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Osmatar β Realistic Skullcrawler
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#amphisbaena #evolution #kaiju #king #kong #monster #speculative #zoology
Published: 2017-03-17 12:35:46 +0000 UTC; Views: 29130; Favourites: 537; Downloads: 43
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Description
A truly unusual case of insular gigantism, the infamous skullcrawler (Megamphisbaena calvarinsularis) is not only the largest lepidosaurian predator on Skull Island but also the largest living amphisbaenid and the longest extant predatory lizard known to date (unless someone stumbles upon a two ton varanid or something, which has been known to happen).ΒThis is of course my hastily put together entry to Joshua KnΓΌppe's Spec Evo challenge (that until yesterday I thought I'd have to opt out of). As a disclaimer I have to point out that I haven't seen the new King Kong movie, but I've seen the trailers and I know the original O'Brien lizard puppet the skullcrawlers in the movie are based upon. I know my skullcrawler isn't big enough to fight an ape the size of a skyscraper, but then if it was, it wouldn't be even this realistic, would it?
Edit: having seen how everyone else has approached the challenge, I sort of feel bad for not coming up with anything more creative, but I decided to prioritize realism and here we are.
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Comments: 48
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I had a nightmare once where a creature resembling this shape & size emerged from a small cave, but the head wasn't white.
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Skull Island needs normal-sized animals, also.
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I like this version of the beast even if it sheds its movie based agility it looks totally plausible.
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Ironically, I have a kaiju named Wyrmogan who is basically a giant Bipes. Granted, I'm still working on the design, and it might incorporate some elements from other amphisbiaenids (and at the time, some armored plates from a armadillo girdled lizard. That's the plan anyway, though I might be going in another direction for the body armor.
Anyway, great job!
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That sounds cool. I actually used the armadillo lizard as an inspiration for my Tarrasque. Also, thanks!
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They are interesting little lizards, aren't they? It be how I can combine elements of a burrowing two legged reptile and plated lizard though.
You're welcome.
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I don't think you should feel bad for chosing a concept similar to other artists' versions. To be honest, the amphisbaenian route was the most "instinctive" considering the original Skull Crawler's features. And you complimented my version but you are a far more seasoned artist than I am. I looked up on you ever since the ol' speculative dinosaurs website days. Really, your version is nothing to be ashamed of.
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Thank you, but I know myself and I know I could have come up with something more original if I had spent some more time pondering the challenge (and I did, just a day later!) There are so many different way to approach the redesign, and there is no single "right" answer everyone should converge on. I rushed this original entry out, and while on a purely technical level I'm happy with it, on the ideas front I still find it falls short. However, now that I made the weird version as well I'm happier with it because now it represents the strictly realistic end of the spectrum, while the other one is on the fun movie monster end.
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I know... and I may even do another as a follow-up to mine.
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I just saw it, I think there are too many amphisbaeneans...
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Maybe, but as long as the concept offers something fresh and new, I think it's okay.
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He's a very hungry boy. I guess that's how he got to be so big.
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ah he so hungry he grew to big, look at all that baby fat
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Wow, that's awesome, very cool that you made it!
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Thanks. 
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I thought it was awesome, that Kong and the Skullcrawlers are based so heavily on the original O'Brien and Delgado sculpts. Glad someone in the design team paid tribute to them.
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I do wish they had made them resemble something from the real world a bit more, but the nod to the original movie is certainly very nice.
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Not everything has to be based on things from the real world to be good.
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I mean, Kings face is the O'Brien model to a T! Seeing it tonight, really excited!
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That was pretty much the same I would imagine a realistic Skullcrawler as, consideringΒ their hardened heads and remaining front limbs. Or a digging varanid that evolved a similar lifestyle.Β
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I actually considered varanids too, hence the comment about a two ton varanid. 
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And after one one assault rifle shot to the head and the mission is now a success we now have a body as proof really big animal exsistΒ
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A fully realistic King Kong movie wouldn't be that exciting, would it?
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We technically got that in 1933 and 2005
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Fully realistic? I wouldn't go that far...
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WOW that sure looks like the ancestor of the Skull Crawlers
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That gave me an idea I now need to try to turn into a second sketch...
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what is the idea?
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A full-on bipedal giant monster derived from an amphisbaenid. Coming up soon.
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i am excited to see it. let me know when i see it
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Just uploaded it now.
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i think i commented it
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