Biodiversity Revisited

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Drakkis drgn	Biodiversity Revisited	Lead	[-]
Posts: 517 (04/28/07 15:28:14) Wind Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tags : None I thought I'd reestablish the Biodiversity thread here and get a head-start on fleshing out the ideas for new species that folks have. I'll start the show. Name: Flish Species: Oceanic Fish Size: 2' long, 1/2' in diameter Diet: Seeds, kelp shrimp larvae Region: Small Sea and Fretna Delta Notes: Silvery scales, large schools and a unique adaptation are the trademarks of flish. These social animals spend most of their lives in the deeper waters of the Small Sea, living in large schools and feeding off shrimp larvae that float out to sea. During their spawning season, however, they migrate to the shallow waters around the Fretna Delta where the airys flower blooms. This dark blue flower deploys feathery tuffs that catch the wind in order to spread its seed pods. Seasonal winds, however, blow large numbers of pods out to sea. If the pods touch water they quickly begin to dissolve and disperse their seeds. Flish have evolved a set of aerodynamic fins that can act as parasails, enabling them to glide for short distances in the air. They are then able to catch the seed pods before they touch the water. Fishermen come from miles around armed with spears and arrows secured with ropes and hanging nets to catch these fish, who have a flavor similar to shrimp. Name: Fliver Species: Oceanic Fish Size: 20' long, 1' diameter Diet: Carnivorous Region: Reefs and shallow sea Notes: Fliver are cousins of flish, given that they have similar body characteristics and flavor, but the differences that seperate the two species are vast. Flivers have eel-like bodies that can measure up to 20' long with narrow girths. They live in small groups near coral reefs or in relatively shallow seas, anchoring themselves in the sandy floor with their tails and rear fins. They then hang motionless in the sea, waving in the current like beds of kelp, waiting for unwary fish to swim close to their jaws. Flish happen to be one of their favorite meals. Some fishermen have reported seeing great schools of fliver in certain spots known to be rich in food, looking like great forests of silvery kelp. There have even been rumors that in those great numbers the fliver forests will attack and devour swimmers that get too close. Name: Calurus Species: Marine Mammal Size: 12-22' long, one ton weight Diet: Carnivorous Region: Open ocean Notes: The calurus are the most prolific predators among the marine mammal community. They look like a cross between a shark and a porpoise, with horizontal tailfins, a blowhole, curved teeth and a sleek grey body. The defining feature of a calurus is a frill of thin whiskers around its head that are filled with nerves sensitive to changes in pressure and the electric biofield generated by a beating heart. Above water they have a keen sense of smell that helps pinpoint the location of floating carcasses. Calurus live alone or in small family pods of no more than five. A typical female will bear a single calf but twins have been reported. When attacking schools of small fish calurus use their powerful tails to stun them before moving in for the kill. They usually do not attack swimmers but in the cases of mistaken identity it is advised to go for the whiskers, the nerves being sensitive, and a calurus will back off. ****************** "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." John Stuart Mill
88Silverflame	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#1	[-]
Posts: 147 (04/28/07 21:09:31) Silver Admin Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Diet: Furns and other tropical plants, some frut. Predators: Main prey of Southern Sea dragons Habitat: Tropical islands The Bay Gerka are small deerlike creatures, standing about three feet high at the shoulder.(Males are slightly larger then the females) When they are born there fur is a dark tan with lighter strips along there back. This helps hide them from preditors. As they reach adulthood they looses the stripes. The females fur turns to a lighter golden tan, while the males turns darker, almost black. The darker the males fur the more atractive he is to the females. Males also grow a pair of short atlers, wich they shed yearly. Females live in small famly groups run by the matriarc.(spelling?) Males live on there own, mantaning strick taritorly boundres. The males fight constantly over the best spots, becuse that will atract the females. Old, ingered or sick males are forced to the outskirts of the island where there is little to no chance of ever breeding. There cloven hoves have developed a webing between the tows. This along with the ability to spred the tows ferther apart then usual makes them strong swimmers able to swimm between islands, in surch of food or taritory. However they only go between islands when it is extreamly nessisary becuse in the water they easy pickings for Southern Seas.
88Silverflame	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#2	[-]
Posts: 147 (04/28/07 21:10:11) Silver Admin Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Name: Puffpuf Diet: insects, and just about any thing they can get Preditors: Every thing Habitat: any where that's not to cold Puffpufs are small fury creaters(about half a foot tall), that live just about every where and are preyed opon by just about every thing. Puffpufs look like mice with large back legs and short ones in front. They move by hoping(like a kangaroo) covering long distances in one hop. Puffpufs are covered in soft cream colored fur. There fur is so soft that many people rase them then sell there fur.(like sheep) There cute apearnce also makes them popular pets. Puffpufs live in larg comunity tunal networks, some with more then 100 living in one.(though not any more, as there numbers are dwindling) They come out only to look for food. Puffpufs will eat just about any thing though there main dite consits of insects. Puffpufs reproduce vary quickly, having up to 20 pups at a time. This fast reproduction is the only thing that has kept them from dieing out.
Ddraig Cymraeg	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#3	[-]
Posts: 288 (04/29/07 00:25:32) Earth Admin Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Doesn't seem like much of a life, being a Puffpuf. I might just make a charcter out of one to see what misfortunes can befall it! *** Y DDRAIG GOCH DDYRY CYCHWYN *** **What Happens to dreams when the dreamer awakes?**** ~()~ A sherbet to neptans young and old. Remember us next time you see one. Sherbet Addict.
Fermi The Solid Snake Eater	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#4	[-]
Posts: 56 (05/03/07 10:50:55) Owner Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Brilliant species guys, cant wait to eat X3 We will program them in ASAP and get that together to build a more balanced eco system. This should make it much easier to see preditor and prey interaction on a much more broad basis then simply saying some random earth creature instead of being creative. Bringing this down I anticipate much better understanding and a much more closer push in to nature than there was before. Look foreward to this! ^.=.^ Thanks guys... keep up the good work. -Fermi-
Drakkis drgn	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#5	[-]
Posts: 517 (05/06/07 20:47:26) Wind Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Name: Decaslug Species: Invertebrate Size: 1' Diet: Scavenger Region: Any warm/wet Notes: The decaslug is a foot long invertebrate scavenger that dwells in any locale where the temperature is warm and the rain is plentiful. The mottled green and grey body glistens with a layer of mucus that aids in movement and leaves a nasty taste in the mouth of predators. A decaslug moves by rippling the muscles along its belly and sliding along on it layer of slime. What makes this scavenger so unique are the set of ten thick tubules situated around its body. These are feeding tentacles that have small mouths on the tips and throat-like muscles along the lengths. As the slug moves it feeds on bit-sized pieces of fungus and insects. If it finds a pile of refuse the ten mouths make quick work of it. The decaslug only lives a little over a year because month and a half a tubule falls off. Why? The slug is asexual and after a week of being encased in a mucus cocoon the tube grows into a new slug. Once all tentacles are gone the decaslug starves to death. Smart predators have learned that a vigourous scrubbing in water will remove most of the offending slime from the slug and the meat is very tender. Humans and other species that cook their food have found that properly cooked the meat of a decaslug has a texture similar to squid and tastes like chicken. But then again, doesn't everything? ****************** "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." John Stuart Mill
Drakkis drgn	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#6	[-]
Posts: 517 (05/06/07 21:00:40) Wind Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Name: Redflute and Dusty Speartree Species: Bird and fruit-bearing tree Size: 5''-7'' and up to 30' Diet: Spearfruit/insects and the usual Region: Wooded Notes: The Redflute bird and the Dusty Speartree, though being in completely different families, can not be explained one without the other. The redflute is a small bird, abou the size of a dove, that lives in wooded areas or anywhere a speartree can be found. The male's feathers are a bright scarlet red while the females are a deep wine red. They nest about ten feet up in the branches of speartrees and can lay up to three eggs at a time. Redflute calls are long and melodious, sounding much like a flute or other similar woodwind instrument. The eat small insects such as moths and beetles but prefer the flesh of the fruit of the speartree, spearfruit. Dusty Speartrees grow up to thirty feet tall and have wide branches that provide plentiful shade. They are deciduous, loosing their leaves in the winter months and budding in the springtime. The trees produce a narrow yellow fruit called a spearfruit because of its resemblance to the weapon. The skin of the fruit is waxy and pebbled and the flesh is moist and sweetly tart much like a citrus fruit. Spearfruit grow in small bunches of no more than five and can measure up to a foot long and one inch wide. The speartree gains the name Dusty because of its pollen, a very fine grain amber dust that hangs in the air and sticks to every furred, feathered or mosit surface. The redflutes love spearfruit and play an active role in the spreading of its seeds through their droppings, but its most vital role is in the pollenation of the speartree. Redflutes have no natural defenses against predators and their bright colors make it difficult ot hide. What they do to remedy this is covered themselves in speartree pollen. If a predator is closing in the redflute flutters it wings wildly, dislodging the pollen which irritates the predator's nostrils causing sneezing fits. In this symiosis the speartree gets its seeds spread and pollen moved from flower to flower and the redflute gets an ace up its wing. ****************** "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." John Stuart Mill
Drakkis drgn	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#7	[-]
Posts: 517 (05/07/07 06:03:08) Wind Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Name: Firebulb Species: Invertebrate Size: Up to 6' across Diet: Aerial prey Region: Coastlines Notes: Firebulbs are often called "flying jellyfish" and the nickname is very close to the truth. Those bell-shaped invertebrates have a body that is almost identical to that of a jellyfish: translucent bodies, rubbery skin, open at the bottom end, tentacles, tiny eye clusters and a primative brain. Large specimens have been seen with an estimated diameter of up to six feet with tentacles reaching as far down as fifteen feet. Firebulbs are aerial oportunisitc predators that calmly float through the air waiting for prey to miss their near-clear bodies and fly into their tentacles. These tentacles, each firebulb having between eight and twelve, are armed with hooks filled with paralytic toxins that can instantly immobilize prey as large as a small dog. Once the prey has been paralyzed and secured all the tentacles are reeled in by muscular contractions and the mouth flap draws the prey into the bell. There a caustic fume digests the prey. A byproduct of the digestion process is a gas that allows the firebulb to remain buoyant and gives it its name: hydrogen. Lighter than air, hydrogen keeps the firebulb afloat and keeps most creatures from trying to kill it. Humans and dragons though, with their fire breath and lit arrows, are beter equiped to deal with them. One does not want to be in the middle of a firebulb school when one goes off. Firebulbs congregate over water during mating season and drop eggs and seed into the ocean where the two combine, three months later producing a tiny firebulb ready to soar. This is one rain a ship captain does not want to sail under. ****************** "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." John Stuart Mill
Drakkis drgn	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#8	[-]
Posts: 517 (05/07/07 06:36:11) Wind Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Name: Quillcat Species: Mammal Size: 5-6' long, 3' tall Diet: Carnivores Region: Plains/grasslands and some wooded area Notes: The quillcat is a territorial pack hunter that stems from the feline family but also has characteristics of the common porcupine. Females tend to be around 5 feet long with males topping out at 6 feet. While standing they can reach the height of a man's waist and weigh several hundred pounds. Born into litters of two or three quillcats live in packs of one male for every four or five females. Homeless males roam the lands alone but some have been seen forming temporary packs with other rogue males to bring down larger prey. Large teeth, small ears and narrow eyes give them a fearsome appearance and the thick claws on their padded feet are nothing to joke about either. What gives the quillcat its name and reputation of being a very difficult animal to kill is its fur. The hairs are long, straight and very rigid. They lay down flat against the body most of the time, pointing towards the rear. When threatened or agitated, however, the hairs bristle and rise. Tiny saw-like edges catch and cling to one another and the hairs form a barrier of long spear-like points all over the body with the exception of the paws, head and tiny tail. When the hairs raise and lower they make a distinctive rattling sound that quillcats use to warn others away. These hairs usually run the gamut of browns and black when it comes to coloration with the males taking on a coppery-red hue during mating season. The head of a quillcat is a prized trophy among humans and even dragons are sometimes reluctant to risk injury for a meal that must be dequilled before enjoying. EDIT: For a better visualization, the Hellhounds from the Chronicles of Riddick in the Crematoria prison were my inspiration. ****************** "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." John Stuart Mill
Drakkis drgn	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#9	[-]
Posts: 517 (05/08/07 19:37:18) Wind Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Name: Alofern Species: Plant Size: 2' tall, 3' wide at maturity Diet: What do you think? Region: Any temperate or tropical Notes: The alofern is a unique and sought after plant that grows in a large variety of temperate and tropical areas. The base of the plant is a thick round mass about the size of a human head. The root system is moderately deep and can extend several feet beyond the aboveground reach of the plant's leaves. This mass is where the flowers bloom in a sweet-smelling yellow and seeds form. Seeds are transported as animals brush by the plant, causing the seed burs to catch to clothing and fur. Sprouting from this base are the stalks and leaves. The leaves have a waxy surface and are thickly veined, beaming a vibrant hunter green. Leaf size depends on age; young buds sprout a mere two inches across and their leaves are narrow for about a year. Once a plant matures and the bulbous base grows in the leaves broaden and the stalks lengthen, allowing the alofern to cover up to three feet in diameter. The reason the alofern is a sought after plant is because of the sap that flows through its thick veins. To most herbivores the syrupy sap of the leaves taste very bitter and numbs their mouth, giving them reason to not put the alofern on their diet. Humans and other species, most notably Nomain Dragons who use the leaves to prepare a special dish, however, have found that the sap can produce an intoxicating effect when the leaves are stewed, dried or slowly heated till the sap nearly boils out. This led to a market and an industry for drinks, foods and pipe leaves made from the alofern. ****************** "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." John Stuart Mill
Archenstone	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#10	[-]
Posts: 56 (05/09/07 12:15:40) Lindworm Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Here are some herb ideas I thought of. I will be adding more as I have time and if able I will make pictures. Name: Backleberry Species: Plant Size: 1' tall, 15" wide on average Region: Warm, semi humid-arid areas Notes: The Backleberry plant is a creeper that grows dark colored berrys. It has thin foilage and can survive in arid landscapes. It is commonly used as a common cure for Diarrhea, Dysentery, Hypertension, Hemorrhoids, Pharyngitis, Wound Healing, and Gingivitis. It is a safe and gentle astringent and this is why it is used for diarrhea and dysentery. Its leaves, as well as its berries are used externally on skin rashes and wounds. It stops bleeding and relieves from pain. The decoction of the leaves and the bark of the roots are used to treat pharyngitis and gum inflammations. The tea of blackberry leaves will reduce high blood pressure (A very good rememdy for hypertensive people) while daily consumption of this tea reduces the sugar levels in the blood of diabetic people. Mammels Name: Beor Diet: Vegetation Average height: 2' Average weight: 60-80 pounds Region: Forested areas Notes: The Beor is a small land mammal with bristle-like fur. It uses it tusks and hooves to dig up food. Its fur is mottled in varied shades of brown,grey, black, and tan. They are a common food source and relatively easy to find though dangerous when full grown. Some people have been able to domesticate the smaller breeds for food. Name: Triopteryx Diet: Carniverous average height: 3.5' length 4.5' region: Dry areas and grasslands Notes: This cunning hunter likes to hunt in packs of 3-5. They are well coordinated and perfer hunting in deep grass. Their abilities to work together and hunt are borderline sentient and they are known to be able to figure out basic problems. They will hunt any creature they think they can kill and are troublesome to humans. They have small overlapping scales with extreamly thin spines that mimic amber grass. Spines are located on the back and tail. Their scales vary in tones of brown. They are distinguished by their 3 horns speading out from the back of their head. In regions lacking in suitable grass some Triopteryx have been documented with out spines. "I flew over my homeland, and cried firey tears at its death. For the fire fields grow larger, even as I watch I see my cavern engulfed in the fire rock. The acrid stench of burning stone only serves to harden the fact. My beloved home is dead." Why did my signature have to come true? <a href="http://p078.ezboard.com/fneptafrm9.showMessage?topicID=469.topic">Miraz</a>
Hell Fire Wyrm	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#11	[-]
Posts: 34 (05/13/07 02:25:24) Serpent Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Some contribution to the zoo here :) Name: Erox Species: B.bison Size: 4.5M tall, 5.3M long, weigh 5-10T Diet: grass, roots, fruits and other plants. Region: Wastelands Notes : The Erox is a huge bull like animal covered with dark gray fur coat in the cold season of the year and light brown in hot season of the year, usually lives in wastelands but can be found in grasslands too. It eats a lot to maintain its daily activity but can survive with no food or water for 2 weeks, they moves as a herd to protect themselves from local predators and will only be attacked by strong species(like humans or dragons) or by predators (like wolfs or bears) when there is a sick one among them, though the Erox are very protective of their herd. On its head grows two large golden horns that curls up like of the rams, bigger horns indicate on the gender and the strength of the Erox, as female have small horns or no horns at all. The Erox gain maturity at age 5 and few months later a female Erox can give birth after 1 year of carrying the calf.The Erox live span is about 70- 150 years. One special trait about Erox is their fur, as when Erox eat certain plants its digestive system decompose it to its elements and scatters it in its blood, later allowing him to grow fur with these elements, some herbs that posses healing or poison attributes will heal the wound of Erox or poison the attacking enemy. This unique ability caused the Erox to be of highly importance in many cultures, as making an Erox cloth can help in battle or heal the sick, some even worship them as godly animals guarding them with their life while others hunt them as materials for weapons. Its meat has a bitter taste and low on fat, makes it good for preservation. ================== My Characters: Dargen, Ranzer, BlueBerry,
Lotus Dragoness	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#12	[-]
Posts: 18 (05/18/07 17:28:12) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Yay somebody restarted the biodiversity thread!!!! Finally noticed it >.> These are pretty familiar but will have more inventive critters soon :3 Name: Korbok Diet: Grazer, lives off grasses and herbs Predators: Dragons, large felines, pack-going canines (I can go into greater detail when we have a list of natural predators to supplement the herbivores!) Habitat: Grassland, desert edges, savannah The Korbok is an interesting species of antelope, completely tan all over with bright blue, spiralling horns in the males, and dappled spots on females and juveniles. Their body structure and head shape is unremarkable, except perhaps for juveniles who are born with a bristly mane. An adult male is approximately 1.2 metres high at the shoulder, females are slightly smaller. They have long, drooping ears designed to keep the animal cool in a desert environment, and dune-going varieties posses large, splayed hooves to keep them from sinking into the sand. This graceful creature's most prominent (not sure about spelling ^_^') feature however is its tail; which resemblers that of a squirrel's (proportionately larger, of course!). The underside of the Korbok's tail is covered in venom tipped spines, and when threatened the Korbok drops to the ground and raises its tail over its back and neck to defend itself. The venom of the Korbok is not lethal, but it does cause any creature unfortunate to get pricked to develop oozing boils around the area of the wound. Korboks live in little family groups of about three to four females and one male. They communicate with surprisingly deep rumbles, except in the case one is caught, in which instance it will screech in a chillingly human-sounding scream, warning others to avoid the area Name: Reedstomper Diet: Grasses, Water plants, reed-shoots, is particularly fond of clover and waterlilies Predators: (gonna create herbivores first, then come up with minor predators) dragons. Habitat: swampy area. Reedstompers are massive beasts, the equivalent size of about 5 elephants. Resembling a rhino with camel-like feet and a water buffalos horns. Their thick, leathery hide is a tan colour, with large green patches ranging in colour from light olive to dark green. Young are born completely green with white stripes on their flanks. Males posses large, cumbersome ivory tusks, which develop branches with age. Reedstompers live in small family herds, and rather territorial. Being so massive, they require a huge amount of territory to support their massive bulk, and any intruder is quickly dispatched. A typical herd consists of about 5-12 animals, the females of which occupy their own portion of the main territory. The smaller male patrols the borders and protects his females fiercely against bachelor males and menacing predators, assisted by his firstborn male offspring. The oldest youngling will take over the territory when its father dies, and so on, but young males born after the 'heir' are kicked out on their ear to fend for themselves. Females enjoy a cushier life, able to come and go as they please, but usually keeping to their own patch in the male's territory. The most fascinating feature of Reedstompers is their roar; they posses specially adapted vocal cords that can generate a sound wave with a force equivalent to being hit by a bus. The only downfall of this is it can only be used if the Reedstomper has a target in sight, so it has evolved a long, clubbed tail to protect itself from behind. Reedstomper flesh is some of the most nutritious in the world, and its blood has many medicinal applications. On top of this, the male's massive tusks are a prize to any brave enough to take on a Reedstomper, and are made into some of the most precious artefacts and jewellery to ever come into being. (oh just saying if any of my beasties are incompatable with the SC world just say so, k?) Name: Eratid Diet: Omnivore (just about anything!) Habitat: Anywhere they can go Eratid are large rodents, about a metre in length, and are oppurtunistic feeders by nature. They posses a keen sense of smell and good colour vision, but also boast special paws that can 'taste' their surroundings like a fly. Eratid possess long, skinny necks and naked, rat-like heads. They have a body similar to that of a Struthiomimus (a type of dinosaur) with a long rat-tail and a thick fur pelt. This fur can be a range of colours, from palomino to chestnut, black, white, brown, roan, pinto...the list goes on. Males have longer front teeth than females, but otherwise the two genders look identical. Their strangest feature is the elbow of its arms, which can be moved in as many directions as a human's shoulder. They are mostly solitary, darting about the rims of dragon hunting grounds looking for a meal, or pillaging crops or rummaging through rubbish. They are fox-like by nature, and their fur is some of the softest in the world, and so it is hunted for it. However, they multiply so quickly that any individual killed is instantly replaced, so they are in no way under threat of extinction. They give birth to live young (average litter size=12 pups), suckle them for a month, then abandon them and go their own way. Name: Wherpworgs Diet: Herbivore (browser) Habitat: Trees, generally deciduous Wherpworgs are a marsupial species, somewhat resembling a possum crossed with a porcupine. They are generally a mottled grey, but albinism occurs occasionally Wherpworgs are tricky little beasts, with their spiky armour and nasty temperaments. They generally live in breeding pairs, and feed solely on the leaves, fruits, flowers and nuts of their forest home. They are an important distributor of pollen and seeds, and their droppings contain a cocktail of concentrated nutrients that gives young trees a head start in life. They generally have one joey at a time, but twins are not uncommon. Young Wherpworgs and older ones are vulnerable to predation by Eratids, but generally most animals leave them in peace. And I forgot to save my birdy species >:/ And...is it ok for me to put my carnivourus unicorns in SC?
Drakkis drgn	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#13	[-]
Posts: 517 (05/20/07 05:29:11) Wind Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I don't see a reason why you couldn't add carnivorous unicorns into the mix. We have just about everything else here. I have a couple of parasites that'll be added sometime this week, I hope, and I'll see what I can do to round out the bird and marine life areas. ****************** "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." John Stuart Mill
Drakkis drgn	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#14	[-]
Posts: 517 (06/17/07 09:00:05) Wind Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Name: Skrik Species: Parasitic insect Size: 1/2'' Diet: Blood Region: Any warm Notes: The skrik is a small flying insect similar to an Earth mosquito though with some differences. Rather than having a thin body it is shaped more like an oval beetle with six legs, multiple wings and a tipped proboscis. These insects are blood-drinkers and will take it from whatever animal they can find but the skirk excel at feeding off reptiles, especially dragons. Once it finds a victim the skrik, sometimes called a scale leech, wriggles in under a scale and uses its legs to secure itself firmly before using its proboscis to pierce a vein and drink up to four times its body weight in blood. Once bloated like this they are very difficult to remove without help. Skrik are also known to carry a few diseases, like mosquitoes, such as the relatively harmless obera virus that produces nothing more deadly Smoking Cough, which causes such a drastic change in body temperature that the victim's breath fogs like on a cold day. Skrik can be found in any warm area and spawn in pools of stagnant water or decaying plant matter. ****************** "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." John Stuart Mill "Property of Elizabeth Ann Smith" Drakkis & Company
Drakkis drgn	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#15	[-]
Posts: 517 (06/20/07 17:51:58) Wind Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Name: Shockbird Species: Avian Size: Up to 1 1/2' long Diet: Insects and small mammals in the wild; varies when domesticated Region: Any non-arctic and non-desert Notes: Shockbirds are a semisentient species of bird that is both admired and disliked. They are shaped like most any other bird with a slender body, taloned feet and feathers but their beak has evolved into a hard muzzle filled with tiny, sharp teeth. Children sometimes mistake them for baby dragons for this reason. Their colors run from a variety of blues to greens with white markings that are unique to each individual. They have also developed a defense mechanism that gives them their name. As they beat their wings rapidly they build up a static charge that is stored in special pockets of marrow in their wingbones. Up to one hour later a shockbird can use the stored energy to send a painful jolt through a predator that comes too close. Being semisentient shockbirds are sometimes caught and domesticated as pets or even sentries. Domesticated birds have shown to develop peculiar apetities for human food and even pick up words and phrases of languages, even displaying some comprehension of what they are saying. ****************** "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." John Stuart Mill "Property of Elizabeth Anne Smith" Drakkis & Company
Shadowclaw	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#16	[-]
Posts: 357 (06/22/07 13:57:14) Winged Dragon Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Name: Theal Species: Mammal (Aquatic) Size: About 1m long w/o tail 1&1/2m with(can be bigger) Diet: Underwater plants, shoreline plants Region: aquatic enviroments, any shoreline Info: Theals are a semi-intellegent of creature that look like a seal in general body shape, with four limbs like sea turtle fins, and a tail like a dolphin. Theals have a few sharp teeth, but these are used only for defensive purposes. They have a coloring pattern depending on where they live (warm, rocky=brown), but tend to be fairly dark in general. The most common fur colors are dark brown, dark grey, and a lighter grey. They aren't aggressive by nature, in fact the y tend to jump around and play alot. To defend themselves, they swim away, very fast (top speed: 50mph) and get on land(sometimes flying out of water when chased), and they bark quite loudly. They only bite as a last resort. They live in large clusters on beaches (30+ members), but have only one life-long mate. Each couple only has one or two pups a year, and for the first few months, the pups can't swim. Because of their speed and manueverability (can turn on a dime) in the water, they are quite hard to catch, but on land they are easiler to catch, making dragons, other large flyers, and humans their only predators. Theals can be tamed into pets that help to keep underwater gardens maintained, and are very loving. They also show the ability to understand commands when taught.
Shadowclaw	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#17	[-]
Posts: 357 (06/22/07 13:58:45) Winged Dragon Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Name: WeasleShark Species: Mammal (Aquatic) Size: About 1m with tail (maybe bigger) Diet: Anything that moves Region: warm oceans Info: Weaslesharks are cousins to Theals, but are different in a few ways. Their fur is always a light grey in color, they have a large number of sharp fangs, and they are highly aggressive. Weaslesharks live mainly out at sea, onl coming to shore to mate. They travel in large groups (50+) and tend to be lead by a few bigger members. They will openly attack anything in the water that they see, and can remember if what kind of attacks and where will work. They can also learn what is food, and what is not food. The main attack plan is hit and runs to injure the target, and then a mass attack to kill it. The meat of a weaselshark is greasy, so many things don't find them eidible. They tend to live about 7-10 years, but many die sooner because of injuries.
Drakkis drgn	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#18	[-]
Posts: 517 (06/30/07 17:59:29) Wind Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Name: Shamblebush Species: Plant Size: 3'x2'x2' Diet: Sunlight, water and decaying matter Region: Carling Island Notes: The shamblebush is a unique plant with strange tastes and an even stranger adaptation. Native only to the island of Carling the shamblebush bears a likeness to Earth plants that live in nitrogen-poor soils in that in addition to sunlight it must also recieve nourishment from dead animal or even plant matter. Though it looks much like a normal shrub the shamblebush is the only known species of plant that is mobile. Tiny root filiments sample the soil and water and pores in the leaves sample the air. When certain chemicals that indicate decaying matter is detected the larger roots slowly begin to move the shamblebush towards the source of food. The speed of the bush means that it is almost always on the move, using what it finds in the soil to keep its energy up. Once a dead animal or heap of debris is found the bush secretes an enzyme that breaks down the meal and is absorbed by the roots. The shamblebush lives up to 20 years and reproduces by shedding root buds that grow into other shamblebushes. ****************** "It's a Kavorkian scarf!" "Property of Elizabeth Anne Smith" Drakkis & Company
tristdraconis	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#19	[-]
Posts: 61 (07/01/07 12:58:12) Lindworm Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Right, here's a few ideas I had for interesting creatures and plants. I'll update this periodicially. Name: Geffex Species: aquatic-dwelling rabbit-like rodent Size: 1 x 1 x 1 Diet: seaweed and all manner of shore-growing plants. they have a taste for crops as well, so farmers that grow their crops near the seaside or near any lake or river often have to deal with these pesky animals sneaking into their gardens at night. Region: because they can dwell in both oceans and lakes/rivers, they're found just about everywhere that large amounts of water in any form is to be had. Geffex are rabbit-like creatures covered with amazingly soft, short, waterproof fur that varies in colour from region to region. Geffex in the north are usually white or variations of grey, while Geffex in the south are typically brown or even the rare solid black. Males and females are indistinguishable. They have tiny tails, dark eyes, and large, membraneous ears that, just like a rabbit's, help them listen for predators. Underwater, the ears of the Geffex close and are kept flat against the skull. Geffex have oversized hind and forepaws with strong webbing between long toes. Because of this, they are extremely fast swimmers and it takes a swimmer of extreme skill to catch one without what can be an exhausting chase. On land, however, Geffex are clumsy and slow-moving. Their bodies are not built for land use but they often travel long distances over land at night to move from water source to water source, or to search for a mate or look for nesting material to drag back into the water. Though warm-blooded, Geffex lay eggs (as few as four or as many as twelve) and keep the eggs incubated in floating nests that they make out of seaweed or sticks and driftwood that they drag into the water. Geffex reproduce quickly. They find safety in numbers and are quite social, usually living in groups of up to thirty or forty individuals, all from the same family. They can also be quite noisy when in larger groups, and their calls consist of everything from clicks and squeaks, to downright squeals, or screams when upset. Geffex meat is palatable if it can be had, but is usually tough and must be cooked for long amounts of time if it is to be enjoyed. Their fur is one of the best furs available for both clothing and general use, for its water-repelling qualities and also its amazing softness. Note* The name "Geffex" is used when discussing both single and multiple creatures. i.e., "a Geffex," "many Geffex." Groups of Geffex are called "bands." --- Name: Bloodvine Species: a carnivorous, thorny medicinal plant Size: grows perpetually - has been found in stands of over thirty square kilometers in size. Bloodvine is a voracious, woody-type vine that grows in primarily temporate regions (aka, those with four true seasons). The plant itself consists of a main, brown, trunk-like stalk from which countless vine branches sprout. The vines themselves can grow to be kilometres in length and have been documented at several feet in thickness. All vines are covered by long, thin, black spines which can grow up to 25 centimetres long. The spines contain an acidic property which can induce fever if untreated. In spring the vines sprout single-lobed purple leaves between the spines which are held through summer and shed in the fall. Flowers come mid-way through spring and are white and aromatic. The plants themselves are carnivorous, with an amazingly animate quality; the outer, thinner vines of the plant, even if just barely touched, instantly slither with great speed toward whatever poor beast has bumped against them. The vines then proceed to completely envelop the prey, which, if not quickly killed by the spines, will soon die of asphyxiation. The acidic spines contribute to the digestion of the prey, which is consumed through the porous surface of the bark. Some months later, the vines uncurl, release the bones, fur, clothing, and anything else not digested, and return to their original position. These vines create dense networks of tendrils crisscrossing the areas in which they grow, so traversing any field of Bloodvine on foot is particularly dangerous, if not impossible. The plant's name actually has nothing to do with their carnivorous properties, but with a unique characteristic: the plant, if cut or broken in any way, releases immense quantities of sticky, red-black "blood." This rich sap actually has many curative properties and is known to aide immensely in the healing of a wide variety of internal maladies ranging from broken bones to damaged organs or ulcer-ridden stomachs. A salve of the "blood" from Bloodvine also is known to clear infection from external wounds. Gathering this "blood," however, is a very dangerous undertaking. ------------------ "Hafa ann djful a draga!"
Drakkis drgn	Re: Biodiversity Revisited	#20	[-]
Posts: 517 (07/01/07 16:17:04) Wind Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Name: Felliscat Species: Feline Size: 8'' long, 3'' tall Diet: Insects, some fruits, rodents Region: Carling Island Notes: Another species unique to Carling Island is the dimunitive felliscat, a tiny pack-hunting feline that has found their way into homes as domesticated pets as well as courageous animals of the wild. These cats have dappled fur patterns of gray, black, white and even amber to help them blend into shadows and tall grass. A pack can have up to twenty cats and pairs give birth to litters of two to four young. What they lack in size a felliscat makes up for in spirit and tenacity. Large packs have been seen taking down wild hogs and a cornered felliscat will attack anything and fight to the death if it feels threatened. When domesticated felliscats tend to lose much of their fiery spirit but retain their keen hunting senses and make excellent rodent exterminators, in small groups of course. Many are kept as pets because they breed well in captivity and are avalible to even lower class homes that want one or two. Or more. ****************** "It's a Kavorkian scarf!" "Property of Elizabeth Anne Smith" Drakkis & Company

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