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.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Family of the Week: The Mongooses and Civets

The family Viverridae is made up of mongooses and civets in the Metazoic. Only these are not like the tiny creatures seen today. This family has a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Rather than be creatures only of the Old World as we know them today, the Metazoic version of these animals have colonized every corner of the Earth. They are still very predatory in nature, many feeding alongside such creatures as Deinognathus and even the Metazoic foxes. The variety in this family is very variable. Some species are tiny, weasel-like animals, though they are much bolder in the Metazoic than they are in the Cenozoic. Some are cat-like in appearance, with long whiskers and retractable claws and a bushy tail. A couple of varieties have even become giant, oceanic predators, and developed flippers in place of legs. One thing that most Metazoic Viverrid species completely lacks is the musk gland that their modern relatives have at the base of their tails. This gland is only still present in Viverra, Deinictis and Ischnonia, but it's effects have been greatly reduced. Instead of spraying their attackers, these animals have become bolder adversaries, and despite their size, are quite feisty in nature. Spraying has become a last resort. In the Metazoic, most species are diurnal, with the exception of Viverra, GenettaLinsang, Civittus and Paragalidia. Most species have large eyes, small, round ears, and long, doglike muzzles. The claws are sharp and curved, like those of a cat. They range in size from the size of a rat, to the size of a small whale. The teeth are long and very sharp, and they often kill their prey by biting and then shaking the prey, more like a dog. The canine teeth are long and straight as needles.

The smallest species in this family are in Deinictis, which are tiny mongooses. Though they do possess the musky gland on the base of their tails, it is rarely used outside of battling others of their own kind. Particularly among mating males. This animal instead has a greater weapon against attackers. They are fast and they can bite hard! The bite usually causes septecemia, or at the very least, a localized infection, which slowly causes the attacker to die or become disabled. Unlike most other Viverrids, these little mongooses attack without much provocation. They are simply fast and furious little creatures. Their diet of insects, mice, small birds and reptiles keeps them active and on their toes. Like today's mongooses, these animals are small and weasel-like in appearance, and also in ferocity!

The largest species in this family is Haliophonia, the giant sea genet. Though it is not a true genet, it is a descendant of the Metazoic river genet (Cleochareia), which is a much smaller animal that took to the water in the early Metazoic, getting most of it's genes from the modern fishing genet (Osbornictis), except that it took it's talent a step further and began actually swimming after fish and crabs. Haliophonia is the ending masterpiece of aquatic Viverrid creation. It does not have very well formed legs, but rather flippers. Though the forelimbs still have paws and even retractable claws. These animals grow to a full adult size of around 45 feet. The tail has become a long, paddle-shaped appendage, which aids in propelling this animal through the water. The fur is short, but very soft. These animals feed on meat, and lots of it. Besides fish and squids, Haliophonia also feeds on sea birds and mammals. Common victims of the giant sea genet include Rhynchocebus, ThalictisChamenius and Natopterus, as well as numerous seal species and birds. As seen in modern leopard seals, the giant sea genet tears larger prey animals into small chunks by slamming the body against the water's surface. This is often the case for Chamenius, Rhynchocebus, Thalictis and smaller seals. Small prey, like Natopterus, is simply swallowed whole. In one sitting, the giant sea genet may take as many as 20 Natopterus.

The largest land-based viverrid in the Metazoic is Tarboailurus. This is essentially a giant, saber-toothed mongoose. The teeth are large and strong, growing to a size of about 12 inches. The claws are retractable, the tail is long and stiff for balance. This giant mongoose often makes huge leaps onto the back of it's prey. The long, stiff tail aids in this maneuver. Single-handedly, Tarboailurus can bring down prey the size of a gigantelope. But they usually prefer smaller prey. Tarboailurus, and it's smaller counterpart, Cynocephalogale, are the only viverrids that have this stiff tail. But while Cynocephalogale may hunt in packs, Tarboailurus works alone. Both varieties are extremely fast animals, but their main hunting strategy is the long stalk and a quick pounce. Tarboailurus is so tough, most of the time, even Deinognathus stays out of it's way!

Though the largest examples of this family may not have any predators as adults, the smaller species are often victimized by any species large enough to kill them. This includes foxes, cats, predatory rats, deinognathids, predatory bats and birds, large reptiles, and even larger viverrids.

4 comments:

el Squibbonator said...

One word: AWESOME!

Dee TimmyHutchFan said...

To be honest, that's what I say too.

adopt lemur life said...

thanks

Unknown said...

make a whole book!!!!!!