Questions tagged [creature-design]
For questions regarding the viability of a life-form design. These questions should focus on biologically plausible creatures.
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Making a scientifically accurate fire-breathing dragon [duplicate]
I came up with a concept for how a dragon could breathe fire. However, I haven’t figured out some crucial details, which I need help with.
The dragon would capture the methane gas produced by its ...
5
votes
2answers
345 views
Anatomically correct Guivre
The Guivre is an amphibious dragon from French mythology:
Many of its aspects are typical of Western dragons, but there are two which distinguish it from others:
Its breath causes disease
It cannot ...
10
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1answer
104 views
Using sound to swim through sand
Subarenaceous animals are those which can move long distances through dry sand - like sandfish lizards, or Dune's sandworms. The main problem they have to tackle is turning the sand immediately around ...
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2answers
104 views
Let's make a thunder creature!
Let's create a creature with the ability to create a loud boom with only its body. We'll start with a terrestrial predator, that gives us a good reason as to why it needs to do this. It uses the ...
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2answers
141 views
Would advanced Plantoids be plausible? [closed]
Could it be plausible that if enough time given and favorable conditions are met, the dominant species of an alien planet could be a species of plant and by dominant I mean achieving sentience and ...
5
votes
2answers
179 views
Brain Micromanagement
Imagine a creature much like ourselves that can control the usage of their own mind.
For example, a dying ancestor may tell some parting words which are so important that the individual explicitly ...
3
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3answers
176 views
How could a marilith evolve?
Mariliths are these D&D creatures that are basically nagas except with six arms.
OK, technically this image is from Final Fantasy, but you get the point. What environmental factors could cause ...
5
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6answers
324 views
Why would a bird have split wings?
On my world there is a creature that has a 'split' in the plumage of its wings and tail.
Instead of having a singular D-shaped surface (when viewed from above, the bird facing to the left), it is ...
5
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2answers
177 views
Anatomically Correct Pinocchio
Pinocchios are known to be mischievous creatures, but why did they evolve that way and how do they survive?
The creature has the following properties:
Appears to be made of wood
Not taller than a ...
11
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2answers
278 views
Speculative Biology of a Haplodiploid Humanoid Species
In haplodiploid sex-determination system, female/diploid individuals are developed from fertilized eggs by means of sexual reproduction, while male/haploid individuals are developed from unfertilized ...
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10answers
4k views
Anatomically Correct Carnivorous Tree
How might a carnivorous tree look or work?
The following conditions must be met:
Consumes members of the biological kingdom 'Animalia'
Possesses something resembling a trunk or stem of any kind
...
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2answers
66 views
How would a race develop specific adaptations in an area with hard, rocky soil and sturdy trees? [closed]
In my world, one of the races is from a part of a continent with dense, rocky soil and large, hardwood trees. Their whole culture is structured around establishing sturdy foundations and permanence ...
2
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2answers
116 views
Could bio-luminescent plants survive in total darkness for ~3 months annually?
If a three-month dark period was a normal, recurring, part of a 15-month calendar, and plants had evolved to be bio-luminescent, could they survive? Would only some survive and, if so, would it be ...
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3answers
107 views
Advantages of being covered in taste buds? [closed]
On my conworld, I am developing a creature that is covered externally in taste buds. What would be the evolutionary advantages and disadvantages of having this adaptation?
3
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5answers
519 views
What would an animal that absorbs nutrients though its skin be called? [closed]
Animals that eat meat are carnivores, animals that eat plants are herbivores, animals that will eat anything are called omnivores. But what are animals that absorb 25% of their nutrition directly from ...
11
votes
4answers
2k views
If quadruped mammals evolve to become bipedal will their breast or nipple change position?
As the title says, you know stuff like minotaur, lycanth or werewolf, cat or dog folk, etc especially for the female specimens.
I want to know what happen if quadrupedal mammals which usually have ...
3
votes
1answer
78 views
Are there certain qualities needed for an animal to be tamed?
Are there certain qualities that animals need to be tamed? Let's say, for example, a quadrupedal omnivore with intelligence on par with Earth's ravens. It does exhibit opportunistic predatorial ...
3
votes
4answers
184 views
How can I make these feet spikes more sturdy?
The bone is three inches circumference at the joint and one-millimeter circumference at the tip. How might this bone support the front of an animal weighing one-hundred pounds? It runs with its legs ...
4
votes
4answers
131 views
What sort of hip bone is required for quadrupedal animals to locomote on their hind legs?
I am designing a creature that is quadrupedal but can run after prey on its hind legs. What kind of hip bone would allow for the excess stress to be put on it during bipedal locomotion? The animal is ...
9
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4answers
224 views
What sort of qualities might a tortoise-like animal the size of an argentinosaurus need to support its own body?
I am wondering what kind of physical qualities (E.g. Short, thick pillar-like legs) a creature such as this would need to support such an incredible size. The world that it evolves on in almost ...
10
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3answers
2k views
Why do Ichisongas hate elephants and hippos?
In the mythology of the Lambas people of Zambia, there is a creature called the Ichisonga. It is a herbivore, and very rhinoceros-like in appearance.
Upon hearing a hippopotamus, it allegedly sneaks ...
3
votes
1answer
180 views
Where would padding inhibit a limb's movement the least in a quadruped creature?
Of the six limbs of classic dragons, the forelegs always stuck out like a sore thumb. They're dead weight in flight, etc... However, since in my setting you can find any sort of armament, short of a ...
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6answers
1k views
How to achieve cat-like agility?
In my world there human-animal hybrids. My protagonist is a snow leopard-human girl (outwards looks almost completely human, except for the tail). These hybrids have been created through experiments, ...
8
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4answers
467 views
How can a team of shapeshifters communicate?
There is a group of people who can shapeshift. They send out hunting parties, scout teams, etc. In a circumstance where a group of ten people can look like ten different species (one human, one wolf, ...
4
votes
4answers
223 views
Aquatic lizard: Is being warm blooded essential?
Now, I know that most likely this 50 foot long aquatic lizard I mentioned in a previous question of mine would give live birth because reptile eggs and in fact any eggs really can't keep saltwater out....
11
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3answers
807 views
Gastric acid as a weapon
The dragons in my fantasy world spit fluid from their mouths when threatened, which upon contact causes a burning sensation. I could have this liquid be standard venom, like modified saliva, but I ...
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2answers
471 views
How could chocolate be as addictive as heroin?
Most of us are well aware that chocolate is already a bit addictive to human beings... maybe it's the caffeine or the sugar? But what if there were a species to which chocolate was as addictive as ...
5
votes
3answers
127 views
How could somersaulting worms evolve?
In Wayne Douglas Barlowe's classic book "Expedition" he has many strange creatures. One that intrigues the most is this one, the flipstick.
It has two feet on either side and uses them to flip ...
4
votes
1answer
131 views
Can a possible humanoid species capable of changing their sex in a crisis be the dominant species of an entire planet like us?
I had an idea of a concept a while ago.
If a planet that for some reason or another had only one giant continent like Pangea, but bigger, for more distinct habitats and giant lakes assuring ...
6
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3answers
224 views
Anatomically Correct Huldra
Huldra are forest creatures from Scandinavian folklore, best known for their seductive natures. They are frequently depicted as beautiful women, with the additional traits of a cow-like tail and ...
12
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6answers
3k views
Lethal sonic weapons
Sonic weapons are frequently used by military circles as non-lethal irritants to deter opponents. My question is; could a naturally evolved organism kill, or at least incapacitate, small prey using ...
2
votes
4answers
192 views
How would tattoos for shapeshifters work?
So there is a species of shapeshifters who use a tattoo in a specific location on their bodies as a "belonging" indicator. Basically it is a symbol of group pride: it gives information about what the ...
6
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4answers
493 views
Uplifted animals have parts of their “brain” in various locations of their body. Where?
Looking at the case of Mike, I realized decentralizing the brain might not be infeasible. The idea is if Horus, the brown falcon, doesn't have enough room in his skull, then why not move various ...
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1answer
131 views
Anatomically correct Isitoq
This is the latest in a long series of questions I've asked on my fantasy world which contains many mythical and folkloric creatures. I won't link the other questions since at this stage the series ...
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4answers
800 views
Dragon forelimb placement
Most dragons (before Skyrim and GoT) had six limbs in total, four legs and a pair of wings.
The question is how would a dragon's forelimbs be placed? It's obvious they have good terrestrial ...
11
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3answers
407 views
Mutually beneficial digestive system symbiotes
On an Earth-like planet, an intelligent species evolved in symbiosis with another species that lives in their digestive system and act as the microbial gut flora in humans do. What implementations of ...
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6answers
306 views
In what sort of environment might a species with biological wheels evolve, and what would they look like?
So for a thought experiment I came up with the idea of a species that uses wheels for locomotion, sort of inspired by a species shown in His Dark Materials. Under what circumstances would such a ...
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1answer
95 views
Could an entirely (or mostly) hydraulic muscular system work in terrestrial vertebrates?
In Invertebrates, Muscular Hydrostat, which is a form of biological hydraulic, is used for locomotion. On Earth, (as far as I'm aware) no system exists where hydraulics perform in conjunction with a ...
9
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2answers
132 views
Anatomy of a walking octopoid
I have some alien creatures which are essentially land-going octopoids somewhat larger than humans. Tentacles not being a good form of propulsion on land, they have rudimentary 'legs' with one bone ...
5
votes
2answers
148 views
Creating a scientifically semi-valid super-soldier, addendum: Metabolism
A while back Demigan had a running series of posts about various aspects biological enhancement for the purpose of designing super-soldiers with an element of (pseudo) science behind them.
You can ...
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5answers
3k views
Plausibility of squid whales
I am considering the possibility of having massive cephalopods evolving on my world and having them fill the niche of whales.
I've heard about how whales have evolved to increase in size for the ...
4
votes
2answers
414 views
How much force would your fist need to strike with to punch through a human body?
Okay so, this is kind of a disgusting question... sorry about that in advance, guys. Say you are super strong, super fast, and super durable. There is a not so strong, fast, or durable normal human ...
4
votes
2answers
297 views
Anatomically Correct Pikachu
We all know Pikachu, fuzzy, small rodent, with the ability to discharge electrical energy as an attack. But could Pikachu ever evolve in our world, and how would it do so?
What's required:
Rodent-...
10
votes
5answers
704 views
Anatomically Correct Mesopelagic Aves
Recently I had a vision of a colossal underwater bird-like figure.
I would describe it as follows:
Roughly the wingspan of the length of a blue whale
Snow-white
Typical shape and feathering of a ...
141
votes
7answers
14k views
Anatomically Correct Strange Women In Ponds Distributing Swords
Chaos plagues the land. In the West, the King in Orange blusters and bloviates endlessly in barely comprehensible gibberish. Perhaps he is attempting to call forth the Elder Gods? In the East, the ...
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votes
3answers
149 views
Other Mouthparts For Aliens?
What other kind of mouthparts might an alien (intelligent or non-intelligent) have besides the typical jaw with teeth or mandibles?
To avoid being too broad a subject, let's assume the aliens need to ...
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0answers
61 views
how would the osmoregulatory and excretory systems would be for a flying human [closed]
How would the excretory and osmoregulatory systems be for a flying human?
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11answers
3k views
Biological Blimps: Propulsion
A while back, I asked this question about the plausibility of giant floating whales and received an excellent and high-scoring answer from Dubukay demonstrating that, given the assumptions that ...
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4answers
187 views
Retractable Tusks?
Is there a way to make retractable tusks anatomically plausible in a creature design without relying on an articulated bone structure? Basically, relying fully on musculature instead of articulation ...
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2answers
241 views
Can my Alien species be possible with real science?
They are blue to gray skinned with four eyes, two of which can see in infrared, three fingers and toes on each appendage, and reptilian-like ears (eardrums are external), as well as a hair color range ...
