Creative Corner

[size=7]Invertebrates[/size] [quote=Contents] [columns][img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/fvista/14.png[/img][nextcol] [b]Invertebrates[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356036]No Body Cavity[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356041]Molluscs and Worms[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356042]Miriapods, Arachnids and Crustaceans[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356045]Insects[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356047]Strange Insects[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356049]Echinoderms[/url] [b]Fish[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356054]Cartilagenous Fish[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356057]Bony Fish[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356060]Noggles and Kin[/url] [nextcol] [color=transparent]xxxxxxx[/colour][nextcol] [b]Amphibians[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356063]Amphibians[/url] [b]Reptiles and Kin[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356065]Reptiles[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356068]Birds[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356070]Birdkin[/url] [b]Mammals[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356072]Mammals[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356074]Ungulates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356076]Fereungulates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356077]Carnivorans[/url][/columns][/quote] ------- [center][size=7]Animals without body cavities[/size][/center] [center][size=6]Porifera[/size] [i]Sponges[/i][/center] Sponges are animals, but animals without organs. They just let water flow through them. Everything they need is in the water. 'Porifera' means 'pore bearer'. They are just sort of shapes full of pores. Some wear square pants. [center][Size=6]Cnidaria and Ctenophora[/size] [i]Jellyfish and corals[/i] [item=Crystal Jellyfish][item=Darktide Jellyfish][item=Electric Stingers][item=Nebula Floaters][item=Dragonhorn coral][item=Staghorn coral] [item=Bluewave Jellyfish][item=Sunshine Stinger][item=Black Sea Nettle][item=Sea Globe][/center] Now, one might be thinking 'what is the link between a jellyfish and a coral?'. One is squishy, the other is rock-hard. I am here to solve that mystery. Cnidarians have a life cycle which consists of two forms, the sessile (not-moving) polyp and the mobile (moving) medusa. Cnidarians can only mate when they are medusas, and their fertilised eggs fall to the sea floor where they take root and grow into a tiny tree-like polyp. The polyp grows until it can produce medusas, which bud off the tip of the polyp and swim away into the open ocean. Cnidarians that spend most of their life as polyps are called corals, cnidarians that spend most of their lives as medusas are called jellyfish. Corals, as they are sitting on the ocean floor for longer than jellyfish, protect themselves with a calcified shell. Ta-daa! A life mystery solved! [color=red]EDIT: SEA ANEMONES ARE ALSO CNIDARIANS; they sit still like coral, and do NOT have a medusa stage! They are just angry stinging polyps![/color] Now, 'cnidarians' are named after cells they have called 'cnidocytes' or stinging cells. These cells contain a vessel full of venom and a coiled stinger. When agitated, the stinger uncoils at 200x the speed of gravity. So when you touch a jellyfish's tentacle, you're agitating thousands of cells which are punching you with stingers soaked in venom. That is why the sting hurts so badly. Ctenophorans are not jellyfish or cortals, they are 'comb jellies'. I've stuck them here because they look at bit like jellyfish. Slightly. A bit. They are little sacks that swim by wiggling tiny things called cilia in order to swim, and they often have some groovy bio-luminescence. idk if there are any in Sornieth, and tbh this group is not important for understanding taxonomy I just wanted to post some jellyfish and comb-jelly facts here. [center][size=6]Platyhelminthes[/size] [i]Flatworms[/i][/center] When someone says 'my dog has worms' what do they mean? They mean there are parasitic platyhelminthes in the intestine of the pet! But while the parasitic versions of the flatworms tend to be gruesome, here is a quick note to say that the free-swimming varieties are actually adorable. The freshwater ones are ribbons with a sort of diamond-shaped head and two black dots for eyes, whereas the saltwater ones look like flamenco dancers! [center][img]http://media.giphy.com/media/8Y7GoPcpl45m8/giphy.gif[/img][/center] [center][size=6]Nematodes[/size][/center] Like the flatworms, these can also be parasites found in the intestine of an animal. But also they are good at living anywhere. One lecture, we were all told that nematodes 'were everywhere', and I assumed that meant that microscopic ones you had no hope of ever seeing were everywhere, but that was not the case. If you study biology at a university, sooner or later you'll be in a lab with a bag of leaves, and you'll be asked to count and classify everything found in the bag of leaves, and if it is a bag of wet leaves there will be nematodes. These look like tiny white threads. Scientists like nematodes. They have very few cells; some species have a countable number of cells. This makes them useful for studying embryology, the study of how a fertilised egg cell becomes a bunch of cells called an animal. They are so tiny and simple though; if anyone wants to learn how organs work they should be pointed at these tiny animals to learn how the simplest of organs work. They have no stomachs! Just a tiny intestine! Food just sits there being slowly digested by enzymes! So tiny!

[size=7]Invertebrates[/size] [quote=Contents] [columns][img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/fvista/14.png[/img][nextcol] [b]Invertebrates[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356036]No Body Cavity[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356041]Molluscs and Worms[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356042]Miriapods, Arachnids and Crustaceans[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356045]Insects[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356047]Strange Insects[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356049]Echinoderms[/url] [b]Fish[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356054]Cartilagenous Fish[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356057]Bony Fish[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356060]Noggles and Kin[/url] [nextcol] [color=transparent]xxxxxxx[/colour][nextcol] [b]Amphibians[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356063]Amphibians[/url] [b]Reptiles and Kin[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356065]Reptiles[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356068]Birds[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356070]Birdkin[/url] [b]Mammals[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356072]Mammals[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356074]Ungulates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356076]Fereungulates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356077]Carnivorans[/url][/columns][/quote] ---------- [center][size=7]Animals with body cavities[/size][/center] [center][size=6]Molluscs[/size] [i]Soft bodied, sometimes with calcified shell, mouthparts are a radula or beak. Excellent sensory organs.[/img][/center] [center][size=5]Bivalves[/size] [item=Cragside Mussels][item=Devilsnap][item=Hypnotic Scallop][item=Mussels][item=Olympia Oyster][item=Pastel Scallop][item=Rainbow Mussels][item=Royal Oyster][item=Scarlet Mussels][item=Shadowmist Oysters][item=Sun Baked Oysters] [img]http://i.imgur.com/WyjGZZW.gif[/img][/center] [center][size=5]Gastropods[/size] [i]'Eating foot', mouth parts on ventral part of body, slugs and snails[/i] [item=Banded Snail][item=Garden Snail][item=Land Snail][item=White Lipped Snail][item=Blue Dragon Seaslug][item=Bluespine Slug][item=Chromodori Swimmer][item=Glowslug][item=Nudibranch][item=Sea Hare][item=Spineback Slug][item=Tropical Seaslug][item=Palefoot Slug][item=Ruffletail Slug][item=Luminous Leaf Sheep][item=Spicy Leaf Sheep][item=Feisty Lettuce][item=Ruffled Sea Lettuce] [/center] [columns][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/familiar/art/43947.png[/img][nextcol][item=Ruched Sojourner] [item=Ruche Slug][nextcol]The mantles of these slugs seem almost shellike, perhaps hinting at how the evolution of shells works in Sornieth gastropods. Sea slugs may have frills for many reasons: the increase the surface area of the foot to help them swim, or to help them hide among seaweed! Like the larial, these animals seem to have pseudopoda, which is not something known in real life gastropods![/columns] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/H2BYjIB.png[/img][nextcol][nextcol] The Dragon Reef snail has a curious shell with a sort of frothy, frondy opening in it, which in the artwork is expelling bubbles. This bears a resemblance to the opening on the back of a sea hare, which they can retract their siphon into when threatened. Also, when threatened, they release ink of the same colour as the seaweed they eat; perhaps these are the bubbles releaseed by the dragon reef snail? It is also mentioned in the animal's description that they are 'canibalistic' and 'venonmous', which leads me to believe that they may have venomous darts much like the cone snails from Earth. These marine snails can shoot out a venomous harpoon into their prey, paralysing it instantly with conotoxins, some of the deadliest venoms on Earth. The venom has to be strong enough to keep the animal still so it can be eaten alive and fresh by a snail, which are famously slow at moving and eating. Nasty! [/columns] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/PODAQU7.png[/img][nextcol][nextcol]Larials are curious creatures. Here we have a mollusc that has grown psuedopoda, or 'false feet'. These feet are used like real feet, the false part is that they like bones or similar structures, so they work using hydrostatic pressures instead. The tender larial exhibits some intelligence in that they save the seeds of the plants they want to eat and plant them, presumably so that more plants will grow. Their cousins, the garden larial (pictured) eat every part of the plant; they also eat the shells of their companions. I mean, calcium and protein must be needed for such active little creatures... This animal has large frondy antennae like some sort of insect; this may be a result of convergent evolution. Fronds like these have a huge surface area, and make efficient noses.[/columns] [center][size=5]Cephalopods[/size] [i]'Head feet', the feet/arms of these animals are attached directly to the head. These are fast-moving, predatory molluscs.[/i] [item=Blue Ring Octopus][item=Dumpling Squid][item=Dwarf Octopus][item=Inky Octopus][item=Ragesquid][item=Red Octopus][item=Spotted Seabeak][item=Stubby Squid][item=Brilliant Bobtail Squid][item=Bearded Squiggle][item=Lap Octopus][item=Bimac Octopus][item=Leon's Mane] [/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/pHEcEmU.png[/img][nextcol] Octofliers can apparently fly, just like flying squid, or perhaps with a bit more magic (this is Sornieth!). On Earth, our flying squid use flaps on either side of their head like wings, and squirt water out of their hyponome to jet-propel themselves into the air! The hyponome is a special siphon that cephalopods use; this is what makes them 'fast predators' as they take in water, squirt it out and WOOOSH![/columns] [columns][img]https://i.imgur.com/q6gUJRz.png[/img][nextcol]'The Call of Cthulhu' by HP Lovecraft is one of the most famous works of fiction that links tentacles with eldritch magic (short story about a dark god with an octopus face rising from the sea). Cephalopods have a truly alien intelligence (independently evolved eyes just as cool as our own!) and because they are so strange and otherworldly, it makes sense to have one as the mascot for the Arcane flight. So this super smart and very strange animal represents the Spirit of Arcane. Squids are great yo. Squids differ from octopodes in that octopodes have arms whereas squid have tentacles, I kid you not. The thin appendages with lumps on the end are the two tentacles, the rest are arms.[/columns] [columns][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/familiar/art/28766.png[/img][nextcol]These animals are modelled after the Dumbo Octopi ([i]Grimpoteuthis[/i] spp.) as they have flapping fins resembling the flight-giving ears of the cartoon elephant. Very cute, no?[/columns] [center][size=6]Annelid Worms[/size] [i]Segmented worms[/i] [item=Blackworm][item=Earthworm][item=Greenworm][item=Redworm][item=Dark-Tufted Featherduster][item=Greater Leech][item=Leech][item=Sand Sucker][item=Wetland Vampire][item=Yellow-Tinged Featherduster] [/center] I love worms. The Annelid worms are a fantastic bunch; even if you don't like Earthworms (pink things in the soil) there are some fantastic sessile worms such as the feather duster worm or the Christmas tree worm. When you are watching any film about mermaids, watch the flowers they are picking- those aren't flowers, those are super pretty worms!!! [center][img]https://media.giphy.com/media/jYRH5CnzZatDW/giphy-downsized-large.gif[/img][/center] Sadly, the annelid worm group also includes leaches, and it's hard to convince people that leaches are appealing. A wonder of nature, yes, but a slippery ugly-looking bloodsucker. There are no annelid worm familairs in Sornieth, but many food items. Now you know what all the flower-like animals are in the ocean, and can appreciate they are related to the worms in your garden! :D

[size=7]Invertebrates: Arthropods[/size] [quote=Contents] [columns][img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/fvista/14.png[/img][nextcol] [b]Invertebrates[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356036]No Body Cavity[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356041]Molluscs and Worms[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356042]Miriapods, Arachnids and Crustaceans[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356045]Insects[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356047]Strange Insects[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356049]Echinoderms[/url] [b]Fish[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356054]Cartilagenous Fish[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356057]Bony Fish[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356060]Noggles and Kin[/url] [nextcol] [color=transparent]xxxxxxx[/colour][nextcol] [b]Amphibians[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356063]Amphibians[/url] [b]Reptiles and Kin[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356065]Reptiles[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356068]Birds[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356070]Birdkin[/url] [b]Mammals[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356072]Mammals[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356074]Ungulates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356076]Fereungulates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356077]Carnivorans[/url][/columns][/quote] ------- [center][size=7]Arthropods[/size] [i]Insects are Arthropods too but they have been kicked into the next page[/i][/center] [center][size=6]Miriapods[/size] [i]Many legged animals, centipedes and milipedes[/i] [item=Albino Dasher][item=Bark Centipede][item=Blue-Stripe Centipede][item=Boneskitter][item=Centipede][item=Giant Desert Centipede][item=Snowkissed Centipede][item=Stinglash][item=Flameleg Millipede][item=Millipede][item=Giant Millipede] [/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/f9PhKaE.png[/img][nextcol]Millifae are like Earth's milipedes, but with wings. Such projections are not entirely in the realms of fantasy for miriapods as there are creatures such as the Feather Tail Centipede which has some gorgeous membranous... things?Well anyhoo apparently it is Gladekeeper who added the wings so that is no taxonomy mystery we can just add that it's magic. Apparently these can survive underwater, which sounds unusual but occaisionally some millipedes which have apparently survived on the under-surfaces of submerged rocks blast into the scientific community. "This animal breathes through holes in it's body???" say the zoologists, "how is it swimming underwater without drowning???" Anyhoo; millipedes tend to be peaceful herbivores that curl up when endangered, and have venomous secretions used in defense.[/columns] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/j3BF4oI.png[/img][nextcol]Bonepreists and Corpse Cleaners have clearly defined diets of corpses. They probably make the corpses themselves; on Earth centipedes are known as fearsome carnivores on many forest floors. They are known for cannibalism and for taking prey items much larger than themselves, and they have powerful crushing jaws. They are like the polar-opposites of the leaf-munching millipedes. The Bonepreists have large spiracles on their dorsal side, perhaps to draw in more oxygen in their low-oxygen corpse-rich subterranean environments. The head decorations get an extra prong with each moult; these are possibly used for sparring.[/columns] [center][size=6]Arachnids[/size][/center] [center][size=5]Spiders[/size] [i]Complex book-lung, spinneret for making webs, eight creepy legs...[/i] [item=Acid Widow][item=Black Iron Spider][item=Bold Jumping Spider][item=Brown River Recluse][item=Cinder Creeper][item=Coppercoil Spider][item=Diving Aranea][item=Grey River Jumper][item=Jumping Spider][item=Pink Zebra Tarantula][item=Redknee Tarantula][item=Tiger Fern Tarantula][item=Yellow Jumper] [/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/i7NDMHk.png[/img][nextcol]Widows and Weavers are giant spiders adapted to living in the lava-hot conditions of the Ashfall Waste. These adaptations are possibly magically gifted to them, but I would like to note here that spiders' webs, produced by the spinnerets at the tips of the abdomen, are wonderful materials and I can easily see a heatproof webbing being created. The legs of these creatures are curious; you may notice that these are not 'eight legged spiders'. They have four legs on the ground, and two raised claws, and seemingly no other limbs. The raised claws are held like pedipalps, which are small arms on a spider's face, which in these Sornieth beasts have been replaced with wicked-looking stabby things on either side of the fangs. They still have eight eyes, but with unusual symmetry, with two eyes being central to the face. Despite these oddities, I am confident in categorising these as spiders as they still have the appropriate pedipalps and large, organ-containing abdomen, even if they are somewhat lacking in the eight-legs department.[/columns] [columns][img]https://i.imgur.com/UGRTW2E.png[/img][nextcol]Peacock spiders from Sornieth are only a little more feathery than their Earth counterparts. On Earth, peacock spiders are relatives of jumping spiders, but with a bright and colourful abdomen. They dance in order to impress females, and use their pedipalps as tiny drumsticks to make a good beat. Whether they win the affection of the larger, more drably coloured female or not, the result is the same; they will be devoured by her. The day they dance is the day they are eaten. These peacock spiders are made using alchemy, and are apparently friendly if you dance with them. They are described as having a 'tubelike heart of gold', which I assume is an alchemy thing as spiders tend to have large, squishy hearts that fill most of the abdomen.[/columns] [center][img]http://media.giphy.com/media/xTiTngt2OlACkFbEWs/giphy.gif[/img][/center] [center][size=5]Scorpions[/size] [i]Venomous stinging tails, pedipalps adapted into fancy arm claws...[/i] [item=Firebelly Scorpion][item=Hardshell Moonsting][item=Redclaw Scorpion][item=Softshell Scorpion] [/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/28EaC5m.png[/img][nextcol]Most scorpions in Sornieth are similar to the ones on Earth. However, inlike Earth's scorpions, Sornieth's fan-tailed/peacock scorpions have five stingers. FIVE!!! I don't know enough about scorpion anatomy to say whether this is plausible without magic, but you can't argue with how pretty they are! Well only these giant scorpions. In the insect section I'll discuss how Sornieth has so many giant arthropods. Anyway, these scorpions exhibit sexual dimorphism (males are more colourful than females in this case) and they have feather-like projections around their joints; are these structures for mating displays? Are they sturdy external gills to help supply oxygen to their huge bodies? Who knows! [/columns] [center][size=5]Other Arachnids[/size] [item=Engorged Skytick][item=Vampiric Featherflea][item=Harvestman][item=Giant Dust Mite][item=Stardust Mite][item=Vinegaroon][item=Whip Scorpion] [/center] [center][size=6]Crustaceans[/size][/center] [center][size=5]Maxillapoda[/size] [i]YES, BARNACLES ARE CRUSTACEANS[/i][/center] [center][size=5]Malacostrica[/size] [i]Things that you would expect to be Crustaceans[/i][/center] [center][size=4][b]Decapoda[/b][/size] [i]Crabs, lobsters, prawns and shrimp[/i] [item=Aether Hermit][item=Bamboo Shrimp][item=Blue Swimmer Crab][item=Clown Shrimp][item=Crawdad][item=Fissure Crawdad][item=Ghostcrab][item=Hermit Crab][item=Jumbo Shrimp][item=Northern Crayfish][item=Onyx Craylet][item=Seabed Pincher][item=Seashore Digger][item=Sparkling Crayfish][item=Steppes Pincher][item=Strawberry Hermit][item=Tiger Shrimp][item=Wetland Ghost][item=White Reaches Crab][item=Wood Shrimp][item=Deep Sea Lobster][item=Plaguebringer's Delight][item=Krill][item=Brillian Krill] [/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/pjHEESV.png[/img][nextcol]Megashrimps may be considered to be [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantis_shrimp]'mantis shrimps'[/url] as they have forearms like the praying mantis. Mantis shrimps on Earth have a reputation for badassery as they can punch fast enough to produce light and have eyes that can recieve sixteen different types of colours (human eyes can only see three). From the artwork, I assume that the megashrimp does not share in the mantis shrimp's reputation. One thing that is mentioned about these crustaceans is how graceful they are when swimming; they have thick, broad tails full of swimmerettes. They also look ridiculous when walking. These things are true of most shrimp. [/columns] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/su1908q.png[/img][nextcol]A crayfish is a freshwater lobster which may not actually be related to marine lobsters. They can tolerate some pretty grim water conditions, which is possibly why they can survive in the crystal pools, which are presumably full of colourful salts, resulting in glowing crystals. Snippers and crayfish seem to let crystals form on their carapaces, probably as a form of defense. That or they want to be shiny. [/columns] [center][img]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/3f/46/d1/3f46d1cf4dda5d7c278b209cb51ccfa0.gif[/img][/center] [columns][img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/familiar/art/20156.png[/img][nextcol]These crabs are referred to as snippers and clippers, and may be relatives of the ghost crab and sandshore digger food items. Few clues are given about their ecology in their item descriptions, maybe they are just crabs. Crabs are cool.[/columns] [columns][img]https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/flightrising/images/4/4a/Harvest_Hardshell.png[/img][nextcol]Many of us are familiar with the hermit crab - a small crab which lacks a hard carapace and instead uses its mobile body to wriggle into the discarded shells of dead sea snails - and many of us may have heard of the coconut crab, a gigantic tree-climbing crab. HOWEVER, did you know that coconut crabs are a species of hermit crab that is too big and armoured to need to climb into shells? In most languages, the name for the coconut crab is something along the lines of 'palm thief', as they are notorious pests. The Harvest Hardshell appears to be a hermit crab in a slightly roomy shell, stealing spare food like a palm theif might.[/columns] [center][size=4][b]Isopoda[/b][/size] [i]Woodlice and their giant undersea friends[/i] [item=Bluetipped Shellbug][item=Common Shellbug][item=Hardshell][item=Pillbug][item=Shale Skitter][item=Silt Sifter][item=Abyss Vulture][item=Giant Isopod][item=Glass Isopod][item=Isopod][item=Rolly Polly][item=Venomous Pillbug][item=Wharf Roach][item=Sea Roach] [/center]

[size=7]Invertebrates[/size] [quote=Contents] [columns][img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/fvista/14.png[/img][nextcol] [b]Invertebrates[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356036]No Body Cavity[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356041]Molluscs and Worms[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356042]Miriapods, Arachnids and Crustaceans[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356045]Insects[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356047]Strange Insects[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356049]Echinoderms[/url] [b]Fish[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356054]Cartilagenous Fish[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356057]Bony Fish[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356060]Noggles and Kin[/url] [nextcol] [color=transparent]xxxxxxx[/colour][nextcol] [b]Amphibians[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356063]Amphibians[/url] [b]Reptiles and Kin[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356065]Reptiles[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356068]Birds[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356070]Birdkin[/url] [b]Mammals[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356072]Mammals[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356074]Ungulates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356076]Fereungulates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356077]Carnivorans[/url][/columns][/quote] ------ [center][size=7]Insects[/size] [i]Insect classification is a mess[/i][/center] [center][size=6]Wingless insects[/size] [item=Silverfish][item=Silverfish Spectre][/center] ----------- [center][size=6]Palaeoptera[/size][/center] [center][size=5]Odonata[/size] [i]Dragonflies and Damselflies[/i] [item=Autumn Pennant][item=Dragonfly][item=Giant Darner][item=Spectre Dragonfly][item=Jewelfaced Dragonfly] [columns][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/familiar/art/26533.png[/img][nextcol]A nice dragonfly, can possibly grant wishes, need more info and dragonfly/damselfly facts here.[/columns] --------- [center][size=6]Exopterygota[/size][/center] [center][size=5]Dermaptera[/size] [i]Earwigs[/i] [item=Striped Earwig][item=egghead infiltrator][item=earwig] [/center] [center][size=5]Othoptera[/size] [i]Grasshoppers[/i] [item=Blue Cricket][item=Cricket][item=Redwing Hopper][item=Song Cricket][item=Rainbow Grasshopper][item=spotted grasshopper][item=grasshopper][item=songbird mimic][item=zebra cricket][item=Wave Sentinel][item=Common Locust][item=Featherhide Locust][item=Long-legged Katydid][item=Pale Katydid][item=Spider Cricket][item=Charcoal Cricket] [/center] [center][size=5]Phasmatodea[/size] [i]Stick and Leaf Insects[/i] [item=False Mantis Prickler][item=Giant Prickly Stick Insect][item=Mobile Stick][item=Stick Insect][item=Tinder Bug][item=Vibrant Prickly Insect][item=Leaf Insect][item=Deadwood Twig][item=Frosttangle Tender] [/center] [center][size=5]Blattodea[/size] [i]Cockroaches and Termites[/i] [item=Blackshield Cockroach][item=Common Cockroach][item=Drywood Termite][item=Ghost Cockroach][item=Subterranean Termite] [/center] [center][size=5]Mantids[/size] [i]Mantis[/i] [item=Boxer Mantis][item=Dead Leaf Mantis][item=Highgrass Priest][item=Jungle Mantis] [/center] [columns][img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/familiar/art/23583.png[/img][nextcol]Unlike the other mantids, the Spirit of Lightning does not have any eyes, so I was briefly going to class it as a hymenopteran as it does have a wasplike body, and Sornieth hymenopterans have some weird mantis arms. Mantisses have wings, as shown in this picture, although they are often hidden. The forewings often have a leathery texture, although they can still function as wings, unlike the leathery shell-like elytra of beetles. Like a beetle's elytra, these 'tegmina' wings are often used to cover and hide the delicate underwings. The main features of a mantid lend itself to an ambush predator: the large complex eyes, the serrated arm claws, the twiglike standing position. It may be fair to assume that mantids on Sornieth are very similar to mantids on Earth.[/columns] [center][size=5]Hemiptera[/size] [i]True bugs, sucking mouth parts.[/i] [item=Alder Spittlebug][item=Common Froghopper][item=Flurry Flyer][item=Cicada][item=Red and Black Froghopper][item=Rhododendron Leafhopper][item=Algaestrider][item=Flameburst Waterstrider][item=Lava Strider][item=Moonlight Strider][item=Water Bug][item=Water Strider][item=Rainwater Stink Bug][item=Wisp Bug][item=Pretty Vermin][item=Fanned Cockroach] [i]Note, the two 'cockroach' items looked a lil Hemipteran to me so I stuck them here[/i] [/center] ---------- [center][size=6]Exopterygota[/size][/center] [center][size=5]Hymenoptera[/size] [i]A family including wasps and bees. The familiar ones are all in 'apocrita', but the family also covers sawflies and similar things.[/i][/center] [center][b]Ants[/b] [item=Fire Ant][item=Fungus Cutter][item=Gliding Ant][item=Pharaoh Ant][item=Acid Ant Pupae][item=Inky Baby] [/center] [center][b]Wasps[/b] [item=Crystalplate Wasp][item=Protective Wasp][item=Sparkling Wasp][item=Two-tone Wasp] [/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/rJXEdFd.png[/img][nextcol]On the surface this insect looks like any other, but squinting, one can see there are many unusual features of anatomy. The first are the wings; this animal has six wings, presumably the forewings divided themselves into four wings. The hind wings seem to be coming out of the end of the thorax, which is a little odd but I thing it is just a given thing that Sornieth arthropods are allowed to have wing membranes wherever they like. Secondly, there are the arms with the long coxa and femur, and long pointy tarsus, that look a bit like praying mantis arms. This is a common feature in Sornieth animal design. These animals are called 'stingers' and it is said that they can swarm to avenge the death of a fallen one, which suggests that they are very wasplike in their nature.[/columns] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/hmJQS9Q.png[/img][nextcol]Many would give a leg to have a Boolean. This animal, a rare remnant from the Beta age, is magically augmented (half of it is made of crumbling pixels). Those who cannot get a Boolean settle for an Emerald Sparkler, the poor-dragon's Boolean. Unusual features include: only one pair of arms (which look like mantid arms, again) and magical pixellyness.[/columns] [center][b]Bees[/b] [item=Glade Swarmer][item=Honeybee][item=Perdita Bee][item=White Lace Honeybee][item=Brave Blue Bee][item=Stingless Bee][item=Sugarbee] [/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/TygQTzc.png[/img][nextcol]Bumbles and coral carpenters are solitary, four-legged bees. They are giant bees that are adept at burrowing, like many Miner Bees on Earth. Unusually, they only have two wings, which is a feature of Dipteran insects. The bees possibly atrophied their hind wings because According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way that a bee should be able to fly. Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee, of course, flies anyways. Because bees don't care what dragons think is impossible...[/columns] [center][size=5]Coleoptera[/size] [i]Beetles[/i] [item=Bark Biter][item=Bean Beetle][item=Carpenter's Bane][item=Crop Cutter][item=Darkwood Titan][item=Darterbane Leaf Beetle][item=Dung Beetle][item=Frostbite Beetle][item=Goliath Beetle][item=Green June Beetle][item=Harlequin Ladybug][item=June Beetle][item=Lady Bug][item=Leaf Beetle][item=Longhorn Scritcher][item=Mealworm][item=Metallic Wood-Boring Beetle][item=Mistral Beetle][item=Nogglebane Leaf Beetle][item=Orchid Beetle][item=Rolling Scarab][item=Scalescarab][item=Spellbound Beetle][item=Thunder Scarab][item=Tiger Beetle][item=Toxindiver][item=Two-tone Brown Beetle][item=Two-Tone June Beetle][item=Dusky Mealworm][item=Firefly][item=Four-Spot Mealworm][item=Glowbug][item=Mana Thief][item=Parasitic Grub][item=Reedcleft Sparkler][item=Rhinoceros Beetle][item=Lesser Bluehorn] [/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/OeD6QNH.png[/img][nextcol]The Empress Beetle (pictured) is said to have controlled armies of mites - many insects do co-habit in strange ways, most famously ants have been known to farm aphids, for example, so it is possible that the Empress Beetle, using pheromones and such, could command mites to fetch her food and provide protection. The Bloodstone beetle is described to have sparkling iridescence, which many beetles do have. It could be noted that under the elytra the beetle seems to have four wings; most insects only have four wings in total, but as this beetle has elytra (leathery, shieldlike forewings) and four hindwings it can be classed as a six-winged insect. [/columns] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/TfzkFZR.png[/img][nextcol]The Mountain Goliath Beetle is said to grow continously with age to the point where it has a 7m wingspan! This sort of insect growth does not occur on Earth because insects are limited by the weight of their chitin armour and by the fact most insects use passive respiration (letting air flow into their body rather than breathing it in using lungs). Now, some crickets can use valves and things to have more control of their respiration, but the number of animals with gills in Sornieth makes me think perhaps there is a different atmosphere in Sornieth, a more respiration-friendly atmosphere, that allows insects to breathe more easily and become huge, and allows fish to flop onto land more easily. I am not a biochemist. There also could be an altered gravity in Sornieth, which would make chitin weigh less. The Tufted Leaf Beetle (pictured) is said to destroy fields of crops overnight; watch out Nature dragons![/columns] [columns][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/familiar/art/26127.png[/img][nextcol]You would not believe your eyes if ten million fireflies lit up the room as you fell asleep! Hella weird, these fireflies have 3 compound eyes! A compound eye is an eye made up of thousands of tiny lenses (think faceted eyes), and insects usually have 2 of these, and sometimes have an aditional 3 simple eyes, or ocelli. However, the presence of 3 compound eyes is not impossible! Spiders have like, 8 eyes, and within insects there are things like horseflies which let their two eye bulbs grow into 1 for uninterrupted vision, there's nothing stopping a magic beetle having 3 eyes. I blame the Arcanist.[/columns] [center][size=5]Neuroptera[/size] [i]Lacewings[/i] [item=Craftsman Brightback][item=Glittering Lacewing][item=Lunar Lacewing] [size=5]Mecoptera[/size] [i]Scorpion Flies[/i] [item=Scorpion Fly][item=Winged Barb] [center][size=5]Diptera[/size] [i]True flies, only two wings, sucking mouthparts[/i] [item=Bloodfly][item=Blow Fly][item=Buzzwing Vampire][item=Common Mosquito][item=Daddy Longlegs][item=Dune Vampire][item=Fever Fly][item=Fly][item=Gold Fly][item=Horse Fly][item=Red-Winged Dewbug][item=Salt-Marsh Mosquito][item=Swamp Mosquito][item=Tachinid Fly][item=Venomous Fly][item=White-Masked Dustbug][item=Bloated Maggot][item=Infestation Maggot][item=Maggot][item=Nymph][item=Pauper Larvae][item=Tundra Grub][item=Blue Fly][item=Craig Fly] [/center] [center][size=5]Lepidoptera[/size] [i]Four armoured wings, moths and butterflies[/i] [item=Catocala Moth][item=Catoptria Grass Moth][item=False Leaf][item=Frost Whisper][item=Black Swallowtail Caterpillar][item=Black Witch][item=Dark-bordered Beauty][item=Fallout Whisper][item=False Veneer Moth][item=Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar][item=Golden Coa Moth][item=Leopard Caterpillar][item=Meal Moth][item=Micromoth][item=Mustache Moth][item=Noxious Caterpillar][item=Petal Moth][item=Petalwing Matriarch][item=Pipevine Caterpillar][item=Polar Wooly][item=Reverse Silkworm Moth][item=Runic Pug Moth][item=Rusty Moth][item=Tendrilback Caterpillar][item=Triad Moth][item=Twilight Jewel Moth][item=Vibrant Flutterer][item=Wasteland Pauper][item=White Cabbage Butterfly][item=Wooly Bear][item=Yellowtail Caterpillar][item=Coffee Bean Hawkmoth][item=Verdemoth][item=Sanguine Glasswing][item=Glasswing Butterfly][item=Petite Glasswing Butterfly][item=Glasswing Rake][item=Shatterwing Butterfly][item=Moss Eater Moth][item=Spore Spreader Moth][item=Pearl Silkworm][item=Pebble Silkworm][item=Tricolor Caterpillar][item=Gabboon Caterpillar][item=Hornworm][item=Armored Hornworm] [/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/BHUnn2B.png[/img][nextcol]Paedomorphosis- when the adult does not metamorphosise; a forever-caterpillar. Very few insects have paedomorphosis that I can think of, but I am going to throw down the example of the Tussock Moth, [i]Orgyia recens[/i] , as this insect has a female form which, while it does not resemble the caterpillar, is wingless and grublike which is similar to most caterpillars. A species may evolve paedomorphosis because they have no reason to mature to adulthood; they are better camouflaged and have more resources available to them in their caterpillar stage, for example.[/columns] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/Xle5mWS.png[/img][nextcol]Part of me was tempted to class this as a Mantid, they are even referred to as 'mantis' in their descriptions. However, as we have already seen, animals which are not mantids can have mantid-like arms in Sornieth (I blame the Stormcatcher) and also the thing that makes me want to call this a true butterfly is the sucking mouthparts: no self-respecting ambush predator would have a mouth like that! Sure, sucking mouthparts can be used for sucking blood, but still, mantids are famed for their crushing jaws. The Butter Jumper has similar lifestyle and habits as the Orchid Mantis, [i]Hymenopus coronatus[/i], but again small details such as the fluffy mane make me think these bizarre animals are butterflies pretending to be mantids rather than the other way round. Share your thoughts in the comments![/columns] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/P6ruMTU.png[/img][nextcol]Early on in this thread there is a post for non-animal familiars that look like animals, most of which are plants cunningly disguised. Here we have something which I am confident in saying is an animal that looks like a plant, and acts like one too! Photosynthesising animals are not new to science; normally they find a way to encorporate some algae or bacteria into their cells which can photosynthesise for them. As moths often go through a cocoon stage, this would be a great time to assimilate some chloroplasts into their biology. How did they evolve this mechanism, you might ask? I blame the Gladekeeper. [/columns] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/g3nnOTf.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/l5U8PrV.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/y1BQvUp.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/2ZTtrg9.png[/img][nextcol]Curiously, the Miths are not a beastclan. Here we have four different species, or maybe just four morphs of the same species (insects are well known to be polymorphic, especially eusocial ants, bees and termites, and in a lesser case lepidopterans who have different wing shapes and colours depending on what time of year they pupate). It is stated that many of these Miths will not attack unless it seems that you are purposefully going after their flowers, and that they 'pollinate and collect' - they possibly garden. These insects have four limbs instead of six; this is sometimes seen on Earth and very, very frequently seen on Sornieth. Most of the limb segments are chunky, and they have a tarsus arrangement similar to vertebrate toes; it's a no-brainer as to why they evolved this, toes and fingers are super useful! In general, this is another Sornieth Special; a group of insects which have evolved vertebrate characteristics. In the artwork, all four varieties of Mith have large, plume-like antennae; this would normally mark them as male insects, as male moths have these extravagant antennae to smell female pheremones. However, it may just be that they have evolved the fancy antennae to complement their forward-facing eyes, to get better senses. Please add some speculation here, this is a large area to fill with text.[/columns]

[center][size=6]Sornieth Special Insects[/size][/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/3A5ys8T.png[/img][nextcol]This creature's design and name are likely a pun on the Hummingbird Clearwing Moth, [i]Hemaris thysbe[/i]. These animals are called glasswings, and look like a cross between a hummingbird and a moth. The reason why I have not grouped this with the other lepidopterans are firstly it's amazing feet (although Miths are in leptidoptera and they have some interesting feet...) and secondly it's mouthparts. As with the Morpho, where I debated whether it was a mantid or a lepidopteran and I decided on the latter because it had sucking mouthparts, this insect has a sharp beak, more akin to the piercing mouthparts of say, a Hemipteran. *le gasp* could it be that this is the link between Sornieth's insect life and vertebrate life? On Earth, obviously insects and vertebrates are not at all closely related, but everything about Sornieth animals are weird, if insects evolved into birds in Sornieth it would make sense (there is no evidence for the reptile-to-bird evolution YET in Sornieth ((no Mesozoic)), and the birds are weird looking, with half of them having webbed wings and the other half having normal wings... okay birds=insects makes 0 sense but thank you for reading my thoughts on this matter) [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/4#post_28536703] (Thanks goes to Evernear for noticing the Hummingbird Clearwing connection)[/url][/columns] [img]http://pgtnaturegarden.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Hummingbird-Clearwing_2586.jpg[/img] [center][i]The Hummingbird Clear Wing[/i] http://pgtnaturegarden.org/[/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/Lhlkj7S.png[/img][nextcol]Aaaaaaaaand here we have an excellent example of an insect pretending not to be an insect. Fur like scales (as seen in many moths), antler-like chitin projections (putting the 'stag' in 'stag beetle'), delicate tarsus (not that convincing as ungulate hooves but toes are very useful to insects, they are unlikely to get rid of them.) It is uncertain as to why a moth, or similar insect, would contort it's thorax into this shape: deer have a large thoraxes because they keep lungs, hearts and livers in their chest cavity and a whole digestive tract in their abdomen; insects by comparison have their trachaea, ganglions (small extra brains) and the bulk of their muscles in their main body, and use the abdomen for their heart, digestive system and reproductive system; the abdomen of this insect has been reduced to a small deer-like tail: perhaps along with having a deer-like body, it has deer-like internal organs? There are few spiracles so perhaps it is making do with tracheal pumps? Also, a deer that flies; if nobody has head-cannoned Flight Rising's Santa Claus to be an Ice Nocturne in a sleigh driven by Death's Head stags then I propose someone draws art of this ASAP.[/columns]

[quote=Contents] [columns][img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/fvista/14.png[/img][nextcol] [b]Invertebrates[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356036]No Body Cavity[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356041]Molluscs and Worms[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356042]Miriapods, Arachnids and Crustaceans[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356045]Insects[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356047]Strange Insects[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356049]Echinoderms[/url] [b]Fish[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356054]Cartilagenous Fish[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356057]Bony Fish[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356060]Noggles and Kin[/url] [nextcol] [color=transparent]xxxxxxx[/colour][nextcol] [b]Amphibians[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356063]Amphibians[/url] [b]Reptiles and Kin[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356065]Reptiles[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356068]Birds[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356070]Birdkin[/url] [b]Mammals[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356072]Mammals[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356074]Ungulates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356076]Fereungulates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356077]Carnivorans[/url][/columns][/quote] [size=7]A note on Deuterostomes[/size] Deuterostomes, meaning 'mouth second' (referring to which end of the gut is created first during embryogenesis), are a group that contain the vertebrates. There are however some invertebrate dueterostomes; the echinoderms. This note is here because if I was making a big phylogenetic tree, this section would need to be closer to the fish. But it isn't. I'm sticking the arthropods next and you cannot stop me. -EDIT, reorganising order, deuterostoma is next to fish, as it should be, now [center][size=6]Echinoderms[/size] [i]Spiny skins - these are starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers and feather stars[/i] [item=Angelspine][item=Deepsea Cucumber][item=Fallen Star][item=Glow Star][item=Morning Star][item=Snowflake Urchin][item=Starfish][item=Tuxedo Urchin][item=Ballroom Urchin][item=Sea Heart][item=Pebble Collector Urchin] [/center] OH BOY OH BOY echinoderms are [i]FASCINATING![/i] They start off with a 'bilateral' symmetry (a left and a right side of the body) then evolve a fivefold symmetry because [i]why not?[/i] The most fascinating thing about these is possibly how they are all related. Take your humble [b]Star Fish[/b]. This is an animal with a mouth underneath it, and five arms covered in tube-feet. Fold these five arms above the animal. Now you have a [b]Sea Urchin[/b]. Put this animal on it's side, stretch it a bit. It is a [b]Sea Cucumber[/b] now (Flight Rising's art makes the sea cucumber look more like a sea slug. They are more cucumberish and knobbly irl). Evolution is amazing. Well anyway, I forget where crinoids fit into this but they are like a soft fluffy starfish that can swim in open water like a magical fern muppet: https://youtu.be/rRej1VKDgcE If you want nightmares, look at this spooky relative of the starfish, the brittle star: https://youtu.be/e2qhssmSCw4 That specific type of brittle star is the basket star, the spoopiest of echinoderms. Basket stars have arms on their arms.

[size=7]Fish[/size] [quote=Contents] [columns][img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/fvista/14.png[/img][nextcol] [b]Invertebrates[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356036]No Body Cavity[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356041]Molluscs and Worms[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356042]Miriapods, Arachnids and Crustaceans[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356045]Insects[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356047]Strange Insects[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356049]Echinoderms[/url] [b]Fish[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356054]Cartilagenous Fish[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356057]Bony Fish[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356060]Noggles and Kin[/url] [nextcol] [color=transparent]xxxxxxx[/colour][nextcol] [b]Amphibians[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356063]Amphibians[/url] [b]Reptiles and Kin[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356065]Reptiles[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356068]Birds[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356070]Birdkin[/url] [b]Mammals[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356072]Mammals[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356074]Ungulates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356076]Fereungulates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356077]Carnivorans[/url][/columns][/quote] ------ [center][size=7]Cartilagenous Fish[/size] [item=Coral Dweller][item=Grey Catshark][item=Leopard Needletooth][item=Lesser Shallowshark][item=Striped Biter][item=Black Diamond Stingray][item=Marbled Stingray][item=Aberrant Cat Shark][item=Barhide Cat Shark] [/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/j5CYD8r.png[/img][nextcol]Here is some trivia about the Mantarune: the largest rune once vaguely resembled a logo, and was removed for copyright reasons. It also vaguely looked like the rune from the Mortal Instruments series, which in my opinion looked like an exaggerated version of the Viking Rune Othil, but only at a stretch. One of these days people will talk about runes and actually be referring to Norse Runes, *[i]Northwyrm sighs whistfully[/i]*. Anyhoo this was later replaced with an Ice Rune for the Mantarune and a Plague Rune for the Wave Sweeper. These fish are obviously magically augmented by the runes they have built into their backs, and have some extra magical fin-things at the end of their pectorals to prove it. Rays, such as the mantarune, are one of the three main groups that make up Condrichthyes. As no one talks about Chimeras/Ghost Sharks, we normally call condrichthyes the 'rays and sharks'. A ray is like a shark in many ways, but the pectoral fins are huge. Also, as the exposed gills are on the underside of the body, they are no excellent for getting oxygen, so rays have enlarged spiracles next to the eyes. Manta rays/Mantarunes have cephalic fins around their mouths to direct food into them.[/columns] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/HsNJPoT.png[/img][nextcol]Thresher sharks in Sornieth are similar to thresher sharks on Earth in that they have the elongated upper lobe of their caudal, or tail, fins. This is used to stun prey with a casual flick of the tail. The most obvious difference between Earth threshers and Sornieth threshes is that while Earth sharks are covered in denticles (teeth on the skin; trapping tiny amounts of water close to the shark to allow it to glide smoothly through the water) Sornieth thresher sharks are covered in rock. This apparently flakes as the animal grows. I mean, obviously rock is good armour for an animal, and possibly this shows that the rock-covered threshers are related to the rock-covered mantarunes, but as sharks have no swim bladder and rely on hydrofoils and an oil called squalene to keep afloat, being weighed down by rock is not ideal. I blame Earthshaker for whatever is happening to Sornieth's elasmobranchs. [/columns]

[quote=Contents] [columns][img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/fvista/14.png[/img][nextcol] [b]Invertebrates[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356036]No Body Cavity[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356041]Molluscs and Worms[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356042]Miriapods, Arachnids and Crustaceans[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356045]Insects[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356047]Strange Insects[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356049]Echinoderms[/url] [b]Fish[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356054]Cartilagenous Fish[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356057]Bony Fish[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356060]Noggles and Kin[/url] [nextcol] [color=transparent]xxxxxxx[/colour][nextcol] [b]Amphibians[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356063]Amphibians[/url] [b]Reptiles and Kin[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356065]Reptiles[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356068]Birds[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356070]Birdkin[/url] [b]Mammals[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356072]Mammals[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356074]Ungulates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356076]Fereungulates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356077]Carnivorans[/url][/columns][/quote] [center][size=7][b]Bony Fish[/b][/size] [center][size=7]Holostei[/size] [item=Marsh Stalker][item=Sicklemaw Gar][/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/HHoCZQd.png[/img][nextcol]Sturgeons are as close to being a cartilaginous fish a bony fish can legally get. There is fossil evidence that once-upon-a-time sturgeons did have bony skeletons, and then they decided this evolutionary path was a Bad Idea and regressed back to having cartilaginous skeletons, mostly. I mean, bony heads and forelimbs are always useful (as a land tetrapod my self I am a huge advocate of such things). The main feature of a stergeon, despite it's adorable snoot and barbels, is it's heavy armour. The armour of these fish has been somewhat enhanced because they live in the Crystal Pools, full of tasty tasty calcium crystals and goodness knows what else! It may also be a theme that more basal fish on the Sornieth fish family tree have rocklike features.[/columns] ----- [center][size=7]Teleostei[/size] [center][size=6]Elopocephalai[/size] [item=Eel Fry][item=Eel Larvae][item=Firecoiler][item=Redstreak Frilled Eel][item=River Wiggler][item=Vampire Eel][item=Warmwater Twister][item=Yellow-Frilled Eel][item=Dragonfish][item=Goldbelly Dragonfish][item=Snowflake Eel][item=Redfin Eel][/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/oEKBGt8.png[/img][nextcol]DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT ENTRIELY SURE I HAVE CLASSIFIED THIS ONE CORRECTLY! I am confident it is a fish, just not sure what type of fish! Sea serpents in Sornieth are these eel-like angry things. They are gigantic in length, covered in sharp spines and have a mouth full of sharp teeth. As I know very little about eels I'd say it was similar to a pike eel.[/columns] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/NWqdBvp.png[/img][nextcol]My knowledge of eels is very limited so I'll guess that this eel may be similar to a moral eel??? Anyhoo, eels are known for their strange life cycles going in and out of freshwater and saltwater and travelling hundreds of miles to breeding grounds, but Relic Eels take the biscuit: A Relic Eel can regrow from any of the stonelike protrusions from it's back. This is the sort of mad reproduction I'd expect to see from a starfish or polychaete worm, not a fish! But, again, this shows that Sornieth fish have a curious link to stone. This is more to do with magic than biology, I may be... (brace yourself for a terrible pun) ...out of my depth ;)[/columns] [center][size=6]Clupiforms[/size] [i]Herring[/i] [item=Moonbeam Sardines][item=Sardines] [/center] [center][size=6]Cypriniformes[/size] [i]Minnow, carp and loach[/i] [item=Bluespot Weather Loach][item=Cinnamon Loach][item=Common Minnow][item=Flametail Loach][item=Glass Minnows][item=Hardwater Loach][item=Kuhli Loach][item=Emerald Shiners][item=Pineapple Shiners][item=Firebelly Shark][item=Rosaline Gulper][item=Shalefin][item=Venerable Shalefin] [/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/NLyFHgh.png[/img][nextcol]My knowledge of fish is tiny so I cannot identify which Earth Loach this Loach is close to. I can however point out some interesting features, such as the jewel on the head, which is also seen in Skydancer Dragons and Psywurms. In the Tendril Loach, it is mentioned that it has some empathetic ability, which may possibly be linked to this magical forehead gem. The Cinderkelp Loach is able to give off heat, possibly in a similar way to electric eels giving off electricity. This may simply be a feature of magic, the Flamecaller trying to burn the ocean one loach at a time.[/columns] [center][size=6]Characiformes[/size] [i]Tetras and Piranhas[/i] [item=Ruby Tetras][item=Serpae Tetras][item=Silverside Tetras][item=Black Tetra][item=Hatchetfish][item=Marbled Hatchetfish][item=Pond Slip][item=Gilded Tetras][item=Cyan Tetras] [/center] [center][size=6]Siluriformes[/size] [i]Catfish[/i] [item=Armored Catfish][item=Broadback Pleco][item=Corycat][item=Green Corycat][item=Julii Corycat][item=Pleco][item=Umbral Catfish] [/center] [center][size=6]Salmoniformes[/size] [i]Salmon and trout[/i] [item=Rainbow Trout][item=True Rainbow Trout][item=Golden Rainbow Trout] [size=6]Myctophiformes[/size] [i]Lanternfish[/i] [item=Crystalline Myctophid] [size=6]Lampriformes[/size] [item=Giant Oarfish][item=Oarfish] [center][size=6]Percomorpha[/size] [i]A BIG GROUP: tuna, seahorses, gobies, cichlids, flatfish, wrasse, perches, anglerfish, pufferfish[/i][/center] [center]Centrarchidae, Bass [item=Bluegill][item=Pumpkinseed Sunfish][item=Sunfish][item=Warmouth][item=Butterflyfish][item=Copperband Butterflyfish][item=Pale Smallmouth][item=Billy Bass][item=Sandyshore Sea Bass][item=Sea Bass][item=Smallmouth Bass] Dartling [item=Bluemoon Dartling][item=Renegade Dartling] Fighting Fish [item=Crowntail Surgling][item=Crowntail Wanderer][item=Golden Betta][item=Violet Betta][/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/NoHATwZ.png[/img][nextcol]Glamourtails come in two varieties; the colour changing bellus glamourtail (pictured) and the glamourtail hopper, which can use its tail to propel itself onto land (which may explain why the tail seems spread laterally rather than dorsal-ventrally). The fact one species can change colour while the other cannot seems wild, as colour changing it a very unusual thing to evolve; however, the glamourtail hopper may be able to change colour more subtly, using browns and greys to mingle with it's surroundings, unlike it's flamboyant cousin. I have classified glamourtails as if they were fighting fish because bettas have huge and fabulous tails. If this is an incorrect classification, give me a shout and I'll move the fish.[nextcol][/columns] [center] Goby [item=Almandine Goby][item=Amber Goby][item=Deviant Darter][item=Molten Goby][item=Luminous Shortfin][item=Everglade Shortfin][/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/LfYhqeM.png[/img][nextcol]The lurefish uses the lure on its dorsal fin to attract other fish, the longjaw lurefish uses the same lure to attract birds. The lurefish bears a strong resemblance to the mudskipper from Earth, a fish which is not limited to swimming in water as it can use its pectoral fins to skip through the mud, hence the name 'mudskipper'. They keep their gills moist during their adventures on land, usually by wallowing in very wet mud.[/columns] [center] Labroidei [item=Blue Spot Pygmy Wrasse][item=Dogtooth Wrasse][item=Pygmy Wrasse][item=Blacksaddle Wrasse][item=Discus][item=Eyebiter][item=Pigeon Blood Discus][item=Rosy Similis][item=Shell-Dwelling Cichlid][item=Wild Green Discus] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/eEGfB3W.png[/img][nextcol]Featherfins are friendly tropical fish bearing a resemblance to the [i]Pterophyllum[/i] fish from Earth, a type of cichlid fish. The Earthly versions of this fish are popular in the pet trade, but originate from the Amazonian Basin; a Golden Featherfin will apparently give you a wish if you release it into the wild, so maybe find some lush jungle in the Nature lands and release it there?[/columns] Cyprinidontoforms [item=Black Maiden][item=Lagoon Guppy][item=Silver Guppy][item=Topaz Guppy][item=Lyretail Puffer][item=Balloon Belly Magi][item=Brilliant Endler][item=Buff Endler] Atheriniformes [item=Deepwater Constructor][item=Sentinel Fish] Beloniforms [item=Flying Fish][item=Smallhead Flying Fish][item=Wave Skipper][item=Sea Sparrow][/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/1oksFud.png[/img][nextcol]Flying fish, with their large pectoral fins, are amazing creatures; they use their tails to push against water to generate thrust, and then use their fins to glide. Rainbow Sprites and Scarlet Flycatchers differ from normal flying fish in that they have more gliding fins. They are also a freshwater species, possibly because there is an abundance of insects over freshwater streams. They can hunt dragons when they swarm, making them social hunters, and they are an animal capable of magic (as anyone who has been to the coliseum Waterway venue can testify).[nextcol][/columns] [center][img]http://images.amcnetworks.com/bbcamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/flying-fish.gif[/img][/center] [center]Istiophoriformes [item=Scaleskin Marlin][item=Swordfish] Pomacentridae [item=Bluebell Clownfish][item=Clownfish] Snakehead [item=Bloodfin Snakehead][item=Cobra Snakehead][item=Golden Snakehead] Syngnathiformes [item=Rose Pixie][item=Sea Fae][item=Sunset Sea Dragon][item=Umbral Sea Wight][/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/yNSRt3n.png[/img][nextcol]Seahorses/seadragons are very interesting fish; they have an armour made of tiny interlocking bones, they swim upright with their bodies beneath them, and they are masters of camouflage, as they are usually small and can easily change colour. Seadragons, like the fish pictured here, have fins that look like seaweed. They also have winglike fins, possbily because the gods of Sornieth could never miss out on the chance to make a dragonlike creature. One of the more famous traits of a seadragon is that the males hold the eggs inside them until they are hatched, and then broadcasts the tiny young into the water. This is painful to watch. I'm a zoology student. We had to sit and watch a male seahorse give birth. Trust me, it's painful.[/columns] [center]Pleuronectiformes [item=Lakebottom Flounder] Apogonidae [item=Cardinalfish][item=Longfin Urchinbane][item=Blackwater Jester] Lophiiformes [item=Deepsea Yawner][item=Humpback Anglerfish] Tetraodontoformes [item=Brack Bloat][item=Golden Cushionfish][item=Pufferfish][/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/O0OukMH.png[/img][nextcol]Puffers from Sornieth have less toxic venom than pufferfish from Earth, unless of course dragons are more resistant to toxins. Puffers have an interesting locomotion, using their large fins to wiggle and hover rather than moving their body and tail like most fish do. The Sornieth puffers are very jolly looking and have kind eyes. I want to befriend them.[/columns] [/center] -------------------- Thanks @Evennear and Cheetahtrout (not on this website) for your help on IDing and classifying fish!

[size=7]Noggles and Kin[/size] [quote=Contents] [columns][img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/fvista/14.png[/img][nextcol] [b]Invertebrates[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356036]No Body Cavity[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356041]Molluscs and Worms[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356042]Miriapods, Arachnids and Crustaceans[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356045]Insects[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356047]Strange Insects[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356049]Echinoderms[/url] [b]Fish[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356054]Cartilagenous Fish[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356057]Bony Fish[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356060]Noggles and Kin[/url] [nextcol] [color=transparent]xxxxxxx[/colour][nextcol] [b]Amphibians[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356063]Amphibians[/url] [b]Reptiles and Kin[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356065]Reptiles[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356068]Birds[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356070]Birdkin[/url] [b]Mammals[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356072]Mammals[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356074]Ungulates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356076]Fereungulates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356077]Carnivorans[/url][/columns][/quote] ---------- [center][Size=7]Noggles[/size][/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/lexdYSm.png[/img][nextcol]Note the gills on the thorax.[/columns] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/WFeBAbV.png[/img][nextcol][/columns] [columns][img]https://i.imgur.com/swwg95w.png[/img][nextcol]Scaleside Noggle[/columns] [columns][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/familiar/art/29248.png[/img][nextcol]Strawberry Noggle[/columns] -------------------------- [center][size=7]CCC[/size] [i]Magical fishmammals[/i][/center] It could be noted that on Earth, the invention of the lung was one of the triumphs of the vertebrates. Lungs are very, very efficient. Gills are not. Some mammals on Earth, such as turtles and whales, are animals with lungs that choose to live in the sea. Evolving methods to save air and shunt blood around are far more efficient than re-evolving gills, which is why these animals still choose to breathe air when living in the ocean rather than getting gills back. There is no selection pressure for getting gills once they are lost. So, with this think known about Earth's animals, we can assume that the gilled animals from Sornieth had to retain gills from when they were fish. When they came out of the water, they still had gills somewhere on their body. These could be tetrapod-shaped-fish (well cladistically speaking all tetrapods are fish) or... idk it is time to SPECULATE. [center][size=6]CC1[/size] [i]Ears and gills[/i] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/EAsVivF.png[/img][nextcol]This animal clearly has gills (look at the thorax). Also has many ears.[/columns] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/MBKE6M5.png[/img][nextcol]Multiple ears, gills[/columns] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/zwJl1tl.png[/img][nextcol]No multitude of ears, no visible gills, sticking it here because I'm a wild gal and because the arms look similar to Agol/Loga[/columns] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/Mlc7m2Z.png[/img][nextcol]Snakebull[/columns] ------- [center][size=7]Merfolk and Serthis[/size][/center] [center][size=6]Serthis[/size] [img]http://i.imgur.com/jWkfyBV.png[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/rzjn9tX.png[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/0RHaxju.png[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/8H7U4z8.png[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/dcpD7p0.png[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/TB5uekt.png[/img] Sneople[/center] [center][size=6]Merfolk[/size][/center] [i]Fishpeople, similar evolution to serthis but underwater? idek[/i] [img]http://i.imgur.com/dHxZ49y.png[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/JjPSGlP.png[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/L9uzihe.png[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/dC9T8YZ.png[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/F0G07xI.png[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/q1EvWjW.png[/img] Under da seaaaa So here we have more mammal-fish traits; we got hair, we got big blubbery bodies, we got fish scales, we got gills. What is going on?.

[quote=Contents] [columns][img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/fvista/14.png[/img][nextcol] [b]Invertebrates[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356036]No Body Cavity[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356041]Molluscs and Worms[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356042]Miriapods, Arachnids and Crustaceans[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356045]Insects[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/9#post_39356047]Strange Insects[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356049]Echinoderms[/url] [b]Fish[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356054]Cartilagenous Fish[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356057]Bony Fish[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356060]Noggles and Kin[/url] [nextcol] [color=transparent]xxxxxxx[/colour][nextcol] [b]Amphibians[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356063]Amphibians[/url] [b]Reptiles and Kin[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356065]Reptiles[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356068]Birds[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356070]Birdkin[/url] [b]Mammals[/b] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/10#post_39356072]Mammals[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356074]Ungulates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356076]Fereungulates[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2229586/11#post_39356077]Carnivorans[/url][/columns][/quote] [size=7]Origins of Land Tetrapods[/size] On Earth, the evolution of animals onto land is a well known thing. Cladistically, all land tetrapods are 'lobe finned fishes', meaning we came from fish with chunky, meaty fins that waddled onto land one day. The first of these land animals still had gills, had eyes on the top of their head rather than the front, and waddled on their tiny meaty fins. Eventually the gill-arches became a pectoral girdle, which meant the fins could move separately from the head, and this helped these animals wiggle on land. Eventually the wiggles perfected, the fins became legs, and land animals became A Thing. As these new land animals moved further out of water, they still needed to breathe through their now-internal gills, so they grew pourous skin that they could breathe through and became amphibians. This meant the fish were no longer limited to water, and could travel anywhere which was moist. Did the same happen on Sornieth? Many animals in this world maintain fishlike traits, seemingly reluctant to leave the sea. Also maybe 'land tetrapods' aren't as big of a deal as 'land hexapods', with six limbed dragons, griffins, centaurs and the suchlike making up a major part of the vertebrate fauna. [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/gRCacJe.png[/img][nextcol]The protobeast is 'returned to the modern world through the power of science', implying it was once extinct. Looking at the lobed fins on it's back, it is presumably the missing link between fish and land tetrapods. Personally I think it's unlikely to be [i]the[/i] protobeast for land tetrapods in Sornieth as it only has four legs, whereas many, many animals here have six limbs. Superficially, it shares the lobe-finned-fish details with Earth's coelacanth, and with large salamanders such as the hellbender. This is possibly to say that the transition from fish to amphibians in Sornieth's timeline happened faster, without the awkward pancake-newt phase. [/columns] --------------- [center][size=7]Amphibians[/size][/center] [center][size=6]Slargs[/size] [i]Unique to Sornieth, a synthetic lifeform[/i][/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/WbmpmjN.png[/img][nextcol]Slargs are lifeforms created by Baldwin and other alchemists, and they produce vast quantities of mucus to keep moist, much like Earth's waxy treefrog which prevents itself from drying out in intense heat with some mucus-wax. While it is hard to observe the form of the slarg under all that mucus, we shall assume it is an amphibian for now, as it clearly respires through it's skin.[/columns] [center][size=6]Urodela[/size] [i]Salamanders and Newts[/i] [item=Crested Newt][item=Golden Reefprince][item=Hellbender][item=Leucistic Axolotl][item=Mudpuppy][item=Newt][item=Nightrage Axolotl][item=Salamander][/center] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/UaVFHz0.png[/img][nextcol]Xolos bear some resemblance to Earth's Axolotl, this is an animal that expresses 'paedomorphosis' or a 'child form', keeping the external gills into adulthood. The xolos have small clutches, which is unusual for amphibians, but it means they can commit to parental care. Some dentrobatid treefrogs on Earth also do this; as amphibians they can produce enough mucus or slime to keep young secure on their backs as they move around, and keep them moist enough to breathe even out of water. Xolos are adorable.[/columns] [center][size=6]Anura[/size] [i]Frogs and toads. The name means 'tailless'[/i] [item=Arroyo Toad][item=Banded Dart Frog][item=Brown Spot Toad][item= Canopy Darter][item=Molten Tadpole][item=Reedhopper][item=Toad][item=Wartoad Trainee][item=Puddlehopper][item=Anomalous Frog][item=Slimy Delight] [/center] [columns][img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/familiar/art/23891.png[/img][nextcol]Tadhops are another Sornieth animal that displays paedomorphosis, retaining the long tail of a juvenile into adulthood. Like most frogs, they are colourful and friendly-looking, but apparently they have a strong bloodlust. The tail may be kept in adulthood as it allows the tadhop to swim strongly; as these are denizens of the Blooming Grove, one must assume they haunt the decorative freshwater pools there, ready to hop out and devour their victims. The word 'tadhop' may make someone think of 'tadpole'. 'Tad' is old english for 'Toad', so one word means Toad-Hop and the other means Toad-Head.[/columns] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/nqqaMvK.png[/img][nextcol]On Earth, only the crab-eating frog is capable of tolerating salt water. There are perils involved in breathing through your skin and living in salt water; the risk of drying out is extreme. Animals with gills have the opposite problem, where if they go into freshwater they are in danger of losing all of their salts. The fins on the wavehopper's face may in fact be fancy operculums covering over their gills; could this animal, like the protobeast, be a link between fish and amphibians? Apparently the tadpoles are exposed to drought in order to survive out of water as adults, perhaps the frogspawn is left in intertidal pools to achieve this? Drought in costal conditions would expose these youngsters to EXTREME SALTINESS; how do they survive???[/columns] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/eEKcddV.png[/img][nextcol]These bode toads have huge paratoid glands, which are curved around the head like horns or droopy ears. The paratoid gland produces a toad or frog's poison, and they look a bit like fat ears. Apparently these wartoads can grow to a huge size, and the molten wartoad (pictured) has lava dribbling down it's back, which it maintains by eating molten rock. I mean, some treefrogs eat poisonous foodstuffs to secrete more deadly poisons so I guess this is the magical equivilent of that?[/columns] [columns][img]http://i.imgur.com/LPTUhmb.png[/img][nextcol]Croakers are basically frogs with wings; such membranes can function both to increase the skin surface area to help the animal to breathe, as well as to allow it to glide after the animal has jumped with it's powerful leg muscles. The wings don't grow to their fullest extent until the animal matures, which may suggest that croakers have mundane-looking tadpoles and froglets. Croakers are one of my favourite familiars on the game.[/columns]