I have been doing some work on my Metazoic mammals checklist, and I am considering seriously making it available on my website. I don't know if I want to charge for it or make it a freebie item, but it will have every animal listed on my Metazoic site and thensome. I'm even adding a key to the new places listed as their traditional homes (otherwise, who the heck is going to know what "GBM" means or where "San Diego Island" is?) and a little information on each family, including time period, how long I suspect they will be here, and when the group was established.
If I do charge for it it won't be much. Maybe $3 or $4. If I don't charge for it, well, then others can just download it for pleasure reasons. But already it contains detailed info about genera, species, even sub-genera where available. I even list the common names. I'm trying to think what else to add. I am working on a set of books with much more detail about these animals, including maps to locations where they would be found. But that comes later. And those I would have to charge for. But anyone who wants to see what I have done with these animals over the past years can get this checklist. There are no pictures, but the entire list of animals is there. I'm even making it a little more scientific, based on what I learned on that series "Evolution" which is now off the air!! Bummer!!!!! Anyway, the money made can go towards the site's upkeep. That is IF I do decide to charge for the list. I dunno though. Might pass along better as a freebie.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Mutt-Names: What's the Point?
One mistake I commonly see being made by some speculative evolutionists is giving their creations "mutt-names", that is combining the names of modern animals to make one name for their future creation. My motto is these animals have almost no connection to modern animals, except for parallel lifestyles created by open niches. So what sense does it make to give these animals the combined names of modern animals? Every time I see someone use these kind of names for their futuristic animal creations, it always reminds me of the dumb names given to mongrel dogs today, like "labradoodle", "goldendoodle" and "pomapoo", etc. I always ask people if they want to start considering these breeds as "pure", why not give them a unique name? For example, why not re-name "labradoodles" and instead call them "Australian water retrievers"? Or "Australian guiding dogs"? Otherwise, the name "Labradoodle" will make me think of nothing except that it is nothing but a cross between a labrador and a poodle. And the people who breed, sell and even own them are too lazy to just say "the dog is a cross between a labrador and a poodle". I understand that ALL dog breeds today are originally a result of cross-breeding, but it's the names that make the difference. That and 100 or so years of careful breeding.
I think exactly the same thing when I see someone calling their futuristic animal ideas some kind of mutt-name. It makes me think they are just too lazy to come up with a name of their own. I say, look at other languages. Especially the Greek and Latin languages. They are the best words in the World to draw your new names from. For example, just this past week, I changed the name of a whole family of animals. Their common names are now collectively "zofons" (pronounced ZUF-ohn), after the family name Zouphionidae. This family will later be presented on my site. They are the hyenas of the New World and evolved from mustelids. One dark and rainy day in 1995, Anna and I spent the day thinking up unusual and unique names for all the animals I thought up so far at that time. That was the day we thought up such names as "tamanoa", "rog", "jurrifar" and "sinecru". None of those names are combined names of any modern animals, they may sound like some modern animal names, but modern animals were the furthest things from our minds when we came up with those names. Some worked out perfectly, I just Latinized some of those names and turned them into the creature's genus names. Tamanoa for example, derived from Ictocamelus. Rogs are small, parasitic shrews. Jurrifars are otter-like creatures. Sinecrus are large, earless, hairless herbivores derived from elephant shrews, but went a different direction from the trelatebrates. On a funny note, I recently found out the word "Jafar" is African for "river". So, the name "jurrifar" was well-placed!
But the motto of my method of creation, DON'T get your names from combining modern animal names. Derive them from their latin or greek versions. I just don't like mutt-names. Makes the creator look lazy, or not creative enough to think of their own names. It may take longer to think of these names, but IMO the payoff is knowing you made a creature that is all new and ALL your own!
I think exactly the same thing when I see someone calling their futuristic animal ideas some kind of mutt-name. It makes me think they are just too lazy to come up with a name of their own. I say, look at other languages. Especially the Greek and Latin languages. They are the best words in the World to draw your new names from. For example, just this past week, I changed the name of a whole family of animals. Their common names are now collectively "zofons" (pronounced ZUF-ohn), after the family name Zouphionidae. This family will later be presented on my site. They are the hyenas of the New World and evolved from mustelids. One dark and rainy day in 1995, Anna and I spent the day thinking up unusual and unique names for all the animals I thought up so far at that time. That was the day we thought up such names as "tamanoa", "rog", "jurrifar" and "sinecru". None of those names are combined names of any modern animals, they may sound like some modern animal names, but modern animals were the furthest things from our minds when we came up with those names. Some worked out perfectly, I just Latinized some of those names and turned them into the creature's genus names. Tamanoa for example, derived from Ictocamelus. Rogs are small, parasitic shrews. Jurrifars are otter-like creatures. Sinecrus are large, earless, hairless herbivores derived from elephant shrews, but went a different direction from the trelatebrates. On a funny note, I recently found out the word "Jafar" is African for "river". So, the name "jurrifar" was well-placed!
But the motto of my method of creation, DON'T get your names from combining modern animal names. Derive them from their latin or greek versions. I just don't like mutt-names. Makes the creator look lazy, or not creative enough to think of their own names. It may take longer to think of these names, but IMO the payoff is knowing you made a creature that is all new and ALL your own!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
The Future of Mating
Every animal has to reproduce. That's what their lot in life is. That is also how evolution occurs. Humans I don't believe will ever go any farther than they have. We are not strong like other animals on this planet. In fact, if it hadn't have been for us building civilizations, we would have become extinct a long time ago. We almost became extinct with the Tambora eruption some 10,000 years ago. There were only 70 living humans once the eruption was over and settled.
Anyway, someone on the SE forum brought up something about the future of sexual organs and our body's built-in outlets (for urinating and dumping). I must say I have never really considered a thing like that. But one thing about my mammals of the Metazoic, you will notice that NONE of them have an external penis or scrotum like today's mammals do. That's because they don't exist in these animals. The females have the same structures as they do today. In the males, the testicles and penis have moved inside the body and cannot be found externally. Much like a lot of the young of today's mammals. This makes the animals more streamlined for running. Either running from predators or running after mates. That's why the mammals of tomorrow will be much faster than the mammals of today. I would think a huge scrotum on a male would make quite an obstacle when moving. Ever seen the nads of some domestic pigs and horses?? Whoosh!! How they can move with those at all makes me wonder. But the pigs and horses of my Metazoic World do not have these features externally. In the males of most mammals of the Metazoic, there are still 2 vents, but there is no external indication which are males and which are females.
The Trelatebrates however, are another story. They are the ultimate in evolution as far as this goes. The Trelatebrates are strictly a Metazoic order, one I myself made that includes the Therapeds, Deinognathids, gaboon-antelopes (soon to come), Immanids (soon to come), Cerots, Anacolls, "Double-grazers" (soon to come) and Shrubucks. Anyway, both the males and females have actually 3 ventral outlets. All female mammals have this feature, but the males in these families also have a small opening in the front-pelvic area for the penis to come out. The testes are situated far inside the pelvic cavity, much like the females' ovaries. They also have a small opening in the central pelvic area for urinating. And the anal opening at the underside base of the tail for, well, you know what! LOL! Anyway, that is why I call this order "trelatebrates", meaning "3 vents". If these mammals were around today, they would be impossible to sex without maybe DNA-sexing used today in birds. Or watching which one of them is humping the other during breeding season.
Anyway, the post was unique, and interesting. It was an interesting thought anyway. One I myself might never have brought up. Either I wouldn't have been clever enough to think of it or too embarrassed!! Some people take talking about animals' sexual organs and ventral openings as an indication of beastiality!! But as an evolutionist looking at it from that kind of a POV, I guess it just has to come up sometime!!
Anyway, someone on the SE forum brought up something about the future of sexual organs and our body's built-in outlets (for urinating and dumping). I must say I have never really considered a thing like that. But one thing about my mammals of the Metazoic, you will notice that NONE of them have an external penis or scrotum like today's mammals do. That's because they don't exist in these animals. The females have the same structures as they do today. In the males, the testicles and penis have moved inside the body and cannot be found externally. Much like a lot of the young of today's mammals. This makes the animals more streamlined for running. Either running from predators or running after mates. That's why the mammals of tomorrow will be much faster than the mammals of today. I would think a huge scrotum on a male would make quite an obstacle when moving. Ever seen the nads of some domestic pigs and horses?? Whoosh!! How they can move with those at all makes me wonder. But the pigs and horses of my Metazoic World do not have these features externally. In the males of most mammals of the Metazoic, there are still 2 vents, but there is no external indication which are males and which are females.
The Trelatebrates however, are another story. They are the ultimate in evolution as far as this goes. The Trelatebrates are strictly a Metazoic order, one I myself made that includes the Therapeds, Deinognathids, gaboon-antelopes (soon to come), Immanids (soon to come), Cerots, Anacolls, "Double-grazers" (soon to come) and Shrubucks. Anyway, both the males and females have actually 3 ventral outlets. All female mammals have this feature, but the males in these families also have a small opening in the front-pelvic area for the penis to come out. The testes are situated far inside the pelvic cavity, much like the females' ovaries. They also have a small opening in the central pelvic area for urinating. And the anal opening at the underside base of the tail for, well, you know what! LOL! Anyway, that is why I call this order "trelatebrates", meaning "3 vents". If these mammals were around today, they would be impossible to sex without maybe DNA-sexing used today in birds. Or watching which one of them is humping the other during breeding season.
Anyway, the post was unique, and interesting. It was an interesting thought anyway. One I myself might never have brought up. Either I wouldn't have been clever enough to think of it or too embarrassed!! Some people take talking about animals' sexual organs and ventral openings as an indication of beastiality!! But as an evolutionist looking at it from that kind of a POV, I guess it just has to come up sometime!!
Monday, September 22, 2008
New Science Sucks!!!!
What is it with new science? It's weird!! Not too long ago I found out that the Malagasy civets have been placed in a family outside the Viverridae. Yet I looked around tonight, and Lynx are now listed under the genus Lynx!! Probably not the only feline whose sub-generic rank has been brought up to full generic either!! It SUCKS!!!! Personally, I still, and will always, classify the malagasy civets in the Viverrid family! Mongooses too. That's how I was brought up to believe, that is how I'll always believe. They've been classified that way on my Metazoic site. And I don't know who's idea it was to classify Felis lynx as Lynx lynx! Personally, if you ask me, ALL felines, except cheetahs, deserve nothing more than to be classed under the genus Felis. Everyone calls all of them "cats" anyway. That's how I always have and always will classify them. I just don't see how the scientific community can separate all Viverrids the way they have, and still keep the feline family in tact, separated only by generic names. You've seen one feline species, you've seen them ALL!! There is NO variety whatsoever in the feline family. Viverrids just happen to have a great deal more variety. Anyway, I will never understand the new scientific classifications. Same deal is with birds. Now, everyone wants to list all old world passerines in the family Sylviidae. Bad enough when they had to merge the babblers into that family. Now, they want to class everything in with them.
You know what I blame all this on? These new DNA studies out now. I'm surprised apes have been merged into the family with humans. Very surprised!! Not all apes share our characteristics. Only chimps and orangs are as smart as we are. Gorillas can't do anything really worth a damn. LORD knows I love gorillas, but compared to other apes, they are dumb as dirt!! Yet they are one of the most spectacular and majestic animals on the planet!! Shoot! When it comes to being so graceful and so majestic, gorillas even beat out lions by a long-shot!! But that really has nothing to do with the subject here. So I kinda wonder, why have gibbons not been placed in the same family as apes and humans? Why have red and giant pandas been separated from each other, and not put back in the same family with raccoons? Why haven't the dwarf lemurs merged with the typical Lemurids? Why are bushbabies more often classed with the lorises and pottos than in a class of their own? One thing I have learned about modern classification styles, everyone's is different. It's all a matter of opinion. I personally see no reason to separate the malagasy civets from the viverrids, and in the same light I never classify any felines out of the genus Felis, except the cheetahs. Shoot! I even classify walrus in with the sea lion family. Some authorities agree with me, some don't. But then, you're looking at a girl who classifies polar bears as a separate genus from brown bears, though I may have to rethink that if they have been known to breed together and produce fertile offspring. But then why is it they can and a mule, which is a cross between a horse and an ass, can't? Mules cannot produce offspring, yet horses and asses are both in the same genus, just like polar bears and brown bears. In horses and asses, the only difference really is in the ears. But I see polar bears being so different from other bears. Polar bears are more streamlined, with a flatter head and longer legs, plus they are amphibius. Even their growl is a little bit different, but that could be due to size. A panther's roar is really nothing more than a low-pitched meow.
Well, that's all that was on my mind. I just hate the modern classification methods. I'll always believe it SUCKS!!!!!
You know what I blame all this on? These new DNA studies out now. I'm surprised apes have been merged into the family with humans. Very surprised!! Not all apes share our characteristics. Only chimps and orangs are as smart as we are. Gorillas can't do anything really worth a damn. LORD knows I love gorillas, but compared to other apes, they are dumb as dirt!! Yet they are one of the most spectacular and majestic animals on the planet!! Shoot! When it comes to being so graceful and so majestic, gorillas even beat out lions by a long-shot!! But that really has nothing to do with the subject here. So I kinda wonder, why have gibbons not been placed in the same family as apes and humans? Why have red and giant pandas been separated from each other, and not put back in the same family with raccoons? Why haven't the dwarf lemurs merged with the typical Lemurids? Why are bushbabies more often classed with the lorises and pottos than in a class of their own? One thing I have learned about modern classification styles, everyone's is different. It's all a matter of opinion. I personally see no reason to separate the malagasy civets from the viverrids, and in the same light I never classify any felines out of the genus Felis, except the cheetahs. Shoot! I even classify walrus in with the sea lion family. Some authorities agree with me, some don't. But then, you're looking at a girl who classifies polar bears as a separate genus from brown bears, though I may have to rethink that if they have been known to breed together and produce fertile offspring. But then why is it they can and a mule, which is a cross between a horse and an ass, can't? Mules cannot produce offspring, yet horses and asses are both in the same genus, just like polar bears and brown bears. In horses and asses, the only difference really is in the ears. But I see polar bears being so different from other bears. Polar bears are more streamlined, with a flatter head and longer legs, plus they are amphibius. Even their growl is a little bit different, but that could be due to size. A panther's roar is really nothing more than a low-pitched meow.
Well, that's all that was on my mind. I just hate the modern classification methods. I'll always believe it SUCKS!!!!!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
New Page: The Flightless Birds!!
I have made a new page for the flightless birds of the Metazoic. It is a non-flash page, as I really am trying to eliminate all the flash pages. Now the site is appearing more like an online book about the future of evolution. Anyway, the page can be viewed here: http://www.metazoica.com/FlightlessBirds.html. I even included the newest flightless bird creation of my project, Apteropsittus. It is a flightless parrot of the Antarctic region. In the future it is believed the Antarctic will be more like the Arctic and have some timber zones. That is where this flightless parrot will make it's home. In the future of the site, I plan to have book referrals about the subject of future evolution. Believe me, I will only have links to books I myself would recommend to anyone. I will not have a link to the book for The Future is Wild, as I found it to be a very big disappointment!! When I do that, I will put my own commentary about each book based on what I've read. I have quite a few books on the future of evolution, including my own, which once I make some changes and additions to my checklist, I might make that available on the site too. So all can see what I have done over the years. But this is a project that may materialize some time in the next few years. Not right now. There are still some books I have not read yet and I want to get those and get some commentary done on them.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
New Family Posted: The Armadillos!!!
I have just completed another family group, the armadillos of tomorrow. I didn't color these pics, I just didn't feel like it. Someday maybe. Sometimes I just don't feel like coloring the pics so I don't. Anyway, I was watching Jurassic Fight Club last night on the History Channel, and they were displaying a dinosaur called Gastonia. This is a small, squat ankylosaur with a scissors-tail. I saw that and I thought "Well, I have an armadillo that has that very same feature for my Metazoica project!!" So that is what led me to do this project. Funny thing I thought up Grammoclavia back in 1995, and it is the armadillo that has the same chainsaw tail Gastonia does! And until last night I had never even heard of Gastonia! Amazing! Grammoclavia also is equipped with a club-tipped tail. So it is double armed. It is perfect for this world dominated by Deinognathids and other large predators such as them. Though in the picture on the site, I depict Grammoclavia battling with a Cynocephalogale mongoose, another predator of their's.
I included all 4 genera I predict will be around during the Metazoic. This is a first! Including a rather tiny, underground-dwelling armadillo that sort of more resembles an armored rabbit that I called Thoracolagus. Anyway, the armadillos can be viewed at this address: http://www.metazoica.com/armadillos.html. Enjoy them! Any comments are welcomed.
I included all 4 genera I predict will be around during the Metazoic. This is a first! Including a rather tiny, underground-dwelling armadillo that sort of more resembles an armored rabbit that I called Thoracolagus. Anyway, the armadillos can be viewed at this address: http://www.metazoica.com/armadillos.html. Enjoy them! Any comments are welcomed.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
New Family Posted: New World Monkeys!!!
A new family has been added to the Metazoica line-up, the Metazoic's New world monkey family. You can view them here: http://www.metazoica.com/NewWorldMonkeys.html. As with all the families of the Metazoic, this one is different. These monkeys actually come from the marmosets and tamarins of today. A few have developed the prehensile tails we see in a lot of today's new world monkeys. But these monkeys have had to adapt themselves to the Amazonian region of the future, where there will be a bit less jungle than there is now. Some have even pushed their range up into North America to beat the competition. In doing that, they would have to learn to adapt to colder climates. One species that lives in what is today the Rocky Mountains, has evolved a long, flat tail to wrap it's self up in during snow storms and blizzards. Acting much like our own heaviest coats.
Today, monkeys do not live in the USA, except for some that escaped a research facility in Florida and has established wild colonies there. They might even make it into the next era. Monkeys are very adaptable. But that's another family entirely. I also fixed the Guestbook feature on my site. Yesterday I noticed someone left a post and it somehow went to my guestbook for TG's Chihuahuas! How that happened I don't know! I must have put the wrong code on my Metazoic site! Well anyway, now the link goes to my Metazoic guestbook. My apologies for that!
Today, monkeys do not live in the USA, except for some that escaped a research facility in Florida and has established wild colonies there. They might even make it into the next era. Monkeys are very adaptable. But that's another family entirely. I also fixed the Guestbook feature on my site. Yesterday I noticed someone left a post and it somehow went to my guestbook for TG's Chihuahuas! How that happened I don't know! I must have put the wrong code on my Metazoic site! Well anyway, now the link goes to my Metazoic guestbook. My apologies for that!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
It's Been Done!!
Well, I went back and changed the words for the deinognathids and therapeds and all their allies. I erased that chevs are their ancestoral species and put down elephant shrews. I need to fucking STOP this!!! LOL!! I need to settle finally with some ancestoral form for this group. Well, this time anyway, it's a group I plan to stick with. If anyone notices any other changes that need to be made let me know.
Monday, September 15, 2008
The Top Dogs
Yes, this is still about the thread regarding the future of felines. Personally, I still believe the felines will not make it. I like the idea of having elephant shrews as the ancestoral species for deinognathids and therapeds. I was reading up on them and the more I read about them the more I realized they are perfect predecessors for the therapeds. Therapeds do not have hooves, but most Deinognathids do, so it makes sense to have a species that has the potential to develop hooves, but does not yet have them, listed as their ancestoral species. And the fact that elephant shrews are diurnal, I'd say they are perfect!! Also, I found out that they not only can walk on all fours, but have also been known to run like mini ostriches when they need to make a quick get-away. So there is no worries about these animals not being able to walk along as bipeds. They already can!!
Well, that takes care of a believable ancestor for the trelatebrate order. The therapeds and deinognathids can take care of being the daytime hunters. This is good, as most of the mammals around during the Metazoic I figure will become diurnal dwellers. This would make the Metazoic the true age of mammals. For those who want to continue believing felines will make it into the Metazoic, they can be the night-time hunters. Since they are already mostly active at night, and specialized to hunt at night. There won't be any large, herbivorous mammals for them to feed on as they will all only be active during the day. All there will be will be some birds that were pushed off by bats as a species, insects and mollusks like slugs and snails. Maybe small lizards and snakes. But I still think they won't make it. If they do, I think they will be muscled aside. But who knows? Sometimes even seemingly top predators get their butts kicked by more powerful predators. There are groups of orcas that specialize in killing great white sharks. My guess would be the Deinognathids will have groups specializing in killing the panthers that would remain.
Really, I should stay away from places like the SE forum!!! LOL! But I don't know if that is possible for me, as I've already established who I like on there. But then again, I felt the same on the INXS Switchboard. There were people there that I already had established I liked a lot. Even after I left. Luckily, I have most of those people as buddies on my MySpace. So I will not say I miss the Switchboard at all! There were some that I did like at one time, but I don't know if they still want to be buds, as I never bothered to ask them. Many of them may have been influenced by DonnaG's labels of me. Regardless of whether or not they are true. In the case of those people, I think I'd rather not know if they want to be buds or not. Remember ignorance is bliss!! But people on forums are just going to try and influence me to think their way, and I just don't want to be influenced. I have my ideas and I am sticking to them.
The absolute truth is that everyone has their own ideas of what will occur in the future. I'm sticking with my own ideas, I will just continue doing what I've been doing for many years. If changes need to be made, I will accept other's opinions. Some of the peeps in this forum seem to know more about animals than I did. I mean, I had no idea the Malagasy civets had been separated from the mainland civets!! I dunno though, classification is also a matter of opinion. I still class the Malagasy civets with the mainland civets!! But anyway that's a whole other blog post!! However, I must agree with the change 100% before committing to it. I don't mind being proven wrong, but again, I must agree 100%.
Well, that takes care of a believable ancestor for the trelatebrate order. The therapeds and deinognathids can take care of being the daytime hunters. This is good, as most of the mammals around during the Metazoic I figure will become diurnal dwellers. This would make the Metazoic the true age of mammals. For those who want to continue believing felines will make it into the Metazoic, they can be the night-time hunters. Since they are already mostly active at night, and specialized to hunt at night. There won't be any large, herbivorous mammals for them to feed on as they will all only be active during the day. All there will be will be some birds that were pushed off by bats as a species, insects and mollusks like slugs and snails. Maybe small lizards and snakes. But I still think they won't make it. If they do, I think they will be muscled aside. But who knows? Sometimes even seemingly top predators get their butts kicked by more powerful predators. There are groups of orcas that specialize in killing great white sharks. My guess would be the Deinognathids will have groups specializing in killing the panthers that would remain.
Really, I should stay away from places like the SE forum!!! LOL! But I don't know if that is possible for me, as I've already established who I like on there. But then again, I felt the same on the INXS Switchboard. There were people there that I already had established I liked a lot. Even after I left. Luckily, I have most of those people as buddies on my MySpace. So I will not say I miss the Switchboard at all! There were some that I did like at one time, but I don't know if they still want to be buds, as I never bothered to ask them. Many of them may have been influenced by DonnaG's labels of me. Regardless of whether or not they are true. In the case of those people, I think I'd rather not know if they want to be buds or not. Remember ignorance is bliss!! But people on forums are just going to try and influence me to think their way, and I just don't want to be influenced. I have my ideas and I am sticking to them.
The absolute truth is that everyone has their own ideas of what will occur in the future. I'm sticking with my own ideas, I will just continue doing what I've been doing for many years. If changes need to be made, I will accept other's opinions. Some of the peeps in this forum seem to know more about animals than I did. I mean, I had no idea the Malagasy civets had been separated from the mainland civets!! I dunno though, classification is also a matter of opinion. I still class the Malagasy civets with the mainland civets!! But anyway that's a whole other blog post!! However, I must agree with the change 100% before committing to it. I don't mind being proven wrong, but again, I must agree 100%.
Trelatebrate Predecessors
The "Trelatebrates" is what I call the future order that contains the Deinognathids and Therapeds and a few other families of the future. I have been battling with myself over the ancestoral species for this group ever since I first created it. In the beginning, which was in 1993, I thought they would derive from modern swine, or pigs. But at first, that wasn't the way I designed them. I thought their feet more resembled those of aardvarks. But I honestly believe the aardvarks are doomed and will have no descendants in the Metazoic. Then I thought of hyrax, but I think that too would be an impossibility. I have a family in the Metazoic derived from hyrax already. Doesn't mean they couldn't have more descendants, but I think evolving into tomorrow's Deinognathids would be impossible. Then I thought of horses, because of the head design, but then that could just be parallel evolution. And one of my buds recently said for an animal like Deinognathus to come from horses, even indirectly, would be an evolutionary impossibility. So he suggested chevrotains. They are small, hooved, and semi-carnivorous. So for a long time I've been going with that.
So this past weekend everyone has been telling me for a family such as this to evolve from chevs is impossible. One person suggested I have the pteropods as the ancestoral species for this family. At first I thought maybe he was bullshitting me (sorry, but it's true). I read his reply and said I'd think it over. I would LOVE nothing more than to have a final ancestoral species for this group. There has got to be one!! This is too good an order to just up and throw away! Whatever the ancestoral species would be, it would have to be something highly adaptable, that could live in any climate or adapt to any climate and any change. I think the people of this forum want me to make felines the ancestoral species for Deinognathids. I thought about that last night, and at first I said to myself "What a horrible thought!!" Then I thought it would be impossible. The same species that would give rise to the Deinognathids would also have to give rise to omnivorous therapeds and other families within the group that are more vegetarian than carnivorous. Besides, I don't think there is any way on Earth felines could ever develop hooves. So felines would be impossible to derive such species as these. Thank GOD!!! So I am not stuck yet. So then I thought about elephant shrews. They are omnivorous, active during daylight hours, and their feet are still soft, while still having the potential to develop hooves. Also they have recently been found to be closely related to elephants, in a sense, hooved mammals. The only problem is that elephant shrews are confined to Africa. But even that problem can be solved. As they get bigger, and Africa collides with Europe and Asia collides with the northernmost tip of the USA, it is possible they could migrate. All these facts make the elephant shrews a good candidate. If they survive human encroachment, they will likely become the ancestoral species to all Trelatebrates of the Metazoic. They are getting bigger. Let's hope humans don't kill off this family. Even though we won't be here, and this is indeed speculative, I'd love to be watching from above and see what creatures evolve to create the animals of tomorrow.
So this past weekend everyone has been telling me for a family such as this to evolve from chevs is impossible. One person suggested I have the pteropods as the ancestoral species for this family. At first I thought maybe he was bullshitting me (sorry, but it's true). I read his reply and said I'd think it over. I would LOVE nothing more than to have a final ancestoral species for this group. There has got to be one!! This is too good an order to just up and throw away! Whatever the ancestoral species would be, it would have to be something highly adaptable, that could live in any climate or adapt to any climate and any change. I think the people of this forum want me to make felines the ancestoral species for Deinognathids. I thought about that last night, and at first I said to myself "What a horrible thought!!" Then I thought it would be impossible. The same species that would give rise to the Deinognathids would also have to give rise to omnivorous therapeds and other families within the group that are more vegetarian than carnivorous. Besides, I don't think there is any way on Earth felines could ever develop hooves. So felines would be impossible to derive such species as these. Thank GOD!!! So I am not stuck yet. So then I thought about elephant shrews. They are omnivorous, active during daylight hours, and their feet are still soft, while still having the potential to develop hooves. Also they have recently been found to be closely related to elephants, in a sense, hooved mammals. The only problem is that elephant shrews are confined to Africa. But even that problem can be solved. As they get bigger, and Africa collides with Europe and Asia collides with the northernmost tip of the USA, it is possible they could migrate. All these facts make the elephant shrews a good candidate. If they survive human encroachment, they will likely become the ancestoral species to all Trelatebrates of the Metazoic. They are getting bigger. Let's hope humans don't kill off this family. Even though we won't be here, and this is indeed speculative, I'd love to be watching from above and see what creatures evolve to create the animals of tomorrow.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
New Family Posted: the Pseudosims!!!
I have posted another family of animals on my site, the Pseudosims. They can be viewed here: http://www.metazoica.com/Pseudosims.html. The family Beradapidae is made up of bipedal creatures descended from the Propithecines. Unlike the large, ground-dwelling propithecines on my site, these animals have developed long, slender feet for running. They stand on their toes rather than on their soles like the true propithecines. Some of the smaller species can climb trees, whereas the larger species rely on their ability to run.
The name "Pseudosim" is a collective name of this family, it means "false monkey". On my site, these animals are classified as large grazers, though I could classify them as pentadactyls. Though they are related to lemurs and monkeys, they have evolved quite separately from this group. So they are listed in the large grazers. Anyway, enjoy the group.
The name "Pseudosim" is a collective name of this family, it means "false monkey". On my site, these animals are classified as large grazers, though I could classify them as pentadactyls. Though they are related to lemurs and monkeys, they have evolved quite separately from this group. So they are listed in the large grazers. Anyway, enjoy the group.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Feliformes Alternate Evolution
I've been following and posting on a topic on the SE forum, all about introducing tigers to South Africa, which I still believe is a waste of time. Tigers will be eliminated. I also believe all modern felines will be gone. But let's say they survive. Actually, I do have a feline family listed on my checklist of mammals of the Metazoic, but they do not live past 5 million years after humans are gone. And there are only 7 species and all are tiny, shrew-like animals. But let's say they do survive. Deinognathids are on the rise, remember mammals of the future are more intelligent than their counterparts today. Deinognathids are descended from relatives of deer and antelope. Modern deer and antelope are rather intelligent. Sometimes intelligent enough to beat a persuing panther or cat. Cheetahs on the other hand, the only feline that can successfully kill a fast-moving gazelle 9 times out of 10, will more likely be extinct before the end of this century. Lions and leopards can also take on gazelles, but they are not as successful as cheetahs.
Cats on the other hand, do not hunt gazelles or deer. There are already antelope and deer that consume meat. They manage to shoulder-aside the remaining cats after the extinction event. Cats are forced to feed only on small insects. Thus, they get smaller to accomodate that diet. Except for those who live on remote islands, where there are no deinognathid seeds. Cats had better learn fast not to just kill everything they see and not eat it, otherwise they will starve eventually! Unfortunately, cats are born to see everything as something to kill off, whether they are hungry or not. So if they are pushed into the remote islands, and they just kill for the fun of it, all their prey will eventually die off, and thus so will they, unless they can learn to once again feed on insects, thus getting smaller to accomodate such a diet.
One person compared cats to sharks. They are NOT the same thing!! Sharks EAT everything they kill. Cats don't. Waste not, want not. This "kill all at all costs" will definately be their undoing if nothing else. Deinognathids on the other hand, have one advantage over felines, they are bipedal, with razor-sharp claws, and streamlined feet for running if necessary. The claws are just as sharp as those of a cat, and are even somewhat retractable. When at rest they fold their hands inward, keeping the claws concealed. They also sharpen their claws on tree trunks. Or cacti. They only use their claws when they grasp prey. This is the scenario I have for the Metazoic era. And why I feel felines themselves will not make it.
One of the people fighting hard against my opinion is now saying that Deinognathids are not believable. I should not feel too badly. This same person is also the one who believes megasquids will walk the Earth! LOL! I'll tell you, a bipedal, dinosaur-like predatory antelope is MUCH more believable than a mega-squid walking the Earth! The dinosaurs at least were very successful with that design for over 100 million years. There is no reason at all that design can't come back!! Like I said, it's MUCH more believable than mega-squids walking the earth. Make fun of my creations will ya?! Actually I am always the first to say everyone has a right to their own opinion. But it's the way this guy remarked on my animals on the forum that ticked me off!! And he turns around and believes in things like walking and tree-swinging squids. Sorry, but I will sooner believe antelope can turn into 50-foot long predators (or monotremes can turn into grazers) than I would believe a squid would ever behave like an elephant or a gibbon.
Cats on the other hand, do not hunt gazelles or deer. There are already antelope and deer that consume meat. They manage to shoulder-aside the remaining cats after the extinction event. Cats are forced to feed only on small insects. Thus, they get smaller to accomodate that diet. Except for those who live on remote islands, where there are no deinognathid seeds. Cats had better learn fast not to just kill everything they see and not eat it, otherwise they will starve eventually! Unfortunately, cats are born to see everything as something to kill off, whether they are hungry or not. So if they are pushed into the remote islands, and they just kill for the fun of it, all their prey will eventually die off, and thus so will they, unless they can learn to once again feed on insects, thus getting smaller to accomodate such a diet.
One person compared cats to sharks. They are NOT the same thing!! Sharks EAT everything they kill. Cats don't. Waste not, want not. This "kill all at all costs" will definately be their undoing if nothing else. Deinognathids on the other hand, have one advantage over felines, they are bipedal, with razor-sharp claws, and streamlined feet for running if necessary. The claws are just as sharp as those of a cat, and are even somewhat retractable. When at rest they fold their hands inward, keeping the claws concealed. They also sharpen their claws on tree trunks. Or cacti. They only use their claws when they grasp prey. This is the scenario I have for the Metazoic era. And why I feel felines themselves will not make it.
One of the people fighting hard against my opinion is now saying that Deinognathids are not believable. I should not feel too badly. This same person is also the one who believes megasquids will walk the Earth! LOL! I'll tell you, a bipedal, dinosaur-like predatory antelope is MUCH more believable than a mega-squid walking the Earth! The dinosaurs at least were very successful with that design for over 100 million years. There is no reason at all that design can't come back!! Like I said, it's MUCH more believable than mega-squids walking the earth. Make fun of my creations will ya?! Actually I am always the first to say everyone has a right to their own opinion. But it's the way this guy remarked on my animals on the forum that ticked me off!! And he turns around and believes in things like walking and tree-swinging squids. Sorry, but I will sooner believe antelope can turn into 50-foot long predators (or monotremes can turn into grazers) than I would believe a squid would ever behave like an elephant or a gibbon.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Futuristic Pets
Another "what if" scenario. Those of us who have pets love them and enjoy them. Typical pets are dogs and cats today. Though some of us have made pets of some exotics. What if in the Metazoic, there were humans around, or some humanoid creatures around (say aliens take over here), what kind of animals of that period would they have as pets? The mammals of tomorrow for sure will be more intelligent than those today. So would aliens. What kind of animals would make the best candidates for domestication? Well, over the years I have thought up some interesting ideas.
For tomorrow's 'house cats', I thought Paricteria (formerly known as Donnola) would be a good candidate. They are good mousers, clean, intelligent and at times even would be funny. They climb and jump as good as cats, maybe better. So in some ways they might be a pest in that they would love to jump on your kitchen countertops. They would love to cuddle up with their owners to keep warm, and like cats they might even try to "groom" their owners with their bristly tongue. One drawback about these animals is unlike cats, they are not very independant. Being pack animals, they would be more into seeing their owners as a pack leader, more like a dog. But that would also make them more compatable to newcomers should the owner of the future decide to have more than one of these animals.
For tomorrow's "dogs" I thought Ictocamelus or Tamanoa would be good subjects. They too are pack animals, and would see their owner as the pack leader. They are also very defensive of their territory, and would ward off intruders. The only drawback of that is, even a lone Ictocamelus could very easily kill the intruder! It'd be like having a 20-foot long tiger guarding your house! And there wouldn't be much the owner could do to stop it because these animals move so fast. But one good thing is, unlike dogs, since the sense of smell in Ictocamelus and Tamanoa is no better than our own, they wouldn't be sniffing their owner's butt. Dogs are psycho animals in that respect because really, they get more pleasure in sniffing peoples' butt than they do licking their face! Ictocamelus and Tamanoa though rely more on sight and hearing than smell. So they would more recognize their owners by their voices than by their scent.
I was thinking, if they were around now, I would have Tamanoa for protecting the house and family. Then for a pet to cuddle, I'd love to have an animal like Mesocheirus, which is actually a lemur, since mice don't bother me I don't really care to have a mouser. Mesocheirus is a very cuddly-looking lemur, and it would be fun to have a lemur for a pet! Though even they would have drawbacks. Lemurs have to jump from place to place, and these lemurs, though they are the size of a common house cat, would be jumping around and knocking things over. But they are social animals, and love to cuddle with each other at night, and groom each other. They might like doing the same with their owner as well.
For tomorrow's 'house cats', I thought Paricteria (formerly known as Donnola) would be a good candidate. They are good mousers, clean, intelligent and at times even would be funny. They climb and jump as good as cats, maybe better. So in some ways they might be a pest in that they would love to jump on your kitchen countertops. They would love to cuddle up with their owners to keep warm, and like cats they might even try to "groom" their owners with their bristly tongue. One drawback about these animals is unlike cats, they are not very independant. Being pack animals, they would be more into seeing their owners as a pack leader, more like a dog. But that would also make them more compatable to newcomers should the owner of the future decide to have more than one of these animals.
For tomorrow's "dogs" I thought Ictocamelus or Tamanoa would be good subjects. They too are pack animals, and would see their owner as the pack leader. They are also very defensive of their territory, and would ward off intruders. The only drawback of that is, even a lone Ictocamelus could very easily kill the intruder! It'd be like having a 20-foot long tiger guarding your house! And there wouldn't be much the owner could do to stop it because these animals move so fast. But one good thing is, unlike dogs, since the sense of smell in Ictocamelus and Tamanoa is no better than our own, they wouldn't be sniffing their owner's butt. Dogs are psycho animals in that respect because really, they get more pleasure in sniffing peoples' butt than they do licking their face! Ictocamelus and Tamanoa though rely more on sight and hearing than smell. So they would more recognize their owners by their voices than by their scent.
I was thinking, if they were around now, I would have Tamanoa for protecting the house and family. Then for a pet to cuddle, I'd love to have an animal like Mesocheirus, which is actually a lemur, since mice don't bother me I don't really care to have a mouser. Mesocheirus is a very cuddly-looking lemur, and it would be fun to have a lemur for a pet! Though even they would have drawbacks. Lemurs have to jump from place to place, and these lemurs, though they are the size of a common house cat, would be jumping around and knocking things over. But they are social animals, and love to cuddle with each other at night, and groom each other. They might like doing the same with their owner as well.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
New Updates Added: The Fruit-Eaters And Others!
I've been quite busy this morning as well as last night. I had to f-disk my computer this past weekend because it was acting strange. That's why I could not answer any e-mails and stuff. But for some reason it would allow me to post here. Anyway, I made up a couple more family groups for my Metazoic site. I made the group for the fruit-eating lemurs. They can be viewed here: http://www.metazoica.com/FruitLemurs.html. These lemurs have a special feature added. It isn't too far-fetched, I mean there are even some birds around today that have this same feature. They get it by the same means too. Find out what it is. Also, I completed the family of gliding "lemurs", which are not in any ways related to today's flying lemurs. They can be viewed here: http://www.metazoica.com/GlidingLemurs.html. They too have a special feature unique among mammals. Again, it isn't too far-fetched. There is a species of lizard in Borneo that has this same feature. There is no reason to believe another vertebrate couldn't also develop this feature. Even mammals.
Also, the Deinognathid, Donnola, has a new genus name. Some idiot thought up that name back in 1993 (oh yeah. It was ME!) and it sounds not scientific enough. It's actually the Spanish word for "weasel". So I decided to change that and call it instead Paricteria. Or "future weasel". You can see the "change" on the Deinognathids page.
Also, the Deinognathid, Donnola, has a new genus name. Some idiot thought up that name back in 1993 (oh yeah. It was ME!) and it sounds not scientific enough. It's actually the Spanish word for "weasel". So I decided to change that and call it instead Paricteria. Or "future weasel". You can see the "change" on the Deinognathids page.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
The Felines, Why They Are Doomed
Instead of writing this post, I decided to post a movie about what I think. Made special just for anyone referred to this post by the people on the SE forum! Enjoy!
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Name A Species
There is a site that offers species names for sale. I like this idea for some reason, people get to have living, unnamed species named after themselves for a price. The price ranges from $600 up and the money goes to scientific research. I do this too with my checklist of mammals of the future, only I name species after people I like and know. It's free, and my friends are immortalized forever in the names of my animals. I even have species named after people I have not spoken to in years (no one since 2002 though). It's about time I made some more. It'd be awesome to have species named after my favorite men of INXS!! hehe! I have a species named after Dian Fossey. I didn't know her, but she was the biggest inspiration of my life. I also have species named after David Johnston and Harry Truman (both well-known figures if you know about Mount St. Helens), but I did know those people, and liked them. David Johnston, if he had survived the eruption of St. Helens, would no doubt by now be a world-renouned scientist! He was damn good at what he did! And he was a genuinely nice man. I gladly named one of my species (listed as Orochoreutes johnstoni) in his honor. I have one named after Harry Truman, but I cannot remember at the moment which one it was.
Though I know INXS are rock icons, it'd still be awesome to have some species on my checklist of mammals of the future named after them. Though I don't know about Beers! LOL! I kinda wonder if that really is his last name? If I named one after JD, I would have to use his real last name, Bennison. I can't use Fortune. Kirk, forget about him!!! I would never name anything for him!!! But I can definitely use Farriss! And I might even use Hutchence. hehe! Then there are also my Facebook buddies. IF they don't mind of course. Think of it as the highest honor a person can have to have a mammal of tomorrow named for them. hehe! Of course most of them like felines, of which there will be none in the Metazoic. The dominant predators of the metazoic are the deinognathids. But hey! When you compare modern large felines to tomorrow's large deinognathids, the deinognathids are more impressive! But really I have enough predators for tomorrow. I need more non-predators. Or smaller predators. It's an idea anyway. Of course those who want modern species named for them, they can pay the $600+ fee and have something of today named for them. Last time I looked, there were only mosquitoes. I think I'll pass, myself. I can't stand mosquitoes!! I don't want my name associated with an evil creature like that! But that's me.
Some day soon, I am going to need someone who can work on the fish, birds, reptiles and invertebrates for my site. I have no ideas, and no drawings. I thought maybe if someone wanted to help out in those departments I will be open to ideas. We can collaborate. The only ideas and drawings I have are of flightless birds, which are more common in the Metazoic because bats take over the skies. So anyone who wants to help in this project can e-mail me. My address is at the top of this screen. I myself will concentrate on the mammals.
Though I know INXS are rock icons, it'd still be awesome to have some species on my checklist of mammals of the future named after them. Though I don't know about Beers! LOL! I kinda wonder if that really is his last name? If I named one after JD, I would have to use his real last name, Bennison. I can't use Fortune. Kirk, forget about him!!! I would never name anything for him!!! But I can definitely use Farriss! And I might even use Hutchence. hehe! Then there are also my Facebook buddies. IF they don't mind of course. Think of it as the highest honor a person can have to have a mammal of tomorrow named for them. hehe! Of course most of them like felines, of which there will be none in the Metazoic. The dominant predators of the metazoic are the deinognathids. But hey! When you compare modern large felines to tomorrow's large deinognathids, the deinognathids are more impressive! But really I have enough predators for tomorrow. I need more non-predators. Or smaller predators. It's an idea anyway. Of course those who want modern species named for them, they can pay the $600+ fee and have something of today named for them. Last time I looked, there were only mosquitoes. I think I'll pass, myself. I can't stand mosquitoes!! I don't want my name associated with an evil creature like that! But that's me.
Some day soon, I am going to need someone who can work on the fish, birds, reptiles and invertebrates for my site. I have no ideas, and no drawings. I thought maybe if someone wanted to help out in those departments I will be open to ideas. We can collaborate. The only ideas and drawings I have are of flightless birds, which are more common in the Metazoic because bats take over the skies. So anyone who wants to help in this project can e-mail me. My address is at the top of this screen. I myself will concentrate on the mammals.
New Family: the Raccoons
I have a new family posted up on my site. I talked about them last time, and now have posted them on my site for all to view. If you'd like to see them, you can view them at this link: http://www.metazoica.com/raccoons.html. I even list the smartest of them all, and already appoint them the future masters of the planet. It could happen that way. Raccoons today have definately proven to be smart and adaptable enough to go pretty much the same route as humans. Maybe even be smarter than we are, and build their own civilizations. I doubt they will be civilizations exactly like what we have today, but maybe close.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Tomorrow's Most Intelligent Beings
This generation the primates have the advantage. But after humans are gone, who or what will be the next intelligent life forms? My guess would be raccoons if they don't all die off from disease. Raccoons today are carriers of rabies. If not all of them get it and dies off, they could become the next rulers of the world. They are smart enough, and only a few steps away from learning to use tools, maybe even create their own. It was this ability to make our own tools that made us masters of the planet. Maybe raccoons will do the same? Who really knows? In my book (soon to be on my site) I have raccoons that have longer legs and the ability to stand on their hind legs for long periods, though not necessarily bipedal. The brain is the same size as a human's and just as complex, allowing these animals the ability to solve their own problems.
It has been said that raccoons today are almost as smart as monkeys, and they know how to unlock locks and open doors and windows. Who's to say they won't evolve far enough to start using their own tools? Maybe even make their own? Of course the raccoons of tomorrow will not be totally free from such predators as Deinognathus, they will just know how to deal with them better. Just as our own ancestors learned to battle off such predators as panthers and hyenas. The brains of these animals may also be complex enough to develop their own language, much like how we have made up a language of our own.
Ya know, this gives me a good idea of what family to work on next. I think I'll do that today. I will also have the link up to the cerots, which I actually did many months ago, but never got around to creating a link to on the main page.
It has been said that raccoons today are almost as smart as monkeys, and they know how to unlock locks and open doors and windows. Who's to say they won't evolve far enough to start using their own tools? Maybe even make their own? Of course the raccoons of tomorrow will not be totally free from such predators as Deinognathus, they will just know how to deal with them better. Just as our own ancestors learned to battle off such predators as panthers and hyenas. The brains of these animals may also be complex enough to develop their own language, much like how we have made up a language of our own.
Ya know, this gives me a good idea of what family to work on next. I think I'll do that today. I will also have the link up to the cerots, which I actually did many months ago, but never got around to creating a link to on the main page.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Future of Cryptid Beasts?
I thought this would be an interesting discussion. We know there are creatures running around in the World today that science has not been able to identify, like the chupacabra and sasquatch. What if these creatures were to actually survive the next extinction event? Even though we know nothing about their lifestyles, what if judging from what we do know, they did happen to survive? What do we think they would evolve into? Well, look at this pic of what someone believes a chupacabra looks like:
Here is a video I found of someone who claims they saw a creature in Texas that resembles drawings made of a chupacabra. One thing about this creature, it's muzzle is a lot longer than that of any living canid species!!
If that really is a video of the chupacabra, what could happen to it in future evolution? Most hopping mammals have longer, thicker tails, so it would seem this creature would develop a long, kangaroo-like tail, as many people have reported chupacabras "hop" onto their prey. Next the claws. In order to grasp their prey in such a way that would virtually immobilize it, they would either have to develop retractable claws, like a cat, or longer fingers. Anything to wrap around a struggling prey animal to make it easier to deliver the final bite. Next the sucking of body juices typically seen in chupacabra "prey". In order for an animal to do this effectively, the saliva should be more like the venom of a spider, that liquefies the prey's insides. Then like spiders, they need hollow fangs that act like straws to suck out the dissolved juices. But can a mammal actually develop this feature? Remember mammals are born with baby teeth, which shed at a certain age to become adult teeth. After that, they are irreplaceable in all but rodents. If the chupacabra has not already developed these features, maybe this is the blueprint for the future of this species.
What about Sasquatch? We typically know them as Bigfoot. Since this species lives in cold climates it is no wonder they have developed long fur and tower at 8 feet tall! For the future of this species? Well, I might suggest a much thicker and more intense coat, covering even the face. Maybe larger, snowshoe-like flat feet for getting around in the snow. I would guess they are herbivorous like most large apes, so maybe taller to reach higher branches of trees for leaves and fruit. If not make them smaller and lighter-boned to be able to climb the trees for such morsels and give the feet monkey-like gripping ability.
Anyone want to find out more info about bigfoot, aka sasquatch, visit the researcher's site at http://www.bfro.net/. These are just my opinions of what would occur if these creatures do make it into the future world. Maybe it could happen, maybe it couldn't. But it's worth thinking about.
Here is a video I found of someone who claims they saw a creature in Texas that resembles drawings made of a chupacabra. One thing about this creature, it's muzzle is a lot longer than that of any living canid species!!
If that really is a video of the chupacabra, what could happen to it in future evolution? Most hopping mammals have longer, thicker tails, so it would seem this creature would develop a long, kangaroo-like tail, as many people have reported chupacabras "hop" onto their prey. Next the claws. In order to grasp their prey in such a way that would virtually immobilize it, they would either have to develop retractable claws, like a cat, or longer fingers. Anything to wrap around a struggling prey animal to make it easier to deliver the final bite. Next the sucking of body juices typically seen in chupacabra "prey". In order for an animal to do this effectively, the saliva should be more like the venom of a spider, that liquefies the prey's insides. Then like spiders, they need hollow fangs that act like straws to suck out the dissolved juices. But can a mammal actually develop this feature? Remember mammals are born with baby teeth, which shed at a certain age to become adult teeth. After that, they are irreplaceable in all but rodents. If the chupacabra has not already developed these features, maybe this is the blueprint for the future of this species.
What about Sasquatch? We typically know them as Bigfoot. Since this species lives in cold climates it is no wonder they have developed long fur and tower at 8 feet tall! For the future of this species? Well, I might suggest a much thicker and more intense coat, covering even the face. Maybe larger, snowshoe-like flat feet for getting around in the snow. I would guess they are herbivorous like most large apes, so maybe taller to reach higher branches of trees for leaves and fruit. If not make them smaller and lighter-boned to be able to climb the trees for such morsels and give the feet monkey-like gripping ability.
Anyone want to find out more info about bigfoot, aka sasquatch, visit the researcher's site at http://www.bfro.net/. These are just my opinions of what would occur if these creatures do make it into the future world. Maybe it could happen, maybe it couldn't. But it's worth thinking about.
Evolution of Flight
I was watching a show tonight, called Evolution on the History Channel. It's a good show!! I watch it every Tuesday night. This show has opened my eyes further to the world of evolution. It talks about the evolution of everything. Tonight, they discussed the evolution of flight. We all know the insects were the first creatures to take to the air. The pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to do so. But the reason I am discussing this here now is because of the difference between birds and bats.
Even this show says that bats fly better than birds and are more maneuverable than birds. It could be this that allows bats to win in the future world over birds. Remember sharks beat out the prehistoric Dunkleosteus. You know why some people believed that happened? Because sharks have jaws that protrude foreward when biting, giving them a bigger advantage in capturing prey over Dunkleosteus, whose jaws were immobile like ours. Little things sometimes can make the biggest difference. Sharks have been successful for over 350 million years because of that! Whereas Dunkleosteus and it's allies died off long ago. If bats are more agile fliers than birds, even slightly more, that could be a huge advantage in their future survival over birds. All bats have to know how to do now is take over the daytime skies, and it is the pteropods that are well on the way to doing just that.
On my Metazoic site, I have also a group of far-gliding mammals (or I will have when I get around to them) I call them "Pleuropters", and these mammals take on a method of gliding much like today's flying lizards of Borneo. It's an interesting concept. One that could happen in mammals. Who knows? But these are not the same things as bats. I've been thinking of not calling these mammals of my site "mammals", but something else. Maybe "Neomammals" for now, because IMO, they would be so very different from modern mammals. In birds and pterosaurs, the thing that makes them successful fliers is the hollow bones. In my Metazoic world, bats develop the same feature, making them lighter in weight and the largest bats just as capable of flying as smaller bats. But the air sacs are a feature no mammal has today. I also have placed this feature in the Lily-walkers and the small, water lily-trotting deinognathid, Feresetta. To make it easier for these animals to walk on lily pads without going through and sinking the pads to the bottom of their lake home. Much like we see in today's jacanas. But it was the air sacs and hollow bones that made the largest pterosaur, Quetzalcoaltus, capable of flight.
Even this show says that bats fly better than birds and are more maneuverable than birds. It could be this that allows bats to win in the future world over birds. Remember sharks beat out the prehistoric Dunkleosteus. You know why some people believed that happened? Because sharks have jaws that protrude foreward when biting, giving them a bigger advantage in capturing prey over Dunkleosteus, whose jaws were immobile like ours. Little things sometimes can make the biggest difference. Sharks have been successful for over 350 million years because of that! Whereas Dunkleosteus and it's allies died off long ago. If bats are more agile fliers than birds, even slightly more, that could be a huge advantage in their future survival over birds. All bats have to know how to do now is take over the daytime skies, and it is the pteropods that are well on the way to doing just that.
On my Metazoic site, I have also a group of far-gliding mammals (or I will have when I get around to them) I call them "Pleuropters", and these mammals take on a method of gliding much like today's flying lizards of Borneo. It's an interesting concept. One that could happen in mammals. Who knows? But these are not the same things as bats. I've been thinking of not calling these mammals of my site "mammals", but something else. Maybe "Neomammals" for now, because IMO, they would be so very different from modern mammals. In birds and pterosaurs, the thing that makes them successful fliers is the hollow bones. In my Metazoic world, bats develop the same feature, making them lighter in weight and the largest bats just as capable of flying as smaller bats. But the air sacs are a feature no mammal has today. I also have placed this feature in the Lily-walkers and the small, water lily-trotting deinognathid, Feresetta. To make it easier for these animals to walk on lily pads without going through and sinking the pads to the bottom of their lake home. Much like we see in today's jacanas. But it was the air sacs and hollow bones that made the largest pterosaur, Quetzalcoaltus, capable of flight.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Cephalopods
We know them as octopus and squids, and they have several other cousins around today. If you've ever seen the TV pseudo-documentary The Future is Wild, which premiered on Animal Planet a few years back, at the end they portrayed squids as being the dominant creatures on land. I watched the documentary and I thought I would like it, but it turned out I really didn't. I liked some of their mammals and some of the birds, with the exception of the quail that live underground and crawls in a lizard-like fashion. However, The Future is Wild completely lost my support when they started talking about mammals being "farmed" by large spiders!! That was too stupid!! Spiders I think have evolved as far as they are going to! They've had basically the same form for 300 million years. I don't think they've got much more to do as far as evolving goes.
Anyway, back to squids. In TFIW (The Future is Wild), they portrayed small, tree-swinging squids they called "squibbons". GOD I HATE that name!!!! But then "mutt-names" always sound dumb!! I always try to stay away from mutt names for my animals! Unless it is in the latin form. But that is different. Even today we have animals whose latin names combine those of other animals. Like Hippotigris (tiger-horse) for zebras, Hippocamelus (camel-horse) for guemal deer, Myictis (mouse-weasel) for a small, tree-dwelling dasyure, and Cynictis (dog-weasel) for the yellow mongoose. But I don't believe in doing the same for the common names because these are their own animals. Anyway, TFIW thinks these so-called "squibbons" will be swinging from tree to tree like gibbons and there is no way that can ever happen!! Even with extra muscle and cartilage, it is not at all possible. Gibbons have bones specially placed in their hands for absorbing the shock of impact, squids do not have this. Cartilage is too soft. If they hit a branch at top speed, the cartilage and tendons holding the muscle would just disintegrate. And forget about them being able to leap from one branch to another. IMO, "squibbons" would be better off just creeping up trees like tree snails, and staying in one place. As for the "mega squid", forget about them!! Such a creature would be impossible for it to exist!!! They are too big to inhabit forests and too big to be carried around by simply cartilage and muscle! The animals that do have a skeletal structure of nothing but cartilage only live in the water, they never come on land. Those that do, too easily get crushed under their weight. Like if a great white shark were to beach it's self. It'd be too heavy on it's self to even breathe. And all that weight would make it impossible to support on leg structure made simply of cartilage and muscle.
In order for squids to retreat to a land-based existence, they would have to secrete something (like slime) in order to protect their skin from the sun. So it is my guess squids that retreat to land will have a slimy coat-covering. The beak of the animals will move above the arms, so they can use their arms for crawling. Crawling in a way like they grasp the ground and pull, like a sloth on the ground. Same for climbing squids, only they grasp up and pull, very slowly. For squids that feed on grass, they can reach out their arms and pull the grass to their beak and eat that way. Same with leaves, just reach and pull to their beak, and cut off the parts of the leaves they love and eat it that way.
I just got an idea this afternoon, for a squid that even hunts like a spider. Only their "web" is a long thin string of sticky slime. Like I said, all squids of this age secrete slime. But this species, I will call it Arasoupia, secretes a sticky slime from it's mouth to one of it's arms, sits on a tree branch and dangles the drip, awaiting an insect or other small creature to get caught in the sticky goo. Then the squid acts, pulling the droplet with the animal or insect attached to the end up to it's mouth, delivers a poisonous, paralyzing bite and eating the creature. So those are my ideas for tomorrow's squids.
Anyway, back to squids. In TFIW (The Future is Wild), they portrayed small, tree-swinging squids they called "squibbons". GOD I HATE that name!!!! But then "mutt-names" always sound dumb!! I always try to stay away from mutt names for my animals! Unless it is in the latin form. But that is different. Even today we have animals whose latin names combine those of other animals. Like Hippotigris (tiger-horse) for zebras, Hippocamelus (camel-horse) for guemal deer, Myictis (mouse-weasel) for a small, tree-dwelling dasyure, and Cynictis (dog-weasel) for the yellow mongoose. But I don't believe in doing the same for the common names because these are their own animals. Anyway, TFIW thinks these so-called "squibbons" will be swinging from tree to tree like gibbons and there is no way that can ever happen!! Even with extra muscle and cartilage, it is not at all possible. Gibbons have bones specially placed in their hands for absorbing the shock of impact, squids do not have this. Cartilage is too soft. If they hit a branch at top speed, the cartilage and tendons holding the muscle would just disintegrate. And forget about them being able to leap from one branch to another. IMO, "squibbons" would be better off just creeping up trees like tree snails, and staying in one place. As for the "mega squid", forget about them!! Such a creature would be impossible for it to exist!!! They are too big to inhabit forests and too big to be carried around by simply cartilage and muscle! The animals that do have a skeletal structure of nothing but cartilage only live in the water, they never come on land. Those that do, too easily get crushed under their weight. Like if a great white shark were to beach it's self. It'd be too heavy on it's self to even breathe. And all that weight would make it impossible to support on leg structure made simply of cartilage and muscle.
In order for squids to retreat to a land-based existence, they would have to secrete something (like slime) in order to protect their skin from the sun. So it is my guess squids that retreat to land will have a slimy coat-covering. The beak of the animals will move above the arms, so they can use their arms for crawling. Crawling in a way like they grasp the ground and pull, like a sloth on the ground. Same for climbing squids, only they grasp up and pull, very slowly. For squids that feed on grass, they can reach out their arms and pull the grass to their beak and eat that way. Same with leaves, just reach and pull to their beak, and cut off the parts of the leaves they love and eat it that way.
I just got an idea this afternoon, for a squid that even hunts like a spider. Only their "web" is a long thin string of sticky slime. Like I said, all squids of this age secrete slime. But this species, I will call it Arasoupia, secretes a sticky slime from it's mouth to one of it's arms, sits on a tree branch and dangles the drip, awaiting an insect or other small creature to get caught in the sticky goo. Then the squid acts, pulling the droplet with the animal or insect attached to the end up to it's mouth, delivers a poisonous, paralyzing bite and eating the creature. So those are my ideas for tomorrow's squids.
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