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| Amphibination; Part 3 now up | |
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| Topic Started: Aug 26 2009, 02:16 PM (6,323 Views) | |
| StinglessBee | Aug 26 2009, 02:16 PM Post #1 |
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Adolescent
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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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| Venatosaurus | Sep 7 2009, 05:21 PM Post #91 |
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HAUS OF SPEC
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Australia,Africa, Madagascar, South America... basically what split off of Gondwana, except Antartica. |
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| StinglessBee | Sep 8 2009, 10:34 AM Post #92 |
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Adolescent
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Alright then, sounds good. |
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| Venatosaurus | Sep 9 2009, 11:12 AM Post #93 |
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HAUS OF SPEC
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It seems most of the things we posted won't work anymore, since Nemo-ramjet had to be so awesome and completely revamp our outlook and make EPIC suggestions, I think this would be way more awesome if we make this world seem more Nemo-ramjetian...this would involve strange adaptations, strange animals, strange plants,basically a strange Earth ! The project (to anyone that is not me, Stinglessbee, or Kay) has been changed and rather than stopping the evolution of reptiles and synapsids (which is pretty much impossible because just weird mammals, or just weird reptiles would still evolve), we allowed the world to be fit for the amphibian lifestyle, and now, Earth has been flooded, and several medium sized and island continents exist, with several shallow seas connecting them,and basically (as Nemo stated) , "the world is like one gigantic Aegean sea" ! |
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| Carlos | Sep 9 2009, 01:16 PM Post #94 |
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Adveho in me Lucifero
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Sounds funny, count me in |
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Lemuria: http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/topic/5724950/ Terra Alternativa: http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/forum/460637/ My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Carliro ![]() | |
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| Venatosaurus | Sep 9 2009, 01:54 PM Post #95 |
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HAUS OF SPEC
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Great, though, how does it seem funny
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| Carlos | Sep 9 2009, 03:32 PM Post #96 |
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Adveho in me Lucifero
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Because once the world reaches its maximum point of diversity I'll introduce homunculi... |
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Lemuria: http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/topic/5724950/ Terra Alternativa: http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/forum/460637/ My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Carliro ![]() | |
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| Venatosaurus | Sep 9 2009, 04:04 PM Post #97 |
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HAUS OF SPEC
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Hmm, that word sounds so familiar, I think I know what it is elaborate
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| Carlos | Sep 9 2009, 04:09 PM Post #98 |
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Adveho in me Lucifero
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Research for alchemy and its relations with artificial humans or sperm. If not then watch Fullmetal Alchemist, which has expies of homunculi |
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Lemuria: http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/topic/5724950/ Terra Alternativa: http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/forum/460637/ My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Carliro ![]() | |
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| Venatosaurus | Sep 9 2009, 06:00 PM Post #99 |
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HAUS OF SPEC
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The one I keep imagining is from Tetrapod Zoology's post , http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2008/03/initial_bipedalism.php |
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| seascorpion | Sep 10 2009, 02:09 AM Post #100 |
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Why Can't I Hold All These Mongols?
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amphibians are actually very adaptable sometimes (eg seymouria) |
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| Venatosaurus | Sep 10 2009, 03:00 PM Post #101 |
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HAUS OF SPEC
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Yup, and we will include such animals' descendants, not every corner of the world will be perfect for amphibians as we know it, so some clades will develop such features as tougher skin, and even (in flying clades , maybe others) endothermy will arise. |
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| Carlos | Sep 10 2009, 03:28 PM Post #102 |
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Adveho in me Lucifero
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I just had an idea for flying synapsids and you didn't lalalala |
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Lemuria: http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/topic/5724950/ Terra Alternativa: http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/forum/460637/ My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Carliro ![]() | |
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| Venatosaurus | Sep 10 2009, 03:50 PM Post #103 |
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HAUS OF SPEC
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Sadly synapsids don't evolve here Just amphibians or reptile-like amphibians (the reptiliomorphs), but there are flying Gephyrostegid descendants, so LALALALA XD Oh and we are also going to have giant ornithopter-like dragonflies, some with 6 meter long wingspans, and they are known as the 'Griffinflies' !
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| Carlos | Sep 10 2009, 03:54 PM Post #104 |
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Adveho in me Lucifero
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The term amphibian kinda upsets me; its like fish, just a panoply of unrelated groups that lead to amniotes. "Stem tetrapods" seems more adequate. And how the hell did dragonflies got so big!? You realise that molting would result in nothing but tremendous life threatning deformations right? And insects can't stop molting |
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Lemuria: http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/topic/5724950/ Terra Alternativa: http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/forum/460637/ My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Carliro ![]() | |
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| ATEK Azul | Sep 10 2009, 03:55 PM Post #105 |
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Transhuman
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So your remodeling the Earth and project? If so then will we see some of the old animals along with Amphibian versions of Mammals and other familiar groups? I would love to see an Amphibian Smilodon! |
| I am dyslexic, please ignore the typo's! | |
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Just amphibians or reptile-like amphibians (the reptiliomorphs), but there are flying Gephyrostegid descendants, so LALALALA XD Oh and we are also going to have giant ornithopter-like dragonflies, some with 6 meter long wingspans, and they are known as the 'Griffinflies' !
7:20 PM Jul 10