in some sort of danger.

This post has been edited by Bufforpington: Dec 24 2020, 12:17 PM

Weeping Baseejie (Crystallumaetas lacricorona)

Creator: Bufforpington
Ancestor: Baseejie
Habitat: Ramul Temperate Beach, Soma Temperate Beach, Soma Temperate Coast
Size: 4.5 m Tall
Diet: Photosynthesis
Reproduction: Asexual (Spore-Fruit, Budding)

The weeping baseejie split from its ancestor and has moved closer to the coast. It has developed a variety of adaptations that allow it to survive along the shoreline. The first of these adaptations is the lenticel-covered adventitious roots that sprout from the exposed sections of the weeping baseejie's roots. These gas-absorbing lenticels allow the weeping baseejie to compensate for the gas-poor, waterlogged soil of the shoreline. While the weeping baseejie can live in the shallow waters of Soma Temperate Coast, they only occur within the intertidal zone, as the spores don't sink in water and thus, cannot take root.

The weeping baseejie's main defense against salt can be found its large, crystalline leaves. All of the leaves are now hollow like that of their ancestors' fruit leaves. The leaves will pump out hypersaline brine, which trickles out of the leaves' pores. This gives the tree the appearance of it sweating or crying. These leaves grow in groups of three in whorls of four. The weeping baseejie will transfer sugar into its leaves during the fall as a means to prevent its cells from being killed by the cold. The weeping baseejie also enters a state of reduced activity over the winter as a means of conserving its energy. This state of torpor gives way to outright hibernation in the population of weeping baseejies living along the section of Soma Temperate Beach that is adjacent to Drake Taiga. When spring arrives, the sugars will be released from the leaves with the usual salt. Contrarily, populations living on Ramul Island do not hibernate at all.

The weeping baseejie will also produce a whorl of eight spore-fruits just below the leaves throughout the summer in Drake, and all year on Ramul Island. These fruits are derived from their ancestors' spore-filled 'flowers'. However, these fruits are meant to be consumed by their 'pollinator', the courier phlyer. The fruits of the weeping baseejie are filled with a somewhat sticky, sweet jelly that tastes similar to sugar-coated strawberries. While the fruits still retain their pores, xenobees have a tougher time slurping out the thick jelly and the spores have a lower dispersal rate than if they were consumed by the courier phlyer.

This post has been edited by Bufforpington: Dec 2 2020, 05:22 PM

Greatcap Baseejie (Crystallumaetas teguladomus)

Creator: Bufforpington
Ancestor: Baseejie
Habitat: Drake Temperate Woodland, Ramul Temperate Woodland
Size: 9 m Tall
Diet: Photosynthesis
Reproduction: Sexual (Crystal fruit and flowers), Asexual (Budding)

The greatcap baseejie has split from the baseejie. It has grown to incredibly sizes and stretches high above the canopy of Drake's temperate woodlands. Their leaves are now arranged into a dense dome of rectangular prisms protruding from a dense tangle of branches. This allows the greatcap baseejie to shade out competitors. This odd amalgamation of leaves combined with their glossy sheen furthers the greatcap baseejie's uncanny appearance, making it almost look like a simple tree from a television show using bad CGI. This effect is particularly noticeable from a distance, where the jagged bottom of the tree is hard to define. During the winter, the greatcap baseejie will shed its leaves and hibernate. However, the population living on the warmer Ramul Island remain active all year. The greatcap baseejie's shading capabilities makes it the dominant species in secondary growth forests.

The greatcap baseejie has advanced its reproductive capabilities considerably. Like the weeping baseejie, the greatcap baseejie produces fruits derived from its ancestor's 'flowers'. However, unlike the greatcap baseejie, these fruits are sexual and go through a 'flower' and 'fruit' stage. In addition to this, they are also shaped like cubes and dangle from the greatcap baseejie's tangle of branches. In the 'flower' stage, the fruit has an incredibly hard casing that serve as a means of deterring the scarlet phlyer and the courier phlyer. Like the original flower crystals, the 'flower' stage fruits are filled with a sugary solution that attracts xenobees, which feed on the solution and spread the greatcap baseejie's gametes. These gametes exhibit anisogamy, in which the female gamete is larger than the male gamete. However, both gametes are flagellated and capable of movement through the solution. The 'flower' stage fruits are also hermaphroditic and identical. Once the gametes have fused into zygotes, the pores will be sealed and the fruit will enter the 'fruit' stage. Ripe fruits have a softer shell and are filled with a starchy flesh that tastes similar to banana-flavored candy. The fruits are filled with small seeds that can survive in the digestive tracts of the scarlet phlyer and courier phlyer. The greatcap baseejie produces its fruits during the early summer in Drake and year-round on Ramul Island.

This post has been edited by Bufforpington: Dec 2 2020, 05:24 PM

Courier Phlyer (Aveflora tabellarium)

Creator: Bufforpington
Ancestor: Scarlet Phlyer
Habitat: Soma Temperate Coast, Soma Temperate Beach, Ramul Temperate Beach, Drake Temperate Woodland, Ramul Temperate Woodland, Drake Taiga
Size: 1.4 m Wingspan
Diet: Frugivore (Greatcap Baseejie, Weeping Baseejie, Baseejie, Emeraldfir, Crystalfir, Qupe Tree, Mangot)
Reproduction: Sexual, live birth

The courier phlyer is derived from a population of scarlet phlyers that fed on baseejie 'flowers'. This anomalous population already had traits that set them apart from the mainline populations of scarlet phlyers, including the regurgitation of the inedible chitinous shell that surrounds the sugar water they fed on. Over time, this population's relationship with the baseejie gave rise to new, fruiting baseejies, including the weeping baseejie and the greatcap baseejie. The courier phlyer originated on Ramul Island, where it is warm enough for their primary food sources to fruit year-round. From there, they spread to Drake via the Soma Strait.

The courier phlyer's diet primarily consists of the starchy or gel-filled interiors of the greatcap and weeping baseejies. Like their ancestors, they are able to regurgitate the inedible skins and shells that they happen to ingest in the form of densely-packed pellets. Courier Phlyers have grown larger in order for them to better feed on the baseejies' larger fruits. Courier phlyers also consume the fruits of the Emeraldfir and Crystalfir, but they prefer the Emeraldfir's larger fruits due to them having a higher gel-to-skin ratio than the smaller crystalfir fruits. Lastly, the courier phlyer eats the fruits of the qupe tree and the fruit-leaves of the mangot that was introduced by the seashrog. The courier phlyer does not eat smaller fruits like those of the fuzzweed due to their larger size and demand for larger fruits. The courier phlyer's feet have developed digits that they use to grip the sides of trees so they can feed on some of the larger fruits in their diet without having to worry about carrying them around in their inadequately-sized beaks. These toes are derived from their ancestor's elongated, claw-tipped feet. Sexual selection has caused the male's pattern and head crest to become more extravagant. Meanwhile, the females are now predominantly green in order to blend in with the green foliage they often inhabit. This also greatly boosts their photosynthetic capabilities, as the entirety of the female's body is covered in a darker, duller variant of the photosynthetic green pigment that is found in the courier phlyer's wings and stabilizers.

The courier phlyer is a migratory species. It winters on Ramul Island, and breeds in Drake. There is also a permanent population that lives on Ramul island. Flocks of courier phlyers will nest in groups. With their combined numbers and size, they are often able to chase off the indigo wutuu and thwart their attempts at infiltrating their nests. The nests are often built atop towering grovecrystals and glountains. Young courier phlyers will remain with their parents until they migrate to Ramul Island for the winter. After the parents show their young how to cross the Soma Strait, the young are left to fend for themselves and find a new flock to join. Courier phlyers can live to be 20 years old.

This post has been edited by Bufforpington: Dec 6 2020, 06:43 PM

Shepherd Harnessback (Skitterus pastor)

Creator: Hydromancerx
Ancestor: Harnessback
Habitat: Dixon-Darwin High Grassland
Size: 160 cm long
Diet: Carnivore (Xatazelle, Desert Tilecorn, Gracilxata, Leafplate, Xatagolin, Neoshrew, Tasermane, Plehexapod, Snoofloo, Dualtrunk, Giant Hornface, Scrubland Hornface, Grassland Lizatokage, Shroom Herder), Scavenger, Larvae: Sanguivore
Reproduction: Sexual, Hard-Shelled Eggs in Corpses, Two Genders

The shepherd harnessback split from its ancestor the harnessback in Dixon-Darwin High Grassland. It has developed a unique lifestyle, it will guard various herbivores. Each pack choose its own type and passes on that tradition to their offspring.

The reason they guard them is so they can have their grubs feed on them. The parasitic larval forms latch on the backs of their hosts. They have a numbing agent in their saliva so it doesn't cause pain to their host. Parents choose healthy and strong hosts for their offspring. Once they get large enough they will detach and join the pack. Once sexually mature they will mate and even form their own herd. Some take younger hosts with them when they leave. When laying their eggs they now make their nests out of the weak and old hosts and have the babies feed upon the carcass. After they are large enough the adults will carry them to their living hosts to feed on blood. Opportunity Shrews have harder times raiding their nests because the host's herd can detect them, thus alerting their guardians.

Their stomachs can process various types of bloods, though some hosts are easier to feed upon than others. In addition the adults can make soothing sounds to calm their hosts. Their level of vocal mimicry rivals Earth's mockingbirds. This varies from host to host but works well with hosts that have been born into the lifestyle. Likewise they send out warning calls from predators and will fiercely fight off any predator who tried to attack their herd. Males are typically larger than females and are usually more aggressive towards any predators, thus creating large booming calls to scare them off or high pitched shrieks to hurt the ears of attackers.

When adults need to feed they choose the weakest in the heard and tend to lure them off so the rest of the herd doesn't panic. In fact the saliva that numbs hosts when babies is also used to numb their hosts before killing them. Thus their deaths are usually painless and appear as though the hosts just fell asleep and never woke up. Their other physical features are much like their ancestors though they are taller and leaner due to their living in a grassland biome.

Mothhead (Tejdawus aurispluma)

Creator: Hydromancerx
Ancestor: Tejdaw
Habitat: Dixon-Darwin Desert, Dixon-Darwin High Desert, Vivus High Desert, Darwin Plains, Dixon-Darwin High Grassland, Vivus High Grassland, Darwin Chaparral, Dixon-Darwin Rocky, Vivus Rocky, Raptor Volcanic, Vivus Volcanic
Size: 3.5 m Long
Diet: Carnivore (Neoshrew, Scrambled Shrew, Barkback, Varant, Lizatokage, Thin Lizatokage, Fat Lizatokage, Egg Lizatokage, Xatagolin, Xatakpa, Binsnoo, Sitting Dundi, Handlicker Dundi, Dardiwundi, Sabulyn, Phouka), Scavenger
Reproduction: Sexual, Two Genders, Live Birth

The Mothhead replaced it's ancestor the Tejdaw. It lives much like its ancestor did however it has grown larger and its "whiskers" have become feather-like antenna that can pick up vibrations better. Like their ancestor their 6 eyes are all lines up on the top of its head for a complete 360 degree view.

They feed upon of small fauna and are ambush predators who strike like snakes.Their long, thin bodies allow them to slither around sand, rocks or even trees. They can also use their body muscles to squeeze and entangle their prey by wrapping around them like a constrictor.

Its skin is yellow to blend in with the golden soil of Darwin, but regional sub-species will be more pale to blend in with the white soil of Dixon or darker to blend in with the black soil of Vivus. Like their ancestors their skin is like chainmail and helps protect it from larger predators. However they are much more agile now and can typically slither away quickly from larger predators. They are also semi-warm blooded and can better regulate their temperature. However their arid lifestyle helps heat their bodies anyways.

After mating it take only about 3 months for gestation. They have live birth to around 5 to 8 offspring. The offspring are not cared for and must fend for themselves scavenging on carrion until they are large enough to hunt. Most do not make it to adulthood.

This post has been edited by Hydromancerx: Dec 4 2020, 10:22 PM

Fuzzpile (Polycaudofolium congeries)
Creator: Disgustedorite
Ancestor: Mainland Fuzzpalm
Habitat: Maineiac Temperate Beach, Ox Temperate Beach, Hydro Tropical Beach, Soma Temperate Beach, Ramul Temperate Beach, BigL Tropical Beach, Jindy Tropical Beach, Dass Temperate Beach, Wind Temperate Beach, Elerd Temperate Beach, Chum Tropical Beach, King Tropical Beach, Clarke Temperate Beach, Fermi Temperate Beach, Maineiac Temperate Woodland, Maineiac Chaparral, Barlowe Temperate Woodland, Barlowe Chaparral, Drake Temperate Woodland, Drake Chaparral, Ramul Temperate Woodland, Dixon Tropical Woodland, Dixon Tropical Scrub, Darwin Temperate Woodland, Darwin Chaparral, North Darwin Tropical Woodland, North Darwin Tropical Scrub, South Darwin Tropical Scrub, South Darwin Tropical Woodland
Size: 6 meters tall
Diet: Photosynthesis
Reproduction: Sexual (Hermaphrodite, Puffy Spores, Berries)

The Fuzzpile split from its ancestor. It is named for a change to its growth pattern; namely, it now has more leaves and berries all along its trunk, causing it to look like a pile of fuzzy leaves with many blue berries. It is present in a great number of habitats, due to it becoming extremely useful to the Seashrog; though its berries being waterproof, sticky, and almost glue-like has little functional use for its spread inland, this feature is selected for because Seashrogs will harvest large amounts of these berries for use in construction, which makes them a major contributor to the species’ otherwise ludicrous spread. It retains the adaptive trunk of its ancestor, but the change in shape is not externally visible due to its full coat of leaves.

Outside of the beaches, the Fuzzpile can be found in younger forest growth and scattered around shrublands. Though preyed on often, its ridiculous number of berries--in the tens of millions over its lifetime--ensure that it will continue to survive and spread.

This post has been edited by Disgustedorite: Dec 5 2020, 09:41 AM

Lureflab (Nasumicaptat serpereharenae)

Creator: Nergali
Ancestor: Flabnose
Habitat: Adult: Soma Temperate Coast, North LadyM (Twilight Zone), North Jujubee (Twilight Zone), Drake (Twilight Floor), Drake (Twilight Slope), Dixon-Darwin (Twilight Floor), Dixon-Darwin (Twilight Slope), Flisch Twilight Sea Mount, Russ Twilight Sea Mount, Sparks Twilight Sea Mount; Larvae: Soma Temperate Coast, North LadyM Temperate Ocean (Sunlight Zone), North Jujubee Temperate Ocean (Sunlight Zone)
Size: 30 cm Long
Diet: Adult: Carnivore (Miniswarmers, Scuttlers, Krillpedes, Frabukis, Flat Swarmer, Flabnose, Blister, Shoalrorm, Rojula, South Polar Shardgill, Deep Ribbon Gilltail); Larvae: Planktivore
Reproduction: Sexual, Spawning, 2 Genders

Splitting from its ancestor, the Lureflab has since spread throughout the seafloor along the coastlines of both Drake and northern edge of Dixon-Darwin. Like the Flabnose, it is an ambush predator, waiting upon the seafloor until something small enough approaches, upon which it can be swallowed whole. However, while its kin utilized the flitting of its tiny, nose-like protrusion to lure in potential prey, the Lureflab has evolved a much more pronounced, complicated structure to aid it in hunting, which has greatly improved its success. Adorned with multiple fleshy, colorful bits which it shakes with sharp bobs of its "nose", the sudden movements attract a wide variety of tiny prey items, such as curious Miniswarmers and Gilltails. Lacking teeth, the Lureflab must rely instead upon the flexing of its five tail-tentacles to launch it forward, an action that is so quick that most prey never even realize what has happened until it is too late.

Blending into the seafloor with its sand-colored skin, has evolved a few adaptations that help to aid it in its environment. The fins and tail-tentacles have become larger, thicker, and overall much more muscular. So much so, in fact, that they spend the majority of their lives upon the seafloor, only making brief forays into the open water when in need of finding new hunting grounds or mates. Otherwise, they crawl slowly along the bottom, ever watchful of potential predators. If they are spotted, though, they will vomit up a foul-smelling, black substance composed mostly of a half-digested food and stomach acids in an attempt to distract and/or disorientate the threat while they awkwardly swim away.

Spawning occurs during the full moon, during which numerous individuals will rise up off the seafloor and into the water column. As they flit about, dancing almost with one another as they release their gametes as they do so, they are ever wary of Scylarians and other large predators. The resulting fertilized eggs will float to the surface, where they will then hatch within a few days. The larval offspring will remain within the plankton, feeding on other, even smaller organisms, until they large enough - typically 1 to 2 cm long - to descend to the seafloor and begin hunting as the fully grown adults do.

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Thanks to Disgustedorite for helping to come up with a name for this.

This post has been edited by Nergali: Dec 6 2020, 07:30 AM

Pikashrew (Geminatisorex poggleus)

Creator: Hydromancerx
Ancestor: Scrambled Shrew
Habitat: Vivus Taiga, Vivus Alpine, Vivus Boreal, Vivus Polar Scrub, Vivus Rocky
Size: 13 cm Long
Diet: Herbivore (Strangleroot, Tepoguin, Fibrillius, Aloeberabubm, Tepostone, Aloeberacteus, Phalangrass, Fibreflora, Marblemelon, Yuccagave, Snow Windbulb, Crystal Swordgrass, Twin-Tail Orbibom, Sunstalks, Supershrooms, Sapshrooms, Pioneeroots, Marbleflora, Glaalgaes, Tepoflora), Scavenger
Reproduction: Sexual (male and female, live birth, pouch and milk)

The Pikashrew split from its ancestor the Scrambled Shrew. It is smaller than its ancestor and is much more compact. Its fluffy fur keeps it warm in the cold climate it lives in. It is mostly a herbivore but will scavenge when flora is scarce. Like its ancestor they will scramble about wildly to evade predators, it also has a very high birthrate since it has very few methods to evade predators other than running or camouflage. In the summer its coat will be black like the volcanic soil of Vivus and in the winter it will have a white coat to blend in with the snow.

Like its ancestor, it is generally solitary and lives in burrows. It breeds up to 6 times a year and has 5-12 joeys at a time. Its offspring are born helpless, living off of milk in their mother's pouch for the first few weeks of their lives. Its varied diet has allowed it to spend a little energy developing sexual display structures in the form of wrist, ankle, tail, and ear tufts.

This post has been edited by Hydromancerx: Dec 16 2020, 04:58 PM

Bargeskin (Aquatyrannus bullasanguis)

Creator: Nergali
Ancestor: Shipper Bubbleskin
Habitat: South Jujubee Temperate Ocean (Sunlight Zone), Jujubee Tropical Ocean (Sunlight Zone), North Jujubee Temperate Ocean (Sunlight Zone), Jujubee Ocean (Twilight Zone)
Size: 85 cm Long
Diet: Carnivore (Krillpedes, Red Phantomsquid, Deep Ribbon Gilltail, Scuttleball Gillfin, Cerulean Gillfin, Southern Gillfin, Diamond Pumpgill, Floating Pumpgill, Gulperpump, South Polar Shardgill, Southern Strainerbeak, Bigmouth Strainerbeak juveniles), Scavenger
Reproduction: Sexual, Two Genders, Live Birth

Descended from the Shipper Bubbleskins that began to venture further away from the coastlines, the Bargeskins have completely split away from them and have since become fully aquatic in nature. Such a change in habitat has of course led to several notable changes in their morphology, the most prominent of which is the reduction in size of the eponymous bubble-like skin protrusions that cover their hides in order to become more hydrodynamic. Another major evolutionary adaptation is the structure of their feet - no longer adapted for terrestrial movement, the toes have become more flexible and are now connected to one another by a thick webbing. Finally, and perhaps most drastically of all, the Bargeskins have lost the more specialized diets of their kin, and need not consume large volumes of blood to sustain themselves, instead taking to hunting prey like other marine predators do. Such a shift in diet has allowed them to become larger and bulkier than the Shipper Bubbleskins, as they now able to sustain larger fat reserves to only provide themselves with warmth and protection, but also to sustain themselves during leaner times where other Bubbleskins would have starved to death with their nutrient-poor diets.

As they no longer need to return to the land, not even to give birth, Bargeskins have had to adapt to this behavior accordingly. Their gestation periods, for example, have become much more prolonged. Now lasting upwards to a year and half in length for the mothers, this lengthier growing period gives ample time for the both the limbs and internal organs - the lungs most importantly - of the fetal shrew to develop and mature to a point where they are capable of swimming within seconds of being born. This drastically increases their chances of survival, which are only furthered by the nurturing behavior of their mothers. They will aid them in this vulnerable moment, helping them breach the surface by lifting them up upon their heads, so that they may take their first breath. Lungs filled with air, they will go one to stick close to the sides of mothers for the first year of their lives. On rare occasions the adult males may also take part in raising the young, though for the most part they often part ways with females soon after mating.

Juvenile Bargeskins are known as Skiffs. As they are raised by their mothers - and on occasion, their fathers as well - they learn a variety of valuable skills, such as how to hunt and how to socialize with others of its kind. Playful and all too curious to the point of exploring Seashrog nests and trailing Lynbakrs, they are rarely confronted, for they almost always under the constant supervision of their all too protectives mothers. So fierce is the bond between mother and child that few creatures would dare try to get in-between them. Those that would do so, or dare to even attempt to harm the young Skiff, will quite quickly learn the error of their ways as they suffer a vicious mauling from an all too protective mother who is willing to take on predators nearly thrice her size.

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Thanks to TheBigDeepCheatsy for helping me come up with a name for this species.

This post has been edited by Nergali: Dec 16 2020, 08:01 PM

Dwarf Pinyuk (Pennayakus parvus)

Creator: Hydromancerx
Ancestor: Pinyuk
Habitat: Drake High Grassland, Drake Plains, Drake Chaparral, Drake Rocky, Mae Volcanic
Size: 50 cm Long
Diet: Herbivore (Glaalgaes, Cryobowls, Pioneeroots, Fuzzweed, Forest Quone, Luroot leaves, Bangsticks, Supershrooms, Sapshrooms, Sunstalks)
Reproduction: Sexual, Two Genders, Many Hard-Shelled Eggs

The Dwarf Pinyuk split from its ancestor the Pinyuk. It has gotten smaller in size filling the niche of small herbivore, similar to Earth rabbits. Like rabbits they are fast breeders. They produce large clutches of hard shelled eggs similar to turtles and crocodiles.

They build saucer-shaped nests out of mud, fuzzweeds, and their own feathers. When nesting, the females will sit on their eggs in order to keep them warm, and remove excess feathers to keep them cool. Once hatched, females remain in the nests with their offspring and males go out to search for food. Dwarf Pinyuks lay 40-60 eggs at a time. However, very few reach breeding age.

Its "eye-ears" are larger to both improve hearing and disperse heat. Like their ancestors their feathers are like those of of Earth-birds. Its four legs have two hoofed toes while its tail-leg has three hoofed toes. This back foot helps them leap away from predators, while the other legs help in its quick bounding.

Its coloration of purple helps blend in with the purple flora while its blue legs help it blend in with the glass flora. Much like its ancestor, the dwarf pinyuk consumes glass flora, purple flora, shrooms and black flora and is a generalist, browsing and grazing on different kinds of flora that it can find. When eating this flora, they crush up the flora and eat gastroliths to help mash any remaining pieces of food that were not crushed by their teeth.

The dwarf pinyuk lives in groups of 20-40 members that communicate to each other with screeching calls. Males fight for females by charging, biting, and rearing up on their tails and crashing down on each other. This can result in injuries or death. The male is recognized by its larger chin-spike and orange feathery crest.

This post has been edited by Hydromancerx: Dec 16 2020, 10:08 PM

Coniflor
(Spinacaulis gasparii)

Creator: Bufforpington
Ancestor: Robust Arid Ferine
Habitat: Jindy Tropical Beach, Dass Temperate Beach, Dixon Savannah, Dixon-Darwin High Grassland, Dixon Dunes, Dixon-Darwin Desert, Dixon-Darwin High Desert
Size: 4 m Tall
Diet: Photosynthesis
Reproduction: Sexual, Flowers, Capsules

The coniflor split from its ancestor and moved into Dixon's arid regions. There, they colonized Dixon Dunes, one of the most inhospitable habitats on Sagan 4. In order to survive there, they underwent drastic changes that helped mitigate water loss, the first of which is the reduction in the number of leaves they produce. These leaves grow in clusters at the tips of their branches. The leaves themselves are reduced in length, making them less susceptible to water loss. The coniflor no longer sheds its branches during unfavorable conditions, as regrowing them is too costly. They instead shed their leaves during lean times, which are easier to replace. Even if it loses its leaves, it can still photosynthesize using its branches, but this photosynthesis is much less effective. The coniflor has switched to using CAM photosynthesis, in which the coniflor exchanges gasses during the night when it is much cooler. This drastically reduces the coniflor's water loss to respiration. Lastly, the coniflor's branches grow upwards, reducing their exposure to the searing midday sun.

In addition to defenses against water loss, the coniflor has developed defenses against herbivores as well. The trunk is covered in thorns that discourage large herbivores from feeding on it. However, the coniflor's main enemy consists of small genus group fauna. In order to protect itself against these pests, it has developed a sticky resin that hardens quickly. When something punctures the surface of the coniflor, the coniflor will release a transluscent, yellow resin that ensnares and suffocates the attacker. This resin smells similar to that of Earth's frankincense.

The coniflor prefers to live on foggy, rocky hillsides. As a result, they're mostly found along the fog-laden border between Dixon Dunes and Jindy Tropical Beach. They are also quite common on the Dixon side of Dixon-Darwin High Desert. However, because of their inability to tolerate freezing temperatures, they are mostly restricted to tropical and subtropical environments, and never stray too far into high-elevation areas. Coniflors can also be found in grassland environments. They are quite common in Dixon Savannah due to the more tolerable climate. However, they are rarer in Dixon-Darwin High Grassland due to the cooler temperatures.



The coniflor's method of reproduction has changed slightly. They still produce flowers that attract xenobees. However, these flowers are now yellow, which better contrasts with its purple foliage. The biggest change in the coniflor's reproduction is in its fruits. Instead of producing berries that attract frugivores, the coniflor produces small, dry capsules. These capsules require less water and nutrients to produce. Because these capsules are too nutrient-poor to attract frugivores, the capsules are instead covered in a thick coat of thin filaments that allow them to float in the wind.

This post has been edited by Bufforpington: Dec 21 2020, 05:24 PM

Alpfrond (Monspeculo nixherba)

Creator: Nergali
Ancestor: Glaalgaes
Habitat: Dixon-Darwin Boreal, North Dixon Alpine, South Dixon Alpine, Verserus Alpine, Darwin Alpine, Raptor Volcanic
Size: 80 cm Tall
Diet: Photosynthesis
Reproduction: Asexual Budding (Airborne Buddings)

With such little large flora growing within the alpine regions of Dixon and Darwin, the ancestors of what would one day become the Alpfrond began to evolve. Once a species within the Glaalgae genus, it grew large as it began to exploit a niche that, up until that point in the history of the region, had only been utilized by such species as the Lacy-Leaf Obsiditree. As it was able to handle harsher temperature drops higher up the mountainsides, however, it was able to avoid coming into direct competition with those black flora. Much like its ancestral kin, the Alpfrond is well adapted to life under cold, harsh conditions. As such, it been able to thrive within the mountainous regions of Sagan IV. With time, they spread throughout the neighboring regions as well, eventually coming to dominate most of the cooler interior of the Dixon-Darwin supercontinent.

One major adaptation that has led to the success of the Alpfrond over its smaller kin is the evolution involving both its reproductive strategy and its chitinous exterior. The small outgrowths, that will potentially one day grow into new individuals, are covered in long strands of feathery fronds. These filaments are lightweight, and catch even the lightest of breezes with ease. Combined with the tiny size of the budlings, they are swept up into the air and can be carried away for miles before eventually settling down. Should they find a suitable spot with enough soil and nutrients to sustain them, they will eventually grow up and reach maturity over the course of several winters.

The chitinous lenses of the Alpfronds are more opaque than those of their ancestors. As such, their ability to melt snow and heat up the surrounding soil is greatly reduced, at least to a degree. While they are still able to get ample amounts of water from this, they no longer pose much of a threat to other flora. As such, wherever an Alpfrond is to be found, one can often find a lush assortment of smaller flora flourishing around it as they exploit the better growing conditions and access to liquid water.

Should they not succumb to either environmental conditions, disease or herbivory, an Alpfrond can potentially live to be over 300 years old, if not longer.

This post has been edited by Nergali: Dec 21 2020, 03:39 PM