| 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! |
| Obscure Taxa; For interesting or obscure organisms you'd like to share. | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Dec 14 2016, 09:46 PM (48,902 Views) | |
| Chuditch | Jun 25 2018, 05:59 PM Post #916 |
![]()
Dasyurid
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Many elphids here are actually small and with only mild venom, and take up the small snake niche. In fact, many species feed almost exclusively on lizards. Burton's Snake-lizard (the species Lamna showed) is the only pygopod that feeds regularly on other lizards (they eat almost nothing else), most eat insects and other regular lizard foods. |
|
My wildlife YouTube channel Projects
| |
![]() |
|
| Scrublord | Jun 25 2018, 11:05 PM Post #917 |
|
Father Pellegrini
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Ah. I sort of assumed the whole group was like that. |
|
My Projects: The Neozoic Redux Valhalla--Take Three! The Big One Deviantart Account: http://elsqiubbonator.deviantart.com In the end, the best advice I could give you would be to do your project in a way that feels natural to you, rather than trying to imitate some geek with a laptop in Colorado. --Heteromorph | |
![]() |
|
| Chuditch | Jun 26 2018, 04:28 AM Post #918 |
![]()
Dasyurid
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
People often state that because of the extinction of the Thylacine, the Tasmanian Devil has become Tasmania's apex predator. However, there is another large predator here that is nearly always forgotten, the Tasmanian Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax fleayi). And this huge raptor definitely gives the devil a run for its money. Many of Tasmania's animals are smaller than their mainland counterparts, for example the Tasmanian Devil had larger members of its species on the mainland less that 500 years ago (the Europeans only just missed them). However, the local Wedge-tailed Eagles, along with the supersized platypuses, bucks this trend, being even larger than the already massive mainland subspecies. The largest recorded wingspan, measured from a female shot in 1931, was an impressive 284 centimetres! ![]() Like its relatives on the mainland, the Tasmanian Wedge-tailed Eagle is an efficient predator, but will also eat carrion when it is available. They hunt a very wide variety of prey including rabbits, hares, cats (doing their part to help our environment), possums, lizards, birds, wallabies and even wombats and echidnas. Thus they probably deserve the title of Tasmania's apex predator far more than the Tasmanian Devil, which mostly feeds on carrion. This would make Tasmania the second island on the Australian continent to have a raptor as the top predator, as New Guinea is also ruled by a giant bird of prey (the Papuan Eagle). ![]() They were once persecuted as they were believed to take lambs (which they are perfectly capable of but usually don't), but are now protected. However, with many farmers still thinking they are in abundance, they are still occasionally shot. The sad reality is the Tasmanian Wedge-tailed Eagle is endangered, with possibly less than a thousand individuals remaining. The major threats to the subspecies include habitat loss, nest disturbance, collisions and electrocutions with powerlines and persecution through shooting, trapping and poisoning by ignorant people. They also have less genetic variation than those on the mainland, which could lead to problems in the future. It would be sad if Tasmania loses another of its apex predators. |
|
My wildlife YouTube channel Projects
| |
![]() |
|
| beingsneaky | Jun 26 2018, 10:42 AM Post #919 |
|
Adolescent
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
the speices of ant (living door ants) can be found on the Florida keys it uses its bowl on its head to block enterances
Edited by beingsneaky, Jun 26 2018, 05:02 PM.
|
|
user quotes: "pee is stored in the balls" - Ebervalius "Young ciliaurrg grow on the rear of the parent and look like small slurrg." - ZoologicalBotanist active projects: R.T.K.L(Rotifer Tardigrade Kinorhyncha Loriciferans) | |
![]() |
|
| Scrublord | Jun 26 2018, 09:50 PM Post #920 |
|
Father Pellegrini
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
The Papuan Eagle is big, but it's not the biggest native predator on New Guinea. That honor goes, believe it or not, to a lizard--the crocodile monitor (Varanus salvadorii). With gigantic males growing up to 11 feet long and weighing up to 44 lbs, the crocodile monitor is the world's longest extant lizard, although it is much less massive than the Komodo dragon. This is mainly due to its tail, which can be more than twice the length of the rest of its body. It is also the largest tree-dwelling lizard, and the largest lizard with a prehensile tail, a feature that sets it apart from most other monitor lizards. Another unique feature of this lizard is its teeth. Most other monitor lizards have thick, peg-like teeth that are angled backwards for tearing apart large animals. The crocodile monitor, on the other hand, has teeth that are narrow and vertical. This is an adaptation for hunting smaller prey, such as birds and possums, which it pursues through the treetops. If necessary, however, it can bring down animals as large as a dingo, a tree-kangaroo, or even a young cassowary. They also hunt in a unique manner for a monitor lizard. Instead of simply stalking their prey to ambush it from behind, they will often anticipate where their victim is likely to run and attack it head-on. This behavior is indicative of the sophisticated intelligence common to all monitor lizards. These reptiles are regarded with very real dread by New Guinea natives. In local folklore, they are said to be demons that breathe fire, walk upright, and kill people. This last statement, at least, may have some basis in truth. Like all monitor lizards, they are thought to possess a form of venom, and there has been at least one death attributed to a crocodile monitor bite. Edited by Scrublord, Jun 26 2018, 09:58 PM.
|
|
My Projects: The Neozoic Redux Valhalla--Take Three! The Big One Deviantart Account: http://elsqiubbonator.deviantart.com In the end, the best advice I could give you would be to do your project in a way that feels natural to you, rather than trying to imitate some geek with a laptop in Colorado. --Heteromorph | |
![]() |
|
| Rebirth | Jun 26 2018, 10:07 PM Post #921 |
|
Adolescent
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Technically, I think the largest verified croc monitor was 8 feet long, most of which is tail. |
|
My Projects Spoiler: click to toggle
| |
![]() |
|
| Chuditch | Jun 26 2018, 10:12 PM Post #922 |
![]()
Dasyurid
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
I believe the world's largest reptile would like to have a word with you... ![]() Crocodile Monitors are pretty awesome though. |
|
My wildlife YouTube channel Projects
| |
![]() |
|
| Scrublord | Jun 26 2018, 11:35 PM Post #923 |
|
Father Pellegrini
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
There have been a few 10-plus-footers. Not many, but they exist. |
|
My Projects: The Neozoic Redux Valhalla--Take Three! The Big One Deviantart Account: http://elsqiubbonator.deviantart.com In the end, the best advice I could give you would be to do your project in a way that feels natural to you, rather than trying to imitate some geek with a laptop in Colorado. --Heteromorph | |
![]() |
|
| Tenno | Jun 27 2018, 08:04 AM Post #924 |
|
Newborn
![]() ![]() ![]()
|
The sea elephant (Pterotrachea coronata) is a kind of pelagic gastropod that is, oddly enough, not closely related to sea angels and friends, but instead tritons. Yes, those heavy, bottom-dwelling behemoths. Related to this thing:![]() ![]() The mollusc foot has become this wavy, cephalopod-like "fin" that the sea elephant waves around. Using their eyes with pupils, they suck up small fish and jellyfish as they bumble here and there. Oh, and the larvae still have shells. You really can't ask for anything more in terms of spec potential. Edited by Tenno, Jun 27 2018, 08:07 AM.
|
![]() | |
![]() |
|
| beingsneaky | Jun 27 2018, 09:13 AM Post #925 |
|
Adolescent
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
they kinda look like squidward |
|
user quotes: "pee is stored in the balls" - Ebervalius "Young ciliaurrg grow on the rear of the parent and look like small slurrg." - ZoologicalBotanist active projects: R.T.K.L(Rotifer Tardigrade Kinorhyncha Loriciferans) | |
![]() |
|
| Velociraptor | Jun 27 2018, 10:31 AM Post #926 |
![]()
Reptile
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
![]() ![]() The resemblance is uncanny. |
![]() Unnamed No K-Pg project: coming whenever, maybe never. I got ideas tho. | |
![]() |
|
| Tenno | Jun 29 2018, 04:53 AM Post #927 |
|
Newborn
![]() ![]() ![]()
|
May I present Ranina ranina, or the spanner crab.![]() Very little is known about this creature despite it being fished in Australia and the Phillipines. They spend most of their time buried in sand waiting for unfortunate prey. Look at those claws! Spanners are so boring, why not scythe crab or kerambit crab? Edited by Tenno, Jun 29 2018, 04:54 AM.
|
![]() | |
![]() |
|
| HangingThief | Jun 29 2018, 10:34 AM Post #928 |
![]()
ghoulish
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
....i really like this thing i'm at a loss for words here it's really good. thank you. |
|
Hey. | |
![]() |
|
| Chuditch | Jun 29 2018, 11:02 AM Post #929 |
![]()
Dasyurid
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Since it seems rabbits are the only invasive herbivores in Australia that get discussed a lot, I thought I'd quickly go over some of Australia's other feral herbivores. None of these really qualify as obscure but they are more obscure populations of well-known species that people generally know little about. First of is the European Hare (Lepus europeaus), which surprisingly is rarely mentioned. Like the rabbit, they were introduced for sport hunting. They are much less widespread than rabbits, being restricted to the wetter areas of the east and south-east, and don't do as much damage, but are still a problem, competing with native animals for food and shelter, destroying native vegetation and causing erosion. ![]() Then there is the Goat (Capra hircus). Goats are one of the worst feral herbivores, with over 2.5 million roaming over almost a third of Australia, absent from the wettest and dry areas and most abundant in sheep-grazing land where Dingoes have been eradicated, and themselves become pests to farmers, along with kangaroos. As I always say, it's a good idea to stop culling the native dogs (the enemy of my enemy is my friend). They compete for food, shelter and water, overgraze the land, destroy vegetation, change habitats, spread weeds, foul precious waterholes and cause soil erosion. They have been shown to be especially destructive to rock-wallabies, which occupy a similar niche, eating the same foods and favouring the same caves for shelter. The goats kick the smaller rock-wallabies out. ![]() Able to be covered in the same paragraph are the Brumby, or feral horse (Equus caballus) and the Donkey (Equus asinus). Donkeys arrived as pack animals in 1866 and were released when motorised transport became more reliable. Brumbies descend from escapees from the rural workforce and deliberately released individuals, and is made up of various breeds including the Arabian, thoroughbred and draught horses. Their distributions are very patchy, but they cover much of the continent. There are currently at least 400,000 feral horses in Australia, but their population can rise quickly with several good seasons and they have reached a population of several million individuals before. Donkeys are generally more widespread and have a population in the millions. These equines cause a lot of damage by competing for food, destroying habitat and shelter, overgrazing, vegetation destruction, erosion, fouling waterholes, dispersing weeds and eroding and compacting the soil with their hard hooves. ![]() The story of the Brumby is a bit complicated. On one hand, it's a very destructive invasive species; on the other, they're part of our heritage, with brumbies featuring prominently in bush poetry and Australian culture as symbols of freedom, wilderness and perseverance. Because of this, several societies have been set up against the slaughter of brumbies. I admit I have a softspot for them, being a lover of Australian history (well, some parts of it. Mistreatment of aboriginals and destruction of the environment are things definitely not worth loving), culture and bush poetry myself. However, the damages they cause are too much, and I do support their eradication. Natural heritage is more important than national heritage in my eyes. However, I do wish that brumbies live on; they can live naturally on private property if someone wishes to do so. They don't need to cover the continent and cause widespread destruction to be preserved. ![]() Next is one of Australia's more famous feral animals, the Dromedary or One-humped Camel (Camelus dromedarius). They are definitely not a species you would expect to become an invasive pest, but once the vast numbers of camels in Australia used to traverse the outback were replaced by motorised transport, they roamed free. Now there are millions of them, covering over half of Australia. They are the last wild population of their species in the world. However, they are quite destructive animals, competing for food, damaging vegetation and habitat, stripping the land bare and drinking waterholes dry (and if they can't drink all of it, they foul it anyway). Australia just can't support this amount of huge herbivores with such big appetites. Despite this, like the Brumby, some people want them conserved as they are the last population of wild dromedaries and have nowhere else to go. However, while I'm less motivated to conserve Australian camels, like the wild horse people can conserve wild populations on private property if they wish. Again, you don't have to wipe them off the face of the planet, just don't give them dominion over the outback and let them trash the place. ![]() Another famous feral herbivore of Australia, probably because of its appearance in Crocodile Dundee, is the Water Buffalo or Swamp Buffalo (Bubalus bulabus). Despite their fame, they have a limited distribution in Australia, occupying the Top End where their favoured habitats occur. In their range they can be common, and pose threats to the environment by competing for food and shelter, destroying habitat, spreading weeds and causing erosion. They also cause problems for humans and livestock as they spread diseases like tuberculosis and burcellosis. Like the previous two species, some people have called for their conservation as 'symbols of the Top End', which is getting to the end of my patience but again, on private property do what you wish but they don't need to be roaming free causing problems. I guess the only real reason for their conservation is that they have apparently become their own distinct breed (they aren't really symbols of the Top End in my opinion. That title goes to the saltwater croc). ![]() Another bovine in Australia is the much lesser-known Bali Banteng (Bos javanicus). They live only on the Cobourg Peninsula of the Top End, and are a controlled population of 2000-3500 animals subject to safari hunting, and therefore aren't to much trouble. If they were in significant numbers they would bring the same problems as the buffalo, but in their current state they don't do much harm. I can't even find a picture of Australian wild banteng, that's how well controlled they are. Here's some captive ones instead. ![]() Australia is home to several introduced populations of deer, including Sambar (Cervus unicolour), Rusa (Cervus timorensis), Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), Fallow Deer (Dama dama), Chital (Axis axis) and Hog Deer (Axis porcinus). They have patchy, restricted distributions scattered across the wetter parts of Australia, and are subject to hunting (which was the reason they were introduced). They can cause damage by competing for food and shelter, altering habitats, damaging vegetation, spreading weeds, carrying diseases and causing soil compaction. Frustratingly, they are given partial protection in some states as they are good hunting, but as it turns out they are among the least studied of Australia's invasive species and have been increasing dramatically recently. Scientists now predict that they are a serious risk that could spread and profilate and believe that action should be taken as soon as possible. They are now declared pests everywhere except New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, which also happen to have the largest deer populations. ![]() Finally we come to perhaps the worst feral herbivore (or rather, omnivore) other than the rabbit, the Razorback, Feral Pig or Mad Pig (Sus scrofa). These swine are nothing like their pink farmyard counterparts, more similar to the ancestral boar. Found anywhere with sufficient water, they now rampage through some of Australia's most pristine landscapes. There are now believed to be over 23 million feral pigs roaming Australia. They foul waterholes with their incessant wallowing, destroy vegetation and habitats and cause erosion. What's more, being omnivores, they eat native fauna as well, including birds, reptiles, frogs, small mammals and eggs. They even kill and eat lambs. Some individuals grow enormous on crops and animals. Overall, they're just nasty and destructive. Also apparently ferrets are beginning to become established, including in Tasmania. Please no. The last thing we need is another feral carnivore. |
|
My wildlife YouTube channel Projects
| |
![]() |
|
| beingsneaky | Jun 29 2018, 11:50 AM Post #930 |
|
Adolescent
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
i think we should shoot every invasive camel, hare, deer, and hog on austraila and use the meat to feed the poor |
|
user quotes: "pee is stored in the balls" - Ebervalius "Young ciliaurrg grow on the rear of the parent and look like small slurrg." - ZoologicalBotanist active projects: R.T.K.L(Rotifer Tardigrade Kinorhyncha Loriciferans) | |
![]() |
|
| 3 users reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · Science Central · Next Topic » |





























7:21 PM Jul 10