After Man's Demise

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After Man's Demise; a future evo project I'm considering
Topic Started: Nov 6 2010, 06:43 PM (952 Views)
Cephylus	Nov 6 2010, 06:43 PM Post #1
Torando of Terror Posts: 1,927 Group: Members Member #313 Joined: May 14, 2010 Gender: Male Nationality: South Korean Favorite Quote: "Breaking the world is easy enough. But rebuilding it, that isn't so easy." - Kozo Fuyutsuki Gender: Male	This is a project I have in mind, but I'm not sure if I'm really going to do it. I'm going to see. the periods: Holocene (approximately 10000 years BC~1.5 MYF) The end of the Upper Holocene is marked by the extinction of humankind. Human civilization only lasted a few thousand years from the present, the truly advanced civilization ending only 3 hundred years in the future from the present. The infestation of a mysterious disease wipes out 4/5 of the entire world population, and on top of that a series of massive volcanic eruptions from the Korean peninsula/ mainland China border (where the Baekdu Mountain is located) wipes off a large part of the Asian/European population, and reduces the entire human civilization into a few scattered primitive colonies and tribes, all the technological advancements gone to waste in a few decades and severely reversed into prehistoric levels. Humanity goes extinct at the start of the Lower Holocene. Although humans themselves are extinct, the anthropogenic influences last long. The ecosystems of the Earth is greatly disturbed, with genetically engineered species artificially modified by humans released into the wild, mostly domesticated animals and small flora and fauna used in experiments, and most of the Earth megafauna has gone extinct, only the smaller, adaptable and the resistant species of fauna still remaining, such as domestic cats, boars, foxes, lynx, bears, deer, caimans and a lot of other very familar animals. The continuous extinctions stretching from the late Pleistocene to the Upper Holocene caused by humans is called the Holocene Anthropogenic Extinction Event. Mostly the animals of the lower Holocene is still very similar to modern-day fauna. 15 MYF Most of the 15 MYF fauna are descended from the more adaptable modern-day fauna which managed to survive the age of humans. The Earth is going through another Ice Age, where Ice sheets have progressed all the way down to cover almost all of the Northern Hemisphere. The overall climate is much colder than the Holocene climate, and because of the similar conditions to the previous Ice Age and with humans being extinct, the survivors of the Holocene Anthropogenic Extinction Event evolved into analogues of the previous Cenezoic megafauna, occupying similar niches and as a result the fauna on 15 MYF Earth much resembles that of Pleistocene Earth fauna. Boars evolve into giant wooly herbivores similar to the mammoths or mastodons (mammut-boars), some of the smaller, more omnivorous modern bears evolving into larger, carnivorous forms similar to Grizzly Bears and Short-Faced Bears. Lynx are the new sabre-tooths. Mountain Beavers evolve into analogues of the Pleistocene Horned Gophers, both New World/ Old World vultures evolve into the new teratorns/ terror birds, smallish felines belonging to the Leopardus family evolve into powerful predators similar to Jaguars, Giant Anteaters into Megatherium analogues, large South American rodents into notoungulate analogues, large armadillos into animals similar to the prehistoric Glyptodonts, some varanids into Megalania rip-offs and caimans into something looking similar to mekosuchines. 50 MYF The cycle of glacial advances and recedes which started since the end of the Holocene period has been finally broken, with the last glaciation ending some millions of years ago. Earth has changed a lot, both geographically and biologically. The climate has settled down a lot, much warmer compared to the previous Ice Age climates, but the intense fluctuations in temperatures required a lot of adaptability, and only the most stubborn and the smaller of the previous 15 MYF fauna survived. The harsh cold and the sudden warmings have wiped out a lot of the previous Earth fauna, and in the vacant 30 MYF Earth many niches are open to the exploitation of the remaining mammal species which managed to survive in the previous extinction events. Descendents of storks, seriemas and secretary birds evolve into massive semi-flighted terror bird-like predators, small mara-like lagomorphs evolve into smallish antelope-like animals (seeing that thousands of the previously dominant herbivorous mammals like ruminant and larger ungulate species would go extinct during the glaciations), the smaller ruminants and ungulates evolving to fill the large browser/grazer niches left empty by their larger cousins gone for good, mustelids like badgers/wolverines evolving into massive false-bears, gigantic bats competing with large eagles as aerial predators, the remaining Leopardus felines still occupying jaguar niches in South America. A lot of the marine fauna is gone too, with most aquatic mammals gone and many aquatic reptiles/ fish also extinct, but others will step up to fill the empty ecological niches, such as small sharks and marine reptiles. 100 MYF A massive extinction event hits the Earth some 60 million years ago. The same course of events which happened in the KT mass extinction event (Cenezoic/ Mesozoic boundary event) happens on Earth; a giant asteroid some 12.5 killometers across, named the Chicxulub Junior (reminiscent of the first Chicxulub: the asteroid which caused KT) strikes the Middle East and causes a mass extinction event, wiping out 75 percent of all fossilisable Earth fauna along with a series of massive volcanic activities in what was Europe in the Holocene: the Cenezoic/ Silliokocene boundary event. This extinction event marks the end of Cenezoic and signifies the start of the Silliokocene, a new period altogether. In 100 MYF, the extremely intense and harsh temperatures has long been settled down, and the survivors of the previous extinction has settled themselves in the niches previously occupied by the more familiar lineages. Descendents of modern crows/ravens, ground cuckoos, caracaras, skuas and gulls evolve into opportunistic predators/scavengers similar to terror birds or large storks, the apex predators of 100 MYF Earth. Rodents are big in this world, evolving into various forms ranging from boar-sized omnivores to small carnivores. Some small Laurasiatherians, such as shrews, moonrats and porquipines evolve into cat/dog sized carnivores, bear-sized omnivores, hyena-like scavengers, tapir-like or even elephant-like large herbivores. Opossums evolve into large Jaguar-like predators, as they are sure to survive the extinction event with their robust immune systems and omnivory. What do you think? Edited by Cephylus, Nov 6 2010, 06:45 PM.
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Dragon wasp	Nov 6 2010, 07:04 PM Post #2
Prime Specimen Posts: 1,863 Group: Members Member #184 Joined: Jul 7, 2009 Area of expertise: Xenobiology Nationality: Canadian	cool. i like to hear more about 100 myf.



Scrublord	Nov 6 2010, 07:35 PM Post #3
Father Pellegrini Posts: 4,423 Group: Members Member #169 Joined: May 5, 2009 Gender: Male Area of expertise: Future Evolution Nationality: American (unfortunately) Favorite Quote: Life can seem a challenge. Life can seem impossible. It's never easy when there's so much on the line.	How will anteaters become like ground sloths? They're already pretty specialized for eating ants.
	My Projects: The Neozoic Redux Valhalla--Take Three! The Big One Deviantart Account: http://elsqiubbonator.deviantart.com In the end, the best advice I could give you would be to do your project in a way that feels natural to you, rather than trying to imitate some geek with a laptop in Colorado. --Heteromorph


Cephylus	Nov 6 2010, 11:05 PM Post #4
Torando of Terror Posts: 1,927 Group: Members Member #313 Joined: May 14, 2010 Gender: Male Nationality: South Korean Favorite Quote: "Breaking the world is easy enough. But rebuilding it, that isn't so easy." - Kozo Fuyutsuki Gender: Male	El Squibbonator Nov 6 2010, 07:35 PM How will anteaters become like ground sloths? They're already pretty specialized for eating ants. Actually I read somewhere that anteaters eat not only ants but other larger insects, fruits and nuts and bird's eggs on occasion, and that some eat dead carcasses. Also, I mean that the size and body shape is similar. And thanks for the attention! Edited by Cephylus, Nov 6 2010, 11:49 PM.
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Ook	Nov 7 2010, 05:47 AM Post #5
not a Transhuman Posts: 2,933 Group: Members Member #282 Joined: Mar 10, 2010 Gender: Male	i am rather sceptical about megatherium like anteaters



Cephylus	Nov 12 2010, 04:00 AM Post #6
Torando of Terror Posts: 1,927 Group: Members Member #313 Joined: May 14, 2010 Gender: Male Nationality: South Korean Favorite Quote: "Breaking the world is easy enough. But rebuilding it, that isn't so easy." - Kozo Fuyutsuki Gender: Male	So I'm considering giant anteaters filling niches similar to azhdarchids of the Meosozoic, massive mostly carnivorous beasts similar to bears or megatherium which feeds on carcasses by ripping the meat into smaller pieces, or eats insects, smallish animals weiging less than 40 killograms, bird's eggs and occasionally fruits or nuts. Of course they would have a strange way of eating due to their lack of teeth, probably digest some kinds of foods with gastroliths like sauropods?
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Flisch	Nov 12 2010, 08:25 AM Post #7
Superhuman Posts: 3,118 Group: Members Member #3 Joined: May 28, 2008 Nationality: Terran	I want to see an anteater trying to eat a fruit or a nut.
	We have a discord. If you want to join, simply message me, Icthyander or Sphenodon.


T.Neo	Nov 12 2010, 08:29 AM Post #8
Translunar injection: TLI Posts: 6,154 Group: Members Member #179 Joined: Jun 7, 2009 Area of expertise: Xenobiology	Maybe it's a very small fruit?
	A hard mathematical figure provides a sort of enlightenment to one's understanding of an idea that is never matched by mere guesswork.


Flisch	Nov 16 2010, 06:58 AM Post #9
Superhuman Posts: 3,118 Group: Members Member #3 Joined: May 28, 2008 Nationality: Terran	I want to see it eating a nut then. ¬_¬
	We have a discord. If you want to join, simply message me, Icthyander or Sphenodon.


Ook	Nov 16 2010, 09:20 AM Post #10
not a Transhuman Posts: 2,933 Group: Members Member #282 Joined: Mar 10, 2010 Gender: Male	anteater megatherium is bad idea for me..lack of teeth,overspecialized diet.. BTW what about replace them with giant omnivorous bears?(black bear is pretty adaptive)



Adman	Nov 17 2010, 05:25 PM Post #11
Totally not lamna Posts: 3,898 Group: Members Member #375 Joined: Sep 2, 2010 Gender: Male Nationality: The Great Atlantic Steppe Favorite Quote: “I dont leran from no one“ -Archeo	Slivovica Nov 16 2010, 09:20 AM anteater megatherium is bad idea for me..lack of teeth,overspecialized diet.. BTW what about replace them with giant omnivorous bears?(black bear is pretty adaptive) Slivovica, megatherium anteaters are awesome. I think that they could develop a wider snout, develop bone plates in their jaws, and grow a wider tongue that could be sticky. And, here's how I think they could hunt. If the pampas of south America are wet and humid like the plains of india, ( I'm talking where the elephant grass is), the anteater could become slender and tall and colored like the grass around it and stalk it's prey. When it's close enough, it would shoot out it's tongue and take the scrambling animal into it's mouth where it will proceed to mash up the prey with it's tooth plates. And, please put spaces in some of your words.
	Projects and concepts that I have stewing around Extended Pleistocene- An alternate future where man died out, and the megafauna would continue to thrive (may or may not include a bit about certain future sapients) Inverted World- An alternate timeline where an asteroid hit during the Barremian, causing an extinction event before the Maastrichtian. Dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and notosuchians make it to the present, along with a host of other animals. Badania- Alien planet that has life at a devonian stage of development, except it exists in the present day. Ido- Alien world where hoppers (derived flightless ballonts) and mouthpart-legged beasts are prevalent. Leto- Life on a moon orbiting a gas giant with an erratic orbit; experiences extremes of hot and cold. The Park- ??? Deeper Impact- a world where the K-Pg extinction wipes out crocodilians, mammals, and birds; squamates, choristoderes, and turtles inherit the earth. World of Equal Opportunity- alternate history where denisovans come across Beringia and interact with native fauna. Much of the Pleistocene fauna survives, and the modern humans that end up crossing into North America do not overhunt the existing animals. 10,000 years later, civilizations exist that are on par with European and Asian societies. The Ditch- Nothing is what if seems..


The Dodo	Nov 18 2010, 06:54 AM Post #12
Prime Specimen Posts: 1,382 Group: Members Member #189 Joined: Jul 26, 2009 Gender: Male Nationality: Australian	Anteaters can eat fruit, they have to mash them up into smaller pieces to fit them into their mouths though. They definitely can eat eggs, I found a video of one doing so. http://arkive.org/giant-anteater/myrmecophaga-tridactyla/video-08c.html



Ook	Nov 18 2010, 11:02 AM Post #13
not a Transhuman Posts: 2,933 Group: Members Member #282 Joined: Mar 10, 2010 Gender: Male	but its rather time more time consuming,any other omivorous mammal with not too much specialized jaws just simply eat it



Cephylus	Dec 4 2010, 09:03 AM Post #14
Torando of Terror Posts: 1,927 Group: Members Member #313 Joined: May 14, 2010 Gender: Male Nationality: South Korean Favorite Quote: "Breaking the world is easy enough. But rebuilding it, that isn't so easy." - Kozo Fuyutsuki Gender: Male	Anteaters do eat fruit and meat (they feed anteaters fruits and meat scraps in zoos, I saw one eating) But I like the idea of giant megatherium-like black bears, kind of looking like Tim Morris's version of King Kong. And while I was messing around in the Evolutionary Continuum I found the Tamara.... I'll try to avoid repeated ideas. So I'm going for bears. I also got idea for giant glyptodont-like porquipines in North and Middle America (idea originally from Poncho Firewalker on Deviantart). They do look like modern porquipines, but rhino-sized with powerful, muscular whacking tail bristling with extra long barbed qills... they use their qilled defense measures on giant descendents of Jaguarundi, large Leopardus cats, New World vultures and large megatherium-bears. Caracals now fill the niche of lions in Africa, large muscular feline predators living in prides, while Servals are now the new Cheetahs, only even larger than modern cheetahs. They are quite adaptable and efficient predators, from hunting small birds to killing massive pangolin descendents and giant, vicious boars. African Golden Cats evolve into large arboreal leopard-like predators specialised to taking down large descendents of baboons. Edited by Cephylus, Dec 4 2010, 10:17 AM.
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