Welcome to my Metazoic site! This site discusses the existence of the creatures to come along after humans will be extinct. I first became interested in a world after man when I acquired my first copy of Dougal Dixon's After Man: A Zoology of the Future in 1992. However, I unwittingly created creatures that did not exist from the time I was about 8 years old. But it was after I obtained a copy of that book (now a collector's item) that I decided to take these same creatures I created as a child and make them more realistic in an evolutionary sense. Though it may be hard for a lot of us to grasp, humans will soon become extinct. One of the biggest factors of how this will happen is the current overpopulation rate. Which is why I don't contribute to the population. I created this world with little more than mammals fulfilling all ecological niches with the help of some friends. I even gave the era of the age after man a name, I called it the Metazoic, derived from the words for "After-era" (Meta, meaning after, and zoic meaning era). We are now in the Cenozoic era. To view all the animals I have created since I began this project, you can go to the "Meet the Mammals" section of this site. To discuss your own ideas about what you think will happen in the future world, and share your ideas with others, please feel free to leave a comment.
One more thing, some of you may find this site quite offensive, and you have a right to your own opinion. But please respect my right to have an opinion too. I'm not saying there is no GOD, I believe it was HIM who got the ball rolling. But I believe after that, evolution took over. There is so much more evidence of evolution than there is of creation. Even that going on right under our noses. Other than that, enjoy yourself and visit our many links.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Speculative Evolution Now Has A Face on Facebook!

Hey all! Finally a page for the subject of speculative evolution has arrived on Facebook! If you have a Facebook, join in! go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Speculative-Evolution/126129224131769. If you don't have a Facebook, get one! You can post pics, videos, discuss topics, invite all your friends to come! But please be respectful, for those sharing ideas and those critiquing. I will continue to keep up this blog, and post new announcements on there as well. As soon as I get settled in my new apartment in Bozeman, I will also be thinking up fun activities. See ya there!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Family of the Week: the Metazoic Moles

The moles of the Metazoic are basically a lot like they are today. The big difference is that the Metazoic mole family Scalprodensidae mostly every species bears tusks, to aid in burrowing underground along with their claws. The body is basically like that of modern moles, the body is longer than it is tall, the forelimbs are wide and the arms are greatly reduced, most of the size being taken up by their enormously large forefeet, with large, curved claws. Most species have no external ears, and the eyes are very small in all genera with the exception of Halioscabus. The hind feet are smaller than the forefeet. The nose is long and flexible, much like the noses of modern elephant shrews. The fur is short and slick. The nostrils have the ability to close tightly to keep the sand and dirt out. The tail is short in most species, and usually well-haired. Most species are subterrestrial animals, spending most of their time underground in burrows. But one species, Halioscabus, is fully aquatic, and lives in the oceans of the World. The range in size for Metazoic moles are about the size of a small mouse to the size of a medium-sized dog. They are carnivorous to some extent.

The largest species of mole in the Metazoic are those in Halioscabus. These are very large, ocean-going moles. Thier large feet are used for swimming, much like the desmans do today. The tail is naked and flat, and is slightly longer than the head and body, and moves in a side-to-side eel-like motion. They have no external ears, and their eyes are larger than in any other moles. These large moles spend most of their time in the water. But when they do come ashore, they move in a rather caterpillar-like motion. These moles however, only come to shore occasionally to breed, rear their young, and once in a while to sun themselves. These moles feed on fish and crabs, and they prefer to eat at the water's surface, rather than drag their prey to land or consume it underwater. These moles are very good at diving and swimming. They are not excessively fast swimmers, and usually use the element of surprise to capture their prey.

The smallest species of Metazoic moles are the species in Soriceus. These are the shrew moles. They are generally about the size of a small mouse, and more resemble shrews than moles. They still have the large-proportioned forefeet that is characteristic of other moles. The eyes are very small, they have no external ears, and one species even has a flat, shovel-like muzzle. The muzzle of this species is rather hard, though not like the beak of a bird. But the muzzle is bony and made to push moist dirt out of their burrows. Like other Metazoic moles, these animals rarely surface. The tail is long and furry, and actually plays no role in digging. These animals are insectivorous, and mostly favor hunting in areas where there is an abundance of ants and termites.

The largest land-based species are those of Psammonarus. These are called the sand-sharks or sometimes known as "gibblers". These are highly-aggressive moles that make their homes in the desert and arid regions. As one of their names imply, these animals do indeed behave like they are miniature sharks that live in the sand. If humans were around in the Metazoic, any one unfortunate enough that would encounter one of these moles would have to be careful, as these animals are small, desert-dwelling pit bulls that would literally snatch a person's toes off, biting down and holding tight with their powerful jaws, and spinning in a sort of "death roll" until they rip the flesh and bone off. The animal then proceeds to burrow away with their prize, to finish feeding on it. Most of the time, their prey consists of small animals and insects that happen to stumble where the mole is lying in wait. Insects, small mammals, lizards, snakes, birds, any animal is fair game, and often even large animals that walk anywhere within inches of the waiting mole will get their toes bitten off too. These moles do not bear tusks, but they do have sharp teeth that are capable of tearing easily through flesh. Their eyes are round and small, the head is large and blunt, the fur is short and soft, they have long claws, the mouth opens as wide as the head. They have no external ears. The tail is about half the length of the body and is well haired. They are not good walkers, but they are excellent, very fast burrowers.

Despite the fact that these animals are small predators themselves that live and burrow underground, they themselves fall prey to even larger predators. Any carnivorous mammals that can dig them out will eat moles. Snakes are also major predators. There is one variety of Metazoic "mole boa" that is blind, but is specialized in following these animals through their burrows, capturing and constricting them to death for food. Sometimes, predatory birds and bats will take moles who surface. Carnivorous pteropods sometimes will swoop and land down on a mole before it hits the surface.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Family of the Week: The Armored Shrews

OK, so these are not really shrews, but they do derive from them. The family Armigeridae consists of medium to large omnivorous mammals that have developed armor of one kind or another as protection from predators. Some species have armadillo-like armor, while others are covered in spines or spikes, and one species has flexible plates that creates a sort of alarm call to alert others in their pack of impending danger. Most species are covered with fine hair on the head and undersides, while the upperparts and neck is covered with hard, nearly impenetrable armor. The eyes and ears are small, and almost absent in some species. But the hearing and eyesight are superb. They create large burrows for themselves underground, and are equipped with long, sharp claws to handle the job of excavating their dens. Often the abandoned dens are used by other animals as well. The tail is as long as the head and body in these animals and is sometimes used for defense in some species. The nose is flat, much like a pig's snout. The body is stocky and legs are short, these are not fast runners at all.

The species with the largest ears is Cuniculatus, which is about 5 feet long, from nose to tail tip. They inhabit rather dry areas and the ears act as a sort of cooling agent. Like elephants, the ears flap back and forth constantly to fan the head and circulate air around the body. The armor of this species is restricted to the back side and between the ears. This prevents attack from predators grabbing them from the rear. The tail of this species is not exactly designed for defense. It is rather small, and well-haired. Usually it is tucked under the body when in defensive posture. This animal does have large claws, which as well as being great for digging it's burrow, can be used as defensive weapons against predators. The large ears also help make this animal appear bigger than they are, which can scare off most predators. These animals feed on a variety of small animals and grass.

The largest species belongs to Testudostrigla. This animal is 11 feet long from nose to tail tip. The ears are so small, they are almost invisible underneath the head armor. The armor completely covers the upperparts of this animal. The claws are huge, and sharp, very efficient defensive weapons, as well as useful for burrying themselves in the sand to keep cool. These animals rarely drink water, but when some water is available, they do not hesitate to grab a sip or two. The fur on the body is short and lies smooth. It covers all the underparts of the animal, and the face. The crown that towers over the eyes and ears also has small, sharp, hornlike projectiles that act as sparring devices during the mating season. These animals feed on a wide variety of small vertebrates, insects, as well as tubers, grasses, and what ever they can find. They are one of few mammals in the Metazoic that is more active at night than during the day. But even so, the eyes are still rather small, even though their eyesight is as good as our own.

The most interesting species belong to Crotalonotus. These are large mammals, about 6-8 feet long, with small ears, large eyes, and unusual armor on the back. The armor is almost useless for protection, as it is made up of loose plates. Instead, this armor offers the animal the ability to warn all others of their kind with a makeshift alarm. This alarm can sound relative to that of a rattlesnake. It is made using special muscles in the back that moves each plate individually, at high speeds. This causes the plates to rub against each other to make this sound. The more terrified the animal is, the faster the plates rattle. These are also the fastest runners in this family. They rely on speed and their burrows to keep them safe from predators. But if one is cornered, it can use it's sharp tusks and claws to deter a predator, and these can be savage weaponary attacks!

Though these species are omnivores, they are not without predators. Deinognathids are among their worst threats, as are mongooses and predatory bats. A large Deinognathid can easily crush the armor of these animals. Smaller deinognathids and mongooses have to flip the victims over and tear into the soft underbelly. But these large shrews are also quite quick to roll into a hard ball, or lie flat on the ground, acting as their own impermeable fortress.