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Enter the Argonian: a (really) ugly sentient human-like lizard. Although almost no one plays as this race on their Skyrim playthroughs, they have some pretty astounding capabilities; they are masters of guerilla warfare, can breathe underwater, can communicate in a spoken language, and have lifespans similar to those of humans.

What evolution could support the existence of such creatures? Could the Argonians even exist, biologically speaking?

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This question is part of the Anatomically Correct Series.

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    $\begingroup$ @AndreiROM Earth reptiles aren't really known for their bipedal stance and higher intellegence. $\endgroup$
    – TrEs-2b
    Jul 28, 2016 at 16:03
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    $\begingroup$ @AndreiROM hence why the question is valid $\endgroup$
    – TrEs-2b
    Jul 28, 2016 at 16:13
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    $\begingroup$ they have some pretty astounding capabilities; they (...) can communicate in a spoken language I was going to point that this is not an astounding capability, but then I remembered a lot of people with whom I have to deal on a daily basis and yeah, that seems like a rare skill to me. $\endgroup$
    – The Square-Cube Law
    Jul 28, 2016 at 16:41
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    $\begingroup$ In general I would be careful trying to apply Scientifiic principles to any fantasy realm, but I would be especially careful with the Elder Scrolls. Physics, Biology, and Chemistry as we understand not only do not exist but are replaced with magic/ethereal based alternatives. This is especially true for the Argonians. They are that form because the entity that they come from( called the Hist) is powerful and wills it that way. Trying to make sense of with the rules of our world is fruitless. $\endgroup$
    – knowads
    Jul 28, 2016 at 20:33
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    $\begingroup$ @knowads -- this is more a question of "are the traits manifested by the Argonians plausible in the context of RL biology and evolution?" (It's also useful because lizardfolk are a common fantasy trope, and the Argonians are a well-understood proxy for that trope.) Or, "how could a deity put the pieces and parameters in place to make such a race pop out of the evolutionary apparatus we know about?" $\endgroup$
    – Shalvenay
    Jul 30, 2016 at 0:01

3 Answers 3

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Please, for the love of all that is reality-based, do not give your Argonian maids boobs. If they are reptilian at all there is no plausible reason for this. It's a mammalian characteristic.

Ladies should have different markings, a lack of frills or something else if you crave differentiation.

There should be no nipples on either gender.

As for plausibility, they just need to evolve hands with an opposable thumb and there are a lot of reptiles that have hands close to this. And they would need to stand upright. There were dinosaurs that did stand on their hind legs, so I would opt for branching out from that. They would also need a stable environment as far as temperature is concerned, as they can't regulate their body temperature as well as mammals can. Dressing for warmth just won't cut it.

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    $\begingroup$ I almost spit my drink on my screen girl! Your sense of humor is wicked! $\endgroup$
    – Inquisitive
    Jul 30, 2016 at 3:53
  • $\begingroup$ Also, if I EVER see scales on a woman's boobs...I'm GONE! $\endgroup$
    – Inquisitive
    Jul 30, 2016 at 4:01
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    $\begingroup$ @Inquisitive Yeah... lizard tits should not be a thing. And yet. Bethesda has given us so much, but this is one gift I would definitely return. $\endgroup$
    – Erin Thursby
    Jul 30, 2016 at 5:44
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I think dinosaurs could have evolved to human intelligence if they had survived extinction events. I think evolution thrives on hardship. The smaller dinosaurs would have had to evolve intelligence in order to survive the big boys. It's what explains the extremely nasty dispositions of Hippos. Their attitudes evolved as such to help them survive certain predators.

Nature is so dynamic, I'm certain it's at least possible dinosaurs could have evolved to human intelligence.

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  • $\begingroup$ But why would these dinosaurs become bipedal, and how would they outcompete more intelligent creatures? $\endgroup$
    – Ichthys King
    May 13, 2020 at 21:04
  • $\begingroup$ @IchthysKing a lot of dinosaurs were already bipedal, and if we define intelligence as the ability to learn things and practice them while also understanding abstract things then yeah.... Dinosaurs were pretty darn intelligent. For example in my story dinosaurs never went extinct and the iguanodon took the evolutionary niche of adaptable intelligent species. They have all the tools needed to evolve human like sapience 1)Tool use 2) sociality 3) reason to develop tools $\endgroup$
    – user75689
    May 13, 2020 at 21:48
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Argonians could have evolved from aquatic reptiliomorphs that became hematophagous. To protect their gills, they would evolve a velum like a lamprey. With this, they could seal their gills and leave the water. They may evolve to become tree-dwellers, and evolve convergently with humans until they become the Argonians.

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