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Amphibination; Part 3 now up
Topic Started: Aug 26 2009, 02:16 PM (6,314 Views)
StinglessBee
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This is an alternate world where amniotes never evolved. Meanwhile, the Permian extinction was more gradual, allowing the reptiliamorphs (amniote-like amphibians such as Seymouria and Diadectes) to survive. All other extinctions happened as normal. The way I see this world, there are three main orders: lissamphibians (which are more diverse than real world amphibians, but do not produce megafauna), mammaloraniformes (descendants of Seymouria group reptiliamorphs), and throat breeders (descendants of Diadectes group reptiliamorphs, which produce most of the megafauna).

The throat breeders are generally social creatures which nurse their young in modified vocal cords in a similar way to a Darwin’s frog.

The mammaloraniformes, meanwhile, will have an internal ear drum together with ear bones seperate from the skull, and will be fully warm blooded.

The lissamphibians won't be producing anything larger than a badger for two reasons: firstly, many of them breathe through their skin as well as through their lungs, resulting in them needing a large body surface to volume ratio and secondly because they lack the reinforced spine that amniotes and some reptiliamorphs have (come to think of it, badger size may be pushing the limit...)

Anyway, may I have critique, advice, or suggestions please. If anyone can think of a better name than those I've come up with, then please tell me. Also, for those who wish for pictures, they will come... eventually (don't expect master pieces: I am, at best, a dreadful artist).

Anyway, here is are a few orders and families to begin with:

Class: Throat breeder (sorry: I'm not good with latin or greek names)
Order: Scale rats

These are the creatures from which all other throat breeders evolve (as these were some of the survivors of the K-10 Cretacious extinction). Whilst they are origionally descended from the herbivorous Diadectamorphs, these are omnivorous creatures that grow up to the size of a fox. Whilst they are scaly (reptiliamorphs were) these scales are more comparable to those of a carp than to reptile scales. They communicate by a mixture of scent, body language and (in some species) colour changes, as the vocal cords are used to carry their young. These creatures fill rodent niches, and a few derived scale rats fill primitive primate niches.

Class: Mammaloraniformes
Order: Seal mimics (not an actual name, just a stand in until someone thinks of something better)

These are very basal members of the class, in which many members of the order haven't evolved vivipary. These are mostly marine, but several species swim upriver to lay their frog-like eggs. They and their larvae have pits in their head for sensing the electricity given of by muscles. Most species prey on fish and fill seal and sea lion niches. However, a family of whale like creatures exist (these have evolved vivipary). These fill the niche of humpback whales (eating small fish en mass) or grey whales (eating invertebrates from the sea bed en mass).

Class: Lissamphibian
Order: Anura
Family: Leaping tadpoles/rabbit frogs

These are frog-like creatures that maintain the coiled gut used in their tadpole stage to digest plant matter. These grow up to the size of a rabbit, and can be distinguished from other members of the frog/toad order by the more spherical body, which contains the larger digestive system. These (and several other families of frog) have abandoned the usual jumping ability in favour of a odd form of gallop, similar to that used by some crocodilians in real life. They have achieved most of their diversity in colder regions, as they can hibernate easily. Some even have a natural anti-freeze in their blood and muscles (some frogs do this in real life, so why not?)

Anyway, there is plenty more things to come. So... what do you think?
Edited by StinglessBee, Aug 26 2009, 04:33 PM.
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StinglessBee
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I'm glad you like it. And you don't have to apologize for not focusing on amphibination: you have a lot of projects and real life to deal with. I'm just glad I have help with this project.
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Venatosaurus
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Aw thanks ^_^



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StinglessBee
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Number three. Sorry I missed the weekend deadline, and I'm sorry it's somewhat shorter than the other two. I've been getting writer's block lately.
Quote:
 
A flight through amphibination, part 3

Our hero watches the scene: a display of what happens to griffonflies that fail in there journey. The beast, as large as a great white, swiftly dispatches it’s meal. Many viewers would be confused as to what it is, with it looking like a strange combination of shark and mosasaur. In reality, it is belongs to a group called Trematosaurs (specifically, an Oceanid), and are in fact basal tetrapods that took to being the top predator of the oceans. The “fish” the late griffonfly tried to catch was one of it’s young. Trematosaurs are unusual in their parental care, with the shoal of their young hiding in their mouth for protection. With the danger gone, they now feast on scraps and leftovers from Mummy’s meal. A variety of other creatures have taken advantage of Mummy’s protection. A variety of small fish hide beneath Mommy oceanid, but one creature takes this tactic a step further. Currently swimming to the side of the shoal is this creature. Whilst at first glance this creature almost looks exactly like one of the oceanid larvae, it can be distinguished by it’s habits, instead of feeding on the scraps of food from Mommy’s kill, it swims to the side of it, filter-feeding on a variety of planktonic creatures. It is, in fact, the larvae of an aquatic lissamphibian. It joins a shoal of Trematosaur larvae in order to hide from predators, joining it’s surrogate family in the mother’s cavernous mouth. Eventually, it will leave with the others, and grow into something a creature resembling a giant tadpole, a creature that replaces whales and even some filter feeding sharks. Ironically, these adults are prey to Trematosaurs.

Flying over the oceanid, the griffonflies soar several miles further south. Here they reach their pit stop: a small series of islands, few better than rocks. The cold current that flowed through the feeding ground of the griffonflies is still there, but barely. This is shown by the fact that this is our hero’s last chance to feed en mass for some time, as the fish in the warmer waters are no where near as nutritious or plentiful as the ones from the cold water. After feeding, they rest on the island’s cliffs overnight, as the magnificent griffonfly has terrible night vision.

Meanwhile, the more permanent inhabitants of the island mill about their business. One of these is a bizarre creature native to these islands. About the size of a rat, this creature is in fact a flightless griffonfly, a small predator of these islands. Scuttling around, it finds what it is looking for, the eggs of another creature on this island. Amphibian eggs. However, they are buried deep underground. For this species of scuttler, this isn’t a problem. Perfectly used to burrowing, it digs and digs, eventually pulling out a strange sac. This is an adaptation many amphibians have to dry conditions: a membrane regurgitated over the eggs and then being sealed up, allowing the young inside to develop. Using it’s mandibles, it rips open the sac, and starts sucking on the fluids inside. After about a minute, there is a noise, and a scent in the air. The scuttler notes this, and, carrying the egg sac in it’s mandibles, crawls away to a safer place. There are, after all, more dangerous creatures than it on these islands.

Enjoy.
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T.rex09
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I can't wait for part 4!
"Church if I die you can have my orange juice."-Red vs Blue
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Venatosaurus
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Awesome ! I love the imagery that comes from it ^_^



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StinglessBee
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I'm glad you like it.
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