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The Spriggan is a tree-like creature native to the Elder Scrolls, where they are often found in forests and groves.

In appearance, a Spriggan appears to be made of entirely wood and a glowing source that the people claim as magic, they are also claimed to be tree spirits due to the fact that they are always found in areas that feature trees or other flora. There seems to be two variations of Spriggans as some walk on two legs, while others walk on four.

Is there a realistic way that a Spriggan could evolve? Is there a reason that a Spriggan couldn't evolve? What evolutionary factors would support the Spriggan?

A list of all of the Anatomically Correct questions can be found here.

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  • $\begingroup$ With magic? Or reality? $\endgroup$
    – JDługosz
    Sep 1, 2016 at 14:34
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    $\begingroup$ I'm not going to vote, but wondering whether duplicate of Anatomically Correct Ent? $\endgroup$
    – cobaltduck
    Sep 1, 2016 at 16:59

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"Tree like" and "appears" seems to be the important bits here.

"Glowing source" might be bioluminescence - this might be an organ similar to that that a anglerfish would have. This might either be 'part' of them, an object (say a glow in the dark gem) or some sort of parasite or symbiote. A healthy specimen may have a brighter glow.

There's a condition called Epidermodysplasia verruciformis that causes people to have wood-like growths That said, keratin or chitinous armour that's fiberous and flexible would be useful as a natural defence. Think hardened versions of the mop-like fur of the komondor semi flexible, layered armour that looks a lot like wood. You might have evolutionary splits between two basically primate/ape like creatures, say great apes and humans.

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The spriggan is a giant bioluminescent insect covered in barklike layers of chitin. The spriggan has branchlike appendages with "leaves" at the end, which are biologically similar to wings like those of a butterfly or moth. The spiggan's third pair of limbs are hinged behind their arms, and are covered in spikes to use as weapons.

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  • $\begingroup$ That's not anatomically correct due to Maximum size of an exoskeletal creature. $\endgroup$
    – Mołot
    Jun 19, 2017 at 13:26
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    $\begingroup$ If you add more oxygen to the atmosphere and heat the planet, you can scale insects up to 3 meters in length. Assuming this change is gradual, culminating in spriggans, the atmospheric changes should not affect vertebrates, and may, in fact, lead to the development of megafauna such as dragons, which are common in fantasy worlds where a spriggan might dwell. $\endgroup$
    – Dofork
    Jun 19, 2017 at 15:20

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