| 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! |
| The Perittocene; Yep, new project... | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Apr 16 2017, 07:36 PM (1,665 Views) | |
| Dapper Man | Apr 16 2017, 07:36 PM Post #1 |
* I am fed up with dis wuurld *
|
The Perittocene:origin()/pre15/7c1a/th/pre/i/2017/104/7/f/strange_encounters_by_dinosaurlover83-db5urr1.jpg) The morning is crisp and warm. The flowers are just blooming, the grass rustling with growth and life. Birds can be heard singing their hearts out. Some new, some old. A male British Formicoduck has just gone into mating colours, searching for a mate. Little to his knowledge, the insectivore has disturbed a giant predator. This is the European Crocomole. He is huge for his kind, and is ancient to. Startled, the Formicoduck flashes his head-crests, warning the Crocomole to back off. Annoyed, the Crocomole lets loose a loud bark, that sends the Formicoduck packing. Otherwise, this has been a normal day for the Formicoduck, who has been searching for a mate throughout the morning light. Other critters begin to stir. Unlike the Crocomole, these animals have not been disturbed from their slumber. A juvenile Pygmy Slothbird opens his eyes from his tree-top slumber. Shifting his body ever so slightly, he begins his cycle once again. The bird seems to have heard the argument between the Formicoduck and the Crocomole. There is something that one should note, though. What about the usual fauna of Europe? Where’s the giant Mammals that once roamed here, such as the Deer, Bison, or Bear? They’re all gone. They vanished a long time ago. Now, new, weirder creatures held up their domain. Imagine a world beyond imagination. One would think that such a world only belongs in an alien planet or alternate timeline. But, to ones’ surprise, this is, in fact, the future. All of earths climates have been marginally unchanged, one would find. As in the above narration, the most notable differences are the most visible forms of life, such as various “Reptiles”, birds, and mammals. In fact, it seems as though birds have out competed mammals in some instances. The events leading up to the evolution of such bizarre fauna have been described as adaptive evolution. It seems as though the vague demise of Man has allowed fauna to bounce back in an odd variety of forms. Whilst the fall of man has removed a lot of species, those that survived now have a chance to thrive. This is the Perittocene, the "odd era." Table of Contents Author's Note
Edited by Dapper Man, Apr 16 2017, 07:44 PM.
|
|
Speculative Evolution: Manitou; The Needle in the Haystack. | |
 |
 
|
| Replies: | |
|---|---|
| Dapper Man | Apr 17 2017, 10:10 PM Post #16 |
|
* I am fed up with dis wuurld *
|
Thanks  I'll consider that with my Antarctic Tardigrades.
|
|
Speculative Evolution: Manitou; The Needle in the Haystack. | |
|
|
|
| Dapper Man | Apr 20 2017, 11:01 PM Post #17 |
|
* I am fed up with dis wuurld *
|
Ragnaroks- The unexpected ones.:origin()/pre05/05fc/th/pre/i/2017/078/9/7/terrestrial_carnivorous_whippomorphs_shall_rise__by_dinosaurlover83-db2wuju.jpg) An example of a generic Ragnarok. These are the Perittocenes largest predators. Reaching lengths of 1-5.6 meters, these are commonly called the Ragnaroks, in reference to their scientific name (Ragnarokiidae). One must wonder; what did these monsters evolve from? Well, the answer would surprise one. They aren’t descended from any form of current carnivore, such as a Felid or a Canid, but, rather, the Pygmy Hippopotamus. How? The answer would surprise one. After the demise of man sometime in the future, there was little to no competition in Africa. What amazes one even further is the fact that the Pygmy Hippopotamus survived such an event. The reason for this is currently unknown, maybe due to conservation efforts. With due time, it evolved into the Nanopotamus genus. These were pig sized animals, reaching lengths of 80cm. These were small animals, that mostly feed on plants and the occasional carcass. However, meat began to form a bigger part of their diet. By the Early Perittocene (20 million years from now), the genus Osteochoerus formed. They were like a mixture of a pig and a hippopotamus. However, one thing that made them stand apart was that meat consisted of 40% of their diet. This was, again, a pig sized animal, 120cm long (1.2-meters.) Most members of the Ragnarokiidae are omnivores, with meat consisting of 40% of their diet, and plants consisting of 60%. However, the Absolute Ragnarok (Terminator Gigas) challenges this rule. Unlike other members of its family, meat consists of up to 70% of its diet. This monster, reaching lengths of up to 5.6 meters, is the largest carnivore of the Perittocene. Their design is similar to that of their ancestors, the Hippopotami. They have thick, barrel shaped bodies, with thick faces and legs, and a medium sized tail. However, unlike their ancestors, they usually have giant teeth that protrude from their mouths, making it look like they have four tusks. The family is usually found throughout Africa, with their heaviest diversity found in the Savannahs and Coniferous forests of Africa. In Ipharadesi, Ragnaroks are absent, instead leaving the apex predator role to both the Gxumas, and the Ziwenamas. One Ragnarok, the Boreal Ragnarok, is found in the Mediterranean Plateau. These diverse omnivores usually have either fox-like niches or pig like niches, due to others being stolen from them, by the likes of Ukusolas, their porcine counterparts. --- Perittocene's largest carnivores are unleashed! Edited by Dapper Man, Apr 20 2017, 11:13 PM.
|
|
Speculative Evolution: Manitou; The Needle in the Haystack. | |
|
|
|
| Mr.Scruth | Apr 21 2017, 02:39 AM Post #18 |
Kaprosuchus Sees You!
|
I had an idea like this a while back. You have explained it very well. Glad to see someone has carnivorous hippos in their environment! So do they have semi-aquatic variants too, seeing their bodyplan and ancestral cousins? |
|
|
|
| Dapper Man | Apr 21 2017, 02:43 AM Post #19 |
|
* I am fed up with dis wuurld *
|
Yep, something similar. |
|
Speculative Evolution: Manitou; The Needle in the Haystack. | |
|
|
|
| IIGSY | Apr 22 2017, 11:51 AM Post #20 |
A huntsman spider that wastes time on the internet because it has nothing better to do
|
Now just wait a gosh darn minute. |
|
Projects Punga: A terraformed world with no vertebrates Last one crawling: The last arthropod ARTH-6810: A world without vertebrates (It's ded, but you can still read I guess) Potential ideas- Swamp world: A world covered in lakes, with the largest being caspian sized. Nematozoic: After a mass extinction of ultimate proportions, a single species of nematode is the only surviving animal. Tri-devonian: A devonian like ecosystem with holocene species on three different continents. Quotes Phylogeny of the arthropods and some related groups In honor of the greatest clade of all time More pictures Other cool things All African countries can fit into Brazil
| |
|
|
|
| Yiqi15 | Apr 22 2017, 12:53 PM Post #21 |
Prime Specimen
|
Pretty unique concept, but I honestly think you need to retweak the ragnoroks. I honestly think by the time they have evolved, other creatures would've filled the niche by then. No offence. |
|
Current/Completed Projects - After the Holocene: Your run-of-the-mill future evolution project. - A History of the Odessa Rhinoceros: What happens when you ship 28 southern white rhinoceri to Texas and try and farm them? Quite a lot, actually. Future Projects - XenoSphere: The greatest zoo in the galaxy. - The Curious Case of the Woolly Giraffe: A case study of an eocene relic. - Untittled Asylum Studios-Based Project: The truth behind all the CGI schlock - Riggslandia V.II: A World 150 million years in the making Potential Projects - Klowns: The biology and culture of a creepy-yet-fascinating being My Zoochat and Fadom Accounts - Zoochat - Fandom | |
|
|
| Dapper Man | Apr 22 2017, 07:01 PM Post #22 |
|
* I am fed up with dis wuurld *
|
Great minds think a like, IIGS. Also, Yi, Ragnaroks are heavily specialized, so they're kind of like the Hyenas of the Perittocene. |
|
Speculative Evolution: Manitou; The Needle in the Haystack. | |
|
|
|
| Mr.Scruth | Apr 23 2017, 01:26 AM Post #23 |
|
Kaprosuchus Sees You!
|
I think it's possible. Plenty of carnivorous mammalian groups evolve initially in the shadow of more populous groups. They can simply specialize top avoid competition or- if an environment like the African savanna/marshlands is biodiverse enough- occupy the same niche and co-exist. Numerous mammal groups, like whales, canids, chalicotheres and practically all Tethytherians, have evolved to fit within an ecosystem dominated by others, and have filled positions in the environment completely alien to their ancestors' designs. If anything, I'd say their bulky anatomy makes them more suited to large, slow-moving predators and omnivores than any other carnivourous mamal group. The competition, ironically, may be the thing that could have driven them to a more carnivorous diet anyway. Either way, I look forward to seeing many more interesting groups like this soon! |
|
|
|
| Dapper Man | Apr 23 2017, 01:31 AM Post #24 |
|
* I am fed up with dis wuurld *
|
Thanks, Scruth. A have quite a few planned. Just got to either write them up or draw them
|
|
Speculative Evolution: Manitou; The Needle in the Haystack. | |
|
|
|
| Nembrotha | Apr 23 2017, 08:12 AM Post #25 |
Adolescent
|
Carnivorous Hippos? That's a really neat concept! |
|
Journey to the Makrinocene, a world in the twilight hours of the Cenozoic! (Slightly Inactive, will eventually pick up) Come to Terra Fantasia, a bizarre world where nothing is as it seems! (Ongoing) Spoiler: click to toggle
| |
|
|
|
| Russwallac | Apr 23 2017, 09:30 AM Post #26 |
"Ta-da!"
|
A couple things. First of all, if an extinction event was so severe that it wiped out every single predator in Africa, it would definitely wipe out megafauna like hippos, regardless of conservation efforts. Plus, there are many other animals more likely to become carnivorous than hippos. In addition, exposed teeth on a mammal are unlikely, since it would cause the enamel to break down. Tusks are a little different, but hippos don't have tusks.
Edited by Russwallac, Apr 23 2017, 09:31 AM.
|
"We've started a cult about a guy's liver, of course we're going to demand that you give us an incredibly scientific zombie apocalypse." -Nanotyranus
| |
|
|
|
| Zorcuspine | Apr 23 2017, 11:00 AM Post #27 |
Enjoying our azure blue world
|
I mean, hippos evolving into a more predatory lifestyle dosen't seem so far fetched to me, but I can't see them surviving such a large extinction event, especially not the highly vulnerable pygmy hippos. Perhaps something more common like warthogs or duikers could be the ancestor of ragnarocks? |
 | |
|
|
|
| IIGSY | Apr 23 2017, 11:54 AM Post #28 |
|
A huntsman spider that wastes time on the internet because it has nothing better to do
|
Didn't hippos come from carnivorous ancestors? The hippo-whale-entelodont clade was ancestrally carnivorous, and early members and stem species of all three groups where quite similar. This meaning that herbivorous hippos must have been a recent thing, making a reversion to carnivory very easy if hippos where pressured to do so. Sort of like leaf cutter ants. Please correct me if I'm wrong though, as I'm not to well versed in mammals. |
|
Projects Punga: A terraformed world with no vertebrates Last one crawling: The last arthropod ARTH-6810: A world without vertebrates (It's ded, but you can still read I guess) Potential ideas- Swamp world: A world covered in lakes, with the largest being caspian sized. Nematozoic: After a mass extinction of ultimate proportions, a single species of nematode is the only surviving animal. Tri-devonian: A devonian like ecosystem with holocene species on three different continents. Quotes Phylogeny of the arthropods and some related groups In honor of the greatest clade of all time More pictures Other cool things All African countries can fit into Brazil
| |
|
|
|
| Russwallac | Apr 23 2017, 12:40 PM Post #29 |
|
"Ta-da!"
|
Hippos are fully-adapted to herbivory. Neither their dentition nor their digestive systems are suited to carnivory at all. |
|
"We've started a cult about a guy's liver, of course we're going to demand that you give us an incredibly scientific zombie apocalypse." -Nanotyranus
| |
|
|
|
| IIGSY | Apr 23 2017, 12:50 PM Post #30 |
|
A huntsman spider that wastes time on the internet because it has nothing better to do
|
Dentition? They have giant sharp teeth. If a hippo wanted to, it could easily chomp a zebra and eat it. Plus, hippos have been observed eating corpses. There's even a video of a hippo taking a living impala. |
|
Projects Punga: A terraformed world with no vertebrates Last one crawling: The last arthropod ARTH-6810: A world without vertebrates (It's ded, but you can still read I guess) Potential ideas- Swamp world: A world covered in lakes, with the largest being caspian sized. Nematozoic: After a mass extinction of ultimate proportions, a single species of nematode is the only surviving animal. Tri-devonian: A devonian like ecosystem with holocene species on three different continents. Quotes Phylogeny of the arthropods and some related groups In honor of the greatest clade of all time More pictures Other cool things All African countries can fit into Brazil
| |
|
|
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · Evolutionary Continuum · Next Topic » |
11:57 AM Jul 13