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Species Mutualism; Megatherium pachydermus
Topic Started: Oct 3 2009, 03:48 PM (1,374 Views)
Ddraig Goch
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One species that I have been toying with for Vabmojer are the newly-dubbed Titans, herbivores native to the Northern-Vaghis Savannah. In overall appearance, they probably wouldn't look that intersting, except that they are 32 metres tall, and 62 metres long. They live in symbiosis with a number of plants, which cover the titans' backs - these range from small patches of moss, to entire forests of trees. The two groups, plants and titans, both benefit from each other - the plants are protected from herbivores, and in return they provide nutrients and glucoses from photosynthesis.
The plants and the titans are intertwined, and the titans seem to have plant-like characteristics - although able to walk, they will pause, usually for weeks, in a single location, and expel thick roots from their feet, soaking up water from the ground, and passing it up to the plants on its' back. Incedentally, to support its' weight, its' feet are spread like a tree trunk, with a central "foot", and then three other, outer "feet" surrounding it.
Carring a forest around on it's back means that it provides a ready-made ecosystem for other animals. Most notable among these, are flifs (of various description) which roost amongst the trees, and the "titan truckle", which leeches the sap from the trees, and are not known to exist anywhere else but on the backs of these immense behemoths.
I like the idea of this, and I will supply a picture as soon as I can work out how to get it onto this website, but I do not even know if such a creature is plausible, or even possible... any ideas?
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Ddraig Goch
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Ok, well, here it is (if it's loaded...)
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Attachments: Titan.jpg (2.45 MB)
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Empyreon
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Are you plausible?

Cool! Reminds me to the groveback from Expedition.

The roots out of the feet don't seem necessary to me. The titan could just eat through its mouth and get all the water and nutrients from there. The trees could then just tap into the animal's digestive system for everything it needs.
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Oh, and the genus name Megatherium's already taken.
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Ddraig Goch
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Well, the creature's genus is actually Profanidae - it is one of the less repulsive members of it's group. You should see the Grotus. Disgusting.

As for the roots, I wouldn't have added them, but it seems unlikely that they could get enough nutrition and water just from eating, at least when they have a body that large to support.
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Well, your planet has a .9 Gravitational pull right? Well, these animals would be tricky to do, number one, weight would be a real issue. Everything that isn't absolutely needed, gone, a biochemistry that lets it be real light, an internal biology that helps make it light (light bones, light muscles, light organs) something like that would NEED to be addressed (just one should work). It isn't impossible, as far as that goes, we had some massive life forms here on Earth (not that heavy though, when you remember the mini-forest on this thing's back).

Second, the legs. Pacifically the feet. Just no, the roots are a bad idea. Structurally it's an awful idea. It could actually impede the organism's movement, trying not to damage the roots would be slow and near impossible for such a behemoth, and breaking the roots constantly is just not nice. If you do keep them, come up with a system where the roots are retractable and it can walk on simple feet.

Third, the symbiosis is a bit confusing. Okay, the plants get protected from herbivores, but there is also animals living on it's back? How exactly do they survive then? Are they herbivorous (I thing the Trufle is a parasite, right?), but eat so little it doesn't matter? Second, do the plants get nutrients from the Dino (I assume that's what it is), or do they get soil with their water via the roots or whatever system you'll use?

Fourth, where can I get one?

Another thing to consider, why not have the roots go into a stomach, and the creature just devour dirt and water that the plants use to make food, and then the plants make food for the animal? (I'm not trying to take over, just some stuff to think about)
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Ddraig Goch
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Oh right. Sorry, I thought I made it clear that the roots were retractable. Also, it's not a member of the Dinosaurimimidae, but as a replied to El Squibbonator, it a member of the Profanidae genus, a number of primitive and strange herbivores.

The Truckle is a collective name given to a group of small, flying creatures, which bore their way through tree trunks to get at the highly nutrious sap of some tree species. The flifs are a flying genus which sometimes roost on the Titans' back. However, apart from the truckles, there aren't really any creatures that live permenantly on the titans back (at least, not yet - give it another million years or so...), and therefore the plants remain, for the most part undisturbed (except for the species which pollinate these plants, which I haven't got round to designing yet).

I don't see how having lighter organs or a lighter skeleton could work, because the bones, organs, muscles, everything has to support the titans' weight.

(PS To get one, all you have to do is fly to Vabmojer with a really big net...) :D
Edited by Ddraig Goch, Oct 4 2009, 01:41 PM.
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Canis Lupis
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I'm pretty sure you can use already used scientific names for alien planets.

Nemo Ramjet used Xenoposeidon for Snaiad. It's the name of a jet-whale and a sauropod. He just designated it by putting (T) next to the sauropod Xenoposeidon and an (S) next to the jet-whale Xenoposeidon.
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Ddraig Goch
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Thanks for the tip!

Can anyone suggest any animal species that could make a living on the Titans' back? It is, after all, a ready made ecosystem.
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Canis Lupis
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Dinosaurs eat man, woman inherits the Earth.

An insect-like creature maybe? I'm not too good with ecosystems made on backs of an animal-like critter.
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Ànraich
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Perhaps some bird and lemur like organisms? Or maybe even squibbon type creatures?
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Ànraich
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Or even better, it's own young. Perhaps a larval stage?
We should all aspire to die surrounded by our dearest friends. Just like Julius Caesar.

"The Lord Universe said: 'The same fate I have given to all things from stones to stars, that one day they shall become naught but memories aloft upon the winds of time. From dust all was born, and to dust all shall return.' He then looked upon His greatest creation, life, and pitied them, for unlike stars and stones they would soon learn of this fate and despair in the futility of their own existence. And so the Lord Universe decided to give life two gifts to save them from this despair. The first of these gifts was the soul, that life might more readily accept their fate, and the second was fear, that they might in time learn to avoid it altogether." - Excerpt from a Chanagwan creation myth, Legends and Folklore of the Planet Ghar, collected and published by Yieju Bai'an, explorer from the Celestial Commonwealth of Qonming

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Ddraig Goch
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Thanks for your suggestions. I do have an as-yet unoccupied space for insect like invertebrates, so some of them could be specialized as parasites, or even gardeners, like leaf-cutter ants. As for larvae, this creatures lifecycle is so far unknown, so it's always possible. Having said that, the rest of its' genus produce live-young, which are miniatures of their parents.
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lamna
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I'm not so sure about those root feet. Just using the head seems like it would be more efficient to me, sauropods managed to get plenty of food despite tiny heads.
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Ddraig Goch
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Yeah but, no sauropods ever grew to 62 metres in length (as far as I know), and they didn't have forest on their backs either.

Actually, that's a point I've been wondering about. Why haven't mammals evolved a sauropod equivalent? (although I know there's no particular reason why they should have) I know giraffes kinda fill the niche of smaller sauropods, but what about the uber-huge ones, like Seismosaurus?
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