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The Xenocene project ( the foreign age ); 55 million years in the future
Topic Started: Aug 3 2016, 02:08 PM (3,168 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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TerrificTyler
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I'm not too sure on the likelihood of the wolf-sized predatory rat. With the extinction of most canids, it seems more likely that something like a felid or mustelid would seem better fit for the niche, already adapted to a carnivorous diet.

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AlphaX9
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kabuki macaque
scientific name: ...
height: 4 feet at the shoulder
weight: 250 to 300 ibs
habitat: deciduous island
native region: future japan
evolved from: Japanese macaque
lifespan: 45 years

- they get their names because their faces look like masks. males have bright red and blue faces.
kabuki macaques have whitish brown hair and a short tail. they're too big to climb trees as an adult.
- these primates are social animals. living in tight knit family groups.
- during the xenocene, japan broke off from the rest of asia. isolating its inhabitants away from everything else. kabuki macaques has only 1 predator. a dwarf subspecies of the wrat. they have a calm disposition and they coexist with other megafauna including deer and a dwarf scrofatherium subspecies.
- kabuki macaques are omnivores, most of their diet consists of fruit and insects.
- their form of defense against predators are throwing stones or screaming.
Edited by AlphaX9, Sep 26 2016, 02:22 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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TerrificTyler20
Aug 25 2016, 10:07 PM
I'm not too sure on the likelihood of the wolf-sized predatory rat. With the extinction of most canids, it seems more likely that something like a felid or mustelid would seem better fit for the niche, already adapted to a carnivorous diet.
this is how i imagine it.



mustelids replace bears
mongooses and small cats replace the big cats
rodents replace the canids ( most of them at least )
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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TerrificTyler
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Quote:
 
this is how i imagine it.

mustelids replace bears
mongooses and small cats replace the big cats
rodents replace the canids ( most of them at least )

Well, from what I've seen in the fossil record, and I could be wrong on this, but species don't just stay as one genus. Evolution doesn't go in a straight line, species branch off into different forms. For instance take the phylogeny of the mammals.
Spoiler: click to toggle


Here, we see animals like like rodents and primates emerging from a common ancestor. (But, again, I'm not the best with this kind of stuff, so I could be wrong)


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AlphaX9
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TerrificTyler20
Aug 26 2016, 12:17 AM
Quote:
 
this is how i imagine it.

mustelids replace bears
mongooses and small cats replace the big cats
rodents replace the canids ( most of them at least )

Well, from what I've seen in the fossil record, and I could be wrong on this, but species don't just stay as one genus. Evolution doesn't go in a straight line, species branch off into different forms. For instance take the phylogeny of the mammals.
Spoiler: click to toggle


Here, we see animals like like rodents and primates emerging from a common ancestor. (But, again, I'm not the best with this kind of stuff, so I could be wrong)

So essentially they don't remain as the Same family/genus right?
Because if that's the case I was aware of that
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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Btw vote for the next region.
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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TerrificTyler
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Quote:
 
So essentially they don't remain as the Same family/genus right?
Because if that's the case I was aware of that

Alright, my bad in that case.

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Dragonthunders
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AlphaX9
 
this is how i imagine it.

mustelids replace bears
mongooses and small cats replace the big cats
rodents replace the canids ( most of them at least )

I must say that at that time it could wait that rodents would be displaced from that niche by advanced carnivores. Although that rodents are quite adaptable, they could be simply pushed and overwhelmed by for example, mustelids. This is not to say that there can not be predatory rats, but that would replace the canids would be unlikely, especially in 55 million years.

Also, a small suggestion, try to be more orderly in the publication of your creatures, even though the descriptions are quite informative, are too short to stay in one post. You can put together the descriptions of the organisms involved in a list in one post. For other things good work.
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AlphaX9
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Dragonthunders
Aug 26 2016, 10:13 AM

I must say that at that time it could wait that rodents would be displaced from that niche by advanced carnivores. Although that rodents are quite adaptable, they could be simply pushed and overwhelmed by for example, mustelids. This is not to say that there can not be predatory rats, but that would replace the canids would be unlikely, especially in 55 million years.

Also, a small suggestion, try to be more orderly in the publication of your creatures, even though the descriptions are quite informative, are too short to stay in one post. You can put together the descriptions of the organisms involved in a list in one post. For other things good work.
Thank you I will keep those two things in mind.
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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humped gazelle
scientific name:
height: 4'0 at the shoulder
weight: 140 ibs
habitat: desert
native region: Central Asia
evolved from: Tibetan gazelle ( goa )
lifespan: 20 years

- humped gazelles are descended from a small, light weight gazelle that originally lived in mountains, but gradually adapted to a desert lifestyle. these animals replaced the Bactrian camal; which will go extinct in the next century.
- the humped gazelle has several adaptations that allow it to thrive in its biome. it's almost completely hairless; only having a bristly mane. it also has large ears so it can release excess heat. long thick eyelashes that blocks out sand and debris during a sand storm. and as its name implies, a large hump on its back and a fatty tail. just like camels, humped gazelles store fat into these two parts and can survive without food and water for weeks. they live in small groups and they travel for several miles in search for food.

__________________________________________________________________________

fat tailed shrew
scientific name:
length: 5 inches
weight: few ounces
habitat: deserts
native region: central Asia
evolved from: shrew
lifespan: 2 years

- the fat tailed shrew is a hyper carnivore. it scurries around the desert at night hunting for food. primarily insects. it has a high metabolism and must eat constantly in order to keep its body temperature at a steady level. otherwise it will die.
- these animals have toxic saliva in their mouths that immobilizes their prey before rapidly devouring it.
- every year, males would mate with as many females as possible before they die of exhausting. they use the fat reserves in their tail as energy during their sex spree.
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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Dapper Man
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Not much to say, but good work so far. One thing with the wolf-rat thing, (Wrat?) I think, for a good basis of its body plan could be these:

Posted Image

Also, it would be recommended that you added in a TOC (Table Of Conents.) That way, new viewers would be able to quickly view through your thread.
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AlphaX9
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necrophiliac owl
scientific name:
height: 2'2 feet
weight: 15 ibs
habitat: grassland
native region: Africa and central asia
evolved from: strix owl
lifespan: 20 to 25 years

- with the absence of old world vultures, a group of strix owls filled their niche and became scavengers. their beaks became adapted to ripping through carcasses and they loss their feathers on their faces and necks so that they won't get blood all over themselves. unlike their ancestors, necrophiliac owls are no longer nocturnal. instead they're diurnal. they often follow large carnivores while they hunt. once the carnivore eats their fill, these birds swoop down and fight for what's left.
- in order for them to eat the type of food that they do, they developed super strong stomach acid that kills off any harmful bacteria.
- they're clumsy walkers and are somewhat stupid.
___________________________________________________________________________

carpodon
scientific name:
height: 5'8 at the shoulder
weight: 900 ibs
habitat: rain forests
native region: southern Asia
evolved from: Asian palm civet
lifespan: 30 years

- name means ( fruit tooth )
- carpodon is an omnivore, but it mainly eats fruit, leaves, and insects.
- their body shape is similar to that of bears. its tail is reduced, their body is overall bulky, and it no longer has a ferret like physique. they fill the same niche as the Asian black bear of today
- they're a few animals that are capable of killing a carpodon with relative ease. one of them being an indian mongoose descendant ( i haven't came up with a name yet ). carpodon are strong and territorial. predatory rats don't mess with them because their paws are powerful enough to snap their necks.
- carpodons have similar fur patterns that their ancestors had. they use them for camoflage.
Edited by AlphaX9, Aug 27 2016, 11:38 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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Dapper Man
Aug 27 2016, 10:42 PM
Not much to say, but good work so far. One thing with the wolf-rat thing, (Wrat?) I think, for a good basis of its body plan could be these:

Posted Image

Also, it would be recommended that you added in a TOC (Table Of Conents.) That way, new viewers would be able to quickly view through your thread.
thank you. that picture is an accurate description of what the predatory rats look like. and i'll come up with one
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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tusked jungle jumper
scientific name:
height: 4'8 at the shoulder
weight: 250 ibs
habitat: rain forests
native region: southern Asia
evolved from: antelope
lifespan: 20 years

- the tusked jungle jumper is a tall cinnamon brown antelope with white spots on its face, neck, and back. it also has a long neck, small antlers, and elongated canines.
- the tusked jungle jumper possesses 5 to 7 inch tusks. only males have tusks which they use to attract females, marking their territories by scraping trees, and as a weapon against rivals or predators.
- they live in small harems, led by a dominant male. when these animals are feeding, one of them acts as a lookout and produce various calls to let the others know when a predator appears.
- they can rear up on their hind legs to reach fruit or leaves from trees.

________________________________________________________________________

tigoose
scientific name:
height: 4'5 at the shoulder
length: 15 feet
weight: 750 ibs
habitat: rain forests, wetlands, open grassland
native region: southern and central Asia
evolved from: Indian grey mongoose
lifespan: 20 to 27 years

- portmanteau of the words tiger and mongoose
- the tigoose is the apex predator of southern asia. when tigers went extinct during the age of man, the mongoose gradually evolved to become one of the most terrifying animal of the xenocene. they prey on many animals including gigantotheres, antelope, deer, lagotheres, pigs, snakes, water birds, carpodon, and etc.
- their top speed is 30 to 40 mph in short distances. the tigoose is a solitary hunter just like the tiger; however females are likely to have 2 or 3 cubs which they'll defend and raise until they can fend on their own.
- the tigoose has a long bushy tail that makes up 1/3 of its body length which it uses for balance. it also has stripes which it uses as camouflage. they also possess 6 inch canines which it uses to bite the throats or skulls of its prey. their bite force is around 1000 psi.
- they can produce various roars, growls and hisses that could heard from miles away.
- tigooses can and will hunt during the day and at night.
- just like their ancestors, they're immune to snake venom.
Edited by AlphaX9, Oct 8 2016, 09:09 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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hairless scrofatherium
scientific name:
height: 6'3 at the shoulder
weight: 2 tons
habitat: rain forests and grasslands
native region: southern and central Asia
evolved from: wild boar
lifespan: 25 to 30 years

- the hairless scrofatherium and the woolly scrofatherium are two distinct species that shared a common ancestor. 30 million years from the xenocene, the common ancestor broke off into two separate populations. each group was geographically separated from each other. each group had to respond to different environmental pressures. and this gave rise to two distinct species. due to living in a hot and humid habitat, the hairless scrofatherium got rid of most of its body hair. instead, its skin is thick and rough like rhino skin. the underbelly and under the throat are its weak points.
- unlike their northern counterparts, hairless scrofatheriums are completely herbivorous.

________________________________________________________________

asian gigantotherium
scientific name(s)
height: 7'4 at the shoulder
weight: 3 to 4 tons
habitat: rain forests
native region: southern asia
evolved from: antelopes
lifespan: 50 to 60 years

- asian elephants use to be common in southern asia during the age of man, however over hunting and habitat destruction led to their populations to decrease severely. by the time the Anthropocene was over, asian elephants were wiped out. however another group of animals filled in the void that the elephants once occupied. over time, a group of antelopes got rid of their fur, developed thick pillar like legs to support their weight, a muscular short neck, and horns that are over 5 feet in lenght.
- the gigantotheres in asia aren't related to the ones in africa.
- they live in herds of up to 20 to 30 individuals, led by a bull male. because of their massive size and strength, they have no predators. however younger individuals are preyed upon by the tigoose and by predatory rats. when predators appear, the adults surround the calves in a circle and scare ofany would be predators. unlike their ancestors, titanolopes are territorial, aggressive, and protective.
- males would do shoving matches with their horns to see whose the strongest. fights are typically not fatal, however their horns could interlock with each other and the two males could die from exhaustion or dehydration.
- they're two different species of asian gigantotheres. the asian gigantotheres and the Indonesian gigantotheres. the Indonesian gigantotheres is only 5 feet at the shoulder, weighs a ton, and their horns are reduced to two flat snubs.
- the gigantotheres are based on the gigantelope from dougal dixons' " after man "
Edited by AlphaX9, Oct 8 2016, 09:11 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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