| 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! |
| Pladcoderm evolution; Remember the armored fish? | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Sep 11 2008, 08:37 AM (3,172 Views) | |
| Spartan Delta | Sep 11 2008, 08:37 AM Post #1 |
|
Infant
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
I had a thought. Does anybody remember the pladcoderm fish from the Devonian, like Dunkleosteus? Well, what if they were able to get on land first? I imagined a T-Rex like biped with fins for this... What do you think? |
![]() |
|
| leptonosoma | Sep 11 2008, 01:04 PM Post #2 |
![]()
Official Timette
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
They would have to develop legs for walking on land. |
|
metazoica.blogspot.com Get all the updates on the Metazoica site. Every evolutionist is encouraged to subscribe and comment. | |
![]() |
|
| Carlos | Sep 11 2008, 01:31 PM Post #3 |
|
Adveho in me Lucifero
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Placoderms couldn't possibly become land dweelrs; they lacked every single adaptayion our ancestors had for such evolutionary step, like bony skeletons and a swimming bladder that could become a lung. Plus, will all that armour... However, if the other fish groups had died out instead of them, they could very well dominate the seas. I imagine several species of placoderms occupying the niches of modern fish: shark like placoderms, ray-like placoderms, marlin-like placoderms, etc. |
|
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 ![]() | |
![]() |
|
| Livyatan | Sep 11 2008, 03:05 PM Post #4 |
![]()
|
Pretty much what John said...yeah... |
|
The grand Livyatan on deviantArt: link | |
![]() |
|
| Sliver Slave | Sep 11 2008, 05:19 PM Post #5 |
|
I'm going back to basics.
![]()
|
While the feasibility of land placoderms may be in doubt here, a couple of people have come up with land placoderm concepts. I'll see if I can dig them up. Also, what about the antiarchs? Maybe they could drag themselves up? Except they're bottom dwellers. |
|
Something is upsetting the ostriches. Spoiler: click to toggle | |
![]() |
|
| Rodlox | Sep 13 2008, 02:24 PM Post #6 |
|
Superhuman
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
so are frogfish and batfish - wouldn't being bottom-dwellers make it easier to develop "limbs" or "feet"? |
|
.---------------------------------------------. Parts of the Cluster Worlds: "Marsupialless Australia" (what-if) & "Out on a Branch" (future evolution) & "The Earth under a still sun" (WIP) | |
![]() |
|
| Carlos | Sep 13 2008, 02:30 PM Post #7 |
|
Adveho in me Lucifero
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Not really; placoderms didn't had the bony fins that bony fish have |
|
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 ![]() | |
![]() |
|
| SIngemeister | Sep 13 2008, 05:04 PM Post #8 |
![]()
Hive Tyrant of the Essee Swarm
![]()
|
I just had a weird Tub Gurnard/Dunkleosteus cross image. |
|
My Deviantart RRRAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHH!!!!! | |
![]() |
|
| Vultur-10 | Sep 14 2008, 09:39 PM Post #9 |
![]()
|
Perhaps the small ones could have adapted to tidepools, developing their boneless fins into something like a snail's "foot"? |
![]() |
|
| Carlos | Sep 15 2008, 12:38 PM Post #10 |
|
Adveho in me Lucifero
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Even so, they are would be very far from becoming like tetrapods. Besides, there's no evidence that no fish other than bony fish have/had swim bladders, which are required for the evolution of lungs |
|
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 ![]() | |
![]() |
|
| Spartan Delta | Sep 20 2008, 12:09 PM Post #11 |
|
Infant
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
I have just one question: What are antiarchs? And now I get my problem. Sorry. '^^ I'll have to redo my design. Still, tho, do you think that that jaw design could make a good asset for a land predator, or what problems would there be? |
![]() |
|
| PousazPower | Sep 20 2008, 01:25 PM Post #12 |
|
Cladistic Kid
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
I don't think anyone's mentioned the most obvious attribute of the placoderms--the armor. This would pose a great problem to an animal trying to support itself on land for the first time, and it probably wouldn't be able to move around at all, let alone lead to a line of "neotetrapods". To The Chieftain: Antiarchs are placoderms whose pectoral fins are enclosed in bony sheathes that look suspiciously like arthropod legs. Here: http://www.palaeos.com/Vertebrates/Units/Unit060/060.200.html |
|
Was your nose discovered or invented? PousazPower on DeviantART | |
![]() |
|
| Carlos | Sep 20 2008, 01:27 PM Post #13 |
|
Adveho in me Lucifero
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Also, I think everyone's forgetting that bony fish are so far the only known fishes with swim bladders, which was what become the lungs of the tetrapods... |
|
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 ![]() | |
![]() |
|
| PousazPower | Sep 20 2008, 04:25 PM Post #14 |
|
Cladistic Kid
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
I don't think lungs would be that hard to evolve as gut diverticula, but you do have a point. |
|
Was your nose discovered or invented? PousazPower on DeviantART | |
![]() |
|
| Spartan Delta | Sep 22 2008, 10:47 AM Post #15 |
|
Infant
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Oh, ok! Sorry, I'm not that knowledgeable of the pladcoderms. That, and school makes research time hard to get. '^^ Oh, and about the armor, I actually think that if the legs were armored, then a dragging motion would be able, right? And it's not that big a jump from sprawling to erect walking. And if not a pladcoderm, then could any OTHER creature evolve that style of bone-crunching head gear for a jaw? |
![]() |
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · Alternative Evolution · Next Topic » |












7:18 PM Jul 10