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| Amphibination; Part 3 now up | |
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| Topic Started: Aug 26 2009, 02:16 PM (6,321 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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| seascorpion | Sep 11 2009, 06:13 PM Post #121 |
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Why Can't I Hold All These Mongols?
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in this amphibian/arthropod dominated world, who is the most prominant? and are there any giant swamp fish that look like a giant lungfish which have lungs and powerful fins allowing them to crawl onto the river banks and then slide down to ambush prey ? because that would be very cool |
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| Venatosaurus | Sep 11 2009, 06:14 PM Post #122 |
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HAUS OF SPEC
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Ahh, too many questions XD As for palms, I figure cycads will be around so they'll be significant and develop palms, as for flowering plants, I don't see why not, and fungi and lichen will be present
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| Venatosaurus | Sep 11 2009, 06:19 PM Post #123 |
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HAUS OF SPEC
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Amphibians are dominant, some insects do grow to large sizes, especially the "Griffinflies" which are the aformentioned dragonflies, though the main reason is due to the fact they lack competition for such a long time, though we will have flighted amphibians. I do like your idea, though I'll make it an amphibian or keep it a lungfish, either way it'd be a badass predator ! Edit: Oops double post
Edited by Venatosaurus, Sep 11 2009, 06:21 PM.
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| seascorpion | Sep 11 2009, 06:21 PM Post #124 |
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Why Can't I Hold All These Mongols?
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thanks my inspiration was how brontoscorpio climbed onto land and then attacked the primitive fish below at will |
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| seascorpion | Sep 11 2009, 06:21 PM Post #125 |
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Why Can't I Hold All These Mongols?
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thanks my inspiration was how brontoscorpio climbed onto land and then attacked the primitive fish below at will
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| Venatosaurus | Sep 11 2009, 06:31 PM Post #126 |
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HAUS OF SPEC
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Cool, it's also hypothesized that Hyneria may have done such a thing as well !
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| seascorpion | Sep 11 2009, 06:37 PM Post #127 |
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Why Can't I Hold All These Mongols?
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really? i always thought hyneria hunted more like a killer whale |
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| Venatosaurus | Sep 11 2009, 07:32 PM Post #128 |
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HAUS OF SPEC
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Well it was mostly featured in Walking with Monsters, where a Hyneria dragged itself a short distance across a beach to catch a Hynerpeton. |
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| The Dodo | Sep 13 2009, 05:34 AM Post #129 |
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Prime Specimen
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That scene on Walking with Monsters was probably based on speculation on what it's fins could do. It probably more used them tho push through shallow water or it didn't use them at all. |
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| Venatosaurus | Sep 13 2009, 09:53 AM Post #130 |
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HAUS OF SPEC
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Anything is possibly really, but it was a cool speculation on their part. |
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| T.rex09 | Sep 13 2009, 11:03 AM Post #131 |
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Infant
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"That scene on Walking with Monsters was probably based on speculation on what it's fins could do." Yeah, but you got to admit that it was a freakin awesome scene! |
| "Church if I die you can have my orange juice."-Red vs Blue | |
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| Canis Lupis | Sep 13 2009, 11:43 AM Post #132 |
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Dinosaurs eat man, woman inherits the Earth.
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Just thought of a way to make a geography change plausible: the moon. Move it farther away from the Earth so that it has less influence on the tides (but still some) and you should be good. BTW, this is probably my favorite alternate evo project. Keep it up you guys! |
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| T.rex09 | Sep 13 2009, 11:56 AM Post #133 |
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Infant
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"BTW, this is probably my favorite alternate evo project. Keep it up you guys!" It's probably one of my favorites too! |
| "Church if I die you can have my orange juice."-Red vs Blue | |
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| Venatosaurus | Sep 13 2009, 12:34 PM Post #134 |
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HAUS OF SPEC
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Aw, thanks ! Were coming up with some weird stuff too, like the ecosystems of the 'Blood Reefs' , where corals really aren't corals ! I've been brainstorming oddities of this world especially in it's jungles ! We've even been working on this worlds major insects...It's turning out really great, but I need to start drawing already ! XD |
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| T.rex09 | Sep 13 2009, 12:51 PM Post #135 |
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Infant
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That will be awesome when you post some pictures!!!!!! |
| "Church if I die you can have my orange juice."-Red vs Blue | |
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thanks my inspiration was how brontoscorpio climbed onto land and then attacked the primitive fish below at will

7:20 PM Jul 10