Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
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!

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
New terrestrial arthropods
Topic Started: Jul 27 2017, 07:24 PM (899 Views)
HangingThief
Member Avatar
ghoulish
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *
kusanagi
Jul 29 2017, 11:18 AM
My thoughts for stage 1 were of terrestrial spiders that went partially herbivorous by sucking plant juices. The example of sucking bugs was stage 2 should a move to raptorialism be requested. Now of sourse plants are sessile so predatory shieldbugs went overnight from herbivores to raptorials. But my understanding is most pycogonids are like most nudibranchs dietary specialists which is why they are difficult in aquaria. Then it would be easier to jump to macroalgae, and then to plants, and then whatever is ingesting the same kind of plants (happened at least 2ce in insects).
Again, shield bugs and other predatory hemipterans went from herbivorous to carnivorous, not the other way around. That's a lot easier than going from completely carnivorous to feeding on plant matter with little nutrition. Spiders that feed on plant matter don't suck sap, they feed on growths called beltian bodies found on certain acacias that are intended as food for ants that protect the tree from herbivores. The beltian bodies are high in fat and protein and easy to digest.

I still don't understand why you think going from feeding on cnidarians to feeding on macroalgae is easier than going from cnidarians to mollusks or other animals. Also, I'm guessing that marine macroalgae to terrestrial plants is a much bigger jump than marine invertebrates to terrestrial invertebrates.
Hey.


Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
kusanagi
Adolescent
 *  *  *  *  *
Scorpions including the opiliones share a common ancestor with the other arachnids that was already terrestrial. That LCA looked scorpion/eurypterid type.

Probability of pycogonids or any other arthropod colonising land depends upon ecological, physiological and anatomical constraints. I toyed before with the idea of pycogonids on a warmed Antarctica but I wasnt sure how to get them onto land when they eat only sessile inverts.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
IIGSY
Member Avatar
A huntsman spider that wastes time on the internet because it has nothing better to do
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
kusanagi
Jul 29 2017, 01:26 PM
Scorpions including the opiliones share a common ancestor with the other arachnids that was already terrestrial. That LCA looked scorpion/eurypterid type.

Probability of pycogonids or any other arthropod colonising land depends upon ecological, physiological and anatomical constraints. I toyed before with the idea of pycogonids on a warmed Antarctica but I wasnt sure how to get them onto land when they eat only sessile inverts.
Posted Image
A terrestrial pycnogonid would have plenty to eat depending on where it lived
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
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
IIGSY
Member Avatar
A huntsman spider that wastes time on the internet because it has nothing better to do
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Could a cladoceran become terrestrial? They don't appear to have any legs, only antennae.
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
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
kusanagi
Adolescent
 *  *  *  *  *
Strange things happen in leaf litter. ;) I imagine those second antennae went from swimming appendages to walking legs.

A terrestrial stomatopod would be nicer. They practice brood care too so I could see them digging nurseries for their young and maybe even a kind of eusociality with workers and soldiers and queens. Think how large hymenopteran brains are if you will.
Edited by kusanagi, Jul 30 2017, 05:38 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
IIGSY
Member Avatar
A huntsman spider that wastes time on the internet because it has nothing better to do
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
kusanagi
Jul 30 2017, 05:32 PM
A terrestrial stomatopod would be nicer. They practice brood care too so I could see them digging nurseries for their young and maybe even a kind of eusociality with workers and soldiers and queens. Think how large hymenopteran brains are if you will.
Could the crushing claw work on land?
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
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
kusanagi
Adolescent
 *  *  *  *  *
Insect Illuminati Get Shrekt
Jul 30 2017, 05:35 PM
kusanagi
Jul 30 2017, 05:32 PM
A terrestrial stomatopod would be nicer. They practice brood care too so I could see them digging nurseries for their young and maybe even a kind of eusociality with workers and soldiers and queens. Think how large hymenopteran brains are if you will.
Could the crushing claw work on land?
Spearing and bludgeoning ought to. Think of mantids.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
IIGSY
Member Avatar
A huntsman spider that wastes time on the internet because it has nothing better to do
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
kusanagi
Jul 30 2017, 05:39 PM
Insect Illuminati Get Shrekt
Jul 30 2017, 05:35 PM
kusanagi
Jul 30 2017, 05:32 PM
A terrestrial stomatopod would be nicer. They practice brood care too so I could see them digging nurseries for their young and maybe even a kind of eusociality with workers and soldiers and queens. Think how large hymenopteran brains are if you will.
Could the crushing claw work on land?
Spearing and bludgeoning ought to. Think of mantids.
The "mantis claw" has evolved many times in arthropods. Pretty cool, isn't it?


But seriously, what about terrestrial cladocera?
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
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
kusanagi
Adolescent
 *  *  *  *  *
All I know about terrestrial water fleas is a few species inhabit leaf litter. Sorry if I don't know more about them but I imagine they are constrained on land. They must be functionally bipedal for a start.
Edited by kusanagi, Jul 30 2017, 05:48 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Talenkauen
Member Avatar
Perpetually paranoid iguanodont
 *  *  *  *  *  *
You never elaborated about the supposed "Terrestrial Squat-Lobster". I'd like to know what species it is.
PLEASE NOTE: If I come off as harsh or demanding whilst talking to you, please tell me. I apologize in advance.....


UPCOMING PROJECTS:

Projects here
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
kusanagi
Adolescent
 *  *  *  *  *
Talenkauen Spec
Jul 30 2017, 05:54 PM
You never elaborated about the supposed "Terrestrial Squat-Lobster". I'd like to know what species it is.
I don't remember the species OTOH but the genus is Aegla and I remember trying to source some and noticing some sources listed the genus as terrestrial as well as freshwater. (Amphibious?)

The cladocercans live in freshwater leaf litter as it happens. I thought the idea of terrestrial cladicercans was odd but there can be terrestrial sponges in rainforests, so...
Edited by kusanagi, Jul 30 2017, 06:50 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
IIGSY
Member Avatar
A huntsman spider that wastes time on the internet because it has nothing better to do
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
kusanagi
Jul 30 2017, 05:59 PM
but there can be terrestrial sponges in rainforests, so...
Terrestrial sponges?
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
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
« Previous Topic · General Spec · Next Topic »
Add Reply