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A Guide to the Care of Speculative Lifeforms in Captivity; A comprehensive listing of the captive management and husbandry of speculative plants and animals.
Topic Started: Dec 5 2017, 02:45 AM (2,684 Views)
Sheather
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A Guide to the Care of Speculative Lifeforms in Captivity

A comprehensive listing of the captive management and husbandry of speculative plants and animals from worlds and eras near and far.





Throughout the cosmos and the fabric of space-time there exist virtually countless life-bearing worlds, each inhabited by its own endemic creatures, some familiar and others starkly alien. Centuries of trial and error in addition to lengthy in-situ study of many of them has been conducted by our modern post-scarcity, space-faring society so that today almost any creature can be accommodated comfortably in our advanced inter-galactic zoo collections. For the smaller and milder creatures, in some cases even domestic ownership can be readily accomplished. Anybody is free to contribute to the Guide, so long as they follow the below template approximately and most importantly, only describe the captive management of creatures which constitute their own creation, unless permission has been granted by the creator.

Please utilize one of the included templates in this spoiler when submitting a creature.


Please note that the Guide is only designed to provide instruction on the husbandry of speculative creatures, defined as any plant, animal, fungus or equivalent alien life form which does not live on Planet Earth in or before the year 2017. Future evolution, alternate evolution, alternate universes, and exobiology is welcomed. Extinct Earth lifeforms regardless of the extent known about them are not relevant to the guide, nor are modern living animals. Organisms described in the guide do not have to be naturally evolved, though this is preferred. The keeping of sapient lifeforms is slavery under intergalactic law and the inclusion of sophonts in the Guide is strictly prohibited.

You are welcome to include some humor or other elements of entertainment in your submissions, but please keep your guide pages realistic and functional, as if this were a real care manual. Think of ways to liven up boring encyclopedic content, however, such as anecdotes about individual captive animals or unique situations of management. Animals are all individuals, even the made-up ones, and not all individuals will necessarily need identical care requirements.

~~~

Disclaimer: This guide presents a compilation of knowledge provided by recognized speculative biology experts based on the current science, practice, and technology of speculative lifeform management. The manual assembles basic requirements, best practices, and animal care recommendations to maximize capacity for excellence in lifeform care and welfare. The manual should be considered a work in progress, since practices continue to evolve through advances in scientific knowledge. The use of information within this manual should be in accordance with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations concerning the care of speculative lifeforms. While some government laws and regulations may be referenced in this manual, these are not all-inclusive nor is this manual intended to serve as an evaluation tool for those agencies. The recommendations included are not meant to be exclusive management approaches, diets, medical treatments, or procedures, and may require adaptation to meet the specific needs of individual lifeforms and particular circumstances in each institution.

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Emperor Swiftlet

Grallatacheiropteryx osteorhynchus

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General Overview: The emperor swiftlet is a large flying predator from the planet of Sheatheria, notable for its equatorial ice ring and tropical polar regions. It is one of the largest of all flying vertebrates, and descends from a group of ornithiscian dinosaurs known as ornithopod birds or griffons which are endemic to this planet (the ancestors of all Sheatheria's modern inhabitants having been introduced from Earth over hundreds of millions of years.) Swiftlets are bird-like bipeds, which walk upon their powerful forearms and carry their dexterous hind talons off the ground in place of hands. They are covered in a dense, insulating layer of primitive feathers absent only upon the wrists and below the ankles, where large scales are present, and on the large keratinous beak. Swiftlets have no teeth and swallow their food whole like birds. They are long-lived animals that are normally not afflicted with many health issues, with lifespans of two hundred years well-documented in captivity.

In the wild, the emperor is an apex predator which spends much of its time soaring aloft on thermals. It is the largest flying swiftlet, standing up to twenty five feet tall and with a wingspan of up to forty-five feet. Several different subspecies are recognized, which differ in size and hunting behavior, but the largest and most commonly kept subspecies, which is also the nominate (G. osteorhynchus osteorhynchus, or the Greater Aenvarnan Circumpolar Resident Swiftlet), which is the species shown above, is mainly a terrestrial stalker that runs down its prey on the ground with its very long limbs and neck. Other subspecies, such as the stockier Transcontinental Migratory Swiftlet, G. o. migratorius,, feed by swooping down and carrying off prey in their talons, in the fashion of birds of prey. All emperor swiftlets are predominately carnivores.

A small domesticated subspecies exists, cultivated by the native sophont of the swiftet's home world. These are far smaller than the nominate subspecies and indeed, all other variations, and are also the most primitive. The domestic form reaches heights of only nine feet and is more tractable than the other subspecies.

Ambient Environment: Emperor swiftlets adapt well to an Earth atmosphere, and being adapted to soar at altitude can also survive significantly lower percentages of atmospheric oxygen than humans. They are hardy and can endure temperatures ranging from well below freezing for prolonged periods as a result of their insulating plumage and up to around one hundred and five degrees Fahrenheit (40.5 degrees Celsius) for short periods, allowing them to be kept outdoors year round in many climates. However, indoor accommodations are recommended in very harsh climates, as the ideal temperature for the species is between fifty and ninety degrees F (10 - 32 C). Swiftlets tolerate prolonged cold better than prolonged heat, as long as they are kept dry, and do not require supplemental heating as long as they can get out of the wind.

Habitat Design and Containment Requirements: Swiftlets are naturally flying animals with ranges that in the large subspecies can cover whole hemispheres. This is of course an unreasonable requirement in captivity, but the species will utilize as much space as can be provided and allowing flight in some respect is strongly encouraged. Perhaps the most ideal enclosure ever designed is the four mile wide and 500 foot deep enclosed canyon of the Sheatherian Safari Park established in northern Russia, where the species is permitted to properly fly. Though this exhibit design, albeit normally at smaller size, has become the ideal of the modern epoch many earlier zoos successfully exhibited the species for centuries on Earth in the years following the contact with Sheatheria by pinioning the animals at a very young age and keeping them in large open paddocks as would be used for giraffes. Long-term observation has not shown a drastic difference in the health of deflighted individuals versus those kept in large aviaries, so long as the animals are encouraged to run and stay active in other ways in their captive environments, though non-flying individuals require much less food than flighted ones and a diet lower in fat to avoid heart disease.

Fencing for this species must be secure, for though the birds are not immensely strong they can tear through thin wood or mesh with their large beaks, and so concrete or stainless steel are most recommended. Aviaries must be covered with solid mesh sheets supported by cables or pillars, as netting of any type will not contain these huge flyers. Electric fencing is effective for pinioned individuals.

Swiftlets kept flighted should be provided with tall cliff faces on which to roost and breed. Flightless individuals may be provided with shorter substitutes that can be accessed by climbing steps. Pools of water are enjoyed for bathing. The substrate of the enclosure should feature at least some soft terrain, ideally growing grass, but rocky ground is also important to keep the claws worn down (claw overgrowth is more often a problem with flighted than pinioned individuals). Despite being carnivores, emperor swiftlets frequently browse on foliage in captivity, both to settle their stomachs and for the joy of shredding it, and appreciate the provision of natural trees and bushes to shelter among. Flightless individuals will appreciate rocky lookouts or large leaning tree trunks to climb and use as observation posts.

An indoor house, at minimum a tall barn fitted with straw, should be provided in cold climates so that the animals can escape drafts and moisture. Supplemental heat is not required for this species.

Social Environment: The emperor swiftlet is a lifelong monogame in the wild and forms enduring pair bonds. This situation should if at all possible be instituted in captivity as well, though introducing adults can be extremely difficult as females in particular are very choosy about their mates; it can take years of side by side housing for a pair to bond enough to remove the barrier and allow co-housing and in some cases it never occurs. Young individuals raised together will usually stay amicable in adulthood, even in larger groups than are normally seen in the wild, while wild-caught individuals can be very difficult to pair, particularly if separated from a mate in the wild, and some female individuals may never seek a second mate. After being introduced to one zoo in Australia, a wild-caught female pined alone for twenty-two years before accepting a captive-bred male partner.

Once bonded, swiftlet pairs almost never break up and are very loyal to one another. Pairs allopreen and regurgitate food for each other. Before a bond develops, however, aggression can be fierce and individuals have been known to kill one another, making lengthy introductions between a secure barrier extremely important in managing this species.

Same-sex pair bonds are well-documented, mostly of males, which are less aggressive than females and much more easily introduced. Almost all instances of one swiftlet killing another in captivity are females on males.

Single-housing is not recommended for this species except in cases where the individual has proven too aggressive for company; even in these situations, it is recommended to house the aggressor adjacent to other swiftlets but separated by a strong barrier, to allow for vocal and visual contact. Isolated swiftlets are prone to depression, lethargy, poor health, and self-harming behavior, and widower males in particular, after losing a mate to age or illness, should be introduced to others of their kind as soon as possible as they have been known to die of apparent loneliness within a few weeks of losing their partner otherwise.

Emperor swiftlets of the wild subspecies are classed as a dangerous animal and free contact is not recommended with individuals past weaning age. The enormous beaks of the animals are designed to crush bones and tear flesh and an adult swiftlet can easily kill a human even in play, and particular as sexually mature adults they are prone to rapid mood swings and tantrums that can result in almost instant changes in demeanor. The much smaller domestic form is much less hazardous, being smaller, more docile and much more predictable, but care must be taken when handing even these to avoid injury as, though they normally don't strike out like their wild counterparts, they are still large animals in comparison to a human and can potentially cause great harm if they do lash out. Only the domestic form is considered suitable for free-contact interaction in modern zoo facilities, and zoos are still cautioned to limit interactions to opposite sides of a protective barrier.

Reproduction The difficulty in bonding pairs of emperor swiftlets in captivity makes reproduction tricky, and the issue is complicated further by the fact that though youngsters brought up together get along, they will not form pairs with their nest mates or individuals they believe to be, a natural response to avoid inbreeding which would be very harmful in this long-lived, slow-breeding animal. The most success has come from zoos which have managed to import both partners of a breeding pair from the wild or otherwise which can bring in a number of juveniles and allow them to pick their own mates. Captive-reared birds of adolescent age can normally be introduced with minimal aggression to unrelated partners and will typically bond to them in time, but as stated above pairing mature animals is very difficult and must be done gradually. Introducing two males, in opposite enclosures on either side of one housing a female, may increase the odds of producing a successful pair.

Once a pair is bonded, breeding is not difficult if a raised, private nest cave or very large box open on one side is provided, though at the rate of only two to three chicks per decade. Both the male and female build a large nest of sticks, bones, or anything else provided. Pairs breed in the nest, and rarely do so in the open. Nesting occurs only every few years, as the chick is dependent for several years and does not fledge until about eleven months of age. Wild-caught individuals take at least two years to settle enough to breed. Pairs are most readily formed around ten years of age, but breeding is rarely successful before the age of twenty. From then on, it can continue for many decades, and captive females have laid and hatched offspring successfully at more than one hundred years of age. Infertility comes extremely late in life, if at all, in this very long-lived species.

Young swiftlets are highly dependent on their parents, unable even to stand for six months after hatching. Normally the species is excellent at rearing their chicks, to the point that untamed breeding pairs become extremely dangerous as they defend their young. Inexperienced pairs, or those who are not happy with the mates provided to them, though, may abandon or attack their chicks, forcing staff to hand-rear them. This is not inherently difficult but is extraordinarily time-intensive and requires a number of attentive caretakers around the clock for many months. Hand-raised swiftlets are extremely tame and affectionate when young but by several years of age become too large and boisterous to safely interact with. This species also imprints very strongly on its caretakers early in life and so hand-raised emperors are usually unable to breed successful even if introduced to others of their species at weaning, as they will only find an interest in human mates. Though tame swiftlets will not view humans as prey items as wild-caught and parent-raised individuals do, they are still considered dangerous, particularly hormonal males during the breeding season that will try to bond with one person and savagely attack any others that attempt to take away its chosen mate. Despite recommendations against it, some parks still allow limited contact with tamed birds after maturity, usually one keeper who has bonded strongly to the animal through a barrier. In these instances, the bird may be very tame and allow petting of the face and bill, though the keeper must always stay alert in case the animals' mood changes.

Dietary Needs Emperor swiftlets are mostly carnivorous and feed on a variety of vertebrate prey in the wild, mainly the large bipedal rodents known as bronkjirds, but adapt readily to Earth-found substitutions. They should be fed whole prey items in captivity, such as rabbits, poultry, calves, lambs and fish, for proper nutrient balance for growth and development. Supplements are rarely required for adults. During growth, this species requires large quantities of calcium, and though they will get what they need from the bones of their prey juveniles may also be offered supplementary vitamin and mineral pills hidden inside pieces of meat. Small amounts of fruit, such as berries and chopped melon, are enjoyed by some individuals as are limited quantities of leaf vegetables. Salted or processed meats are to be avoided and feeding any cut muscle meat without the accompanying bones and viscera is not recommended to ensure a balanced diet.

Veterinary Care: Swiftlets require little routine care. Some individuals require claw trimming or beak filing and can be trained to allow this through a barrier like many other large animals. Individuals that cannot be housed in aviaries must be pinioned, and due to the complex nature of the swiftlet wing this must be done by a licensed professional under general anesthetic. Pinioning involves removing most of the wing, with the three wing fingers being severed at the second joint and the wing membrane carefully cut away and the blood vessels cauterized to prevent blood loss. It is best done on nestlings and is doable but very difficult and not recommended on adults, which do not adjust well emotionally to losing their flight and may chew their wounds to the point of mutilation, causing secondary infection. Birds which are pinioned before fledging show no emotional distress at being unable to fly and become very competent at running and climbing instead.

Swiftlets are prone to pica, swallowing inedible objects, and often have to be anesthetized in order to have these objects removed from the digestive tract. This may originate from a natural desire to eat grit in the ancestor of this species, as even wild animals consume gravel, though this not vital due to the easily digested meat-based diet of this species. In captivity, swiftlets have been documented eating basketballs, cameras, binoculars, remote control cars, entire milk jugs, passports, wallets, car keys, musical instruments, a toaster, a sword, fine china, glass shards, hot coals, and balloons, all of which have had to be removed by veterinarians. It is vital to avoid providing anything in a swiftlet enclosure which can be swallowed and to prevent litter from blowing into the exhibit.

Behavioral Management: Emperor swiftlets are highly intelligent creatures with intellect rivaling or surpassing crows and the great apes. They require regular enrichment in the form of food puzzles, large enclosures to explore, and varied diets presented in interesting ways to stave off boredom. The feeding of live vertebrate prey is recommended at least occasionally if local laws allow, as hunting is one of the best if not the best enrichment available for this predatory species. Prey animals that are not domesticated are most useful, in particular things such as squirrels or birds that are agile, can escape, and are difficult to capture, though some argue that this method of enrichment is unethical. Goats, sheep, calves and other hoof stock are also acceptable though they may not last long except with inexperienced juvenile swiftlets.

Swiflets are highly trainable and training is useful both to facilitate health care and as an exercise in using their brains to avoid boredom. They can be taught a very large number of tricks and behaviors with food rewards and are particularly good at innovative tricks where they are encouraged to make up their own new behaviors for a reward; through this method, captive swiftlets have been taught to do such ridiculous behaviors as headstands, to hula hoop, to peddle an oversize bicycle with their hind legs, and even to learn coordinated routines. This is all accomplished through positive reinforcement, as negativity is entirely ineffective on this species which feels more than inclined to lash out savagely at its trainer if it is reprimanded, and so even these silly behaviors are beneficial to the individuals well-being by providing enrichment.

Additional Information: Emperor swiftlets which are hand-raised will imitate human speech and become competent talkers, among the best in the animal kingdom. They can further be trained to use their speech appropriately and in context and to learn the names of individual people and other birds in their enclosures. In the wild, vocal mimicry is used to lure prey animals within range to kill them, and this also occurs in captive specimens, sometimes in disturbing ways; one zoo, for example, notes a young male bird, just weaned, which would call over caretakers he did not like while displaying affectionate posture, only to lash out at them when they approached, seriously injuring one keeper.

One small, tame domestic swiftlet learned to call the mouse-hunting cats that lived in its barn at an exotic petting zoo (where the swiftlet was housed but not allowed to be handled except by his caretakers.) The cats were normally afraid of him, but would come running down the path in an off exhibit when he imitated their caretaker's call of food ready to be eaten. As the cats ran, he would thrust his head over the gate and grab them, killing two in one night before the fences on his exhibit were raised. Even after his efforts were thwarted, he continued to call the cats and then startle them by thrusting his entire body against the fence as they approached and was even shown to throw tidbits of meat between the mesh in an effort to lure them close enough to bite.

Captive swiftlets are very smart. They readily learn to open and unlock doors, and thus require very secure confinement. They demonstrate self-awareness in the mirror test and are able to craft simple tools to access food in controlled tests. They also show empathy, both towards their mates, their young, and humans they have bonded with. In one very unique situation, one young swiftlet with no parental experience even adopted a pet gull chick that fell into its enclosure from a roof, feeding the tiny baby bits of meat for months until it fledged and protecting it at all times from another sibling that wanted to eat it.

In the wild, adult Emperor Swiftlets are extremely difficult to catch due to their size and ability to fly and today, as it is known they rarely adapt well to captivity, juveniles which are just about to fledge are most commonly imported to the zoo trade. Taken too old, and they are too wild to adjust well; taken too young, and they imprint on humans too much to reproduce. The swiftlet is now a common species in zoos across the galaxy, and is mostly captive-raised as the removal of wild animals from Sheatheria becomes increasingly regulated to ensure that wild stocks are not depleted - something particularly important for an apex predator such as this.

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G. o. osteorhynchus

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G. o. migratorious

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comparison of all known subspecies
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Octoaster
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Fantastic. I'll definitely be contributing to this.

It might be a good exercise to think about the care requirements of giant endothermic spiders.
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HangingThief
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OctoSharkTasaurus
Dec 5 2017, 02:50 AM
Fantastic. I'll definitely be contributing to this.

It might be a good exercise to think about the care requirements of giant endothermic spiders.
Sounds like a lot of time spent cleaning up rotting food boluses.
Hey.


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Mock Cherry

Sarcosopron major

General Overview: A small tree (15 feet) with dark purple arils that are rather attractive to birds.

Ambient Environment: This plant, when grown in captivity, requires quite a bit of water. It is advised to water it once its soil dries out, for potted plants. Plants thrive best in full light, but can grow in partial shade. Soil must be slightly alkaline for optimal growth. The plant is wind-pollinated, so pollination is a non-concern. In its native environment, it is fed on by various organisms, ranging from small aphids, to large herbivorous archosaurs. But all of its native pests do not exist outside of its archipelago, allowing for rampant growth if not controlled properly.

Cultivation: To increase the alkalinity of the soil, lime is often used. Some regions also are better suited for their growth, due to the soil already being alkaline. It is recommended to water it twice a week. As the plant is rather tolerant of most lighting except for full shade, light is a non-issue. This plant is rather disease tolerant, and most pests that plague other plants do not seem to bother it.

As it becomes rather shaggy looking quickly with rapid growth of many branches, it is advised to prune it heavily if one wants an attractive-looking plant.

Due to its tendency to become rather weedy, some places have outlawed its cultivation, due to its invasive tendencies, or having become invasive in some areas, with nothing touching it, due to all parts but the fruit being toxic.

Additional Information: Hardy up to Growing Zone 7B (USA), this plant is often cultivated for a tropical appearance in colder climates. Despite this, only 50 major cultivars are known in captivity. The most commonly grown cultivar is the Dwarf Isan, a cultivar with pink arils, and a height about half that of wild trees (7 feet). Contrary to its name, it was developed in captivity, from a chance seedling in the early 1900s.

The Dwarf Isan is only common because it has cold tolerance rivalling most other varieties (up to Zone 6B), and produces rather attractive arils in the spring, often planted for attracting birds. It also does not grow nearly as large as most other cultivars, allowing it to be grown on smaller plots of land.

Another common variety is the Regal Glory, a larger variety that grows up to 20 feet. Unlike the Dwarf Isan, it is not as cold tolerant, and grows best in Zone 9A or higher. The Regal Glory produces black arils in huge quantities. As a result of the ungodly amounts of fruits it produces, Regal Glory trees sometimes suffer damage from hungry birds.
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Are we allowed to use species from other projects, or just ones of our own creation? I don't wanna step on people's toes.
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GlarnBoudin
Dec 5 2017, 10:39 AM
Are we allowed to use species from other projects, or just ones of our own creation? I don't wanna step on people's toes.
*ahem*

Sheather
 
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Bahmu

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General Overview: The bahmu is a man-sized arboreal griffon (a bird-like ornithiscian) native to the southern continent of Sheatheria. They are highly aggressive, nocturnal, tree-dwelling predators well-adapted for climbing and brachiating in the forest canopy. They actively hunt a variety of smaller animals, pursuing them at speed through the branches and killing them with their powerful claws and sharply hooked beaks. Their eye sight is very well suited to hunting in dark conditions and their sense of smell is highly developed, allowing them to locate hidden prey animals resting in tree cavities.

Ambient Environment: Bahmu are tolerant of Earthly atmospheric conditions, but require high humidity to stay healthy and are prone to respiratory infections if their environment is kept too dry. They are native to warm, tropical jungles and are also very intolerant of cold. They must be maintained at temperatures above 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 C) or they are likely to fall sick. They seem to do best in captivity if maintained around 80 degrees (27 C).

Bahmu are nocturnal and averse to bright lights. If kept outdoors, they will retire to a secluded space and never be seen during the day. The lighting in indoor exhibitions should be kept dimmed for twelve to sixteen hours per day to allow the animals a natural sleep/wake cycle. If at all possible, a period of almost complete darkness from two to four hours long will be appreciated.

Habitat Design and Containment Requirements: Because of their sensitivity to climate and nocturnal nature the bahmu should be kept in an indoor enclosure where environmental conditions can be artificially controlled. In order to ensure the animals are awake during zoo hours, they are usually maintained on a reversed night and day cycle in a nocturnal house, behind glass so as to maintain heat and humidity in the enclosure. In this setup is vital that ventilation be present, however, to keep air circulating within the enclosure.

The enclosure for a bahmu should be large enough to permit climbing and brachiating and must be fully covered as the bahmu is an escape artist, able to shimmy up thin vertical support poles, leap twenty feet or more between perches and to scale even vertical concrete walls with its powerful recurved claws. A variety of trees and branches, either natural or man-made, should be provided for climbing and a totally darkened, enclosed den large enough to accommodate the creature when curled up at rest is important for roosting.

Bahmu are very dirty, foul-smelling animals due to their carnivorous diet and will strew their enclosure not only with the remains of their food but also produce extremely rancid droppings, which they tend to shoot a far distance so that they often cover walls and furnishings - this may also be done intentionally to mark their territory in the wild. A fully concrete enclosure with a lowered drain pipe to allow daily hosing down is a necessity to ensure sanitary living conditions. The den should be lined with straw or other soft bedding and will stay cleaner than the rest of the exhibit as a bahmu will not soil its sleeping place; however, it will over time become strewn with scraps and bones and should be emptied and sanitized monthly.

A bahmu exhibit must be designed so that the animal can be locked away during maintenance, as the bahmu is extraordinarily aggressive and dangerous to human beings, which apparently resemble its most preferred prey of frog lemurs in the wild enough to elicit a vigorous hunting response. Wild-caught bahmu are universally predatory towards humans and have injured many zookeepers, in some cases fatally, though captive-raised specimens fed on domestic diets may be less aggressive. Ideally the enclosure should be divisible in two and the sleeping den further able to be closed off automatically to allow cleaning of the exhibit space without risk of attack by the occupant.

Social Environment: Bahmu are solitary and cannibalistic. They meet in the wild only fleetingly, once per year, to breed. Social housing is now considered impossible and if two individuals are forced to cohabitate they will fight savagely, culminating in the more dominant specimen cannibalizing the subordinate when it finds it cannot escape due to the confines of the enclosure. Adults prey on younger individuals even in the wild.

Reproduction: Difficult in captivity. Partners are much more likely to kill each other than copulate, and it is very difficult to determine the reproductive cycles of females. Some success has been had housing males and females in adjacent compounds and introducing them very briefly in a neutral space between when the female appears receptive to breeding, which she will demonstrate by crouching down by the male and producing soft cooing calls. However, some females still attack the males even when introduced after showing signs of readiness.

Observations of bahmu in the wild suggest that the female's fertility is linked to being pursued and fighting with the male for a period of days, something difficult to accomplish in a captive setting where she cannot escape his advances or vice versa.

Bahmu have reproduced in captivity a handful of times, but even if the female produces eggs and hatches her chicks in the dark, enclosed den, she frequently proves a poor mother and prone to cannibalize them if disturbed. The bahmu has never been successful raised from hatching to independence by its mother in captivity and all surviving captive-bred specimens were hand-reared. Because of these combined difficulties almost all bahmu in captivity today are still wild-caught.

In the wild, the mother bahmu's ties with her chicks are still short. She feeds them at the nest site for only a few weeks before they disperse into the forest; if she meets them again even just a few days after they've fledged, she is likely to hunt them.

Dietary Needs: The bahmu is an obligate carnivore and should be fed a diet of whole prey, including bones and viscera, for complete nutrition. In the wild the bahmu can be a picky eater, specializing in hunting frog lemurs, and wild-caught specimens may take months to accept alternatives such as chicken or rabbits. They will usually accept live frogs immediately, but these may be difficult to source in large enough quantities to feed the animals until they can be weaned to more available food sources.

In the wild, bahmu will occasionally consume carrion, and they can be persuaded in time to accept dead prey items in captivity.

Veterinary Care: Bahmu are prone to a variety of health issues in captivity, particularly respiratory infections if kept in overly dry or insufficiently ventilated conditions. If their enclosures are not thoroughly sanitized regularly, they are subject to bacterial infections and infestations of mites. Additionally, they are highly susceptible to a pox virus native to their home world which apparently most wild-borne specimens carry latently and which can flare up disastrously after the stress of capture, producing a debilitating outbreak of blood blisters across the animals' body and inside its nose and throat which result in a mortality of up to fifty percent.

Behavioral Management: Bahmu are considered unintelligent and difficult to train. Most management consists of preventing them from killing one another or being able to harm caretakers. Bahmu do not appear to require very much enrichment and if not feeding, spend much of their day asleep or perching motionless on a high branch.

Additional Information: Bahmu were once commonly imported to zoos but today their presence is declining as a result of the complications of their husbandry and difficulty in breeding. Additionally, they are very dirty animals and difficult to exhibit in a way that will appeal to an audience, as they are most active in total darkness and spend most of their time in captivity sitting motionless. The extreme levels of aggression exhibited towards humans also make them dangerous to house and difficult to manage. Less is known about the bahmu's tolerance to medications and anesthetic chemicals than other griffons and they seem much more sensitive in general. They are very prone to stress when handled and often die of heart attacks during routine procedures, and they must not be able to see visitors observing them as they are highly nervous and prone to self-harming neurotic behaviors (feather plucking and finger-chewing, in particular) if not given privacy. In general, the bahmu does poorly in captivity and has an expected lifespan of only five to ten years, believed to be less than a third of what they obtain in a wild setting.

The bahmu as a species is likely to die out in most captive collections as the remaining captive specimens expire, as few organizations show interests in importing more wild stock. There are plenty of equally interesting and more easily maintained animals on Sheatheria to concentrate their efforts upon.
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Molgyr

Umbravenati orientalis

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General Overview:
The molgyr is a small (2 ft tall over the back and 4 ft long) mesocarnivore from a tidally locked planet orbiting Mnomer’s star. It inhabits the planets eastern twilight zone, with temperatures from near freezing at the eastern edge to boiling in geologically active parts.
For navigating in the shadows molgyrs primarily uses their first pair of eyes which are enlarged and gives it excellent night vision. The two antennas also enables them to detect some smells, and the two hearing discs (a sort of facett ear) gives them decent hearing.
Like all vertebrate-analogs on the planet it only has one true pair of limbs, although it also possesses three pair of modified “scales” which served as wings in its ancestors. The first of these structures protects the respiratory openings on the lower neck, the second pair is more or less redundant, but the third pair is elongated and serves as halteres which greatly increases the molgyr’s maneuverability. At the end of the halteres as well as on the crest, antenna and tail are bioluminescent spots that are used for communication between individuals.

Ambient Environment:
The biggest concern when the first molgyrs where brought to Earth were Earth’s higher oxygen concentration and lower gravity, although after a few weeks of crashing into things after surprisingly long or high jumps they learned to cope with the gravity. It took a while longer for them to adjust to the higher oxygen content with a few near fatal stress induced hyperoxia cases, the best solution appears to be slowly raising the oxygen content and giving the plenty of time to adapt. With the appearance of captive raised individuals this is no longer a problem.
The only other serious concern is light levels, with high intensity light damaging their sensitive eyes. A well shaded outdoor enclosure or low-light indoor one is therefore needed. A day-night cycle is not natural but tolerated.

Habitat Design and Containment Requirements:
The space requirements for molgyrs are moderate with an area of 10 by 20 meter enough for a pair, provided there is some vertical space for climbing. There should also be a water feature big enough for de animals to submerge themself in available, as well as both a warm and cold shelter (given these molgyrs are very hardy and should be able to thrive in the majority of the climates on Earth).
Due to their curious nature and foraging feeding habits the decoration of the enclosure should be as varied as possible; with sheltered areas for resting, climbing opportunities, and loose soil or leaf compost to search through. The last two is also relevant for the fencing, which though not needing to be that strong, should prevent escaping by burrowing, climbing or jumping. A tall fence with an overhang and a section continuing at least one meter underground is optimal.
A small adjacent section is useful for animal health checks, when maintenance of the main exhibit is performed, and to allow food to be placed in such a way as to encourage normal feeding behavior.

Social Environment:
In the wild adult molgyrs live in lifelong pairs and this is easy to replicate in captivity (and should be), although if there is plenty of space available it’s possible to house multiple pairs together without problems as they are not territorial as long as there is enough food and shelter. Young adults should preferably be housed togheter to allow them to form pairs by themself.
Keeping molgyrs with other species has proved successful as long as the other animals are large enough to not be considered food, and able to stand the molgyrs curiosity. Larger species of herbivores is ideal, although with careful introduction many other animals are possible.

Reproduction:
Molgyr reproduction in captivity is simple to achieve as long as you have pair and they have been allowed time to settle down in their exhibit and has endured a period of fasting. Then raising the amount of food the receive will stimulate breeding. With molgyrs being hermaphrodites both parents will carry one young, first being incubated internally, then laid in a sort of cocoon to complete its development. This means that the young is quite big when it finally hatches and can follow the adults around almost immediately, an adaptation for the sometimes unpredictable climate of their native range.
The young takes between three and four years to grow into an adult (depends on food quantity and quality). Juveniles should if possible be allowed to remain with their parents until they reach adulthood, this is both to give the a natural behavior and, more importantly, provide them with the necessary gut microbes received when they get fed regurgitated food by the parents.

Dietary Needs:
Fortunately for the zoo economy there is a relatively high amount of convergence between the molgyr’s homeworld and Earth, this means that as long as supplements are added they can be fed on food from Earth organisms. Feeding in itself is simple with a molgyr eating pretty much anything once accepted as edible, being a mesocarnivore this could consist of a base of meat or fish with some fruit as a treat. They can also be fed live food up to half their size, this appears to be much appreciated.

Veterinary Care:
Being from offworld molgyrs are rarely bothered by infections, making malnourishment the biggest danger; the importance of supplements if they are raised on “Earth food”cannot be overstated. Otherwise they are generally healthy, though obesity and overgrown claws can be a problem among individuals that don’t recieve enough exercise.

Behavioral Management:
Most importantly is that molgyrs are top predator in the wild, this means that they have no natural fear of humans. Fortunately they are not aggressive and would only become dangerous if handled incorrectly, however their predatory nature means that they are not safe around small children.
They are curios and similar to an oversized crow in their behaviour, so they need access to plenty of enrichment. Some of this can be achieved by hiding their food in different places that are switched every other day. To always keep them in pairs or more is also important, with playing and grooming normal behaviours.
They are easily taught to do simple tricks, such as laying still for health checks or fetching objects. If captive raised or given sufficient time they usually adapts well to human contact. However due to their high speed and difficulty to catch, it’s advisable that all training is performed inside a fenced area.
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Foons

various species

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General Overview: Foons are a diverse clade of aquatic theropodents (bipedal rodents) native to Sheatheria. They range in size from just two feet in length to more than thirty, with most species close to the sizes of Earth seals and sea lions, and fill an ecological niche somewhere between pinnepeds and cetaceans. They are streamlined mostly hairless creatures with legs set far back on the body and adapted into flippers and no front limbs. Most species feed on fish, some on aquatic invertebrates and molluscs, and a few mostly on large vertebrates. Foons are social and intelligent, and most species are easily maintained in captivity.

Ambient Environment: Foons are tolerant to Earth's atmosphere; though aquatic, they breathe air. Temperature needs vary from species to species, as some come from warm polar waters and others the cool seas near the equator. Most species live naturally in saltwater and should be maintained in oceanic salinity levels for the health of their skin, but freshwater species do exist. Consult specific resources on individual species for detailed information.

Habitat Design and Containment Requirements: Most foons will be very happy in an outdoor or indoor enclosure identical to that utilized for seals and sea lions, consisting of a large, deep pool and access to land in the form of a concrete beach or island. Few foons regularly come to shore in the wild but almost all species will do so in captivity. The pool should be chilled or heated to meet the needs of the species in question, depending on if it is a polar or tropical variety, and requires strong filtration. Generally the smallest foons spend the most time out of the water, but even rather large species will bask if given the opportunity. Smaller foons can leap and climb adequately and will appreciate floating rafts and logs to rest on, while more clumsy, larger species require sturdy ramps out of the water. Among the only foons which will never leave the water, and thus require no land access, are the very large Wumbian reef panther, which is too heavy to support itself out of water, and the extremely specialized golimog, or troglodyte foon, of the Wumbian cave system.

Because the reef panther and golimog require very different care than most other foons, each is covered in its own article in the guidebook and the advice given here does not apply to either.

Social Environment: Almost all foons are social, and many species live in large shoals in the wild numbering hundreds of individuals. Most are intelligent and playful. Group-housing is always recommended and most species can be safely housed with other foon species of similar size and temperature requirements. Foons have also been housed successfully with similarly-sized seals and sea lions in zoo collections without issue, as the demeanor and behavior of these animals often match very well.

Foons should never be housed in isolation if it can be avoided, and if this must occur they require a great deal of human contact to avoid depression. All foons except for the reef panther are considered safe to work with free-contact as they are not predatory towards humans.

Reproduction: Varies, but mostly easy in captivity. Most foons reproduce well, the larger species sometimes taking some time to settle if captured from the wild. The mother gives birth in the water and her pup can swim immediately, but remains dependent for a number of months. Most usually, a mother and pup can remain with their social group without worry of the other foons harming the young one. Only the mother nurses the pup, but other members of the pod may protect and play with it.

Dietary Needs: All foons are obligate carnivores and are unable to handle sugary foods. Their diets should be entirely composed of whole raw fish or, for some species, whole shellfish or chopped chicken, including the bones and organs. Supplements are usually unnecessary. Most foons are eager eaters, but newly captive animals can be difficult to weaned onto readily available diets and may go on hunger strikes which, if they last a prolonged time, may require tube-feeding the animal to keep it alive. Eventually all foons usually do accept a zoo diet and once they do so will do well in captivity.

Veterinary Care: The biggest issues with maintaining foons in captivity are getting wild-caught individuals to start eating, respiratory infections if kept in overly cool water (for tropical species) and skin problems resulting from dirty water or improper salinity levels. Otherwise, foons are usually easy to care for and long-lived in zoo settings. Species that naturally feed on shellfish may develop overgrown teeth in captivity if not provided food sources in their natural shells to crack open; this must be remedied by tooth trimming by an experienced veterinarian or it can interfere with the animal's ability to feed.

Young foons have weak immune systems and are more susceptible to illness than adults. Clean water is extremely important when babies are present in the enclosure, as bacteria can easily take hold of newborn pups. In captivity mortality is highest in newborns under two months of age and in wild-caught specimens in the first three months in captivity. If the foon can get through these sensitive periods, it is likely to have a long life with few issues.

Behavioral Management: Like seal and cetaceans, foons are highly intelligent and easily trainable to tolerate medical exams and to do tricks. They are easily taught routines of novel behaviors and are often used in educational shows in the manner of dolphins. Foons are considered safe to interact with and often are very playful and affectionate towards humans and other animal species too large to be eaten such as seals, dolphins and dogs.

Additional Information: Foons adapt very well to captivity and are today some of the most widely kept Sheatherian animals in interplanetary captivity in zoos and some private collections across the galaxy.

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Lagiram

Ovilagus domesticus

General Overview: The lagiram is a fairly large grazing lagomorph descended from feral Angola rabbits released onto Domestil, an Earth-like planet that was seeded roughly 35 million years ago with all manner of organisms kept by humans across its various continents. The lagiram is a member of the Ungulalagiidae, a quite specious family that has taken up niches and appearances similar to Earth's own ungulates - it in particular is a rough analogue to a wild sheep.
Similar to a large ram in size, lagirams have stocky bodies covered in thick shaggy fur and sturdy digitigrade limbs more like those of a pika in structure than a rabbit's, although it still retains powerfully muscled hind legs; each foot ends in three sturdy hoof-like blunt claws. The tail is totally absent, while the head is very much like a capybara's in general shape, but with a narrower snout like a sheep; the ears have shrunk so as to reduce heat loss, and the teeth are large and heavy like a mastodon's, forming batteries that end very near the buck teeth, which have grown into plank-shaped incisors like the long-extinct and unrelated Diprotodon. The animals' coloration varies, but is usually some form of grey, white, black, and/or brown.
Lagirams are hardy herbivores that live much like sheep, moving in herds along the slopes of mountains and into valleys and woodlands to graze upon virtually any plant life that they can find; their large incisors and grinding molars allow them to dig up roots and tubers, scrape lichen off of rocks, peel away bark from trees, and pulverize woody shrubs and tough grasses.

Ambient Environment: Much like sheep, lagiram are fairly flexible in their required habitat - they're quite flexible in regards to temperature and humidity, although greater temperatures will require them to be shorn in order to keep them from overheating.

Habitat Design and Containment Requirements: Due to their climactic flexibility, lagiram can be safely displayed outdoors in most environments, although areas such as Siberia would require heated stables for the giant rabbits to keep warm and shade must be provided in hotter climes. They can live comfortably pretty much anywhere that has plenty of space, ground that isn't too soft for their hoof-like claws to get traction, and other lagiram, but they truly thrive in areas with grassy substrate, various elevations like hills and dips in the ground, large rocks and boulders, and quite a lot of cover in the form of bushes and shrubs along with more than a few trees. They do not require a source of open water like a pond - a water trough will do just fine for hydration, along with the moisture within the vegetation that they eat. They will also need several objects to wear down their teeth on - wooden posts and large tree stumps are ideal for this.

Decent fencing is needed to corral lagiram - they can climb with surprising skill for an animal their size, much like goats. If wood fencing is used, maintenance every few months is required; the rabbit descendants have a habit of gnawing on wood in order to keep their teeth filed down, which can result in the barriers weakening enough for them to force their way out over extended periods of time.

Lagiram don't sleep out in the open - they much prefer to bed down within banks of ferns and bushes, but they're perfectly fine with sleeping in stables akin to might be used for a sheep or a llama at a petting zoo; similar substrate to what is normally used for those animals is recommended for use in this area, and should be replaced once per day.

Social Environment: Lagiram generally do best when they have others of their kind around; the ideal number is anywhere from eight to two dozen, but they can do alright in groups as small as two or three. Herds of mixed sexes and unrelated individuals are possible without the animals fighting - there isn't really any dedicated system of mating in lagiram society, the males just mate with a female and that's that, with littermates often having different fathers.
The rabbits also do quite well in mixed-species exhibits - many zoological institutions display lagiram with sheep, rabbucks, and other similar ungulate-like animals as a display of convergent evolution in action.

Reproduction: Lagiram reproduce easily in captivity, with pregnancy being roughly convergent with a sheep's and young being born in litters numbering anywhere from four to eight. Indeed, sterilizing some or most of the animals kept in the institution may be necessary to keep their population from growing out of control. Young follow after their mother and learn how to survive by doing as she does, occasionally feeding on their mother's feces to build up the necessary gut bacteria to feed on tougher vegetation. As such, hand-reared lagram will require small amounts of the same material as they are weaned onto solid food.

Dietary Needs: Lagiram are generalistic herbivores, able to eat nearly any sort of plant matter so long as it's not particularly toxic, and will happily feed on virtually any herbivore feed given to them, although they do have a fondness for leaves and root vegetables; the latter make excellent treats as a reward for training sessions.

Veterinary Care: The constantly-growing fur of a lagiram requires constant shearing to prevent the animal from overheating or getting too knotted; beyond that, though, veterinary care boils down to a similar situation to caring for, say, a sheep, but using the same procedures one would use on a rabbit.

Behavioral Management: These lagomorphs, much like sheep and rabbits, can be trained to be herded quite easily, and it's easy to get them used to humans enough for them to be used as petting zoo attractions.

Additional Information: In addition to being displayed in wildlife parks, it's quite easy to farm lagiram for food and for wool - they don't tax the environment as much as other livestock, thanks to their ability to digest a wide range of feed without any issues, unlike cattle and pigs, and they don't get the same diseases that livestock do such as hoof infections or rinderpest.
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Finalbugs

Telosopoda finalis

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General Overview: Telosopoda are small, derived harvestmen that live in a single, underground cave in the far future of Earth. They are around one centimeter in length, which combined with their compact body, makes them appear very much like a typical mite. Their pedipalps are modified into grasping claws for grabbing their preferred food choice, bacterial slime. They have no eyes, having lost them due to their simple and predator free life style. Their main sensory organs are the many small hairs (setae) on their legs and pedipalps. Inside their native cave, they live in a soil made up of small rock pieces and decaying organisms. It's enough to sustain these animals, but it is far less productive than typical modern Earth soil.

Ambient Environment: They are tolerant of Earth's atmospheric conditions, however, due to the nature of their habitat, they are able to operate under very low oxygen levels (oxygen in their native environment is provided by the relationship between fungi and myco heterotrophic plants). As they naturally live in caves, they live it's best to avoid using bright lights. It's best to use a very dim light so that people can still see the animal while not causing any damage. Despite the raging, hot desert above them, their cave is rather cool. However, they can survive a wide range of temperatures.

Habitat Design and Containment Requirements: Due to their nature, they have very low space requirements. An enclosure as small as a peanut butter jar will suffice. They can be kept in a wide variety of soils, however it's best to keep in them in their native soil for fear of contamination (however, others can be used if sterilized). The substrate needs to be at least 1 inch deep, as they spend much of their time within it. The presence of some sort of sizable fungi, while not strictly necessary, is helpful in someways, such as a good food source and making the exhibit more visually interesting. There should be some sort of air flow to keep things oxygenated. There is little worry of them escaping, as they rarely attempt to crawl beyond their substrate. However, a secure lid should be installed just in case. Transportation is quite easy, as all one needs to do is to keep some with substrate in a small container and usually nothing more.

Social Environment: These arthropods have little to no social activity. They typically ignore each other except when mating. They can be housed individually or in the hundreds depending on the size of the exhibit. Any number of individuals will typically get along, however larger numbers will need more food and so on.

Reproduction: Like most arthropods, 'finalbugs' have separate sexes. After copulation, females will lay 2 to 4 eggs in the dirt. This seemingly low number of eggs for an arthropod is due to the fact that in their native habitat, resources are highly limited. Another side effect of this is that they will only mate once. Reproduction is year round and happens on it's own with no trouble, needing little to no maintenance.

Dietary Needs: It's primary food source is bacterial slime. This is easy to provide. Though it's native contemporary bacteria is preferred, any bacteria that isn't toxic or pathogenic and is easy to cultivate will usually do the job. Fungi also form a large part of their diets. Like with bacteria, native species are preferred, but a wide variety of modern earth fungi will be eaten with little trouble. They are also opportunistic predators, meaning they take small animals when the opportunity presents itself. However, due to it not really being necessary and the chance of it being killed by feeders other than it's contemporary animals, it's generally not recommended.

Veterinary Care: Perhaps the only somewhat difficult thing about keeping these animals is preventing contamination from foreign organisms. Because of their minimalist environment where they are the largest animals and have no predators, they have no idea how to deal with would be threats. An effect of this is their loss of eyes. This, combined with their very slow reproductive rate (for an arthropod), means it's quite easy for an invading organism to cause massive damage to, if not completely wipe out a captive population. Earwigs, small spiders, predatory mites, fly larvae, small cockroaches, and other small, common and hard to notice arthropods can enter an exhibit and eat tons of 'finalbugs'. Even worse is pathogenic microbes and fungi entering the substrate and infecting many 'finalbugs'. This is why live feeding and wild substrate are both not recommended. The only suitable 'tankemates' for these are their contemporary nematodes and tardigrades which they themselves may occasionally eat.

Behavioral Management: These animals are quite simple minded and need absolutely no enrichment. Due to being quite delicate, handling is advised against.

Additional Information: These are among the easiest creatures to take care of out of all organisms transported from other worlds or timelines. They are staple for almost all insectariums and similar places across the entire galaxy. They are also popular terrarium pets and often used for scientific classes as easy research subjects. They are one of the many, many creatures absorbed into the arthropod keeping hobby. Due to them being the final living arthropod on their entire planet (in that timeline), they have a highly symbolic status among scientists and the public alike. They are one of the very few microfauna that the general populace can consistently recognize. They have been featured in many forms of media including film, books, music, poetry and video games.

Thought they have no official common name, many refer to them informally as 'finalbugs'.

Their natural habitat is on the inevitable path to oblivion, so conservation efforts are pointless. Eventually, this species will be extinct in the wild and exist only in captivity. As a result of this, some people and companies thought if they are to depend on our care to exist, we can modify them however we please. As such, various sources made genetically modified 'finalbugs', such as ones that reproduce faster or are more predatory. Though, it's gaining some popularity in some areas, it is generally viewed negatively by the public at large for much the same reasons other GMOs are.
Edited by IIGSY, Dec 8 2017, 04:06 PM.
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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)

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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.

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"however larger numbers will need more food and son."

I'm not sure what this means.
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Sheather
Dec 5 2017, 09:14 PM
"however larger numbers will need more food and son."

I'm not sure what this means.
That's a typo on my part. It's meant to say 'more food and so on'. I'll fix it
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
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