In the south of Mesogea is a large area of open, red
coloured grassland. Forests are prevented from growing here not only because of
the drier air further from the coasts, but also the planet’s strong winds.
Forests do exist, but only in places especially conductive to the growth of
plants; here, forests can more easily develop a protective outer layer of
especially wind resistant trees. Open grassland is far more common a biome,
however, especially far from the sub-stellar point.
Almost all of Mesogea is on the planet’s day side, and certainly the entirety of the area of grassland being discussed. The sun hangs low on the horizon, however, the region permanently stuck in late afternoon. The trees scattered across the area all face towards the near-motionless sun.
This region of grassland isn’t completely monotonous. There are areas of savanna as it transitions towards forest, and towards the continent’s central desert in the north it gradually gets drier, making way to shrubland. The savanna is where animals are most abundant, which consists of the usual red grass in addition to feathery trees. Terrestrial sponges are common too, and the trees aren’t large enough or densely packed enough to form a canopy overhead. Wind is less of an issue here since it’s obstructed by the trees and sponges over long distances, but further north the winds get much more intense. Winds become especially strong in flat plains, since even in open steps the wind can be obstructed by hills.
The savanna and grassland of southern Mesogea is regularly plagued by sandstorms from the large Akasara Desert to the north, blanketing the sky in the red sand of that region.
Fin-backed
Tarus
(Tilusa
nusulu)
Diet: Spiky grass (iculophytes),
will supplement their diet with small amounts of fruit and other more
nutrient-dense sessile food
Habitat: Savannahs
and steppes
Reproduction: Sequential
hermaphroditism; the fin-backed tarus is protandrous, with all individuals being
born male and becoming female if they’re the largest member of a herd. Large,
hard-shelled eggs are laid from which small larvae emerge, undergoing
metamorphosis into their adult form over time. Young are cared for.
The herbivorous tariforms are common throughout the
mainlands of Xenosulia, dominating their niche as large herbivores. Of
particular note are the species of fin-backed tarus, of the genus Tilusu,
which can be found in large numbers in the savannahs and open planes of
Mesogea, Arunia and Occasia. As an order, tariforms are mainly characterised by
the presence of an enlarged anterior stomach in their oral proboscis, and a
horny protrusion at the end of their proboscis to aid in cutting vegetation. Perhaps
more importantly, the gizzard, more commonly located in the proboscis, is
pulled back into the head. Here, the muscles can push back against the skull to
generate more force, allowing for the grinding of tougher vegetation.
The Mesogean fin-backed tarus, Tilusu nusulu, is fairly typical of the genus, and was the first to be extensively studied after the arrival of the initial colony ships. The name “tarus” itself comes from a contraction of the Gontanic term “tari us”, meaning “three horse”; early colonists often compared them to tripedal horses. This comparison isn’t far off, as tariforms do consist of a great number of cursorial herbivores, although the fin-backed tarus is less energetic than many other taruses, relying more on its greater size for defence. The term “tarus” typically only refers to larger species of tariform, although in a scientific context it is often used to describe the order as a whole.
In common with many other tariforms, they assume an unguligrade stance, supporting their weight on the tips of their toes. Each claw has developed into a protective hoof. When walking slowly, they only lift one leg off the ground at a time, but when running the two front legs act together while the powerful rear leg works to push them off. Their legs are made all the more powerful by a greatly enlarged hydraulic pump, giving their back a visible hump.
Reproduction and social structure
Characteristic of the genus is the presence of a dorsal fan which, along with the single nasal horn, is used for sexual display. Males use their horns to fight each other, and when they do so will often attempt to damage each other’s fans. Herds tend to consist of a single dominant female, far larger than the others, and numerous smaller males. All individuals start off as male, at least after their larval stage. Juvenile males will remain in the same herd as their mother, leaving to find another herd upon sexual maturity in the hopes of gaining mating rights from this herd’s female. The dominant female mates with a limited number of the herd’s fertile males, choosing those with the most impressive dorsal fans and horns; there is usually a single male the female mates with far more than any others.
If the female dies she will be replaced by the largest male; this is often, but not always, her preferred mate. Upon changing sex the new dominant female of the herd will shed her horn and dorsal fan in addition to drastically growing in size. Sometimes, more than one individual will change sex and compete for the position of dominant female, although this rarely lasts long; females tend to be hostile with each other and will even engage in infanticide if the competing female gets the chance to mate.
The female is provided with a great deal of food by the fertile males in addition to that which it obtains through grazing, aiding in her ability to grow as large as she does. Since she needs to lay enough eggs to sustain the herd, a large size is an invaluable advantage. Once the female’s eggs hatch, the males collectively care for the larvae, providing them with food and good soil to live in as well as protecting them from predators.
Taxonomic classification
Tree: Xenosulivitae
Domain: Rhytocaryota
Kingdom: Xenosulizoa
Phylum: Hydratozoa
Superclass: Tripoda
Clade: Sucodermata
Class: Spinoptilita
Superorder: Cerostomata
Order: Tariformes
Family: Cavidae
Genus: Tilusa
Species: T. nusulu
Red
Mesogean Horseshoe
(Finusoma
erythronoton)
Diet: dead biomatter particles from algae and aeroplankton
Habitat: dry open steppes
Reproduction: protogynous, females capable of
parthenogenesis, lay hundreds of eggs a year
With air algae abundant in the atmosphere, the ground inevitably
receives detritus from the metabolic activities and death of these organisms.
As such, many species have adapted to take advantage of this. This detritus is
especially common in open plains, where countless species within the order
pulusiformes can be found in abundance, grazing on it.
Pulusiforms make common pets, kept in tanks in many people’s homes. Food for them, made from processed algae, can be bought at most stores, which is sprinkled onto the floor of their habitat.
Wind tolerance
In wide open grasslands they are subjected to strong winds, so to aid in their tolerance of this their bodies are flattened against the ground, reducing air resistance and allowing the wind to pass right over them with little trouble. Unlike many larger species, they’re unable to use their weight to stay grounded, and they tend to live in areas too windy for most other animals. Even plants taller than grass struggle in these places.
Their scales further protect them from the wind, preventing their skin from getting damaged by the abrasion of any particles caught up in the air. A muscular “foot” on their tail, similar to the underside of Earth gastropods, in addition to aiding on locomotion, also allows them to grasp firmly onto the ground if the winds get too intense.
The eastern winds, coming from the planet’s dark side, can be very cold, and are often the strongest and most prevalent of winds. This poses a challenge for animals living in open and windy areas, with the winds chilling them to the bone. As such, pulusiforms have a very good cold tolerance in spite of being cold blooded, and are even known to survive being frozen. They usually deal with cold weather by entering a state of torpor rather than putting too much effort into remaining warm.
Feeding
Unlike spinoptilites, the oral proboscis can be fully retracted into the head, with the relatively undeveloped digestive organs of the proboscis allowing for this. On the inside of the proboscis’s mouth is a radula, with the brush-like teeth specifically designed to pick up detritus off of the grass.
Although they are typically slow movers, they spend most of the day inching across the grasslands, covering a great distance over time. They stay in a single place until they’ve exhausted all usable detritus, before moving on to a different spot and scrapping the grass for more food. Although it’s not the most energy-rich food, it is plentiful, so little effort is spent searching for food.
Defence
One of the most recognisable features of pulusiforms, shared by most species, is the horseshoe shaped compound eye, providing the animal with good peripheral vision. Since they’re quite small, they’re a common target of predators, although their preferred defence tactic is keeping still in the hopes they aren’t noticed. Since they’re usually well camouflaged this often works, although they can be fast if they need to be, and many species possess poisons.
Although poisonous pulusiforms are common, Finusoma erythronoton lacks any such poisons. However, its red scales provide it with good camouflage against the red grass in its natural habitat. The animal can also move more quickly than many other pulusiforms, with reasonably long front limbs and claws that allow it to grip the ground. They’re quite common in the drier parts of the grasslands of Mesogea, and relatives of this species can be found in savannas and the outskirts of the deserts.
Reproduction
Pulusiforms are known for their fast breeding rate, Finusoma erythronoton being no exception. They’re able to lay hundreds of eggs in a year, each of which a hatchling resembling a miniature adult emerges from, very few of which survive to adulthood. They do very little to look after their young, instead relying on producing large numbers of offspring.
Most pulusiforms are capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction, which will vary depending on conditions. At low population densities, all individuals will remain female throughout their life and regularly produce countless offspring without the need for fertilisation. When populations are higher, or resources scarcer, they have comparatively fewer offspring, most of which are produced sexually. In these conditions, around half of all individuals become male.
Taxonomic classification
Tree: Xenosulivitae
Domain: Rhytocaryota
Kingdom: Xenosulizoa
Phylum: Hydratozoa
Superclass: Tripoda
Clade: Sucodermata
Class: Xenosquamita
Order: Pulusiformes
Family: Finusomidae
Genus: Finusoma
Species: F. erythronoton
Tackypod
(Kottos
kottos)
Diet: small animals
Habitat: savannah
Reproduction: protogynous; individuals are born female, and
become male as they grow larger
On Xenosulia, bipedalism has evolved from initially tripedal
ancestors numerous times. The predatory dromeiforms are one such group. As fast
moving carnivores, they dominate the Xenosulian mainlands as apex predators,
filling numerous different predatory niches. Most dromeiforms are pursuit
predators, although some members of the clade do employ other strategies.
Dromeiforms
Characteristic of the group is the greatly reduced rear-leg, the splitting of the single compound eye into two separate eyes, greatly enlarged secondary eyes at the front of the face, an elongated – often tail-like – rear, and two lateral tentacles to aid in balance. Having flexible skin with a layer of sub-dermal hydraulic muscle underneath, tentacles evolve fairly easily, supported entirely by hydrostatic pressure. This is far from the only time such an innovation has occurred in sucoderms.
It seems likely that the spitting-in-two of the compound eye occurred in order to allow the dorsal ocelli to move forward; while the compound eyes are used primarily for peripheral vision, the simple eyes’ ability to detect faster movement makes them more useful than compound eyes for catching prey. These eyes are actually able to resolve images, unlike the secondary eyes of most other animals, although their colour vision is much more limited than that of the compound eyes.
Members of this group are commonly referred to as tackypods in Gontanic, referencing the resemblance of some species to birds (or at least their legs to those of birds). This term is usually only reserved for smaller species, however.
Kottos kottos
Although dromeiforms comprise the largest of land predators, there are many smaller species in this group too, such as Kottos kottos. They mainly prey on smaller animals, including entomopterite “bugbirds”, catching them with their rapid moving oral proboscises. Lacking any kind of teeth, much less jaws, they kill their prey by constriction, using their acidic saliva to dissolve their prey once they’re dead. Their clawed feet can also be used to assist in the cutting up of prey once it begins corroding, and are sometimes used to catch slower moving or unwary prey.
Taxonomic classification
Tree: Xenosulivitae
Domain: Rhytocaryota
Kingdom: Xenosulizoa
Phylum: Hydratozoa
Superclass: Tripoda
Clade: Sucodermata
Class: Spinoptilita
Order: Dromeiformes
Family: Kottidae
Genus: Kottos
Onychodon
Diet: smaller taruses, bugbirds, small but fast-moving
animals; will also hunt larger animals with the use of tools
Habitat: savannahs and grasslands
Reproduction: protogynous; individuals are born female, and
become male as they grow larger
A much larger dromeiform species is Terraculi mesogensis,
a successful pursuit predator and the main threat to fast moving herbivores.
The animal’s speed provides it with an adequate means of catching such prey, which
includes many of the more cursorial taruses, although because of its method of
killing – constriction – it also hunts prey quite a bit smaller than itself. Constricting
larger prey is difficult, and although they have been known to pierce them in
vital areas with their claws, this requires a lot of precision. Terraculi
mesogensis will also catch entomopterites, typically larger species than
the smaller tackypods prefer.
The anatomy and behaviour of T. mesogensis is fairly typical of the family it belongs to, Dromeisauridae. Dromeisaurids are typically colloquially referred to as onychodons, which was originally the name of a now defunct dromeisaurid genus. The term onychodon may also refer to other large dromeiforms, and is often used interchangeably with the term “landshark”.
Intelligence
Perhaps because of the difficulties they face in catching larger prey, they are very social animals. They are known to hunt in packs, exhibiting cunning tactics, although solitary hunting has been observed too – especially when hunting bugbirds.
They are also known to fashion simple spears out of tree exoskeleton or animal bone, but based on the wealth of cognitive studies performed on them there is little evidence they’re much more intelligent than Earth’s reptiles. Or, perhaps, certain cephalopods. They show little innovation in their toolmaking, and efforts to teach them new techniques have proven unsuccessful; it seems they mostly rely on instinct, much like a bird building a nest, or bees building a hive.
Still, they exhibit much greater cognitive abilities than most other animals native to Xenosulia. One should keep in mind that both reptiles and cephalopods have since been shown to be far more intelligent than assumed in the early 21st Century, so the comparison isn’t to say they’re that unintelligent – just less so than mammals in many respects.
Physical adaptations
Terraculi mesogensis possesses many adaptations for running that smaller dromeiform species lack. Their bodies are elongated and aerodynamic, and to reduce drag their spines have been lost. Their balancing tentacles have been elongated, and are a bit thicker than in smaller species, improving their balance and allowing them to manoeuvre with more dexterity.
They have good senses, too, with their two largest secondary
eyes greatly enlarged even for dromeiforms, almost looking like a second pair
of compound eyes. The compound eyes are elongated for better peripheral vision,
allowing the animal to scan its surroundings for potential prey. At the same
time, the two enlarged simple eyes give good depth perception for successful
grabbing of prey for constriction. Or, as is often the case, accurate spear
strikes. The two lowest pair of dorsal eyes are sensitive to long-wave infrared
radiation, which have lost their lenses; the cupitin their lenses are made from
blocks such light. These heat pits are useful for locating well-hidden prey by
detecting their body heat, although the sense organs are far more developed in
related species that live closer to – or past – the day-night terminator line,
where it provides an advantage in these darker environments.
Tree: Xenosulivitae
Domain: Rhytocaryota
Kingdom: Xenosulizoa
Phylum: Hydratozoa
Superclass: Tripoda
Clade: Sucodermata
Class: Spinoptilita
Order: Dromeiformes
Family: Dromeisauridae
Genus: Terraculi
Size: 1.5 – 2.1 meters in length
Domain: Rhytocaryota
Kingdom: Xenosulizoa
Phylum: Hydratozoa
Superclass: Tripoda
Clade: Sucodermata
Class: Spinoptilita
Order: Dromeiformes
Family: Dromeisauridae
Genus: Terraculi
Spotted
Leopard-snake
(Leoserpens
coccinus)
Diet: Medium to large taruses, as well as hard-bodied
animals. Also eats fruit, nuts and seeds
Habitat: savannah; can also be found in the outskirts of
woodland areas
Reproduction: remain hermaphroditic throughout their life,
lays eggs
Although tripods basally lack any kind of jaw, they have
been developed independently in multiple different groups. Trignathites are one
such clade to develop jaws. The jaws being repurposed from their front limb
pair, trignathites are forced to move around on their belies like a snake, with
the rear leg greatly reduced. This is a worthwhile trade off, as the biting
strength this gives them allows them to excel as predators. Their lack of legs
also provides an advantage in open spaces where animals are exposed to more
winds, as this means their body is closer to the ground and has less wind
resistance.
Since they’re unable to run great distances, most rely on ambushing their prey. Compound eyes aren’t well-suited for this purpose, so have been lost, with the simple eyes offering far more visual clarity than they do in other groups. In the case of the order Vermiformes, which Leoserpens coccinus belongs to, one pair of these eyes is situated on a pair of tentacles. This allows the animal to see above grass and other plant life as it hides in wait for prey.
As a member of the family leoserpentidae, Leoserpens coccinus is larger than other trignathites, and is partially omnivorous. They live in groups – often referred to as herds, in spite of the animals being predatory – both for protection from predators and for hunting, and spend a great deal of their time either resting or waiting for prey to fall into their traps.
Hunting and feeding
Herds of Leoserpens coccinus catch food by strategically positioning themselves as they hide in wait, so that if one individual misses their target this opens up the opportunity for another to catch it. As such they are one of the few ambush predators on the planet that hunt cooperatively. Whoever does end up catching the prey will always share it among the other members of the group, although the amount an individual is given depends on their position within the group hierarchy.
When not resting or hunting, L. coccinus can be found foraging for food, which largely consists of seeds and nut-like fruit and other easy to digest vegetation, usually from bushes and other plants that can be found in the savanna. Their jaws allow them to easily bite into such food, making them well suited to such a diet – especially when compared to the countless jawless animals they share their habitat with.
The jaws of L. coccinus are exceptionally strong even for trignathites, due to a certain adaptations shared with other members of their order. On either side of the body, close to the head (although technically inside the “skull”), are two large hollows – usually large enough to create bulges on either side of the body – which house muscle dedicated solely to jaw movement. Since their jaws are comparatively short, this gives an immense mechanical advantage, allowing them to bite down with virtually unrivalled strength. This makes them especially suited for hunting laminite prey, as well as the shelled relatives of pulusiforms. However, they do also take down larger animals by aiming for vital areas – often tearing out vital blood vessels.
Leaping
Another feature shared by other members of their order is the presence of long bladders stretched along their bodies, which extend under hydraulic pressure. Their spine is able to extend a bit, allowing vermiforms to use these hydraulic pistons to stretch their bodies forward suddenly and leap. Catching prey would be a lot more difficult without this adaptation, since their ordinary means of locomotion is much slower. They’re not able to leap like this outside of sudden bursts (hence their preference for sit-and-wait ambush tactics), as it takes time for them to build up the necessary pressure. Because of their dependence on hydraulics, the primary hydraulic pump of vermiforms is greatly enlarged in many species, creating a visible bulge in Leoserpens coccinus.
Taxonomic classification
Tree: Xenosulivitae
Domain: Rhytocaryota
Kingdom: Xenosulizoa
Phylum: Hydratozoa
Superclass: Tripoda
Clade: Sucodermata
Class: Trignathita
Order: Vyrmiformes
Family: Leoserpentidae
Genus: Leoserpens
Species: L. coccinus
Tree: Xenosulivitae
Domain: Rhytocaryota
Kingdom: Xenosulizoa
Phylum: Hydratozoa
Superclass: Tripoda
Clade: Sucodermata
Class: Trignathita
Order: Vyrmiformes
Family: Leoserpentidae
Genus: Leoserpens
Species: L. coccinus
Northern
Tusk-dog
(Osteovorus
savanna)
Diet: carryon, especially tougher flesh and the contents of
bones
Habitat: savannah, steppes, shrubland
Reproduction: become male or female upon reaching sexual maturity, remain that sex throughout their life. Lays eggs, from which larvae hatch, and they care for their young.
Jaw anatomy
Basally, culodonts have four horns or “teeth” used for biting, which are actually highly developed dermal spines that have become ossified and gained attachments to the skeleton. There is one pair on either leg, just above the knee, and two under the head behind the oral proboscis. Most species also have a webbing of skin between the head and knee, and between both legs down to the knee, which function as cheeks. Such species also have hard growths on the upper legs and underside of the head that act as molars. This condition is now known to have evolved independently more than once, rather than representing a single clade.
Feeding
While some culodont species have developed various means of taking down larger animals, such as using the upper pair of horn-teeth to pierce into their prey, Osteovorus savanna exists largely as a scavenger. They still do hunt, but will only catch smaller animals, using the horn on their proboscis to spear pulusiforms as well as other similarly sized prey. A larger portion of their diet consists of carryon, mostly large animals like taruses. The presence of their carnassial molars allows them to chew through tougher meat than most other scavengers would be able to, so that’s what they tend to focus on, and they’re even able to break open bones to consume the energy-dense starch stored within.
Social structure
While some individuals are solitary, many live in small groups of two to five to increase their odds of finding food. Tusk-dogs are often territorial, especially the males, and will mark their territory with infertile gametozoans. These gametozoans will defend the tusk-dog’s territory, stinging intruders, and although more of a nuisance than anything else they’re willing to fight to the death. Tusk-dogs will rarely tolerate another male in their group. Although all tusk-dogs are born hermaphroditic, they will become either male or female upon reaching sexual maturity based on their size, with larger individuals being male. Growth typically stops at adulthood, and males generally see more reproductive success at a larger size than they would if they were smaller.
Tree: Xenosulivitae
Domain: Rhytocaryota
Kingdom: Xenosulizoa
Phylum: Hydratozoa
Superclass: Tripoda
Clade: Sucodermata
Class: Spinoptilita
Order: Culodontiformes
Family: Osteovoridae
Genus: Osteovorus
Species: O. savanna
Crested
Screambird
Diet: seeds, tiny
animals (spherozoans, cardozoans and various worm-like organisms), occasionally
fish and other forms of food
Habitat: savannah
Reproduction: sequential hermaphrodites; all individuals are born female,
and will either remain female or temporarily become male during breeding
periods. Lays eggs, and cares for their young.
Acopti kibiatu belongs to the order Acoptiformes, a
group of very proficient long-distance fliers. They are commonly known as the
crested screambird; so named for its distinctive echolocative screech. To
further aid in echolocation, they have an extra pair of spiracles specialised
for that purpose, rather than the usual two in most entomopterites.
They are more generalist than many other acoptiforms, and can flourish in a wider range of environments. This is perhaps one of the reasons they’re so prevalent in human settlements, in addition to their already existing abundance. Their adaptability means they have little difficulty figuring out what waste is edible to them, and they’re intelligent and resourceful enough to find their way into buildings if they need to. The tendency for people to feed them certainly helps increase their numbers in cities.
Flight
As is common for acoptiforms, the crested screambirds migrates great distances towards and away from the sub-stellar point in response to changes in the sun’s temperature, often going to more tropical areas during solar winters. They depend heavily on soaring flight during their long migrations. The presence of magnetoreceptors in their beak, characteristic of their order, allows them to navigate very well; coupled with the fact the sun’s always in the same place, they’re able to determine both latitude and longitude most of the time. This magnetoreceptor is formed from the build-up of iron from the blood in the beak.
Because of ability to travel great distances, acoptiform species can be found in virtually every part of the world. Acopti kibiatu itself can be found all over Mesogea, Arunia, and Occasia. They are even present in Silidia and Zephyria, though their numbers aren’t as great here. Although there are some differences between the populations in each of these areas, they’re all classified as the same species, and the changes are so gradual that dividing them into subspecies is difficult.
The hip processes of Acopti kibiatu is much longer than in many other entomopterites, giving them a much large range of control over the aspect ratio of their wings. This allows them to broaden their wings for more controlled flight or narrow them for soaring.
Reproduction
It is common for entomopterites to exhibit a kind of sequential hermaphroditism where the birds are born female and remain female most of the time, with some individuals temporarily becoming male during the breeding season. The crested screambird is no exception. Since Xenosulia has a year too short to have any significant annual seasonal cycle – with a year lasting about a week – they depend on the less predictable changes in stellar temperature instead. As a variable star, Zhimuchua 23 subjects Xenosulia to colder “solar winters” during periods when the star is covered with more sunspots than usual.
Screambirds will prepare to mate when the sun starts to get brighter during a solar winter, indicating it may be over soon. However, some winters can last particularly long, so screambirds will mate anyway after a certain amount of time has passed since the last mating season. Without doing so, they may risk dying before they get a chance to mate. While it is best to mate as a solar winter comes to an end to ensure eggs are laid at the start of the summer – which means their young will spend as much time as possible in warmer weather – if things seem unlikely to change soon it’s worth risking laying eggs in sub-optimal conditions. This waiting period is longer during winters than during summers.
The breeding season typically occurs at around the same time for all screambirds in a single area. This is despite the fact the exact thresholds for deciding to start mating can vary between individuals; chemical signifiers are used to trigger mating season behaviours in other birds. Whether an individual becomes male (known as “maleing”) or remains female will depend on which mating strategy is optimal. If an individual is able to consume enough high-calorie food to put on the weight needed to bear offspring, but hasn’t been able to consume many plants with the pigments males need for their vibrant colouration, then this individual is much more likely to have success mating as a female than a male. However, an individual with a fairly low body weight that has consumed a plentiful amount of plant pigments will see more success as a male. The conditions for maleing within Acopti kibiatu is fairly typical of entomopterites, although they do differ in some species.
When undergoing maleing, an individual’s skin changes to green, their crest becomes larger and purple, and they develop vibrant patterns on their wing membranes. This makes them a lot easier for predators to spot, but this is a worthwhile trade-off to attract a mate. As alluded to above, the pigments for this colouration are obtained from plants; screambirds are incapable of synthesizing the necessary pigments themselves.
 |
| The crested screambird after undergoing maleing |
Taxonomic classification
Tree: Xenosulivitae
Domain: Rhytocaryota
Kingdom: Xenosulizoa
Phylum: Hydratozoa
Superclass: Tripoda
Clade: Sucodermata
Class: Entomopterita
Order: Acoptiformes
Family: Acoptidae
Genus: Acopti
Species: A. kibiatu
Green-breasted
Lutoraptor
(Microfalcon
sucu)
Size: 50 – 60 cm
wingspan, 22 – 28 cm long (from toe to nose, with rear leg outstretched)
Diet: small animals, primarily other bugbirds, also eats
carrion and fish
Habitat: savannahs and open plains
Reproduction: sequential hermaphrodites; all individuals are
born female, and will either remain female or temporarily become male during
breeding periods. Lays eggs, and cares for their young.
Feeding
While they focus mainly on other bugbirds, they also eat terrestrial species and sometimes fish. Most of their food is obtained through hunting, but they will also consume carrion when it’s available.
Prey is killed primarily by spearing them with their sharp beak. Although their rear-leg claw is capable of grasping, with only one digit this is hardly effective and is only used to grab smaller prey.
The proboscis curls differently to other entomopterites, allowing the beak to spring straight forward rather than taking a curved path as it does when other bugbirds uncurl their proboscis. Hydraulic pressure is used to shoot the beak out more rapidly, and they have good enough aim to consistently hit vital areas.
Once prey is killed, it is ripped up with the beak, a process that takes much longer than the rapid act of hunting itself. They focus mainly on the softer tissues, leaving behind the bones and tougher flesh for animals better suited for scavenging; among them certain related lutoraptors.
Anatomy
In addition to the atypical way the proboscis curls, lutoraptors have a number of other features that distinguish them as a group. While their compound eyes are outstretched and on the sides of their head to give them a wide field of view, they have two enlarged simple eyes, similar to those of dromeiformes, that provide them with good depth perception. This is essential in making precise strikes with their beak, and without this adaptation they’d frequently miss. They also have a pair of simple eyes adapted for heat detection, which can be useful for locating well-hidden prey.
The hip spurs are more typical of entomopterites than those of Acopti kibiatu, much smaller in size, although they do possess a joint at the base as well as muscles specialising for the repositioning of the appendage. This gives them slightly more control in flight than they would have otherwise.
Taxonomic classification
Tree: Xenosulivitae
Domain: Rhytocaryota
Kingdom: Xenosulizoa
Phylum: Hydratozoa
Superclass: Tripoda
Clade: Sucodermata
Class: Entomopterita
Order: Lutoraptoriformes
Family: Lutoraptoridae
Genus: Microfalcon
Species: M. sucu
Sufi
(Sufi vulgaris)
Diet: aeroplankton, supplements their diet with
vegetation
Habitat: open steppes, shrubland
Reproduction: start off as male, but become hermaphroditic
as they grow larger, gaining the ability to lay eggs
With the planet’s strong winds and abundant aeroplankton and
airborne algae, filter feeding is common on the surface. Although the most
widespread terrestrial filter feeders are the large sedentary members of the
phylum Xenospongozoa, more active filter feeders do also exist. One such group
to specialise in terrestrial filter feeding are the sitostomes, characterised
primarily by their grossly enlarged oral proboscis, which can sometimes take up
more volume than the body itself. Sitostomes are especially common in the
planet’s open plains, where winds are strong.
Sufi vulgaris is a fairly small sitostome that also supliments its diet with plants. Like most sitostomes it fairly slow moving, spending a lot of its time standing still and facing the wind. For protection, they live in herds, just like many of the plain’s herbivores. Specialised hairs are used to detect the wind direction, and Sufi vulgaris has holes at the side of its proboscis to allow air to pass back out.
Taxonomic classification
Tree: Xenosulivitae
Domain: Rhytocaryota
Kingdom: Xenosulizoa
Phylum: Hydratozoa
Superclass: Tripoda
Clade: Sucodermata
Class: Spinoptilita
Order: Sitostomatiformes
Family: Sufidae
Genus: Sufi
Species: S. vulgaris
Southern
Mesogean Mac
(Macrocephalus
australis)
Diet: aeroplankton
Habitat: open steppes, shrubland
Reproduction: start off as male, but become hermaphroditic as they grow larger, gaining the ability to lay eggs. Mating occurs by allowing gametozoans to be blown in the wind; their sensory hairs are greatly elongated to allow for this
As a larger animal that depends more on filter feeding, Macrocephalus is even more slow moving, and their proboscis is far more enlarged, almost unnaturally so.
Taxonomic classification
Tree: Xenosulivitae
Domain: Rhytocaryota
Kingdom: Xenosulizoa
Phylum: Hydratozoa
Superclass: Tripoda
Clade: Sucodermata
Class: Spinoptilita
Order: Sitostomatiformes
Family: Macrocephalidae
Genus: Macrocephalus
Species: M. australis
Common
Field Oc
Diet: seeds, fruit, grass
Habitat: grassland and savannah
Reproduction: remains hermaphroditic throughout their life,
breeds at a rapid rate.
Acanthonota maximus belongs to a group of
spinoptilites called polylutiforms, so named for their tendency to shed through
multiple “tongues”. In actuality, it’s just the hard outer layer that’s shed,
rather than the radula itself. Members of the family Ancanthonotidae are
colloquially referred to as “ocs” or “oclins”, a Gontanic term originally
referring to the hedgehogs of Earth in certain dialects.
The main defining characteristic of the group is the hardened radula; rather than consisting of soft tissue with cupitinous teeth, the entire radula has become covered in a layer of hard cupitin, the whole organ acting as a single spiny tooth. This is shed and replaced by the layer beneath at a rate rapid enough to compensate for the constant erosion of the tooth. This tooth tends to be enlarged compared to the radulae of other groups, and while they’re often inflexible, in the case of the field oc the cupitin layer is thin enough that it can be flexed to an extent.
Defence
The oclin is a small animal, although its small size is typical of polylutiforms. While far larger species have existed in the past, they have since been outcompeted by more modern herbivore groups like taruses. As such, it depends largely on its small size and ability to hide to avoid predators.
While their small size allows them to hide well, and they have sharp enough senses to be quickly alerted to danger, Acanthonota maximus is able to use its spines for defence if this fails. With the spines it shares with other spinoptilites concentrated on its back, the animal is very uncomfortable to attempt to catch. This is made worse when these spikes are made to stand erect. What’s less obvious at a glance is the fact these spines broaden at the base and are wide enough that they interlink, forming a thin shell under the spines. This shell offers a degree of further protection, and it’s flexible enough not to interfere too much with movement.
Another feature that allows them to avoid predation is the elongated compound eye band, which stretches all the way around the head from one shoulder to the other. This offers them a wide field of view, and in addition to the compound eye, two of their simple eyes are enlarged and specialised for detecting predators.
They don’t depend solely on sight, though, and have well developed hearing too. Unlike many other spinoptilites, the lower pair of ears have been retained in polylutiforms; both pairs possess an external pinna to filter sound, developed independently from the pinnae of taruses. Those of Acanthonota in particular are greatly enlarged. These aren’t their only hearing organs; they are also able to detect vibrations in the ground via sensory organs in their feet, which is much more useful whenever it’s too windy for the air to transmit sound very well.
Although their limbs aren’t specialised for digging, they do have a limited ability to dig and prefer to sleep in burrows for safety. Often they will take up residence in abandoned burrows dug by more proficient burrowers. If they are close enough to their burrow when a predator is near, they prefer hiding underground to anything else.
Wind avoidance
Unlike pulusiforms, who have adapted to be able to tolerate strong winds, Acanthonota maximus tends to avoid it entirely. They have well developed sensory hairs, similar to those of sitostomes, that allow them to detect changes in the wind. The animal seems to be able to predict when the wind will increase, hiding in a burrow until the weather is tolerable again.
Reproduction
While not nearly to the same extent as pulusiforms, these animals are fast breeders, allowing them to spread rapidly. Unlike pulusiforms, they do care for their young, although they’re not very selective in who they mate with. All individuals are hermaphroditic, and if they’re unable to find other individuals to mate with soon after they enter heat, they will release male gametozoans into the grass which will go looking for an individual to inseminate.
Interaction with humans
Acanthonota maximus and other oclins have quite
adaptable diets, and as such are one of the groups to take advantage of the
recent arrival of humans on the planet. Their fast breeding rate only makes
things worse, to the extent that they’re considered a pest by many. They have a
tendency to dig small burrows underneath people’s houses, only coming up when
people are sleeping or away to steal whatever food is edible to them. Although they’re
unused to daily cycles as inhabitants of a tidally locked planet, they seem to
have quickly learned the cyclic patterns of human behaviour. In spite of this,
they are also common pets, perhaps because their small size means they require
little space to look after.
Taxonomic classification
Tree: Xenosulivitae
Domain: Rhytocaryota
Kingdom: Xenosulizoa
Phylum: Hydratozoa
Superclass: Tripoda
Clade: Sucodermata
Class: Spinoptilita
Order: Polylutiformes
Family: Acanthonotidae
Genus: Acanthonota
Species: A. maximus
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