| Speculative biology is simultaneously a science and form of art in which one speculates on the possibilities of life and evolution. What could the world look like if dinosaurs had never gone extinct? What could alien lifeforms look like? What kinds of plants and animals might exist in the far future? These questions and more are tackled by speculative biologists, and the Speculative Evolution welcomes all relevant ideas, inquiries, and world-building projects alike. With a member base comprising users from across the world, our community is the largest and longest-running place of gathering for speculative biologists on the web. While unregistered users are able to browse the forum on a basic level, registering an account provides additional forum access not visible to guests as well as the ability to join in discussions and contribute yourself! Registration is free and instantaneous. Join our community today! |
| Asprea; Introduction to my world | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Feb 16 2009, 01:54 AM (5,586 Views) | |
| BaliTiger23 | Feb 16 2009, 01:54 AM Post #1 |
Do Not Touch Anything For It May Explode And Kill You
|
So Asprea is some 200 million years into the future, with the continents once again rejoining to create a single massive supercontinent (Called Pangea Ultima by scientists). There has been at least two mass extinctions from now until then, though I haven't truly thought out the reasons behind these yet. Either way, almost all life now is unrecognizable from the earth as we know it. The animals have no obvious ancestors as the extinctions (whatever they were) left nothing but the smallest of the small alive. One of the extinctions nearly cleaned out the oceans for a couple million years and while sanitary drinking water is once again available there are still a few locations that are horribly irradiated. Also, the oxygen is very, very high and nearly all animals have so called blue blood. Rather than their blood containing hemoglobin (which is what makes blood red) it instead contains hemocyanin, which is most commonly found in molluscs and anthropods in the present time. This is because hemocyanin doesn't bind properly with oxygen and so offers only 1/4 of the oxygen hemoglobin does. However, due to the extremely high oxygen levels, animals have evolved with the hemocyanin protein instead because that high of an oxygen concentration would otherwise make life other than molluscs and anthropods impossible. Because of the two great extinctions and the long period of time from now until then, the evolutionary ancestors of the animals alive in Asprea some 200 million years into the future are unknown. That and the sentient race alive in Asprea has no idea homo sapien sapiens ever existed, as all existence of them has been wiped out or obliterated into something unrecognizable. After all, it has been over 200 million years and they aren't exactly interested in paleontology as they are still a fairly new and primitive race. New animals have evolved to fill the niches, and the variety and new evolutionary paths are astounding. That's the very basics, and more will be revealed once I get home to my scanner, but enjoy this small peek so far :) Edited by BaliTiger23, Feb 16 2009, 01:55 AM.
|
 |
 
|
| Replies: | |
|---|---|
| BaliTiger23 | Feb 17 2009, 04:16 PM Post #16 |
|
Do Not Touch Anything For It May Explode And Kill You
|
Oh alright :) I haven't looked through other people's projects yet other than Viergacht's as he was the one that got me interested in doing this again :) And most of my creature designs have been around for six to eight years, as I start when I was twelve and have just been working on it off and on ever since. So if there happen to be ideas similar, it would be more of a creative convergence rather than me blatantly ripping other people off. I don't like it when my ideas are stolen, so I try my damnedest not to do it to others :) |
|
|
|
| Canis Lupis | Feb 17 2009, 04:19 PM Post #17 |
Dinosaurs eat man, woman inherits the Earth.
|
Just making sure. But your project look great so far. |
|
|
|
| BaliTiger23 | Feb 17 2009, 05:01 PM Post #18 |
|
Do Not Touch Anything For It May Explode And Kill You
|
Alright, so I was tossing ideas towards my fiance who is a hardcore logistical human being, and we came up with some ideas that he said were definitely plausible. This conversation was during the four and a half hour drive from my parents house back home so we didn't have a computer handy to help. First we were discussing climate. It is very hot and humid because the oxygen level is so high, so we were trying to think of plant life that could survive on low carbon dioxide emissions while still producing high levels of oxygen. I tossed out the idea of fungi, and he suggested looking towards plants that already thrive in hot and humid areas such as the Amazon rain forest. I'm asking your guys opinion as well. Second, it hit me that if invertebrates and mollusks have hemocyanin today, would they be able to survive the huge increase in oxygen levels in Asprea? If the larger animals need hemocyanin to function in the high oxygen levels, wouldn't that same system in smaller invertebrates still be an overload? Would insects actually be able to survive in Asprea? Third we talked about what could cause the two extinctions that I was so adamant about occurring. These are only ideas so far and not fact, but I had thought that the first extinction could be a minor one, perhaps a virus or biological weapon that would kill off humans and the animals that have similar genetic codes, i.e. primates and perhaps pigs as well. It would be a minor extinction because, though it would kill billions, it would only actually kill off a few out of the billions of species on the planet. The second extinction would be a mass extinction, and it would be due to the loss of oxygen in the worlds oceans and other water sources. It would be a slow process, happening over millions of years. The life in the water would slowly die out, and this would cause havoc with the natural food chain. Many species of animals would die out, and the oceans would be nearly empty for many years. There is scientific evidence to back this theory up, but I have no idea how accurate the data is nor how plausible. But it's the closest thing I can think of that doesn't involve nuclear war or a comet or anything like that. I also had this really neat idea that should coral, somehow, someway survive, or if something could evolve to act very much like it, it could perhaps make colonies on land. The diversity of life around coral reefs is astounding, and I had the idea that instead of fish, little lizards and birds could make the new coral their home. As for extinct species, basically anything and everything that is on the endangered list now is gone. Polar animals are gone. Most water-dwelling animals are gone i.e. fish, whales, dolphins, iguanas, etc. Felines are gone. Domestic animals such as chickens, pigs, cows, horses, etc are gone. Canines are gone. Bears are gone. Primates are gone. And some others, but that's a decent list for now. So what did everything evolve from then? Well, I think I'll wait before I divulge anything else. After all, that's quite a fair chunk of information, no? ;) |
|
|
|
| Venatosaurus | Feb 17 2009, 05:15 PM Post #19 |
HAUS OF SPEC
|
Wow this is gonna be real good 
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| BaliTiger23 | Feb 17 2009, 05:21 PM Post #20 |
|
Do Not Touch Anything For It May Explode And Kill You
|
Thanks! |
|
|
|
| BaliTiger23 | Feb 17 2009, 05:25 PM Post #21 |
|
Do Not Touch Anything For It May Explode And Kill You
|
I think I just figured out how to bypass the hemocyanin in invertebrates. I'm looking at the bug life in South America where the oxygen level is higher than most other places and where it is hot and humid as well as the specimens from the invertebrates from the days of the dinosaurs. They are all HUGE! With a larger body the oxygen overload wouldn't be so much of a problem. South America especially has some huge invertebrates, namely the largest spider in the world as well as the largest butterfly. And I've heard stories about the size of their cockroaches and mosquitoes. So that's that. Invertebrates will just have to evolve to be that much larger! |
|
|
|
| Viergacht | Feb 17 2009, 05:40 PM Post #22 |
faceless fiend
|
Love the idea of land coral. It would need something to feed on of course. Maybe airborne fungal spores, or a sort of air-krill? |
|
|
|
| BaliTiger23 | Feb 17 2009, 05:45 PM Post #23 |
|
Do Not Touch Anything For It May Explode And Kill You
|
I was thinking airborne fungal spores, since I plan on having lots of fungi and such fun things. That and I think the coral would still be based around the few inland water sources there are left, swamps and marshlands where fungi can really thrive. |
|
|
|
| ATEK Azul | Feb 17 2009, 07:45 PM Post #24 |
Transhuman
|
this all sounds very interesting i look forward too more info along with what will replace the small sized invertebrates and the vertebrates. |
| I am dyslexic, please ignore the typo's! | |
|
|
|
| BaliTiger23 | Feb 18 2009, 01:53 AM Post #25 |
|
Do Not Touch Anything For It May Explode And Kill You
|
Well my idea is basically that since the earth has just so much oxygen, resulting in bigger life forms, that what may constitute as our idea of 'small' may not be entirely so on Asprea. But this is all pure speculation for right now until I do some more research :) |
|
|
|
| BaliTiger23 | Feb 18 2009, 04:45 AM Post #26 |
|
Do Not Touch Anything For It May Explode And Kill You
|
 Keshdjat Physiology Physical Characteristics Keshdjat vary in size and weight worldwide. In general, height ranges between 4' 7" to 6' 2" at the shoulder with a healthy individual weighing between 165 and 222 lbs. Keshdjat are sexually dimorphic, with males having a straighter profile, a furrier throat and a larger beak. The mandible on males is also equipped with an ornament that has a groove along the underside that leads to a scent gland on the chin. Scent glands are also located on the anus and genital regions in both sexes. The larger front paws have a dewclaw which the back paws lack, and their claws are semi-retractable with the exception of the dewclaw. The fur is coarse and short, their long tail allowing for balance when running. Their large ears dissipate heat and are key to the keshdjats communication. Their eyes have round pupils and they can see quite well. Their nostrils are set in their beaks. Their maxilla has no incisors, two canine teeth, three premolars, and two molars. Their mandible has no incisors, two canine teeth, two premolars and two molars. They have carnassials which consist of their singular lower molar and last upper premolar. Keshdjat have a bone in their throat which allows them to communicate over great distances. They vibrate the bone to produce a very low frequency noise that can be heard for up to five miles away. Reproduction and Life Cycle Generally mating occurs in the spring, the keshdjat becoming very affectionate towards each other. When the females go into estrus, which occurs once a year for 5 - 12 days, she and her partner will go into seclusion. The males use their mandible beak ornaments to comb through their partners fur, using the scent gland on their chin to send their partners into ovulation wherein the two will mate. Keshdjat mate for life. Gestation lasts between 74 and 82 days. The young are born blind, deaf, and completely dependent on their parents. Litters are usually only one to two young. The den is usually on high ground, made of grass and branches. The young develop relatively quickly, reaching adulthood in just two years. The young are born with a mane that disappears as the keshdjat grow older. Male juveniles do not develop their chin ornament until six months old. The parents will return from a successful hunt wherein the young will peck at the lower mandible until the parents regurgitate their food. The young are able to eat this regurgitated stew from birth. Keshdjat typically reach sexual maturity after three or four years, at which point the females will wander off to find a pack that lacks sexually mature females while the males generally do not leave their birth pack. Keshdjat that reach maturity tend to live ten to seventeen years. Behavior Social Structure Rarely will you find a solitary Keshdjat as they are pack animals. Their hierarchy is made of two separate ones; the males and the females. In the female group, the oldest will have alpha status over others while in the males the youngest mature male will be dominant. Dominance is established without blood-shed, as most keshdjat within a pack tend to be related to one another in some way. Unlike modern day wolves, they have a submissive based hierarchy instead of a dominance based one. Submission and nonaggression is emphasized heavily, even over food they will beg energetically instead of fight. This is likely because of their manner of raising many litters of dependent young, so if one individual is injured the entire pack would not be able to provide as much. Because all the paired keshdjat are allowed to mate and have young, the numbers of these packs are substantial, though the litters are usually very small if not numerous. Hunting Keshdjat hunt in packs, and they pursue their prey in a long, open chase. Nearly 75% of their hunts ends in a kill. Keshdjat vocalize between members to help coordinate their movements. Keshdjats main prey is the Kee though they will occasionally bring down a Darou through precise teamwork. They usually kill their prey through disembowelment. Their hunting strategies are learned rather than instinctual, so they vary between packs. Scent Marking Keshdjat use their scent glands to mark anything and everything that is theirs, from territory to kills to other members of the pack. Males have been seen scratching their chin ornament into trees around the borders of their packs territories as a warning to other packs as well as other predators. Edited by BaliTiger23, Mar 25 2009, 09:53 AM.
|
|
|
|
| Titanomonstrus | Feb 18 2009, 06:46 AM Post #27 |
Legendary Beast Tyrant
|
Isn't 220 lb kind of under weight? That's a cool animal. Once again someone is a better artist than me. |
|
Check out the Postocene! To all conservative Republicans- America, love it or leave it. | |
|
|
|
| BaliTiger23 | Feb 18 2009, 06:54 AM Post #28 |
|
Do Not Touch Anything For It May Explode And Kill You
|
Gah probably. I'm extremely bad with height to weight ratio -_- And hey don't get yourself down about it; there are plenty of artists better than me as well! Edited by BaliTiger23, Feb 18 2009, 06:55 AM.
|
|
|
|
| Venatosaurus | Feb 18 2009, 08:53 AM Post #29 |
|
HAUS OF SPEC
|
OMG that is a beautiful illustration ! |
|
| |
|
|
|
| Viergacht | Feb 18 2009, 11:04 AM Post #30 |
|
faceless fiend
|
I like the idea of a society based on submission rather than dominance. And that is indeed a lovely piece of artwork. |
|
|
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · Evolutionary Continuum · Next Topic » |
7:39 PM Jul 13