Content:Aurum/Physiology
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[edit] Physiology
Below you will find information on the Aurixan physical appearance, and explanations of details spanning from (but not bound to) their skeletal structure to their senses.
[edit] Skeleton
The Aurix possess a simple skeletal structure, capable of simple abuse without breaking. This however is not to say that their skeletal structure is brittle.
The Aurixan skeleton is typical of those that you might find in your every day Earth-bound creature. The skeleton consists of 28 vertebrae from the base of the neck to the end of the tail/beginning of the scythe stinger, with only two vertebrae in the neck, nine making up the ribcage, and seventeen in the tail. The tentacle-arms do not possess a single bone within them, as the Aurix rely strictly on muscles to move their manipulators.
The skull however is worth mention. It had for millennia been long, consisting of two separate bones which had eventually fused to strengthen both, which were the skull itself and the proboscis; used in the Aurix's old hemophagic tendencies. Eventually after many, many centuries of evolution, the proboscis bone melted away, leaving a gargantuan hole in the front of the skull, where a mouth formed instead. This mouth, known as a razor gullet, was full of twelve razor-sharp teeth, which had actually been adapted from the various barbs that could once be found attached to the proboscis, flanking it to help aid the Aurum in battle. Eventually, this too had disappeared, having elongated outwards over time, leading to a far more useful tusked trap mouth, which sat in roughly the same hollow spot in the skull. This large hollow remains to some extent, leading to them still being included in the Therocoelognathus infraclass, which means "Jaw Opening Beast". But, like the razor gullet before it, the tusked trap has also disappeared; the bones making up this mouth were four extensions of the miniscule remnants of the proboscis, and as time went on, they no longer were held together by encapsulating flesh but instead allowed to separate, forming the split-jaw, more commonly known by its nickname, the Death Petal. This weapon is on the cutting edge of mouth evolution, and awards the Aurix a savage, massive bite.
Another point of interest is the eyes, which are set into eye socket bones. Curiously, these eye sockets are not attached to the skull at all and instead float within the fleshy eyestalks which extend outwards, up, and forward from the skull itself. It is also interesting to note that they still possess both pelvic and anal fins, which are leftover remnants from their ancient seafaring ancestors.
Aurix walk bipedally, walking on two legs that extend straight down due to an ornithischian, or "bird-hipped" style pelvis, which they are balanced upon by their tentacle-arms and tail, although the tail now typically extends over their heads in a likeness to a scorpion. Their feet are designed almost like a hybridized cross between a miniature tyrannosaurus and a dromeosaur's feet, and possess very little climbing ability, although the Aurix are indeed capable of climbing, albeit slow, weak, and clumsy, by using their tentacle-arms to wrap around tree branches or other things and then digging their toes into whatever is around, pushing themselves up with their legs while pulling themselves up with their arms.
The tail bones are designed to allow the tail to comfortably rest while curled over the top of the head, which comes to a dangerous end found in the form of a curved and somewhat sharp extended bone stinger, sometimes referred instead to as the bonescythe. Over time, this bone adapted to become hollow, and now sports a venom sac at its hilt, filled with the same neurotoxic venom found in the mouth's venom sac, which helps an Aurix with its offensive tactic of stinging. The tail has become rather stiff and inflexible in most directions in order to allow the tail to sting forward more powerfully, but is capable of being uncurled and held flat; it is typically held in this manner during swimming.
[edit] Musculatory System
The Aurix musculatory system is far from fancy or spectacular. Typical muscles criss-cross areas, although more muscles inhabit the mouth than your typical creature, from a time when they possessed movable teeth used to push food down into the esophagus (many of these muscles are now unused and atrophied), while other muscles power the four-way biting mechanism. Muscles exist that are more powerful in the tail, and although once used for their main propulsion system through water, it is now typically all used for a powerful strike in their bone scythe stingers, which have become their main line of offense.
[edit] Circulatory System
The Aurix circulatory system is fairly uninteresting, although it should be noted that they possess both full-fledged lungs and feathery gills, which remain closed thanks to muscular "gill flaps" while not in water. These gills stem from their days as spinocephalopods, and allow them a highly extended time period in which they may remain underwater, although they still need to gulp down large breaths of air before submerging due to the point the relatively small size of the gills in comparison to the rest of the body; the gills just do not provide enough oxygen into their system as they stand.
[edit] Brain & Nerve Center
The Aurix have become extremely intelligent over time, with each possessing the approximate intelligence of a dolphin. Although they had long spent their time in the protection of schools, and then in packs known as cetes, they have since separated into even more family-oriented pods, ruled by an alpha male and alpha female. These groups are capable of becoming significantly larger than the old cetes, with the cetes only being able to contain 30 members while the batteries (the new term for a group of Aurix) can now hold up to 50 members.
Although they once held colonies, first in a porous rock known as Colony Rock in the Vuukelp Forest, then in the koryl tethers beneath the Urn Koryl of the Koryl Reef, and finally upon horse-sized Titan Rays swimming the oceans around the Reef, they eventually worked their way into a large Tidal Pool area close to shore, where they hadn't possessed a colony in some time. With the overtaking onto land and the evolution into tentacleiosaurs, they have returned to their colonial lifestyle, using permanent nests that they make repairs and improvements to every "mating season".
They try to protect their young as well as other members with their lives, and are less likely to leave their old, sick, and dying behind, and instead are likely to stay as a battery and protect them by driving off the would-be predators. They also protect their deceased from the various brilliantly-colored Featherhead Gulls that roam the beach and occasionally enter the surrounding Catapult Forests, and have even gone so far as to protect a fallen Quirlax from a large flock of starved Featherheads.
With the onset of the Permitted crash-landing, they have also become experts at sneak attacks; however, it is unknown if the other colonies are capable of this or if it is only a learned tactic of the West Shore Aurix.
[edit] Digestive System
The digestive system is a simple one, with the Aurix possessing only a stomach and one set of intestines to process their meals. They also possess a vestigial organ known as the Blood Processor - not found in many species on other worlds - which is specifically designed to process all the nutrients out of a strictly-blood diet.
The stomach acids have grown powerful enough to properly process chitin, although are still incapable of processing metals like the Human's stomach can. The intestine works like a big intestine, and is filled with various microorganisms which help break down nutrients and absorb them into the body. The Aurix are known for feeding exclusively on only three species, although they often scavenge off of any dead opponents they have recently killed. These three species are:
- The Whipscales, a strange organism, known as a Xenosurin, possessing metallic armor plating on its upper shell. These beings often wash ashore along the southern beaches in an earlier form known as Rockscales, where they are eaten by Clawgrips, and Skullbeaks. While sessile in their initial stage, they soon grow limbs and eye-like sensory organs, and crawl up the beach, where they settle down once more and return to their sessile habit. Only those Whipscales who are spotted by the Aurix during their annual migration into the Catapult Forests are considered edible, and are essentially no more than a delicacy to them.
- The Grendons, an offshoot species of the Aurix that have remained spinocephalopods rather than converting into tentacleiosaurs, like many other terrestrial offshoots have done. These strange-looking "back-boned mollusks" stand on four heavily muscled tentacle-legs, and have one set of thin tentacles that are covered in razor-sharp teeth used for offensive maneuvers. They feed upon the Quirlax, and are the natural rivals of the Aurix race.
- The Quirlaxi, another offshoot species of the Aurix genome that converted into tentacleiosaurs alongside the Aurix. For a time, they were under the Aurix's protection, but that symbiosis has fallen away to predation. Unlike other offshoots, the Quirlax specialize in a herbivorous diet.
[edit] Respiratory System
Aurix belong to a unique taxon of tentacleiosaurs, which possess both gills and lungs, allowing them to breathe properly in both environments. The Aurix species prefer to spend a significant portion of their lives on land; but will swim around in the swamps on occasion, as they do not have any requirements such as prey located therein. Both gills and lungs are fully developed, although the gills are considered too weak to indefinitely extend water breathing as they are built more for cat-sized creatures, whereas the Aurix are now horse-sized. The gills possess muscular flaps that are typically closed while on land in order to prevent their drying out. These muscles are controlled by the subconscious, preventing them from drowning due to lack of experience with them, such as if their nest while still aurumlings were to flood over for some reason. The Aurix currently can stay underwater for up to an hour before needing to return for a breath of fresh air.
[edit] Senses
The Aurix hunt particularly by sight and electroception, as most of their other senses remain weak and unadapted. Aurixan eyes are set within thick eyestalks, with the eyes themselves capable of human-equivalent chromatic vision, with focusing allowing them to see up to a half-mile away, although not in tremendous detail. These eyes have also become capable of sight so long as there is some form of light source, again like human eyes.
Their main sense is actually electroreception. Along the sides of their head are located several very sensitive ampullae of lorenzini; specialized jelly-filled canals which open to the surface by a pore in the skin and end blindly in clusters of small pockets and canals full of electroreceptor cells. These are used to detect objects (typically living objects) through the use of electroreception. The Aurix have increased this to such a powerful level, that they can detect bioelectrical life signs up to a mile away in 100% salinated marine waters. While this is considered an extreme ability, its range is significantly lowered in brackish water to a half-mile distance, while in freshwater it is only a surprising 25% range. On land, it is lowered to 10% of its natural range, although this can be increased or decreased depending on the local humidity level.
Although they do not possess the necessary means to smell through their nostrils, they have adapted a pair of insignificant, downward-facing clubbed antennae that they can gently brush against the ground. These serve the purpose of smelling, although they are rather basic and are not particularly great at tracking.
Aurix also possess simple nerve endings to allow them to know generally how cold or warm an area is to prevent both overheating and freezing, which is good considering the fact that they remain a cold-blooded species.
Other senses they possess include simple internal ears (primitive tympanic ears), basic magnetite sensors for magnetoception, and very weak extra-sensory perception, used specifically to detect things like earthquakes or huge storms up to an hour before they happen.
However, they have yet to gain any form of taste, which is a strange trait to be found. They also do not possess any form of echolocation, although this is a far less strange occurrence and is actually seen as relatively normal.
[edit] Evolutionary Path
In this section you will find a complete list of all the known evolutions taken by the Aurixan species.
[edit] Zocax
- Sulphuric Tolerance
- Stigma (Basic Sight)
- Horned Protrusion
- Advanced Cilia
[edit] Aurii
- Chloroplasts -- Neouii offshoot created
- Cnidocytes -- Official switch to Cnidomecia
- Increased Mass
- Simple Propulsory Chemical Jet
- Advanced Nucleus (Basic Brain)
- Sensory Cilia
- Cellular Tentacles
- Mouth Parts
- Flagellum
- Increased Mass
- Meta-Skeleton
- Sharper Cnidocytes
- Weak Cnidocyte Neurotoxin
- Slight Poison Resistance
- Simple Paddles
- Distasteful Cytoplasm
- Weakly Poisonous Cytoplasm
- Thicker Cytoskeleton
- Basic Cellular Endoskeleton
- Thicker Cellular Endoskeleton
- Simple Paddles
- Proboscis
- Blood Processor Organelle
- Increased Mass
[edit] "Unknown" Form(s)
- [UNDER CONSTRUCTION]
[edit] Eelix
- [UNDER CONSTRUCTION]
[edit] Squillix
- [UNDER CONSTRUCTION]
[edit] Quadrix
- [UNDER CONSTRUCTION]
[edit] Terrux
- [UNDER CONSTRUCTION]
[edit] Therox
- [UNDER CONSTRUCTION]
[edit] Aurix
- [UNDER CONSTRUCTION]
- Tendril Gills
- Dermal Denticles
- Neck Plate
- Increased Electroreceptive Tracking
- Strengthened Dermal Denticles
- Feathery Gills
- Sharpened Dermal Denticles
- Increased Olfactory Sensitivity
- Enlarged Mass: Horse Height
- Advanced Gills
- Increased Tooth Regeneration
- Strengthened Split Tentacles
- Increased Electroreptive Tracking
- Hunter's Claws
- Liver
- Significant Bone Marrow
- Basic Clavate Antennae
- Increased Electroreptive Tracking
- Hardened Eggs
- Scaled Eggs
- Endurance Heart
- Increased Tooth Regeneration
- Blood Storage Organ
- Swivel Jet
- Hunter's Foot-Claws
- Serrated Teeth
[edit] Evolutions Explained
Below is a list of the various evolutionary traits the Aurix have gained that have yet to go obsolete with time.
[edit] Intelligence
Advanced Brain: The Aurix have become extremely intelligent, with an approximate intelligence comparable to that of a dolphin. Although they had long spent their time in the protection of schools, and then in packs known as Cetes, they have since separated into even more family-oriented pods, ruled by an Alpha Male and Alpha Female. These groups, however, are capable of becoming significantly larger than the old Cetes, which now can hold up to 50 members. Although they once held colonies, first in a rock in the Kelp Forest, then in the coral tethers beneath the corals of the Coral Reef, and finally upon a horse-sized Titan Ray swimming the oceans around the Coral Reef, they have recently begun living in a large Tidal Pool area close to shore, without a colony in some time. They have the potential to protect their young as well as other members with their lives, and are less likely to leave their old, sick, and dying behind, and instead are likely to stay as a pod and protect them by driving off the would-be predators.
[edit] Awareness
Humanoid Eyesight: The eyes are the Aurix's main line of awareness, and reside on tiny stalks to help them see a little better. Due to a protective layering, they are capable of sight above water.
Thickened Eyestalks: With thicker eyestalks, the Aurix have been able to evolve stronger eyes, as the fleshier eyestalks can hold larger nerve cords to which can attach to the brain.
All-Purpose Sight: z
Clubbed Antennae: Clubbed Antennae allow rudimentary smelling capabilities otherwise not found in the Aurix anatomy. They are small and insignificant, forcing the Aurix to drop their heads close to the ground so that these small, weak antennae can attempt to track prey.
Simple Nerve Endings: <<under construction>>
Simple Internal Ears: <<under construction>>
Basic Magnetite Sensors: <<under construction>>
Weak Ampullae of Lorenzini: The Aurix eventually evolved the ability to sense electrical discharges made by all living creatures through a sequence of sensitive pores located along their proboscis. This however remained very basic, and they could only sense things from about an inch away. This made it incapable of true defense with it. These Ampullae once were found located on the proboscis, helping to guide it into a foe, informing the wielder when they've pierced their opponent (as the Ampullae went crazy once imbedded within the source of the electrical outputs). However, in more recent times the ampullate have been relocated to the sides of the head as the proboscis fell away to make room for the razor gullet. Where it is located now, it can help guide an Aurix to prey, typically underwater, as they can determine which side of their head the electrical outputs are sensed first on. If both sense the outputs at the same time, they know their on target. This has become far more useful in recent years as well, allowing for direct communication between Aurix.
Weak ESP: <<under construction>>
[edit] Offensive Evolutions
Sharp Cnidocytes: Located on the bottoms of both pairs of tentacle-arms, generally used when prey gets unruly to help the Aurix escape, hopefully unharmed, although occasionally used to hold onto something better (although only VERY slightly better). With the evolution of the bone scythe stinger tail, this has fallen into heavy disuse.
Weak Neurotoxin: The sharp tentacle cnidocytes, as well as the dual venom sacs and the skin itself, are filled with a weak dosage of an endogenous neurotoxin known as glutamate, which is normally found as a primary neurotransmitter in the brain. However, when injected by the Aurix it can overload the brains of their foes, causing the neurons to kill themselves through apoptosis. This is used offensively more than defensively, and is now used as a main weapon against prey and foes alike.
Electroplaques (Somewhat Weak Voltage): The Aurix have obtained the uncanny ability to constantly discharge electricity through the waters (as well as through the air, although at a much less powerful strength) surrounding them due to hundreds of disk-shaped cells stacked on top of one another like batteries, which are stored within the muscles of the tail. This isn't tremendously powerful, however, and just tends to cause discomfort in creatures around them. This is however the Aurix's main line of communication, although they must be in close contact with one another to "speak" due to this.
Radula: Located at the very back of an Aurum's mouth is a tongue, which usually lies in a tiny recess with a flap of skin to cover it when in disuse, as to allow food to flow smoothly through the throat and down into the stomach. This tongue is covered in nearly microscopic chitin teeth, and although thin due to its initial requirements of fitting within the proboscis, they can thread it wrap it around foes to function as a saw. This is used strictly against armored prey, in order to get to their soft inside. However, with the Aurixan stomach acids capable of digesting chitin, this organ has fallen into massive disuse.
Split Tusk Mouth: x
Bone Scythe Stinger: x
Venom Sac - Mouth: x
Venom Sac - Tail: x
[edit] Defensive Evolutions
Weakly Poisonous Skin: The skin of an Aurum is weakly poisonous, to help deter some prey from eating them. It is so weak, however, that it does little else but give predators an upset stomach or indigestion, and the Aurum is usually killed in the process of using this defense (and most often times digested, as well).
Fair Poison Resistance: The Aurix possess fair resistances to toxins on the lower end of the spectrum. This allows them to successfully consume fairly poisonous creatures with little ill-effects, and slightly poisonous creatures with no ill-effects.
Bony Calcium Endoskeleton: Aurix possess a thin endoskeleton made of bone, which is used to provide a little protection to their vital organs as well as allow for muscles support. Although weak, it is not brittle.
Thin Leathery Skin: x
[edit] Camouflage
Shadowy/Scrub Camouflage: x
[edit] Swimming Adaptations
Rear-Firing Water Jet: x
Weak Body Undulations: x
[edit] Walking/Running Adaptations
Clawed Feet: x
Legs x2: x
Balanced Body: x
Lengthened Legs: x
[edit] Dietary Evolutions
Blood Processing Organ: x
Chloroplastic Buds: x
Intestines: x
Strong Stomach: x
[edit] Manipulation Evolutions
Tentacle-Arms x4: x
Muscular Tentacle-Arms: x
Split Tentacle-Arms x2: x
Strong Split Tentacle (1): x
Clawed Tentacle-Arms x2: x
[edit] Miscellaneous Evolutions
Enlarged Heart: x
Simple Gills: x
Lung: x
Sexual Longevity: x
Sexual Indiscrimination: x
Sensual Sensitivity: x
Terrestrial Tail: x
Decent Social Interaction: x
Primitive Mating For Life: x
Hardened Eggs: x
Weak Vocal Chords: x
Vying For Dominance: x
Inter-Battery Breeding: x
[edit] See Also
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Aurum: Physiology, Social behavior, Offshoots, Geography, Tide pool phase, Sea phase, Land phase, Tribal phase |
