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Kanaloa; We've got Mud n' Eels...
Topic Started: Oct 7 2008, 11:53 AM (7,545 Views)
agatharights
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Sister Topic to over here. :D

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Approx size; 20-30ft. A slow-moving deep-water predator that sneaks up on prey, grasps it with it's main tentacles, and drags it into it's beak. Nom nom nom.

Kanaloa, roughly the same size as earth orbits a similar star, and is very similar to earth in many ways- except for it's geography and life. The planet's surface is almost entirely covered in shallow, warm oceans (with deeper, cooler patches and small ice caps- it's a little warmer than earth) with very little lands, either consisting of muddy sandbars that can wash away overnight, or reeflike structures that protrude from the water's surface wherever reefs are, as well as 'land' made from large, strong floating plants and some small islands surrounding volcanic activity.

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From a foot to two meters long. The beaked reefeater is a peaceful, if dim-witted creatures that uses it's large, hard beak to defend itself as well was to crunch tough reef into dust when it eats. Cute, no?

But it's not like anything lives on what little land there is, anyways. Virtually all life on Kanaloa exists under the water. Most life in the shallow parts of the oceans is rather safe, consisting of smaller creatures, strange plant-like animals, and the few carnivores and venomous animals don't pose too worrysome of a threat to the adapted posthumans (Mermatees) that live on Kanaloa (They still pose a threat, but attacks and injury are rare or treated well).

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This creature uses it's flattened tentacles to dig up sea-cabbage and sea-lettuce creatures, and then impales them with it's skinny beak before eating. They occasionally bite or nip mermatees or the passing human tourist, but don't pose a great threat. Approx. one meter long.

Granted, in deeper waters, things are a little more dangerous.

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oh god what is it make it go away make it go away oh god

But Kanaloa is a vast place, with much life to be had. Besides rather earthlike reefs, many of the plant forms here are actually somewhere between animal and plant, octopus or eel-like creatures capable of photosynthesis, and the majority of life forms resemble mixes of some creatures from earth. Cepholpods, eels, and crustaceans namely, adapted to fill the niches empty in the ocean.

Skeletons are rare, and anything beyond a cartilaginous skeleton like that of a shark is nigh-impossible to find in the native lifeforms of Kanaloa, although hard, bony beaks and claws are common (teeth less so, but still noticeable) as well as hard shells and spines.

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An example of sea lettuce. The octopod-like body is buried in the mud, the eyes permanently closed in adulthood. As young "spores" the eyes are open as they swim to find a place to root themselves. They taste kinda like broccoli and bacon fat.

Think Lovecraft, for these animals. Horrible horrible H.P.Lovecraft full of tentacles and writhing things.

Enjoy, and do check out the threat above for the Mermatees- my wonderful posthumans. XD
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agatharights
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I could see it. It'd have like a closing shell, and a long eel-like body. So it could swim in an eel-like fashion, or curl up it's body inside the shell to rest. Oyster coral would be nifty, since I love oyster hunting (living by a river is fun!)

Everything on Kanaloa's squishy and/or shells. :D
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ATEK Azul
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is there any slug eels.

are there any octopus coral
I am dyslexic, please ignore the typo's!
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agatharights
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I think octopus coral would actually be an armored creature, similar to the octopus-plants, that would be rooted in the ground.

Slug Eels? Of course...Sliiiime. XD
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lamna
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Ah I can see the eel oysters now. Slug eels? Sounds unpleasant.
"Why are the gears full of slugs? I told you to lubricate them not jam them up with fish. Why would I want you to use them instead of the lubricants provided?"
Edited by lamna, Oct 11 2008, 05:06 PM.
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ATEK Azul
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nice that is cool.

what about shark octoeels.

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Saxophlutist
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Hmm, it seems there is another exobiology project. </late post>
Do you have a taxonomy set up?
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lamna
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Yes, a taxonomy has been decided. Squishy.
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ATEK Azul
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what about eel tailed sting ray squids with tentacled slug heads and terror bird beaks along with long necks.
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agatharights
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YES

...Lets be honest. If it has tentacles, eely bodies, beaks, what-have-ye...I'm taking it. Although I still have my stance on skeletons. The most advanced skeleton is cartilaginous, except for bone-like beaks and hooks and teeth and whatnot.
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lamna
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Kanaloa could a large variety of animal taxonomys, just like earth in the Cambrian.
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The_Alloxite
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I have an idea! What if there were forms of bird-like creatures that flew in the skies of Kanaloa? Surely, there must be a few islands that at least have palm tree-like plant/animals on them.

Family: Kanaloavialae
Genuses:
Kanaloavis
Avialoa
Deinoavialoa
Pachyavialoa
Kanaloapteryx

Species:
Kanaloavis-
kanaloavis type species
maximus
minimus
borealis
australis

Avialoa-
yellowdrakexii type species. Named after its discoverer, Professor Yellow Drakex. ;)
bronto
apato

Deinoavialoa-
imperator only known species
imperator borealis subspecies
imperator australis subspecies
Pachyavialoa-
terminus type species. Named after Termina from The Legend of Zelda.
cephalus
Kanaloapteryx-
lamnaii type species. Extinct.

I'll come up with common names later.
Edited by The_Alloxite, Oct 12 2008, 12:06 PM.
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*I look at my French Bulldog*
*My French Bulldog looks at me*
Me: "Why does my room smell like your diarrhea?"
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agatharights
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There is very little permanent land, and above the water the world is racked by megahurricanes (the price you pay for a warm, big ocean) but there are some very small areas that hose floating 'forests' of mangrove-like plant growths (which I think may actually be related to the fast-growing coral). I'd like to see where kanaloa's creatures would develop flight...now that's an interesting idea.

Oh my goodness you made a taxonomy for me. :o Can I hug you?
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The_Alloxite
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Oooh, it goes down stairs!
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Common Names 1-
Kanaloavis-
"Kanagulls"
Species-
kanaloavis "Common Kanagull"
maximus "Giant Kanagull"
minimus "Dwarf Kanagull"
borealis "Northern Eskimo Kanagull"
australis "Southern Eskimo Kanagull"

Avialoa-
"Pelikanas"
yellowdrakexii "Yellow Drakex's Pelikana"
bronto "Thunder Pelikana"
apato "Deceptive Pelikana"

To be continued...

EDIT: Yes. Come gimme a hug, ya big lug!
Edited by The_Alloxite, Oct 12 2008, 12:22 PM.
"Yo mama so stupid she cheated off of George W. Bush's Billy's test!" ~Irwin's Grandmama, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy

*I look at my French Bulldog*
*My French Bulldog looks at me*
Me: "Why does my room smell like your diarrhea?"
French Bulldog: *Through her eyes* I dunno, it's your room, two-legs.
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agatharights
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*HUGGLES THE HELL OUT OF YA*

The image of birdlike creatures designed similar to other Kanaloan wildlife makes me go o_O with fear and amusement. Oh goodness, the beakiness.
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lamna
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Could large squishy animals fly? I hope they can but I was just wondering.
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