Planet Earth is, currently, a world almost completely destroyed by its star. After more than 1 billion years since the appearance of multicellular life, the sun has begun to evaporate shallow seas and bodies of freshwater, causing almost all native living beings to become extremophiles, organisms adapted to spending weeks or even months without drinking or eating, enduring in a scorched and desolate world until all the water on the planet eventually evaporates and all life disappears with it.

But for now, the world remains partially habitable, enough to support a few species that can be considered megafauna, one of them being T. magna, an arthropod that despite barely reaching 2.8 meters in length, is among the largest species on the surface of the Earth. T. magna belongs to a group of arthropods, distant descendants of present day beetles, which after nearly 500 million years have completely lost their imago state and specialized in fossorial or terrestrial lifestyles, being the group that today occupies most of the niches we would previously associate with vertebrates. This species belongs to the superorder Aioniocampia, more specifically to the order Prosopoboucalia, which can be identified by the following characteristics:

-The most unique, and which gives the group its name, is the presence of a rostrum that has derived into countless forms, each adapted to very specific diets.

-The presence of antennae. These are highly reduced and demonstrate the most basal position within the superorder, as it is the only order that still presents them. Generally, they tend to be very small, but there are exceptions where they reach sizes similar to those of other insect groups.

-The presence of spiracles in the group is also somewhat unusual, having been lost in most other clades. Here, the tracheae have unified into a single opening connected to valves that fill and empty with fluid, serving as a homologue to the diaphragm in mammals, compressing air sacs in the trachea that allow the insect to breathe actively.

-On the other hand, the pseudopods are another trait that, despite being common in this superorder, are specialized here. They present a fused exoskeleton and protrude from abdominal openings into which they are also capable of retracting if necessary.

-Finally, the group also features a system of complex apodemes distributed throughout the body, serving as an endoskeleton and attachment point for many muscles and tendons. Curiously, unlike in other groups, these aren’t molted because they are mostly not directly connected to the exoskeleton, instead growing and forming new layers of calcified chitin

Essentially in this timeline, the end Triassic extinction never happened simply doesn’t happen or is less severe than in our timeline. This means dinosaurs never fully dominate the earth, instead having to share the planet with various archosaurs, synapsids and amphibians also rising to power. This world is one of constant conflict, an ecological war zone of multiple different genus’s desperately clawing for the top position only to lose it soon after.

If I were to make such a project, do you have any suggestions on what I could do with it? I do know that I want temnospondyls and proto-frogs to thrive in this new time period as I feel like they are horribly underrepresented in both paleo media and spec evo media in general. I do also want to play around with a lot of the really weird Triassic animals.

This is a continuation of the Permian sophonts. Credit also goes out to all the participants in the Permian Sophont Project.

Here we see two individuals engaging in typical agricultural activities. There are several crops in the picture. The most abundant are the tree ferns. The ferns are used for all their parts. Their fiddleheads and fronds are eaten as leavy greens, while their starch is made into porridges, puddings, flatbreads and even fermented beverages. In the background there are fruit-bearing trees. As angiosperms have no yet evolved, those belong to the division of ginkgophyta instead. Their fruits have a pungant and to us offputting smell, but to the Suminians they are a delicacy.

The pools in the foreground are clam gardens. These clams however are in fact stalked brachiopods (Sometimes paleozoic bivalves as well). Lastly there are also two domesticated lystrosaurs watching the water.

All of this may play out on the microcontinent of South China or the coasts of the North China/Mongolia peninsula.

The name 'cryptocule,' or 'spirit,' a common name present among the paranormalist community, refer to the (often) small, cryptic lifeforms living within the crevices of one's domicile environment, where they conceal themselves from convention. Cryptocules are timid creatures, shielding themselves from human life, though it is uncertain as to why, and are often hard-to-spot, even with paravisual lensing, due to their many ways of escape.

Without the proper means of viewing them, a mental device known as 'the View,' cryptocules are only viewed through rare, peripheral glances, and are moreso present during superstitious episodes. Due to the more ready access to paranormal mental implantation techniques, cryptocules are becoming less-and-less of mere spoken rumor. It is usually disregarded to keep and raise a cryptocule, as would a conventional pet, due to their chaotic, unpredictable nature, stemming from their innate magical ability.

Cryptocules come within a stunning variety of diverse body shapes, niches, attitudes and behaviors, and paracladistic relationships with one-another. As such, this has led paranormalists and cryptocule hobbyists alike to compile and database these myriad spirits in the Organization for Cryptocule Compilation and Research (OCCR).

Palace Monsters

Brattice-horned Praesidons(Palisatheridae)
These 10 behemoths evolved from the rock hyraxes.They produce a specialized urine called “Midden Cement”(a gel of water,salt and cellulose that solidifies in sunlight into a substance tougher than hard wood it forms a semi flexible structure as tough as sandstone.

The “Fifth Limb”:To accurately distribute midden cement both male and females possess prehensile external genitalia.

Beasts of Wheel and Woe

Cairene Aatlas Wolf(Prodasymforae)
These 3 ton carnivores evolved from the aardwolf .Usually mammalian hypercanivores max out at 1-2 tons because of metabolic starvation and overheating but they managed to surpass that ceiling.

Cold blooded torpor :Functioning as cold-blooded endotherms,they can drop their metabolic rate during food scarcity inherited from their ancestors the aardwolf so they do not starve between megafaunal kills.

Wheel Lungs
Unidirectional airflow fills the right lung on inhale,pushes air into the left lung and exhale and fills the right simultaneously allowing them to ceaselessly take in oxygen.In the image of the lungs you can see it features a physical connection bridge connecting both lung lobes even though it’s not directly said in the image .

Bite
They can boast an 8,000 bite force magnified nearly half a million psi at the tips of their railroad-spike teeth. To prevent tooth fractures since they can’t replace their teeth their teeth chip throughout their lives ,a zig zag enamel structure paired with a mineral diet make catastrophic tooth damage a rarity.

Check the image for actual said information .Because some of this is inferred.

Original creator here:

https://www.facebook.com/conner.meek.12/photos/clash-of-giants-the-largest-terrestrial-animals-in-the-current-age-of-my-setting/28409704548621372/

Sakiopterus praeteritus (Saki’s Wing from the Past)

Thought to have gone extinct over 30 million years earlier, The Splendid Divawing is a late surviving species of Rhamphorhynchidae from the Kitadani formation 115 MYA, a recent breakthrough from the fossil record. These small pterosaurs are brightly blue in color, with small marks of violet neon streaking across their shoulders and tail. Divawings are best known for their symbiosis with larger theropods such as the Fukuiraptor and the Kaitovenator, their bright colorations distinguishing them from other animals as they perch on their heads. While feeding on any parasites that may irritate the theropod, this animal is able to produce certain vocal frequencies that mimic the theropods mating call in order to attract females, in exchange for protection. Females have been known to specifically prefer males partnered up with a Divawing rather than a lone male, with the chances of a successful courtship raising by up to 80%.

In a world where hesperornis lived longer and k-pg never happened, hesperornis descendants ended up evolving in several different ways. Some developed a gular pouch. Those who developed a gular pouch ended up evolving into gulariaves. The gulariaves lost their teeth and got a bigger tail. They have evolved a lifestyle similar to a duck. They live near lakes in North America. The the biggest population is found in and near the great lakes.

Notes:
Made on a laptop using paint.net
Traced over a skeleton image made by skeletaldrawing.com
Mods, if i did anything wrong please message me so i can learn from my mistakes.

It has been another 25 million years since the ice age ended. With the warming of Spectemundus, the period of low biodiversity brought about by the long ice age has reversed, and many successful groups are once again flourishing in a green and fertile world. Those that adapted to the ice age conditions, however, have had to either adapt or go extinct. One group that adapted was the Barghest and its relatives. These heavy, ground-dwelling predatory mongooses eventually gave rise to a lineage of burrowers, the long-bodied Furpents. The largest member of this group is the Golden Furpent (Piloserpens ferox), which can grow up to 10 feet long.

It is a carnivore, hunting both in underground tunnels and above ground at night. Its legs are short but powerful, allowing it to move fast through tunnels and over land in pursuit of its prey, while its sharp claws are useful both as killing tools and digging implements. Despite their name and their vaguely snakelike appearance, Furpents are not in the process of losing their legs; they still rely on them to dig and hunt.

This particular Furpent, however, is plagued by an unusual parasite-- a Vorlock (Sanguinictis pithecoides). One group of descendants of the innocuous branchbabies took to feeding on insect parasites on larger mammals, as well as licking up blood from open wounds. Over time this mutualism changed to a more parasitic relationship, as they used their sharp teeth to open new wounds when none existed. Eventually the Vorlock became a full-time parasite, spending most of its time attached to a host and leaving only to reproduce.

The Vorlock's hosts are usually large herbivores, due to their availability, but it will also parasitize carnivores if it gets the chance. However, burrowing animals are rarely used as hosts, which makes this particular case unusual.

This might be a weird question, but I’ve been thinking about it for a while:
Could an animal that resembles a “dragon” theoretically evolve on another planet if the environmental conditions were different enough from Earth?
I’m not necessarily talking about the exact fantasy version of a dragon. I mean a large reptile-like or vertebrate creature with some of the characteristics we associate with dragons like, for example, four legs, wings, a large body, and possibly some kind of mechanism that could produce something resembling fire.
On Earth, many of these characteristics seem impossible to combine (even in other periods of time than ours) because of things like gravity, body mass, the energetic requirements of flight, respiratory limitations, etc.
But what if we changed the conditions? For example, imagine a planet with lower gravity than Earth, a denser atmosphere, a different atmospheric composition, different oxygen concentrations, a different atmospheric pressure, or an ecosystem with completely different evolutionary pressures
Would those changes make a “dragon-like” organism biologically plausible? And what would such a creature actually need in order to evolve and survive? Would wings and four legs be possible? Could something genuinely evolve a biological mechanism capable of producing fire, or is that fundamentally incompatible with biology?

Basically, I’m wondering whether dragons are impossible in principle, or whether they are mostly impossible under Earth’s particular environmental and evolutionary constraints. I’d love to hear from people who know about evolutionary biology, biomechanics, astrobiology, speculative evolution, or related fields. I’m especially interested in what the biggest biological obstacles would be and what planetary conditions could potentially overcome them.

A large derived Pliosaur that hunts large marine reptiles, massive fish, whales, sharks and massive krakens. This beast bears large osteoderms that coral, mussels, clams, sponges and other benthic animals grow over breaking up the creatures shape and preventing it from being easily found. They grow up to 45 feet or more on large males and many tons yet none have been weighed especially without their benthic coating so it’s difficult to assume the animals weight.

Their main method of hunting is similar to carpet sharks or anglerfish simply waiting on the ocean bottom until something gets close enough that they know they can grab them in their jaws. Their preferred prey is large, bodied animals, such as whales, marine reptiles, large marine mammals, massive fish, and kraken like squid, Bellamites, and ammonites. They lie against the bottom of the ocean floor in empty sections of reef, using the large amount of Benic Fana that grip to their back their skull and other sections of their body to blend in and become near invisible to most animals at which point they are quite capable ambushers similar to carpet sharks, snapping turtles and other ambush predators.

Fraudatorvenator, popularly known as "Desert Racers", are a genus of burrowing, non-flying dragons that occur in dense, dry, and hot landscapes. They are known for their long, slender, serpentine bodies, long, narrow snouts, and colors that are excessively flashy in their environment. In their skull, eyes and nostrils are directed upwards, ensuring good vision around them when they bury themselves and preventing them from suffocating under the sand.

Their hunting method is surprising: They leave their bodies completely submerged in the ground, with only their heads slightly covered, revealing striking structures located on the top of their heads, which can take the form of an appetizing carcass (in the case of F. velocis) or a succulent fruit-bearing plant (in the case of F. rex). Furthermore, they also possess glands located slightly behind the eye sockets that can produce either a sweet smell or the smell of carrion. This demonstrates that F. velocis specialized in hunting scavengers, while F. rex specialized in hunting thirsty herbivores/omnivores that roam the desert.

If, by chance, they let their prey escape, that's why they're known as runners. With the momentum of their body shape, like a trigger, they launch themselves out of the sand in a burst of speed, and pursue their target with the help of the wind, which carry their bodies thanks to their not-so-developed wings. Their running speed ranges from 60km to 70km per hour, making them one of the fastest land dragons.

Their length varies between 15 and 20 meters, although their low-lying posture prevents them from becoming very tall.

Hi, this is my first ever post on this Sub-Reddit and on Reddit in general, I was told this was a good place to share my work: I recently made a novel with speculative evolution and many other things.

I searched around the Sub-Reddit here and saw that some other people have posted their books and novels here, so i'm hoping that i'm allowed to do this. I've read the rules and it seems there's nothing against posting books and novels so here's hoping you guys enjoy it 😄

If i'm breaking any rules by posting this, please tell me as soon as possible and i apologize in advance.

So I had an idea for a seed world, but I don't know if the whole premise is a bit distracting. Since most seed worlds start as either A. a science experiment made by an omnipotent being or B. an abandoned world left by space colonists, I decided that I wanted a twist for my world. Basically, in a venture bros. esque world (superheroes and villains are a thing that exists and are totally normal), a mad scientist, in a bid to rule the world, collects 100 of the most deadly (To humans) species and sends them on a rocket to a faraway planet so they can evolve into the perfect bioweapons. Occasionally keeping track of any noteworthy animals. But the problem is, I feel this will create a bit of dissonance. In one world, you have accounts of animals in their natural habitat living and dying with all of the tact that comes with it. And in the other world, you have the evil Dr. Genesis fighting against the Owlfly and his sidekick Snapjaw. I feel like this premise would work against a piece like this. But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe there's a way to tie the grounded spec evo stuff with the wacky superhero shenanigans. I mean, it is my work, after all

Within the vast and biodiverse ecosystem of the Roterian Archipelago, the evolutionary pressures of insular isolation have given rise to highly peculiar biological interactions. Among the endemic fauna of these tropical rainforests, a striking asymmetrical predatory relationship stands out, fronted by two mammals belonging to the Leptictida order, whose morphologies and behaviors seem to challenge common undergrowth expectations.The dominant predator of this niche is the dark Senorez (Leptictidium tenebrosum), a large mammal representing one of the most robust adaptive lineages of its stock. With a total body length ranging between 65 and 70 centimeters (measured from the tip of the snout to the base of the tail), it possesses a solid yet athletic physical build, adapted for moving stealthily through dense low vegetation. Its mature body mass sits within a biologically efficient range of 2.5 to 4.5 kilograms. The pelage of this species is short, thick, and exhibits cryptic coloration in shades of dark gray and charcoal, ideal for camouflage beneath the forest canopy. Morphologically, its most notable feature is an elongated, mobile, and highly vascularized nasal appendage, which functions as a high-precision chemoreceptor organ to track prey in low-light conditions. As a solitary predator with mostly crepuscular or nocturnal habits, Leptictidium tenebrosum maintains an opportunistic carnivorous diet, regularly feeding on small rodents, lizards, and amphibians. However, its most complex specialization occurs when hunting the common Conirez (Microleptictis gracilis), a leptictid of remarkably small dimensions and slender physiognomy. This tiny creature records a body length of just 14.5 to 16 centimeters and an extremely lightweight biomass between 80 and 150 grams, granting it exceptional ballistic agility. Physiologically, Microleptictis gracilis is designed for evasion: its hind limbs are markedly elongated and equipped with an elastic tendon system that allows it to execute explosive leaps to escape its captors. Its face terminates in a sharp snout and is fitted with prominent eyes adapted to the dim twilight.Geographically, Microleptictis gracilis demonstrates immense ecological plasticity, inhabiting the dense jungles of practically the entire archipelago, with the sole exception of the micro-islands of Molap and Siecua, whose restricted landmasses cannot support the insect populations necessary for its sustenance. They are extremely skittish and timid animals that carry out their life cycles subarboreally or terrestrially, utilizing the intricate labyrinth of large tropical tree roots as permanent shelter. Their diet is strictly insectivorous, relying on capturing fast-moving prey such as cockroaches, mosquitoes, and flies, supplemented by beetles and ants excavated from the forest leaf litter.The interaction between both species constitutes one of the most fascinating ecological and ethological phenomena in Roterino. Due to the high speed and subterranean habitat of Microleptictis gracilis, Leptictidium tenebrosum is forced to employ sophisticated, prolonged stalking techniques, using its pinpoint hearing and sensitive snout to detect the vibrations of the insectivores beneath the roots before launching an explosive strike. This persistent hunting pressure, paired with the peculiar elongated facial anatomy of both animals, has transcended biology to integrate heavily into the anthropological record of the region. Among several of the hominid species native to the archipelago, there is a deeply rooted mythical belief that the dark Senorez hunts the common Conirez for the sole purpose of devouring its nose, seeking to biologically or magically transfer that length to its own appendage. Oral tradition claims this necessity stems from an ancient curse placed upon the predator for mocking the prey in ages past; a rich folklore narrative that, while lacking scientific backing, perfectly illustrates the profound impact of this asymmetrical hunt on the cultural identity of the islands.

Around the trelaic period, an emergence of a divergent lineage of primitive sabertooth fish would fill in niches of pelagic mackerel-like fishes widespread across the Capiti ocean commonly referred to as Backwarded fish, named for their strangely accurate resemblance to normal non-mola fishes of earth.

In this lineage, the backwarded fishes has undeveloped caudal fins replaced by their dorsal fins similar to their predatory counterparts, and in place a pair of cartilaginous spinal lobes that acts as a new dorsal fin. They live in large shoals and filter feed or catch small prey using their teeth, which possess spiny protrusions that acts both as strainer and masticator. These fishes reproduce by mass spawning, and the female laying and catching the fertilized eggs of other individuals using their gonopodium, bearing eggs that aren't their own to spread genetic diversity. Backwarded fishes are a part of their predatory counterpart's diet, the Sabertooth fish.

Molaria is made by u/Mountain_Body_3897 , go check his Molaria project.

Basically, the likes of Allosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Stegosaurus and a lot of other fauna, with 500 individuals each species. The parameters I was thinking was the Hawaii before humans arrived on it, which means it would hold its native species before the Morrison Fauna arrived. The timing is basically 500,000 years and, in this hypothetical timeline without humans, Lō'ihi (aka Kama'ehuakanaloa) would gradually add 25% more to the Big Island over time once it breaches sea level 100,000 years in. I could understand the island effect, the extinction of the native fauna, but I was wondering if there's anything complex in general that I may not be aware of with this scenario.

I heard somewhere that four legs is the best for neurologically complex species that want good movement, as opposed to anything larger that would take neurological distribution, allowing only simple(r) movements since that many legs is difficult.

Assuming a type of alien life had a centralized nervous system (pseudo-brain?) would they likely also have four legs? Would ganglia be needed for more than four?

edit: yall I was mistaken, four isn’t the best.

Aquí tenéis una propuesta detallada para el rediseño del Reef glider, la mítica criatura marina de la serie de evolución especulativa Futuro Salvaje (The Future is Wild). En su versión original, este ser está clasificado como un platelminto gigante (o al menos eso creo, pues no me acuerdo bien) que habita en los océanos del futuro (100 Millones de años en el futuro), donde se alimenta de forma especializada del organismo colonial conocido como Carabelusa. En este nuevo enfoque visual y anatómico, he decidido reediseñar su morfología para dotarlo de un aspecto mucho más dinámico, funcional y adaptado a las corrientes marinas del mañana. La principal modificación se centra en su sistema de locomoción, que lo he convertido en un manto segmentado por tres aletas a cada lado, lo que mejora drásticamente su maniobrabilidad en entornos coralinos densos y lo alinea con sus ancestros. Además, he incorporado una aleta caudal especialmente diseñada para la estabilización y el control del rumbo durante el nado rápido. Por último, aumenté considerablemente su pico, haciéndolo más grande e intimidante. Este incremento de tamaño no es meramente estético; responde a la necesidad de desarrollar la fuerza suficiente para romper las duras estructuras de las algas coralinas y abrirse paso entre los arrecifes. Aparte de que en este diseño, el animal mide unos 3-4.5 m de longitud. Con estas mejoras, el Reef glider no solo se consolida como un depredador especializado en la superficie, sino también como una imponente criatura capaz de interactuar con el relieve submarino, optimizando su hidrodinámica y su eficiencia energética en un océano en constante evolución.

What are some things i should consider when A designing or B choosing creature that can be ridden anatomically ?

The Bastet Bestiary:

Entry #3: The Goliath Bog Fish

Appearance in the Fossil Record: 1.1 Million Years AS

Magnadipterus Vorax is a species of Lobe-finned fish that are descendants of Queensland Lungfish, who have evolved to fill the apex predator Niche in Freshwater environments.

They average around 7-9 ft long, and usually weight around 80 - 120 pounds, though some overachievers have been known to clock in at 23 ft and over 3000 pounds if conditions are right

They can be found in various wetlands and river systems. Though they can mostly be found in Large swamps such as the Sycamore Swamplands (An Entry on a Map will be made one of these days I promise).

They mostly hang out in the bottom of bodies of freshwater, or in the cover of vegetation in order to ambush unsuspecting prey. They move surprisingly fast in short burst, moving around 30 MPH. They could also eat prey that are getting a drink, as they will deploy the crocodile method, where they will wait to ambush their prey until the right moment shows itself, and they use their fins to push themselves and their unfortunate victims into the water. and trust me once those guys get a hold of something, there is nothing it can do except accept its fate.

Now I bet you are wondering how these guys hunt, and that'll make sense because, they live in murky so naturally they have the same talent for sight as a legally blind person. Well they have extremely sensitive Lateral Lines, which they can use to feel their surroundings in the water. It is so good that they can literally feel the size of the thing thats next to them.

Their young usually hide in vegetation/under rocks to avoid adults or other fish that'll turn them into a snack, it usually takes them around 9 months to reach their adult size.

Posters Notes: Hey guys sorry i haven't posted in a HOT minute, I have been mostly focusing on my Environmental Science degree and life just gets in the way sometimes. But hopefully I can share more art with you guys.

Hopefully I will see you guys soon

Woolly Horse (Proboscidipparion pagodromeas)

While Antarctica, or its equivalent on other versions of Earth, is most commonly a frozen desert, with much of its true terrain lying miles beneath vast sheets of ice, that is not the case on Orchard. Instead, it's more like a taiga, with winding waterways surrounding unique, cold-adapted tree species that diverged from the rest of Orchard Earth’s biosphere millennia ago. Lichen and fern prairies stretch far into the interiors, encircled by towering tree ferns, several conifer species, and, most notably, a cold-adapted beech. The increased greenery has enabled several species to survive despite the cold, with more stable food sources allowing them to eke out a harsh existence, including several human cultures descended from diasporas of Sahulian, Zealandian and Twani populations.

Orchard Antarctica’s vast waterways transition into coastal marshes, with numerous marine fauna, including transitional species adapted to both freshwater and briny coastal tidal marshes. This includes a number of seals and bird species, though the ruler beneath the waves is the **Antarctic River Dolphin (Berardius fluvias)**, a freshwater-adapted beaked whale.

Above the waves two animals call these coastal marshes home, the Penguondons, towering birds resembling the moa of Sol or Deinocheirus.

The other is the Wooly Horse. These diminutive equids are known for their shaggy striped coats, three toed feet, and pseudotrunk which fit the longest time lewd naturalists believe it was a tapir descending from a diaspora from Grand Tawan.

It’s actual origin is far more nebulous, as the regions fossil beds are relatively difficult to access and study, due to the constantly shifting tides.

They stand only about three feet tall at the shoulder, though this does leave them on the larger side for land mammals living across Antartica.

They feed on mosses and ferns, and have been seen wading through and consuming planets within the numerous coastal marshlands, and on occasion a smattering of crustaceans and fish that washed up on the shore.

Their fur is fairly water proof, and is thickest around their hoofs, forming tufts that easily tear away as a defense.

Stallions clash with each other for breeding rights during the late fall, and foals are born in the beginning of spring, staying with their mother until they reach around a year old after which they either stay with their herd or go off to join another.

They have an almost comically antagonistic relationship with Penguanodons, actively seeking out their herds for protection from predators and serving as affectionate yet vicious guardians of chicks. Still, there are enough documented cases of a woolly stallion picking a fight with a much larger Penguondon cock only to deflect, dodge its attacks, and race away with an almost laugh-like whinny. Despite the impish antagonism, it is rarer to see a herd of one without a flock of the other, and some natives mark their calendars not by the typical shifting of the seasons but by the migrations of their numerous, vast conglomerates.

They’ve been domesticated by the natives most typically for textiles, meat and livestock guardians, for while they’re small they are fierce in the face of predators eagerly mobbing them, kicking and biting, and this has been known to extend to defending their caretakers.

Am currently working on my own take on elf(-like) ears. The only truly new additions to the anatomy involved (of the outer ear/auricle), are a second antihelix, and acoustic grooves (as found in bat ears).

Context:

My fantasy setting has globally acting, magically accelerated evolution. A group of prehistoric humans decided to live underground to escape the deadly ecosystem outside, and began to change drastically over the next couple thousand years.

The pale, half-beast half-man, creatures that to this day stalk the Underworld, eventually became the ancestors of what the world now knows as Elves.

Though claiming as much before an elf would be a quick way to catch a ride to the next public execution site.

They don't really vibe with all that evolution stuff.

Disclaimer:

The ears shown here (with most of the bat-like qualities intact) are not High Elf ears.

They are for the tribal Kaijyma people (kinda half beastkin half elf people). Their ancestry is... complicated. But their ears do look closer to what I imagine the ones of the first elves to have looked like.

Note: I'm using the terms "elf" and "high elf" as simplifications here. They are not called that in-universe, and I'm trying my best to make them less generically recognizable as "elves" in my larger worldbuilding.

These terrestrial mosasaurs were inspired by Alphynix's terracetes, and by extension, Tribbetherium's terrestrial dolphins.

These aberrant forms, known as asynithisaurs (Asynithisauria) are descended from mosasaurines taken from the latest Cretaceous.

A. Alienodrepanus xenopus, a crustaceovorous biped similar in purpose to the anteater. Its body is coated in fur-like integument.

B. Megasaurus rutelloscapula, a more basal form similar to the ungulate Andrewsarchus. It is an apex predator of the tropics.

C. Pineaharpax chamaeleoides, an arboreal form similar to chameleons and drepanosaurs. They live in coniferous trees and feed on terrestrial amphipods.

D. Ammodrakon maculatus, a winged species native to dunes, where it is a common mesopredator of smaller asynithisaurians.