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The Xenocene project ( the foreign age ); 55 million years in the future
Topic Started: Aug 3 2016, 02:08 PM (3,169 Views)
AlphaX9
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Currently we're living in a time period known as the anthropocene. Aka the age of man.
We're in the middle of the 6th mass extinction, in which 30 to 50 percent of plants and animals are at risk of going extinct. In the next few centuries, many groups of plants and animals will become extinct due to pollution, habitat destruction, climate change, overfishing, over hunting, invasive species, and other factors. And they'll have no future descendants.
Fortunately humans weren't lucky either. As the human population sky rocketed, resources become hard to subtain 12 billion people, and eventually disease kills off most of the population.
A pandemic greater than that of the Bubonic plague during the dark ages. The origins of the disease is unknown, but it's probably an evolved disease/virus that is around today. ( you can use your imagination ). The remaining population that does survive leaves earth and colonize another earth-like planet ( possibly Alpha X ).

After the extinction of man, the planet returns to its natural state and life starts to fill ecological niches that were empty at the time. Even the life that did survive the 6th mass extinction were unable to adapt to another incoming threat. Around 800,000 to 15 million years in the future, an ice age occurred. Planet becomes colder and drier and some of the remaining animals and plants began to die out because of climate change and competition. Although this event didn't kill off too many animals and plants.

We fast forward to the time period that our scenario takes place during the Xenocene epoch.
55 million years in the future, the climate is pretty stable. The main difference is that the continents have shifted, broke apart, and collided with each other, and the animals and plants that are around in this time period are the survivors of the 6th mass extinction and the ice age.
Many of the creatures during the Xenocene look similar to the animals that we have today, while others look and act differently than their modern ancestors.

Animals that will survive and evolve

* pigs
* Peccaries
* Most mustelids ( weasels, ferrets, otters, badgers, etc )
* Small cats
* Mongooses and civets
* Most rodents
* Lagomorphs
* Deer ( Eurasia and North America )
* A portion of bats
* Shrews, moles & hedgehogs
* Certain bovines ( buffalo, bison, antelope )
* Raccoons
* Some marsupials ( kangaroos, wallabies, possums, opossums, wombats, quoll )
* Most old world monkeys ( baboons, macaques, etc )
* Many new world monkeys
* Armadillos
* Some anteaters
* Aardvarks
* New world vultures
* Some parrots
* Hummingbirds
* Swifts
* Most storks, herons, bitterns, ibises, spoonbills, and flamingos
* Most flightless birds ( ostriches, emus, etc )
* Gulls
* Waders
* Ducks, geese, and swans
* Loons and grebes
* Game birds ( partridge, quail, pheasants, grouses, and peacocks )
* Most pigeons and doves
* Birds of prey( Owls, most Eagles, Hawks, Falcons, etc )
* Most perching birds
* Some crocodilians
* Adaptable reptiles
* Hardy fish


Animals that'll go extinct

* big cats ( lions, tigers, jaguars, leopards, cheetahs, etc )
* Hyenas
* Bears
* Rhinos
* Possibly hippopotamuses
* Elephants
* Whales & Dolphins
* Most seals and sea lions
* Most canids
* Apes
* Most lemurs
* Specialized mammals in general ( pandas, koalas, etc )
* Horses ( domestic, zebras, etc )
* Tapirs
* Monotremes
* Domestic animals ( cattle, sheeps, goats )
* Camels and possibly llamas
* Okapi and giraffes
* Pangolins
* Sloths
* Some anteaters
* Old world vultures
* Most tropical birds
* Majority of penguins
* Specialized birds in general
* Tuatara
* Most turtles
* A large number of lizards and snake
* Most amphibians
* Most Large fish
* Fish that are too sensitive to change

If you like my ideas or if you want to give me your imput
Put a comment down in the section below.
Edited by AlphaX9, Aug 24 2016, 01:52 PM.
The strongest of species never survive the longest nor the smartest. But the ones who're able to adapt~ Charles Darwin
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AlphaX9
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Grim reaper hawk
Scientific name: ...
Height: 2'5
Weight: 20 ibs
Habitat: mountains
Native region: Central Asia
Evolved from: common buzzard
Lifespan: 30 years

- primarily hunts rodents and mountain fowls. But will scavenge off of dead animals
- due to the lack of Eagles in Central Asia, the common buzzard became the new top predator of its ecosystem. Adapting to the harsh climate and hunting the prey that's available.
- grim reaper hawks are monogamous and will mate with one partner for life. Males and females look similar, so it's difficult to tell them apart.
The strongest of species never survive the longest nor the smartest. But the ones who're able to adapt~ Charles Darwin
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AlphaX9
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pika descendant ( i couldn't come up with a name )
scientific name: ...
length: 1 foot
weight: 3 ibs
habitat: mountains
native region: central asia
evolved from: alpine pika
lifespan: 7 years

- this tiny lagomorph is primitive because it looks similar to its modern ancestors. except that their ears are reduced, their legs are shorter, and they have large eyes.
- they're promiscuous and polygamous.
- they can produce 8 babies in a single litter. gestation period is a month. one female could produce 336 babies in a single lifetime.
- their slate gray fur allows them to blend in with the rocks in order to avoid predators.
-when a group of them wanders around searching for food, one of them acts as a lookout and create a variety of noises to alert the others of danger.

*if anyone could come up with a name and a scientific name for this animal, that would be appreciated.
The strongest of species never survive the longest nor the smartest. But the ones who're able to adapt~ Charles Darwin
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AlphaX9
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snowy macaque
scientific name:
height: 2'5 on four, 5'0 standing up
length: 9 feet
weight: 300 ibs
habitat: mountains
native region: central Asia
evolved from: an old world monkey
lifespan: 24 years

- during the age of man; snow leopards were the original predators that roamed the Himalayas. however their populations dwindled by the combination of habitat destruction and over hunting: mainly for their fur and because farmers don't want their livestock to get eating. several decades later the snow leopard succumbed to extinction. after the age of man, a group of monkeys from India migrated up north and gradually adapted to the harsh conditions of the Himalayas. over time these omnivorous monkeys which originally lived in jungles gradually became pack hunting predators. mainly hunting hoofed animals.
- groups consists of 5 to 7 individuals. led by an alpha male and female.
- their white fur allows them to blend in during a snow storm while hunting. they have long claws that they use to slice the throats or underbellies of their targets.
The strongest of species never survive the longest nor the smartest. But the ones who're able to adapt~ Charles Darwin
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AlphaX9
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devil bear
scientific name: ...
length: 13 feet
height: 6 feet at the shoulder
weight: 1,200 ibs
habitat: coniferous forest
native region: north america and eurasia
evolved from: wolverine
lifespan: 35 years

- in our time period, they're 8 species of bears. after the 6th mass extinction, 6 of the 8 bear species went extinct. leaving the brown bear and the black bear as the only bears left. these two remaining species ( or at least their descendants ) survived up until 10 million years in the future during the ice age. they had difficulties adapting to the cold and dry climate. and to make it worse for them; they had to compete with another group of carnivores. the mustelids. the weasel family. the weasels were faster, adaptable, and smarter than the bears. over time the bears went extinct entirely; leaving no descendants. the weasels now claim their territory. from eurasia to north america. fast forward to 55 million years and you get the one of the biggest land predators. the devil bear. aka " the great devourer "
- imagine a wolverine, but it's the same size as a cave bear. that's the best description i can give you about the devil bear. in terms of behavior, it does behave in the same manner as its ancestors. fearless and aggressive. it isn't a picky eater either. it will eat any animal. big or small, dead or alive.they're known to eat 90% of their kills. including bones, teeth, and hooves.
- the devil bear can run up to 35 mph for short distances.
The strongest of species never survive the longest nor the smartest. But the ones who're able to adapt~ Charles Darwin
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peashyjah
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Did the Devil Bear took over the niches of the bears or no?
Discontinued projects:
The New Ostracoderms (i might continue with this project again someday)
The Americas (where in 58 million years from now in the future North and South America has both become isolated island continents)



All Expansions (my attempt at expanding the universe of All Tomorrows by Nemo Ramjet aka C.M. Kosemen, started June 6, 2018)
Anthropozoic (my attempt at expanding the universe of Man After Man and also a re-imagining of it, coming 2019 or 2020)
New Cenozoica (my attempt at expanding the universe of The New Dinosaurs and also a re-imagining of it, also coming 2019 or 2020)
All Alternatives or All Changes (a re-telling of All Tomorrows but with some minor and major "changes", coming June 10, 2018)
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AlphaX9
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peashyjah
Aug 24 2016, 01:53 PM
Did the Devil Bear took over the niches of the bears or no?


yes they did. specifically the brown bear
The strongest of species never survive the longest nor the smartest. But the ones who're able to adapt~ Charles Darwin
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AlphaX9
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shagrab
scientific name: ...
height: 6'2
weight: 1.5 ton
habitat: tundras and polar regions
native region: the north pole
evolved from: hare
lifespan: 27 years

- the shagrab is a close relative to the lagotheres. however they have a different body shape. shorter ears, long shaggy fur, short neck, and a bulkybody.
they've replaced musk oxen.
- they live in large herds consisting of 25 individuals. they migrate every year in order to find new grazing spots. traveling through snow storms and getting stalked by their only predator. the polar devil bear.
- they use their powerful paws to dig through thick ice to find grass or lichen.
-they have a thick coat during the winter, and then they shed it during warmer weather.
The strongest of species never survive the longest nor the smartest. But the ones who're able to adapt~ Charles Darwin
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AlphaX9
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Polar devil bear
Scientific name: ...
Height: 6'2 at the shoulder
Length: 12 feet
Weight: 1500 ibs
Habitat: tundras and polar regions
Native region: the arctic
Evolved from: wolverine
Lifespan: 30

- unlike its close relative the devil bear, the polar devil bear has a shorter tail, white hollow fur, slightly longer neck, larger paws that act like snowshoes, and its unique trait; 10 inches saber teeth. Similar to the gorgonopsids or saber toothed cat of the past. They're the apex predator of the Arctic. And just like their woodland cousin, the polar devil bear is fearless and aggressive.
- they travel miles around searching for food. They often follow shagrabs and pick out the weak,sick or the injured. They blend in with their surroundings, get closer to their target, jump on its prey and wrestle it to the ground. And subdue the prey by breaking the preys neck with its powerful paws or use its signature saber teeth.
- males are typically solitary and are slightly bigger than the females. Females usually have 2 or 3 cubs to raise and are smaller than the males.
- they hunt shagrabs, deer, lagotheres, and otteals. ( otter descendant )
Edited by AlphaX9, Aug 24 2016, 05:05 PM.
The strongest of species never survive the longest nor the smartest. But the ones who're able to adapt~ Charles Darwin
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AlphaX9
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moose descendant
scientific name: ...
height: 5 feet at the shoulder
weight: 700 ibs
habitat: coniferous forest
native region: eurasia and north america
evolved from: moose
lifespan: 20 years

- these animals look similar to their ancestors, except that they're shorter, lighter, and have reduced antlers. their antlers are 23 inches in length and aren't branched out like their ancestors. they reduced their antlers so they can escape from predators without getting their antlers caught in tree branches.
smaller individuals with smaller antlers are less likely to get killed than bigger individuals.
- top speed is 40 mph
- just like their ancestors,they are browsers. feeding on water plants and low lying plants.
The strongest of species never survive the longest nor the smartest. But the ones who're able to adapt~ Charles Darwin
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AlphaX9
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dagger rat
scientific name(s): ...
height: 1'9 feet at the shoulder
weight: 40 ibs
habitat: coniferous forest and deciduous forest
native region: north america and eurasia
evolved from: brown rat
lifespan: 15 years

- just like bears; foxes also survived the 6th mass extinction, but the majority went extinct 10 to 15 million years in the future during the future ice age.
a combination of climate change and competition with rodents led to their extinction. replacing the red fox is a predatory rodent called the dagger rat. it gets its name because of its long sharp incisors. their relatively short tail is bushy but still retains the scale like covering that modern rats have on their tails
- they're 2 species of dagger rats. the common dagger rat and the arctic dagger rat.
- they live in abandoned burrows and logs. they're monogamous and will mate one partner for life. the parents would take turns with raising their offspring and going out to find food. fish, frogs, snakes, small mammals, birds, and eggs
- with most canids out of the equation, rodents could finally be able to exploit several niches that they couldn't before. from fox sized predators to wolf sized pack hunters.
The strongest of species never survive the longest nor the smartest. But the ones who're able to adapt~ Charles Darwin
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AlphaX9
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tundra elk
scientific name: ...
height: 6'5 feet at the shoulder
weight: 600 ibs
habitat: tundras
native region: eurasia
evolved from: red deer
lifespan: 20 years

- the red deer originally lived in woodland areas. over time a population of them migrated northward and gradually adapted to the tundras.
they grew slightly, developed shaggy waterproof fur, and larger wider antlers. because they're not confined in the tight narrow forest where their antlers could get stuck, their antlers grew and now the tundra elk looks similar to an extinct deer. megaloceros aka the Irish elk.
- just like their ancestors, females pick large males with the biggest antlers. however most males don't live long enough to mate in multiple mating seasons.
- in the xenocene, most deers are basal or primitive.
- females usually live together in herds consisting of 15 to 25. while males live by themselves. every year, the tundra elk migrate down south of eurasia in order to avoid the hazardous winter and to find food.
The strongest of species never survive the longest nor the smartest. But the ones who're able to adapt~ Charles Darwin
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AlphaX9
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pickaxe horn
scientific name: ...
height: 3'5 at the shoulder
weight: 250 ibs
habitat: deciduous forest
native region: eurasia
evolved from: fallow deer
lifespan: 15 to 20 years

- the pickaxe horn has three unique traits. for starters, just like its name implies; they have pickaxe shaped antlers. they also have a relatively long neck so they can reach tall bushes and pick fruit from trees, and they have a prehensile proboscis which they use to pick out fruits from trees. out of all the deer species that exist during this time period, the pickaxe horn is the most bizarre.
- males mark their territories by scraping trees with their antlers or by urinating them. these animals have an exceptional sense of smell and can distinguish the health and sex of other pickaxe horns. plus they can sense whether or not a predator is around. whether its a mustelid or a predatory rodent.
The strongest of species never survive the longest nor the smartest. But the ones who're able to adapt~ Charles Darwin
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AlphaX9
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wrat
scientific name: ...
height: 3 feet
length: 8 feet
weight: 100 to 140 ibs
habitat: coniferous forest, deciduous forest, rain forest, and grassland
native region: north america, Europe, and asia
evolved from: brown rat
lifespan: 10 to 15 years

- based on the the falanx from dougal dixon's 'after man'
- one of the most common animal during the xenocene. they fill the ecological niche as small pack hunters
- they live in groups of 7 or 8. led by an alpha male and female. the alphas are the only ones who could mate.
- these animals hunt lagotheres, deer, gigantotheres, pigs, and small animals. and they're not picky about scavenging at all.
- they could run up to 40 to 50 mph. but despite this, most hunts aren't successful.
-when they hunt; one of them will chase the prey item to the direction where the other pack members are at. when the prey item goes near the other pack members, they will nip at the preys legs and try and take it down together. once they catch their prey, one of them will suffocate it by biting the throat or in a gruesome fashion, eat the preys underbelly while the victim is still alive.
- although these animals are the size of a gray wolf, wrats are adaptable and resourceful. they have a social hierarchy, they learn and change strategies, they can live in a wide range of habitats, and they have excellent sense of smell and hearing.
- portmanteau of wolf and rat.
Edited by AlphaX9, Oct 8 2016, 09:07 PM.
The strongest of species never survive the longest nor the smartest. But the ones who're able to adapt~ Charles Darwin
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AlphaX9
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spring trap toad
scientific name: ...
length: 6 inches
weight: 2 pounds
habitat: deciduous forests and wetlands
native region: eurasia
evolved from: European toad
lifespan: 10 to 12 years

- the spring trap toad is an ambush hunter. its bumpy earth colored skin allows it to blend in with dead leaves and gravel. it has a long worm like tongue which it use to lure in small mammals and invertebrates. when a prey item gets close, it pounces on its victim an swallows it whole.
- if a predator spots it, the toad will secrete a toxic oil from is back that is bitter tasting and inedible.
The strongest of species never survive the longest nor the smartest. But the ones who're able to adapt~ Charles Darwin
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peashyjah
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A few of the animals from this project, especially the Wolf-sized predatory rat, reminded me a little bit of the animals from After Man.
Discontinued projects:
The New Ostracoderms (i might continue with this project again someday)
The Americas (where in 58 million years from now in the future North and South America has both become isolated island continents)



All Expansions (my attempt at expanding the universe of All Tomorrows by Nemo Ramjet aka C.M. Kosemen, started June 6, 2018)
Anthropozoic (my attempt at expanding the universe of Man After Man and also a re-imagining of it, coming 2019 or 2020)
New Cenozoica (my attempt at expanding the universe of The New Dinosaurs and also a re-imagining of it, also coming 2019 or 2020)
All Alternatives or All Changes (a re-telling of All Tomorrows but with some minor and major "changes", coming June 10, 2018)
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