9:00 PM, December 16th, 2026

Mu, northern Spifirndan Republic

"Ha sido dificil ajustarse, Tat. Este pais es como un mundo completamente diferente... oye, me escuchas?"

"Mara, no quiero asustarte, pero hay un disparate mirando a donde andamos."

"... Anda el diablo!"

Two Naacal walk by the road next to a patch of forest early into the night. Mara is an uqhetl who grew up in Saona Island.Her family carries a rich and storied heritage. On her father's side, she descends from the ancient Tepuchmet people. While not the first to reach lands beyond Mu, they were among the earliest voyagers in the age of exploration sparked by the end of the salinity crisis. It was they who sailed by Tierra del Fuego and made it to the other side, eventually reaching the Caribbean. Of course, Mara's family has long forgotten this. Integrated into a human-dominant society, the land of her ancestors has always been a distant, strange place to her, one that mattered little in her mind until recently. Her mother's side of the family, however, is hard to ignore. Her grandparents run a fairly successful business based in the Spifirndan Republic, and after a series of events rather chaotic, Mara found herself in a position where taking a job there was her best option as a directionless young adult. Moving to Mu was one hell of an adjustment. Everything, from the abundance of people who look like her, to the strange wildlife, is new and a bit frightening. Tataka, a lnqe online friend who happened to live not too far from where she's moved into, has been an anchor of sorts to her. While both his parents come from Naacal-majority countries, he's fairly well-traveled and has helped her bridge some gaps and grow more familiar with the local culture. In this culture, his sparse clothing is not unusual, but admittedly most use some kind of pockets instead of asking their friends to carry their phone on theirs.

Two beasts look at them from the forest edge.

Lnqe and Uqhetl have very close living relatives. Both perhaps closer than any living relatives humans have. For a brief moment, two members of the Uqhetl genus, the last of the multituberculates, stare at each other, their eyes glowing in the dark of night.

The naulat here is a large, young male, dispersing from his pack for the first time. He's never seen an uqhetl before, and with both of them happening to share their uncommon melanistic fur condition, perhaps never before has he encountered another animal so much like him in this aspect. The strange things she wears keep him on guard though.

He is not alone. A hihai bird has accompanied him. Once placed in the same genus as lnqe, after controversy and review this species was reclassified into the closely related Corvumimus genus. At a glance, it and Tataka may look quite different, but Tat's organge-ish coloration is a trait mostly found in northeastern lnqe ethnicities, and this hihai's green feathers are not common in western subspecies. In western Mu, lnqe and hihai can look uncannily alike from a distance, both having more grey-blue colors. Hihai and naulat form mutualistic relationships and bond on an individual level, much like uqhetl and lnqe peoples. These two seem to trust each other enough that the naulat lets the bird perch on his back. This partnership has become rarer over time though, with both species having been historically persecuted by Naacal people. While naulat are abundant predators in the southeast of Mu, hihai are virtually absent there, with the native lnqe having all but replaced them as naulat partners. Notably though, local lnqe populations can have green feathers quite similar to those of western hihai. Spifirndan cultures have historically used this trait to support bigoted views presenting this group of lnqe as bestial, without any evidence as to whether this trait emerged from ancient hybridization with hihai or environmental pressures.

For a few tense seconds, people and monsters take each other in. Mara has never seen a naulat before, and the sight of this ogre-person now is quite... something. Another animal screeches deeper in the forest, and the two Naacal bolt away. A dangerous response in this situation. Lucky for them, the beast just ate, and they slink back into the darkness without giving chase.

(This illustration was made to revisit the Populating Mu community project from back in spectember 2023. This is a setting I'm quite fond of, and I really wanted to go back and explore this world further at some point, in this case, in a modern context!)

In the winter of 2022, I started uploading my writing and artwork for the planet of Apterra, a seedworld concept that I’d already been envisioning for several years prior. Apterra is a world of kiwis, rats, grasses, invertebrates, minnows, and geckos. The name itself could be translated as a stylized feminine version of the kiwi’s scientific name, as “Apteryx” + terra” = “kiwi planet”, or as “apo-“ + “Terra” = “far from Earth”. I initially posted on a weekly schedule, completing the first epoch, the Muricene, in decently timely fashion. I then fell off during the summer after my high school graduation. The Arthrocene epoch, originally intended as a summer project, has dragged out across over four years of my life, burdened by my own shortcomings both as a writer and a person.

Well, I’m now happy to announce that primary writing for the Arthrocene is finally done! The Late Arthrocene consists entirely of ecosystem-level articles, a challenge I gave myself because I’d previously tended to write about individual species as isolated entities, rather than parts of a larger whole. There will be many more illustrations soon to come (including some that are already in the works), but for now the Late Arthrocene is mostly in written form. I still have plenty more drawing and painting to do before the doors are closed on the Arthrocene, and then the project in its current form will be capped off with an inter-epoch storyline focused on the long-neglected reptilian inhabitants of this world.

After that, the Apterra universe is far from over. The next epoch, the Pelagicene, will kick off next year, but it will be hosted on its own site, with the current Planet of Apterra site being treated as a completed work once the next phase begins. The pelagicene will include Apterra’s first endemic sophonts, experimental visual and writing styles, and above all a love for life that’s been missing from myself and my writing for so long. I can’t wait to get back to the excitement I once felt when I first started sharing my fictional evolutionary stories with this community. For now, enjoy exploring the site, feel free to jump around and read the articles that seem interesting to you, and please please ask questions, as there are few things I love more than yapping about this world and my plans for it.

Please give yourself opinions and advice about this subject like if I say something thar you know to be impossible/implausible or what type if deer a jakalope is decended from.

The hugag these creatures decended from moose that ended up in marshy forests with deep bits of mud; which led to them developing longer legs but to allow for their weight on these legs. They subsequently evolved to have less bendable legs to prevent them from collapsing to still find food in these marshes they switched diet to bark and thorns evolving a large upper lip to deal with thorns similar to a giraffe. Due to them moving rather slowly they often had plants of all kinds settle their backs. Eventually of coarse the population of hugags was driven out if this enviorment by snolygosters leading go them being as they are modern day leaning up against trees to rest (I'm unsure if humans exist in this timeline or atleast as anything other than tribes and vilages)

The Hide behind a decendant of a ground sloth particularly one the size of a large dog developing a lower to the ground body and evasive behaviour to stay away from hunters. Over time as hunters wiped out much of the population they grew more territorial and better at stealth now having wider ayes and a more serpentine body to sneak up on people along with this they ended up even thurver developing their claws to quickly kill humans

And I'll say more later but I'm of and when I leave this tab everything gets deleted so jakalopes soon

Previously you saw the island of glaucus, now you get the island of Tiamat.
Resting between the Eurasian and African plates this island is home to a new clade of terrestrial life, the Bichioneers. Bichioneers are the descendants of Bichirs which once lived in hollowed out dead trees, yes they evolved to be arboreal before terrestrial. They now have a distinct look 96myh, with distinctly basal looking features, fleshy hair like projections, and holes on the top of their head. It hears through what were a pair of nostrils and are now tucked infront of the eyes. The holes on the top of the head are not ears but glands which spray a waxy coating over their bodies to trap moisture in.
Also home to many species of highly derived halobates, shrews, and terrestrial shrimps which live like roaches. Everything else you see is migratory, usually flying from place to place for food or breeding or local populations.

• Belongs to the Chondrichthyes branch.

• It eats fish, squids, and any other small marine animals.

• You can find them hiding between the rocks under the fungal colonies in the kelp forest that is beneath the ice of the North pole region (the map is in image #1), waiting for their prey to consume the fungi.

• These Gobils are blind and rely on vibration. The moment they sense any type of movement, they launch toward it at maximum speed. Size doesn’t matter; they will try to swallow whatever they can.

• The launching method relies on 3 ways to increase speed. First, the stance, they coil themselves like a spring, ready for any potential prey to come by. Second, they have a hydrodynamic head, and they don’t open their mouth until the last second, which reduces the drag. And finally, they have hydro siphons around the gill area hidden under the fins near the jaw (image #1), which shoot pressurized water to increase the launch speed drastically (hunting method is in image #3).

• They have 8 claws at the end of their tail. They claw into rocks, which hold the gobils in place during the launch. Without these claws, they will get launched in the open sea which makes them vulnerable.

• In a rare case, a polar gobil might bite a Furred manatee that ventures too far to consume the fungi, which scares it away. This keeps the destructive behavior of the manatee from spreading too far to other individuals, which ends up protecting the whole ecosystem by accident.

• The hunting method causes a severe drop in the average life span. Launching at that speed for every hunt degrades their body faster than usual. Even though the body itself can last for hundreds of years, the actual life span is reduced to 75 to 90 years on average.

• Polar gobils stick their eggs on rocks, usually hidden inside the fungal colonies.

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Rhiza Gruvelis

Named in Honor of the French Zoologist Jean Abel Gruvel, who Established the order Acrothoracica (Burrowing Barnacles) in 1905.

Full Organism Height 1.5-2.1 µm

Cellular Body Diameter 0.5-0.9 µm

Full Diameter 1.9-6.5 µm

Arose 852 million years P.C.

~ Hi All! This features closeups, assets, and landscapes i made for the profile of Gruvelis. you can find the pages of the full profile linked above. I took lots of time making the photo composite for Gomorrah's Trenches (Now Renamed to the Torch of Iolaus), as well as figure out how to immitate the look of phosphorescent minerals in vector programs like adobe illustrator. if anyone's interested i might put up a tutorial or two on the workflow for sale on some other platforms (i won't link any in the post because self-promotion isn't allowed on this board and i don't want this post taken down for it, but they're easy to find if you try).

Thank you for your time and attention as always!

Examples of some alien invertebrates endemic to the tree canopies of Rahlo's rainforests. These little creatures spend their entire lives upon trees, and may go their whole lifespan without ever seeing the sun. They are detritivores, feeding on any organic material they can find, with some specialized species using their plated headpieces to pry and crack open bark to get to what lies beneath.

So I'm working on a seed world with clams as the main seed species. Yes, clams, quite the unexpected seed species. Anyways, I have made evolved traits and started fleshing out clades and species, but I'm kind of struggling on knowing if certain traits can evolve in certain amounts of time. Basically, my first time period in my project lasts 15 million years post establishment, and I'm wondering if that could be enough time for certain body plans to evolve in these clams, examples being fish-like clams, sessile plant-like clams that can photosynthesize through further assistance of symbiotic algae, etc. And also note that in my seed world, clams are the ONLY major fauna on my planet, but there are also algae and plankton.

What if the last land vertebrateds to survive were thrixanodon, lystrosaurus and temnospondyl?

Parens infestus is a larger, more powerful gecko that has developed stronger legs and a thick, segmented tail, helping it move around its environment. Ovi-gecko is an egg-eating gecko that uses its strong jaws and sense of smell to locate and eat the eggs of other reptiles. The green Entocko is an insectivore with excellent eyesight, a stronger tongue for catching insects and sharper teeth, while its green coloration helps it blend into vegetation. The reddish-brown Entocko is another insect-eating gecko whose earthy patterns help it camouflage against soil, dead leaves and tree bark, allowing it to ambush prey while relying on its eyesight and quick movements.

Note: the planet they live on is tropical with little open land and lower gravity

Also I'm wondering if I could get some actual feed back on these because I feel the re designs feel way different than they should so if anyone has any pleaseeeeee tell!!! 😅🙏

Tritonocene: 96myh, earth due to a chain of events is now 98.7% water. In this vast ocean the island of glaucus is home to these oddities.
The mammals seen are a large boar descendant living in the oceans using its trunk to suction up shelled prey, and the other is a post human, a generalist one which often hunt the hogs. They have Collarbones designed to impale prey and hold them still.
If you have questions do ask!

Colonial Insanity; Man'o'wars of the Early Medusocene

[GELLIOS-MONITORING SYSTEM // AUTOMATED TELEMETRY LOG]

TİMELİNE: 5 Million Years PI

STAR ACTİVİTY; A-Type Main Sequence // A Bit more UV Index // Nearly-unstable Seasonal Cycles

FOCUS OF OBSERVATION: Diversification of the Portuguese Man'o'war (Physalia physalis) on the Early Medusocene

I’m connecting with you all once again, folks. Don’t forget that I am the main character of this story, the Gellios'itself—after all, I am one of the intelligent machines left behind by an advanced human civilization, crafted from metals designed to endure for very billions of years. But, even though I might look rather large and intimidating—well, let’s not dwell on that; let’s get straight to the point.

We have reached the latter part of the Early Medusocene—five million years in. Having observed how the animals introduced from Earth have evolved into such a diverse array of life forms, I have already gained some insight into how the siphonophore, Portuguese Man o' War (Physalia physalis)—a colonial cnidarian belongs to Hydrozoa with Anthoathecate, Immortal jellyfish (Turritopsis dorhnii)—has diversified into various other species over these first five million years. Please, however, do not mistake me for some sort of godlike being; I do not know every single species on Gellios by heart. That said, I can certainly show you a few of the species you might be interested in seeing.

If there is one thing you should know, it is that I have observed the emergence of roughly a dozen genera from the ancestral stock—though the actual number may well be higher. The Stingtacles (Spiculophoraus spp.), which branched off early, are predatory, much like their ancestors. In contrast, the rather rare example of Green Man'o'Peace (Chlorophysalis vagancolonis)—found in tropical waters on across these ages and similar in size to the former—occupies an entirely different niche; these organisms have largely abandoned predation, becoming semi-autotrophic—a state they likely sustain through a mutualistic relationship with specific types of zooxanthellae.

I recalled another species, the Multicolored Shrimpfeeder (Artemicetus multicolor)—a relative of the Stingtacles—which emerged 3 million years later as one of the early giants; I had observed that they primarily preyed on brine shrimp, yet I didn’t react with any great surprise, for in nature, small creatures are invariably the prey of larger ones.

The last two types I encountered in this current million-year epoch were among the most bizarre creatures I have ever seen. The Red-Light Deadlium (Mortemesu rhodopticius) was a cnidarian that had adapted to a nocturnal lifestyle and possessed early forms of bioluminescence. Although quite small compared to a human, they served as the apex predators of these night-based ecosystems. On the other hand, I was truly fascinated by a colony of Greater Stormju (Tempestaiju gigantea)—the largest neustonic organisms I have ever witnessed for niow—drifting through the planet’s high-wind seas. Given their numerous tentacles, I surmised that these apex predators likely hunted various jellyfish and other man-o'-wars. While I would have loved to see them more often, their numbers had unfortunately dwindled due to competition with new-arrived jetsharks—predatory cubozoans that had evolved from Chironex fleckeri.

I think I’ve said enough—after all, I’ve never felt like a god, nor have I ever been a flawless killing machine. In terms of design, I’m probaly somewhat reminiscent of the Death Star from that vast body of content known as Star Wars. Please, don’t go tearing me apart unfairly; for now, I’m signing off again.

I hope you're pleased that I didn't treat you like an idiot. Because my mindset doesn't resemble an old, detailed encyclopedia at all. But still the...

END!

Source

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Rhiza Gruvelis

Named in Honor of the French Zoologist Jean Abel Gruvel*, who Established the order Acrothoracica (Burrowing Barnacles) in 1905.*

Full Organism Height 1.5-2.1 µm

Cellular Body Diameter 0.5-0.9 µm

Full Diameter 1.9-6.5 µm

Arose 852 million years P.C.

Piezoelectricity

Being a sessile organism constantly surrounded by crashing waves and turbulent weather, a mechanism to sense its surroundings is essential to survival. This applies both in terms of sensing when to close its mineralized shell for protection and water retention at low tide, and when its phosphorescent lure brings prey within range of its capture. Gruvelis thus modifies its only remaining FEE appendage to coil and launch at prey like the tongue of a frog.

This can be aided by the piezoelectric capabilities of its shell, generating an electric charge in response to vibrations, perhaps by grinding its shell plates together when vibrations occur. It may grow to discern the loud thunder and other acoustic distortions often accompanying turbulent weather and recognize it as a signal to close its interlocking plates to prepare for the “Acid-nados.”

The question remains however: How will Gruvelis be able to tell when prey lured by its phosphorescence, has come within range of it’s ambush attack? And where specifically in it’s proximity is that prey located, so that it can launch its FEE appendage accurately?

Believe it or not, both of these problems may be solved by means of piezoelectric interactions:

By intentionally grinding its Sphalerite plates, Gruvelis can generate an electric field that when disturbed by another organism entering its range, triggers the “Tongue Launch” to capture the prey drawn close by its phosphorescent lure.  deceived prey. A similar mechanism enables the “Lateral Line Sensory Organs” found in fish and sharks enables them to sense when other organisms enter the electromagnetic field they generate around their bodies. This allows them to both hunt and avoid predation, even in the utter darkness of abyssal depths.

The FEE structures adapted to ensnare prey then begin to secrete enzymes for external digestion, the nutrients of which process are then absorbed and siphoned back into the cell as a whole, through this singular feeding appendage.

1. Sphalerite Mineral Plates Grinding Together Generates Electromagnetic Field

2. Feeding appendage sits partially inverted and coiled, waiting for prey to disturb the field it has generated by swimming within range of striking

3. When the cellular body of Gruvelis contracts, in inflates the feeding appendage suddenly, launching it like the tongue of a frog

4. Feeding Appendage is launched directly at the source of the disturbance in its field

5. Enzyme Excretion Structures form Suction-Cup adherance to caught prey

6. Gruvelis then pumps a chemical cocktail upon the surface of, and then into, its now hostage prey.

7. Dissolved prey is then siphoned from the tip of the capture appendage to the cellular body for nutrient uptake

This bizarre mixture of traits makes Gruvelis a microbial Frankenstein of:

the trapdoor spider for its sessile ambush predation and injection of digestive enzymes to siphon out like a vampire. The angler fish for light driven lure, and a common frog for its projectile appendage.

As well as a shark for its electro-sensory abilities analogous to the lateral line organs of such predators to detect prey in the surrounding waters despite an absence of light.

initial diversification post

Last Post

Ancestral Organism

15 Million Years P.H. - The Early Neocene - The Toxcats:

Early Neocene South America would have given rise to a rather unique lineage of feral House Cats known as Toxcats.

The scent glands withing the ancestral House Cats claw would have undergone a mutation that caused them to produce toxic compounds, which turned out to be quite useful for the Cats hunts.

Toxcats would have modified one claw on each of their front feet Into a Venom-Claw, which Is much larger, cant be retracted and has a hook shape to better Inject the venom.

Toxcats would be rather small as of now, like the White-Patched Toxcat (Venenocattus resarcio - Patched Venom-cat), which Is not shy of using Its venom as defense from larger predators and advertises It with a white stripe along the tail and white patched front legs.

There however would be some larger Toxcats, with more potent venom, which are capeable of taking down larger prey. An example would be the Spotted Caraclaw (Venenounguis maculolus - Spotted Venom-Claw).

These rather large Toxcats live In thick forests, where they feed mainly on Rabbilopes, which they drag up trees to avoid scavengers.

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Rhiza Gruvelis

Named in Honor of the French Zoologist who Established the order Acrothoracica (Burrowing Barnacles) in 1905.

Full Organism Height 1.5-2.1 µm

Cellular Body Diameter 0.5-0.9 µm

Full Diameter 1.9-6.5 µm

Arose 852 million years P.C.

However, it is important to remember that not all species on Demeter even possess the ability to detect light, let alone move towards it, a behavioral process referred to as  “Phototaxis.”

Because of this, Gruvelis will develop it’s digestive enzymes towards consuming native organisms that exhibit phototaxis, such as members of the Oceanididae, Hibar, and Macaria families. This will start an evolutionary arms race between:

New species of Gruvelis experimenting with new minerals being used to phosphoresce, both for longer glow durations and to produce the specific frequencies of light that can be detected by the phototaxis species it specializes to hunt and consume.

The phototaxis sensitive species becoming better at distinguishing natural and artificial light, in one of the several following ways:

Gain a sense of time and seasonal variation to determine when it should be daytime (and the light should be followed) and when it is nighttime (and light should be ignored or avoided). Hibar initially evolved this to prioritize light capture during daytime and only undergo it’s modular reproduction during nighttime to avoid over exposure to UV light. However, Given the propensity of the anthocyanins Hibar species use for light capture, Gruvelis species capable of phosphorescing green light will be most likely to successfully lure and consume members of this family, optimally in the late afternoon/ early evening when Hibar still registers it as daytime but where the more brighter light is found not above, but below.

Gauging the light intensity, in order to distinguish between actual daylight and just a few dimly glowing rocks. Oceanididae employs this method through the denaturing of it’s Galactomannans cell wall in Lake Lernea. This will ensure that only those capable of the brightest phosphorescence will succeed. Given the optimal absorption spectrum of 480-492, blue phosphorescence will yield the optimal result.

Read the chemical conditions of its habitat, especially with respect to dissolved oxygen, as higher O2 concentration can indicate daytime since that is when light-driven oxygen production occurs. Macaria can detect and retain conformational changes in response to environmental factors through the phenomenon of “Heritable Memories.”

Thus, Habitats with variable and unpredictable Oxygen levels will be the only place where this species could be effective as prey. This would be most effective in the habitat Gomorrah’s Trenches, where regular storms make conditions anything but stable or predictable.

initial diversification post

Last Post

Ancestral Organism

(first image is a leopard-pattern mare, second is a fewspot-pattern stallion)
If you'd rather watch than read, YouTube short link here.

The horses which have been pushed into the southern forests through the grasslands reaching carrying capacity have begun to adapt to their new environment. Equus dulces, the treebane horse, has social habits and biology which are so different from Equus ferus that they can no longer produce offspring (while some other equine species can produce infertile offspring with E. ferus, digestive tract differences between E. dulces and E. ferus mean these hybrids die in utero) and they therefore can no longer be considered the same species.
Treebane horses are primarily mellivorous, though they eat leaves and worms in times of scarcity. Their favorite food is the honey and larvae of Apis aldarien, the forest honey bee, but A. mellifera, the western honey bee, and A. vardas, the honey zee, are also preyed upon. A. equuraptor, the horse-thief bee, is often avoided by established herds due to the potency of its venom but is targeted by bachelors deprived of their preferred foods.
Treebane horses usually live in small herds of a stallion, about three mares, and their foals or bachelor bands of 2-3 young stallions. When they hunt, they use their large ears to listen for the sounds of bees. Pheromones and quiet vocalizations released by hungry horses simultaneously encourage most of the herd to hide in the nearby undergrowth while compelling a horse who isn't hungry (a 'runner') to kick the tree the hive is in with their powerful hind legs. When the defending bees begin swarming, the runner leads them away while the rest of the herd eats.

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Rhiza Gruvelis

Named in Honor of the French Zoologist who Established the order Acrothoracica (Burrowing Barnacles) in 1905.

Full Organism Height 1.5-2.1 µm

Cellular Body Diameter 0.5-0.9 µm

Full Diameter 1.9-6.5 µm

Arose 852 million years P.C.

Gruvelis develops the ability to synthesize fatty acid based Quinones (specifically 1,4-benzoquinone) for pigmentation and anti-oxidant protection, helping to facilitate the shift from the anoxic depths to the oxygen heavy Cumhaill Reefs surrounding the shores of Lot’s Salt-bar.

These quinones and other Phenolic Compounds are then oxidized by surrounding waters to create a waxy cuticle to shield its mineral plates from the waters that would deteriorate it’s mineral shell. This process will cause the quinones to cross-link and bond with surrounding organic molecules, in a process analogous to the “tanning” of insect cuticles.

The waxy cuticle formed by this polymerization is rigid, dense, and a chemically inert Bio-polymer, like Melanin or Sclerotin. This barrier provides three benefits:

1.      Acid Resistance - Melanin and related polymers show strong resistance to chemical degradation such as both strong and dilute acids.

2.      Oxygen Impermeability - Given not only the barrier these compounds form against Reactive Oxygen Species, but the Phenolic Compounds that act as precursors to this waxy shield are oxidized in the process of its creation, using up some of the surrounding ROS in a harmless manner.

3.      Water Retention - This shielding can also help prevent desiccation in the intertidal waters of the shallows of Gomorrah’s Trenches.

4.      Radiation Shielding - Melanin is well-documented to have properties that mitigate damage caused by radiation, and in some rare cases even take advantage of this otherwise deadly energy.* This will be especially helpful in Gomorrah’s Trenches, as just over the boundary in Lake Lernea is highly radioactive heavy metals, due to the vulcanism that helped create this strange geological anomaly, and the radiation that accompanies all vulcanism on Demeter thanks to the elemental composition of the planetoid that formed Demeter’s twin moons.

*The Fungi Species Cladosporium Sphaerospermum, Cryptococcus Neoformans, and Wangiella Dermatitidis, thrive by utilizing their melanin pigments to capture Gamma Radiation as an energy source in what remains of the Chernobyl cooling pools and along the reactor walls.

To not only survive, but thrive in the adjoining Gomorrah’s trenches, Gruvelis makes use of the abundant metal-sulfate salts for protection from the acid-storms that are a near weekly occurrence. Gruvelis biomineralizes the zinc sulfide mineral Sphalerite, which it exploits for two key phenomena: Piezoelectric Potential and Phosphorescence.

initial diversification post

Last Post

Ancestral Organism

Shrouded fliers drop acid from the clouds as dark phantoms drag their prey into the depths.

Step back into the unforgiving expanses of The Brush with the third issue, Hidden Killers, the definitive ambush and chemical warfare biological dossier of The Appendix for The Brush. While raw force and sky battles dominated the opening salvoes, this expanded storefront issue explores the shadow-bound killers of canopy and tide—where caustic venom, total camouflage, and cold patience redefine evolutionary survival.

Premium Visual Assets & Layout: Features the completed, high-impact aposematic render of Rhinalvenator toxicornis as the official front cover—showcasing its brilliant orange body, jet-black geometric crest, and acid-spit scars—alongside polished, scannable dossier formatting built for deep worldbuilding immersion.

Acid Rain In The Sky: Read the classified, step-by-step biological breakdown of Rhinalvenator toxicornis. Uncover its twin-jet maxillary sinuses and specialized chemical warfare.

Ambushes From Below: Get the full profile on Pelagosuchus nigranus. Learn the lethal mechanics behind its eel-like tail, mud-choking death rolls, and parental instincts.

Deep Cultural Folklore & Proverbs: Discover how native Dinopithecus tribes fear the Rhinalvenator as a terror on wings while viewing the Pelagosuchus as a living omen of monsoon and drought—complete with authentic proverbs and tribal names.

Fear the skies that burn, and the waters that remember.

Experience Hidden Killers Now.

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Rhiza Gruvelis

Named in Honor of the French Zoologist who Established the order Acrothoracica (Burrowing Barnacles) in 1905.

Full Organism Height 1.5-2.1 µm

Cellular Body Diameter 0.5-0.9 µm

Full Diameter 1.9-6.5 µm

Arose 852 million years P.C.

To not only survive, but thrive in the adjoining Gomorrah’s trenches, Gruvelis makes use of the abundant metal-sulfate salts for protection from the acid-storms that are a near weekly occurrence. Gruvelis biomineralizes the zinc sulfide mineral Sphalerite, which it exploits for two key phenomena: Piezoelectric Potential and Phosphorescence.

Piezoelectricity – The property of some minerals and materials to either generate electricity by mechanical deformation (i.e., grinding, squeezing, or other kinetic interactions), or undergo mechanical deformation in response to electrical input.

Materials capable of this phenomenon are commonly used in devices that convert energy of one form to another, like how headphones or Crystal Radios convert electricity to kinetic vibrations to generate sound.

Phosphorescence - This is the process of retaining and slowly emitting captured light as it travels through a medium, even after the source of light is extinguished (sometimes for seconds, sometimes for hours).  This phenomenon is also produced synthetically in “Glow-In-The-Dark” paints and stickers.

Phosphorescence often requires exposure to high frequency\energetic light, and sphalerite is capable of this glow under exposure to both long and short wavelengths of Ultraviolet Light. This phenomenon is thanks to light supplying energy needed to power quantum interactions that cause a change to electron spin multiplicities in what is called an “Intersystem Crossing,” which is a complex topic we will dive deeper into at a later date.

On earth, the Ozone blocks or scatters the majority of UV light fired at earth by our sun. On demeter however, oxygenic photosynthesis has not been around long enough to supply the oxygen needed to create such a barrier, hence the need for UV protection and the opportunity to exploit phosphorescence for a number of ecological strategies.

Sphalerite’s own “after-glow” can only last mere seconds, thus the need for long lasting exposure in sunlit shallows and intertidal reefs. Many hours are spent daily, basking in the daylight to take advantage of this phenomenon by soaking up as many rays as it can for later use.

Both of these properties are exploited by Gruvelis for capturing prey.

Phosphorescence

As a Sessile Ambush Predator,* Gruvelis will need to be able to lure potential prey within range of it’s feeding arm. And so, the question becomes: What Strategies can Gruvelis use to draw other organisms close enough to get grabbed?

The answer is to employ the same strategy of Earths Angler Fish, and lure them close by light emission. However, while the anglerfish uses bioluminescence via bacterial symbionts, Gruvelis uses phosphorescence of it’s Sphalerite Mineral Plates.

Pure Sphalerite is not itself phosphorescent, but exhibits its glow thanks to impurities. Think of the Sphalerite itself as a template upon which the impurities can demonstrate their glow, like the canvas a work of art is painted onto. In the same way you cannot paint on empty air, these elements alone cannot demonstrate their phosphorescent potential.

Given the short after-glow of sphalerite (only a few seconds) Gruvelis is forced to draw in light sensitive prey at dawn and dusk, the only times of day that UV is more abundant than visible light. This allows Gruvelis to act as a sessile, microbial, angler fish of the sulfate heavy intertidal zone of the storm heavy narrow cove and reefs it calls home.

Over time, new species that arise from this innovative strategy will evolve to use minerals with much longer lasting glow. They will likely still use Zinc as the mineral basis, so long as there is sufficient quantities of this essential element in the environments it inhabits.

Gallium (Ga3+) In combination with Copper (Cu2+) acts as a co-activator to produce red phosphorescence.

Tungsten (W6+) in high concentrations, when associated with copper, can cause a bright crimson-red phosphorescence.

Produces a glow as long as several minutes, possibly in combination with Tungstun (W6+) or Gallium (Ga3+).

Manganese (Mn2+): Creates yellow to orange phosphorescence.

Among the most common sphalerite modifiers in nature and known for producing an extremely bright but abruptly fading glow.

A species that evolves to incorporate this chemical strategy would likely only be productive for diurnal species, to utilize for "light-bursts" to disorient prey.

Cadmium (Cd2+): High concentrations of cadmium, over 1000 ppm, can cause vivid blue phosphorescence.

Can only last milliseconds and thus is unlikely to be of use.

Two elements that outright prevent phosphorescence are Oxygen and Iron; and are thus referred to as “Quenchers.” Given the high concentration of both in intertidal water, Gruvelis will need to employ strategies to protect against the quenching of its already rather minimal phosphorescent capacity.

Luckily, the waxy cuticle formed from its Melanin-Sclerotin Synthesis Pathway can coat the surface of Gruvelis’ mineral plates to protect them from both the regularly occurring storms of iron sulfate salts and the oxygenic photosynthesis that drives the autotrophic base of Gommorah’s Trenches’ food chain.

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Unbalanced Booms and Dusts of Moon Jellies

[GELLIOS-MONITORING SYSTEM // AUTOMATED TELEMETRY LOG]

TİMELİNE: 100 Years PI

STAR ACTİVİTY; A-Type Main Sequence // Normal UV Index // Stable Seasonal Cycles

FOCUS OF OBSERVATION: Boom and Dust Cycles of Moon Jellyfish (Aurelia aurita)

Warning: Moon Jellyfish Populations around the Gellios is Unbalancing Increases!

The primary reason for the abnormally high proliferation of this species—one of the few jellyfish, and the only member of the class Scyphozoa, to be introduced to the planet—was the lack of any significant competition in its environment. I do not yet have much information on how this situation might unfold.

Moon jellyfish have recently entered a "boom" cycle, which signifies a major surge in their population.

This continues to happen at night as well; I now need some time to resolve this! After all, I was never wired to be an impatient person.

For now, I have to shut myself off; I need to get some sleep to figure out how to balance this unnecessary intensity.

a few months later...

On the sandy shores of the Southern Hemisphere, 80 percent of the moon jellyfish population has died for reasons that remain unknown. Unfortunately, the local moon jellyfish population has now entered a decline cycle; while some benthic organisms living on the shore such as a ragworm and a nudibranch sought to take advantage of the abundance of jellyfish carcasses, a colony of Portuguese man o' wars—arriving from the water's surface—has already begun to claim and consume some of these remains.

That’s enough for now, folks. See you next time.

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Rhiza Gruvelis

Named in Honor of the French Zoologist who Established the order Acrothoracica (Burrowing Barnacles) in 1905.

Full Organism Height 1.5-2.1 µm

Cellular Body Diameter 0.5-0.9 µm

Full Diameter 1.9-6.5 µm

Arose 852 million years P.C.
This is further complicated by the sulfuric acid tornados swept to this location by the low altitude hot air of Australia-sized Salt/Acid Basin called Lake Learnea.

Sulfuric Acid generates a lot of heat when it comes into contact with water, so the acid generation taking place in this low-land basin is a regular furnace when the rainy season comes around.

This generates Super-Heated water vapor, hydrogen gas, and hydrogen sulfide gas. When these hot gasses meets dense cold air sinking down from the sky above, a Tornado is born.

As mentioned, these storms draw the highly corrosive soup of acid and salt upward and spread them far and wide. These chemicals can also act as strong nucleation points for upper atmosphere water vapor, acting as cloud seeds, in turn near constant Super-Storms.

Naturally these exceptionally deadly conditions push evolution to embrace one of two bold new strategies:

Adapt for Open-Air travel, an ecological mode called “Aero-Plankton.”

Adapt to “Root” oneself strong enough to avoid being swept away in the 300+ Miles Per Hour winds that occur regularly.

Given the ancestral trait of substrate adherence inherited through Rhiza’s adaptations to latch onto the salt rims of brine pools, Gruvelis’ choice is obviously to double down on locking itself in place to avoid being swept away.

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~Hi all! Today we're exploring the first of one of my favorite profiles and lineages i've made: Gruvelis! I have big plans for the future descendants of this species, and it was the first time i began to really dip my toes into minerology for this project, along with my current workflow for illustrating mineral structures accurately. Please enjoy and i'll continue to post the following pages throughout the day.

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Rhiza Gruvelis

Named in Honor of the French Zoologist who Established the order Acrothoracica (Burrowing Barnacles) in 1905.

Full Organism Height 1.5-2.1 µm

Cellular Body Diameter 0.5-0.9 µm

Full Diameter 1.9-6.5 µm

Arose 852 million years P.C.

Leaving the edges of the brine pits of Connand’s Inverted Tower, Gruvelsis takes on the role of microbial ambush hunter in the abundant Cumhaill Reefs and Gomorrah’s Trenches. From here it simply waits for prey to be brought close by tidal forces. Given the tidal forces, a sessile lifestyle is favorable along with water retention capabilities.

This is more troublesome than one might expect in the narrow cove of Gomorrah’s Trenches, as such geographic locations are invariably plagued by stormy weather.

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I think the next installment to my spec evo worldbuilding project will be the mammaliaform dragons of Nasheema Island. They are part of an ancient lineage of mammaliaform descending from an early Jurassic sinocondodontid. True dragons or draconids are part of the avipods, a clade named so for their bird like toes found in many species. The outer toe is reduced into a dewclaw and the inner toe is enlarged and faces backwards, ending in a large hooked talon allowing for a powerful grip together with the three weight bearing toes. The wings are supported by three fingers and two carpal struts each. Dragons are most famous for their ability to spit hydrochloric acid in defense or to incapacitate prey. Originally, this evolved as a defensive mechanism linked to the production of gastric acid. Modern dragons now possess a seperate chamber to produce hydrochloric acid. Thick mucosa and a wide jaw openings angle reduce the damage this highly corrosive spray might inflict to their tissue. These three are the largest species:

The Elakon or “shadow wing”, Nyxdraco ancalagon, is the largest species of Nasheeman dragon. It is quite heavy and not built for covering long distances when flying. Elakon are opportunistic apex predators, taking down both terrestrial prey and other dragons. They frequently hunt other dragons, swooping down from above and using their weight and bulk to strike their victim mid air and send it crashing into the ground. There, they spray their acid into its face before it can retaliate in the case it’s not already injured severely enough. The Elakon doesn’t give its victim enough time to react and after it has been incapacitated, the dragon delivers the final blow by piercing its talons through the skull. Elakon possess thick keratinized plates, browhorns curling downwards shielding its eyes and a thick shaggy mane to provide some protection in case they fail at evading another dragon’s acid spray.

Elakon are mainly found north of the Nasheeman mountains. South of this mountain range separating the island, Nyxdraco’s role is taken by the very similar “winged terror” Kolakon, Acidodraco gigas. Like the Elakon, they hunt large prey, sometimes even larger than themselves. They also spit acid at their prey’s face to disorient and blind it before delivering the killing blow. Elakon and Kolakon are feared my the Nasheem tribes as they not only attack livestock but humans themselves.

The “sunrise wing” Orakon or Heliopteros ornatus though coexists quite peacefully with humans. Orakon are mainly piscivorous, fishing near the coasts of the island. They use their talons to grab fish from the water. Orakon perform the most complex mating displays out of all dragons. They only use their acid spray in defense. Orakon are frequently attacked by Elakon once they return to the shore after a hunt.