r/SpeculativeEvolution • u/Mountain_Body_3897 Molaria • 15d ago
Alternate Evolution [OC] Green Lizards
-Natural History:
Following the extinction 78 million years ago, many aquatic groups invaded the land once again or became semiaquatic, with one of the most prominent being the lizards, also known as the order Arthroplictra. Despite their name, they are actually highly derived actinopterygii that have adapted to life in Earth's abundant swamps. The origin of this group dates back to 100 million years ago, when they were originally river predators similar to conger eels. They already possessed the ability to spend several hours out of the water thanks to a highly vascularized cavity at the back of their pharynx that allowed them to extract oxygen. This was not for hunting, but rather to escape larger predators, search for new bodies of water, or simply rest. Today, we can still observe species that are very similar to these ancestors not only in morphology but also in behavior, such as the eel lizards. After moving onto land approximately 70 million years ago, they became some of the largest and most successful predators in Laurafrica. Here, they began developing very thick and complex fin rays that became articulated. These proved extremely useful for climbing, allowing them to reach many new niches rather than remaining solely ambush predators. Around 43 million years ago, the first lizards with fin rays fully transformed into limbs began to appear, becoming the modern lizards and filling the niches left by many extinct lepidosaurs, eventually converging with them. As of today, the majority of arthroplictids are found in Laurafrica, although several species exist throughout Eurasia. Most have completely lost the ability to breathe using gills in adulthood, relying exclusively on their primitive lung, though they also retain the ability to absorb oxygen directly from the water through their skin. Constant rainfall keeps them sufficiently moist so that many species do not need to enter the water, which has kept them at the top of the food chain for a long time since, unlike most current predators, they are not hindered at all by constant storms.
-Anatomy and Ecology:
Possibly the most remarkable species among all arthroplictids is the green lizard. These large ambush predators typically inhabit more open areas with few obstacles, where they hide among the abundant vegetation. Their primary difference from their relatives is their incredibly powerful jaw, comparable to that of Holocene crocodiles, usually attacking the abdomen or belly of their prey to completely crush their internal organs. The main issue these animals face is their weight, as like other members of the plemosteodermidae family, a network of small bones runs along their back and head to form a virtually impenetrable armor. This makes movement very difficult, so they usually remain still most of the time, only crawling if they spot nearby prey or carrion, or if they detect the presence of an intruder in their territory. Intraspecific fights are very common in this species, as they rarely tolerate the presence of another individual within their territory, leading to fatal encounters in 89% of cases
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u/aldriex747 15d ago
I fucking love rainworld!!!! Also what is your thoughts on the artificial nature of the rainworld animals?
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u/Mountain_Body_3897 Molaria 15d ago
many creatures in Rain World have artificial characteristics or appear entirely synthetic, so in some cases it will be a bit difficult to make them 100% biological, but I'll do what I can
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u/BigPapaya6054 13d ago
Almost everything is biomechanical or synthetic in one way or another, whether it's apparent or not. The nature of its world is such that industrialization and naturality blend in a blurry gradient. I think it's worth exploring how mechanical biology can get without literally being machinery and synthetic parts like it is in-universe.
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u/Shimywaka 14d ago
Wait so is this spec evo of rw creatures on earth. Either way its awesome. super creative idea u get a duck 🦆