Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Speculative biology is simultaneously a science and form of art in which one speculates on the possibilities of life and evolution. What could the world look like if dinosaurs had never gone extinct? What could alien lifeforms look like? What kinds of plants and animals might exist in the far future? These questions and more are tackled by speculative biologists, and the Speculative Evolution welcomes all relevant ideas, inquiries, and world-building projects alike. With a member base comprising users from across the world, our community is the largest and longest-running place of gathering for speculative biologists on the web.

While unregistered users are able to browse the forum on a basic level, registering an account provides additional forum access not visible to guests as well as the ability to join in discussions and contribute yourself! Registration is free and instantaneous.

Join our community today!

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
The Species Factory; Empty your mind
Topic Started: Nov 6 2014, 06:54 PM (33,412 Views)
CaledonianWarrior96
Member Avatar
An Awesome Reptile
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
What about a terrestrial bird that had a long thin beak and long tongue like hummingbirds but instead it raided insect nests and fed like an anteater
Come check out and subscribe to my projects on the following subforums;

Future Planet (V.2): the Future Evolution of Life on Earth (Evolutionary Continuum)
The Meuse Legacy: An Alternative Outcome of the Mosasaur (Alternative Evolution)
Terra Cascus: The Last Refuge of the Dinosaurs (Alternative Evolution)
- Official Project
- Foundation
The Beryoni Galaxy: The Biologically Rich and Politically Complex State of our Galaxy (Habitational Zone)

- Beryoni Critique Thread (formerly: Aliens of Beryoni)
The Ecology of Skull Island: An Open Project for the Home of King Kong (Alternative Universe)
The Ecology of Wakanda: An Open Project for the Home of Marvel's Black Panther (Alternative Universe)

(Click bold titles to go to page. To subscribe click on a project, scroll to the bottom of the page and click "track topic" on the bottom right corner)


And now, for something completely different
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Corecin
Member Avatar
Have you ever been bitch slapped for lack of listening? lack of doing what your told? cuz i'm not far from slapping you
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *
An herbivorous dog that hunts down other herbivores and predators to lower the competition.
Posted Image
Posted Image
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Dapper Man
Member Avatar
* I am fed up with dis wuurld *
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *
AGmantheAG
Apr 2 2016, 05:19 PM
hunts down other herbivores and predators to lower the competition.
That's carnivorous.

Herbivorous: Eats plants.
Speculative Evolution:

Manitou; The Needle in the Haystack.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
LittleLazyLass
Member Avatar
Proud quilt in a bag

Saessy
Apr 2 2016, 05:21 PM
AGmantheAG
Apr 2 2016, 05:19 PM
hunts down other herbivores and predators to lower the competition.
That's carnivorous.

Herbivorous: Eats plants.
He never said it eats them, it just kills them.

Either way, sounds incredibly anatomically and energetically inefficient.
totally not British, b-baka!
Posted Image You like me (Unlike)
I don't even really like this song that much but the title is pretty relatable sometimes, I guess.
Me
What, you want me to tell you what these mean?
Read First
Words Maybe
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Carlos
Member Avatar
Adveho in me Lucifero
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
CaledonianWarrior96
Apr 2 2016, 05:16 PM
What about a terrestrial bird that had a long thin beak and long tongue like hummingbirds but instead it raided insect nests and fed like an anteater

Amusingly that's an idea our founder proposed I believe.
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

Posted Image
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
CaledonianWarrior96
Member Avatar
An Awesome Reptile
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
JohnFaa
Apr 2 2016, 05:29 PM
CaledonianWarrior96
Apr 2 2016, 05:16 PM
What about a terrestrial bird that had a long thin beak and long tongue like hummingbirds but instead it raided insect nests and fed like an anteater

Amusingly that's an idea our founder proposed I believe.
Who founded this forum anyway? I'm not too sure
Come check out and subscribe to my projects on the following subforums;

Future Planet (V.2): the Future Evolution of Life on Earth (Evolutionary Continuum)
The Meuse Legacy: An Alternative Outcome of the Mosasaur (Alternative Evolution)
Terra Cascus: The Last Refuge of the Dinosaurs (Alternative Evolution)
- Official Project
- Foundation
The Beryoni Galaxy: The Biologically Rich and Politically Complex State of our Galaxy (Habitational Zone)

- Beryoni Critique Thread (formerly: Aliens of Beryoni)
The Ecology of Skull Island: An Open Project for the Home of King Kong (Alternative Universe)
The Ecology of Wakanda: An Open Project for the Home of Marvel's Black Panther (Alternative Universe)

(Click bold titles to go to page. To subscribe click on a project, scroll to the bottom of the page and click "track topic" on the bottom right corner)


And now, for something completely different
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Carlos
Member Avatar
Adveho in me Lucifero
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Calls itself Will. Last time I heard it used the moniker "Livyatan", but it's been so long and it changes usernames on a whim.
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

Posted Image
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
CaledonianWarrior96
Member Avatar
An Awesome Reptile
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
JohnFaa
Apr 2 2016, 05:35 PM
Calls itself Will. Last time I heard it used the moniker "Livyatan", but it's been so long and it changes usernames on a whim.
It? Does nobody know the founder's gender? Or if it's even human lol.

I don't know if lol is alright to use here, but I have trouble expressing humour online
Come check out and subscribe to my projects on the following subforums;

Future Planet (V.2): the Future Evolution of Life on Earth (Evolutionary Continuum)
The Meuse Legacy: An Alternative Outcome of the Mosasaur (Alternative Evolution)
Terra Cascus: The Last Refuge of the Dinosaurs (Alternative Evolution)
- Official Project
- Foundation
The Beryoni Galaxy: The Biologically Rich and Politically Complex State of our Galaxy (Habitational Zone)

- Beryoni Critique Thread (formerly: Aliens of Beryoni)
The Ecology of Skull Island: An Open Project for the Home of King Kong (Alternative Universe)
The Ecology of Wakanda: An Open Project for the Home of Marvel's Black Panther (Alternative Universe)

(Click bold titles to go to page. To subscribe click on a project, scroll to the bottom of the page and click "track topic" on the bottom right corner)


And now, for something completely different
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Corecin
Member Avatar
Have you ever been bitch slapped for lack of listening? lack of doing what your told? cuz i'm not far from slapping you
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Jurassic Zebra
Apr 2 2016, 05:23 PM
Saessy
Apr 2 2016, 05:21 PM
AGmantheAG
Apr 2 2016, 05:19 PM
hunts down other herbivores and predators to lower the competition.
That's carnivorous.

Herbivorous: Eats plants.
He never said it eats them, it just kills them.

Either way, sounds incredibly anatomically and energetically inefficient.
It doesn't eat them, just kills them. Do you think I'm an idiot?

I also imagined them eating eggs or another small amount of meat or protein to help with their mainly plant diet. I assume it would arise to help when meat is low.
Posted Image
Posted Image
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
LittleLazyLass
Member Avatar
Proud quilt in a bag

AGmantheAG
Apr 2 2016, 06:02 PM
Jurassic Zebra
Apr 2 2016, 05:23 PM
Saessy
Apr 2 2016, 05:21 PM
AGmantheAG
Apr 2 2016, 05:19 PM
hunts down other herbivores and predators to lower the competition.
That's carnivorous.

Herbivorous: Eats plants.
He never said it eats them, it just kills them.

Either way, sounds incredibly anatomically and energetically inefficient.
It doesn't eat them, just kills them. Do you think I'm an idiot?

I also imagined them eating eggs or another small amount of meat or protein to help with their mow oh plant diet.
Did you mean to quote his post instead? Because I said exactly that.

I just said the idea didn't make much sense. It would have to have the anatomy to be able to chase down and kill other herbivores, which is going to conflict with its herbivorous adaptations. In particular, I can't begin to imagine how the skull anatomy, particularly the dentary, would function. Omnivores can eat both, yes, but they aren't adapted to kill large animals, so they wouldn't compare.

Additionally I question how worth it is long term in terms of energy. Hunting like that requires investment of time and energy, and I'm skeptical that investment is worth eradicating competition. If it is, why has nothing evolved to kill its competition like this? Such a phenomenon is only seen in predators, tellingly enough. Why don't hippos or rhinos kill competition? They're damn well powerful enough. Even in predators, killing the infants of unrelated members of their own species is more prominent from what I know, which might also discredit the underlying concept you have.
totally not British, b-baka!
Posted Image You like me (Unlike)
I don't even really like this song that much but the title is pretty relatable sometimes, I guess.
Me
What, you want me to tell you what these mean?
Read First
Words Maybe
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Sayornis
Member Avatar
Neotenous
 *  *  *  *  *  *
CaledonianWarrior96
Apr 2 2016, 05:16 PM
What about a terrestrial bird that had a long thin beak and long tongue like hummingbirds but instead it raided insect nests and fed like an anteater
The Northern Flicker isn't too far from this already-- it can fly, but it largely forages on the ground, and it does eat ants with a sticky tongue:
http://www.wallowa.com/20140305/bird-watching-flicker-a-feathered-anteater
https://books.google.com/books?id=QBzgBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA41&dq=anteater+bird+flicker&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi88N_2ifHLAhWBWCYKHbM5D50Q6AEIJzAC#v=snippet&q=flickers&f=false
https://books.google.com/books?id=gy-TAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA78&dq=anteater+bird+flicker&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi88N_2ifHLAhWBWCYKHbM5D50Q6AEILDAD#v=onepage&q=anteater%20bird%20flicker&f=false
I think "anteater" is also an older name for the Flicker, but I cannot find a source just now. The Green Woodpecker or Yaffle is similar.
The Library is open. (Now under new management!)
Dr Nitwhite
Aug 19 2016, 07:42 PM
As I said before, the Library is like spec crack.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Corecin
Member Avatar
Have you ever been bitch slapped for lack of listening? lack of doing what your told? cuz i'm not far from slapping you
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Jurassic Zebra
Apr 2 2016, 06:11 PM
AGmantheAG
Apr 2 2016, 06:02 PM
Jurassic Zebra
Apr 2 2016, 05:23 PM
Saessy
Apr 2 2016, 05:21 PM
AGmantheAG
Apr 2 2016, 05:19 PM
hunts down other herbivores and predators to lower the competition.
That's carnivorous.

Herbivorous: Eats plants.
He never said it eats them, it just kills them.

Either way, sounds incredibly anatomically and energetically inefficient.
It doesn't eat them, just kills them. Do you think I'm an idiot?

I also imagined them eating eggs or another small amount of meat or protein to help with their mow oh plant diet.
Did you mean to quote his post instead? Because I said exactly that.

I just said the idea didn't make much sense. It would have to have the anatomy to be able to chase down and kill other herbivores, which is going to conflict with its herbivorous adaptations. In particular, I can't begin to imagine how the skull anatomy, particularly the dentary, would function. Omnivores can eat both, yes, but they aren't adapted to kill large animals, so they wouldn't compare.

Additionally I question how worth it is long term in terms of energy. Hunting like that requires investment of time and energy, and I'm skeptical that investment is worth eradicating competition. If it is, why has nothing evolved to kill its competition like this? Such a phenomenon is only seen in predators, tellingly enough. Why don't hippos or rhinos kill competition? They're damn well powerful enough. Even in predators, killing the infants of unrelated members of their own species is more prominent from what I know, which might also discredit the underlying concept you have.
I meant to quote his. I sort of imagined they would only hunt down other herbivores and predators when food is low. Sort of like a last resort.

I kind of just thought of the idea. That's what this area is for, not really a super in depth creature analysis.
Posted Image
Posted Image
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Kamidio
Member Avatar
The Game Master of the SSU:NC
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
It's far easier to evolve defensive traits to protect what little food there is than it is to develop traditionally carnivorous behaviors to kill the competition.

This is the reason why you see herbivores clad in armor and in possession of weaponry.
SSU:NC - Finding a new home.
Posted Image
Quotes
WAA
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Picrodus
Member Avatar
:Ominous Wind:
 *  *  *  *  *  *
Saessy
Mar 30 2016, 11:49 PM
Aquagrabbers:

A aquatic Posthuman that has adapted to a Europa like world. It is short, and slimy. They still retain their five fingers/ toes, but one thing makes them completely alien. They have no eyes. Due to the absence of light of their world, they gradually lost their eyes, as they never had a need to do so. They are 3 foot 2, with a mouth filled with sharp, conical teeth. They have a streamlined appearance, with a short fin on the top of their backs. Males are more territorial than females. Territories cover the surface areas of the endless sea. They have had their lungs gradually reverted back into gills. Females seemingly spend their lives wandering the ocean, only occasionally coming to males to mate with them, who then leave the responsibility of caring for the youngsters to the males. Once reaching the age of 10, females tend to join the next group that passes on by, whilst males tend to find their own territory in the open ocean, unaware of the cosmos above.

Huh, might use this idea for my upcoming Posthuman projec... oh wait, was I supposed to say that? Oh well, I'll post it sometime.
Posted Image
I thought of these guys when you described your Aquagrabbers.
Posted Image
My Deviantart A work in progress. Other Liked Quote: "The "habitable zone" will expand along with the Sun. This will warm once-frozen planets and their moons, bringing a brief springtime after a 10-billion-year winter."

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
flashman63
Member Avatar
The Herr From Terre
 *  *  *  *  *  *
Hey, it's fine. That post actually gave me some rather pleasant and interesting dreams.
Travel back through time and space, to the edge of man's beggining... discover a time when man, woman and lizard roamed free, and untamed!

It is an epoch of mammoths, a time of raptors!

A tale of love in the age of tyrannosaurs!

An epic from the silver screen, brought right to your door!

Travel back to
A Million Years BC

-----------------------------------------------------

Proceedings of the Miskatonic University Department of Zoology

Cosmic Horror is but a dissertation away

-----------------------------------------------------

Some dickhead's deviantART
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
ZetaBoards - Free Forum Hosting
Create your own social network with a free forum.
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · General Spec · Next Topic »
Add Reply