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Fauna and Flora of Meganesia
JOrnitho: I'm making another thread so we can discuss animals and plants of these regions here. I had some ideas for animals living on Meganesia: Hare-kangaroos (Genus Leporoo): members of the Family Potoroidea, they are quadrupedal omnivorous marsupials that move by gallop-jump. Dwarf emu: A dwarf descendant of the emu endemic to Tasmania. Hunter glider: a more carnivore descendant of the sugar glider Marsupial otter: a semi-aquatic descendant of the marsupial mice living in the mangroves of Northern Meganesia and maybe southern Sund land. Do you think that these animals are plausible?
Ответов - 7
Биолог: JOrnitho Thank you for the thread idea, but it would be great to check the Bestiary of mammals for already existing species of the same or similar niche. This is also true for birds, surely.
JOrnitho: Биолог пишет: but it would be great to check the Bestiary of mammals for already existing species of the same or similar niche. This is also true for birds, surely. I was checking the Bestiary, I thought that at least the hare-kangaroo or the hujter glider could occur. However, it seems that Meganesia is already well filled of animals. I'll maintain my suggestions to species of other regions. Although, regarding the marsupial otter, do you think that, rather than a marsupial, one of Southeastern Asian species of mongoose couse evolve to fill the otter's niche in this region? If yes, maybe they could occur in coastal Northern Meganesia.
Биолог: JOrnitho one of Southeastern Asian species of mongoose couse evolve to fill the otter's niche in this region? An aquatic mongoose? Sounds interesting, but what would force it into the water? Mongooses seem to have plenty of food and habitats on dry land.
JOrnitho: Биолог пишет: but what would force it into the water? I thought that their ancestors could have started to explore preys on wet areas, such as mangroves an marshes. The disappearance of the otters could also allow them to explore this vacant niche. With the passing of the time, these mongooses would start to become more and more adaptated to a semi-aquatic lifestyle.
Биолог: JOrnitho mangroves an marshes And that's possible! With the passing of the time, these mongooses would start to become more and more adaptated to a semi-aquatic lifestyle. That is, like otters. I think it's possible.
JOrnitho: I found this description on the files of my computer. Hunter glider (Carnopetaurus vorax) A descendent of the sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) introduced by the humans in Tasmania during the Holocene, the hunter glider developed a taste for meat. This species evolved in Tasmania and reached continental Meganesia when the two were connected during the last Ice Age. Its habitat is the forests of Tasmania and Southern Meganesia. The hunter glider lives in family groups with two adults and their young, sometimes young males and females leave the parents group to form their own. The hunter glider has a squirrel-like body and large, forward-facing eyes, short (though pointed) face, and a long partially prehensile tail which is used as a rudder while gliding. The length from the nose to the tip of the tail is about 26 to 37 cm. This species is sexually dimorphic, with males typically larger than females. They are more active at night and have folds of loose skin (patagia) running from the wrists to the ankles. They use the patagia to glide from tree to tree by jumping and holding out their limbs spread-eagle. They are able to glide for distances over 140 metres. Their fur is light gray, with a black mask through the eyes. There is also a black stripe running from its nose to midway on its back. The fur of half of the tail to the tip is black. The belly, throat, and chest are cream in color. Males have four scent glands, located on the forehead, chest, and two next to the cloaca, that are used for marking of group members and territory. Scent glands on the head and chest of males appear as bald spots. Females also have a scent gland near the anus and others in the pouch, but do not have scent glands on the chest or forehead. This mammal eats small lizards, birds and mammals; they will also eat insects and more rarely plant material. They attack nests of birds during night, eating chicks, eggs and sometimes the parent that is incubating the eggs. The hunter glider can rarely eat pollen and nectar, like their ancestor, they will prefer to wait hidden near a flower waiting a small bat or a pygmy possum approaches the flower to feed on nectar, then the hunter glider will jump and kill the prey with a bite in the throat. The hunter glider breeds once or twice a year depending on the climate and habitat conditions. The female has a marsupium (pouch) in the middle of her abdomen to carry offspring. The pouch opens anteriorly, and two lateral pockets extend posteriorly when young are present. Four nipples are usually present in the pouch. A hunter glider female gives birth to one or two joey per litter. The gestation period is 15 to 17 days, after which the tiny joey will crawl into the mother's pouch for further development. The eyes first open around 80 days after birth, and young will leave the marsupium around 110 days after birth, when they are weaned. The hunter glider reaches sexual maturity with 12 month and their lifespan is of 7 years.
Биолог: JOrnitho Good!
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