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Description

Another creatures from planet Snaiad. This time I created completely new order, hope you like them.

Planet Snaiad and all creatures what lives on it belongs to

You can find Snaiad here: canopy.uc.edu/bbcswebdav/users…


    Cephalopodosauriformes are strange group of tree climbers from Snaiad. Their four legs are prehensile, however very short, and creatures use also prehensile tail and both prehensile heads, ended with grasping jaws, as their additional limbs. Of course only their first head has ossified skull. Second head is soft like elephant trunk but interior of its lips are (like emery paper) covered with many small, inward pointing hooks. With long, thin body and seven prehensile appendages used as legs, they have quite strange moving style, something between that used by snake and monkey. Despite being so snake-like, tree dragons can easily jump from tree to tree, using their tail as hydraulic-aided catapult, and also can run quite fast on trees (in gallop, their tail is used only for lope and do not entwine branches). They live commonly in jungles, forests and pinnacles, but their extremely specialized walking style, so efficient among tree branches makes them very vulnerable on the ground and almost completely excludes them from non arboreal niches. Various species reach size from only 15 cm to even 4 meters long and are mostly solitary omnivores.

    They are named Cephalopodosaurus not because they have their legs on their heads like Earth cephalopods, but because they use heads as their legs. Also despite of their name, they however look like lizards, are hot blooded and have layer of tiny air bubbles inside their skin to protect them from cold. Because of their long, reptile-like bodies, and two, similarly looking heads, they are commonly named tree dragons.



Species: Cephalopodosaurus longicaudatus

Common names: Common tree dragon, long-tailed tree dragon, tree octopus

Size: Up to 90 cm including second head and tail

Habitat: Mons Olympos forests

    Common tree dragon is not the most common species of tree dragon on a planet (but most common near human cities) neither have the longest tail (some of many jungle species look even freakier), nor have anything in common with octopus (even if they look like hank of tentacles).

    It is possible to keep these weird creatures in terrariums or cages, but they are completely untamable and any touching attempt will end with forceful bite. Because of this, some of the dwarf jungle species, not bigger than human hand, makes much better pets. Not because they are nicer. The reason is that smaller jaws simply bite weaker.



Species: Cephalopodosaurus alpinus

Common names: Fir dragon

Size: Up to 190 cm including second head and tail

Habitat: Tall, Fog forests in eastern part of Divider Alps

    Fir dragons are quite big for a tree dragon species from “cold forest” biome (the biggest as well as smallest species of tree dragons live in jungles). They are omnivorous creatures and sometimes hunt on small arboreal animals, but most of their diet consists of tree leaves (of course not firs, but alien species of tall trees, which may resemble firs only when seen from far away). Fir dragons don’t have any very advanced specializations for herbivorous diet, but big body containing large stomach and habit of swallowing gravel ensure that easily accessible tree leaves would make sufficient food for them. Living high on treetops they are hard to observe, but their booming call can be heard from long distance every dawn and dusk. Comb-like extensions on their back are soft, filled with air bubbles, and used as part of camouflage. Unlike Ridge chameleons, which have similar extensions, those of tree dragons cannot change their shape.

    Note also all these tiny critters, which live among epiphytes on tree branch. I particularly like flypaper land clams and arboreal gigantopicozoan. This ecosystem was based on this gallery: www2.humboldt.edu/redwoods/pho… (Oh, looks like gallery is gone, it showed some beautiful photos of ecosystem grownig on top branches in giant Pseudotsuga menziesii forest) I assumed that mountain forest close to sea on planet equator would be quite warm (even if it is classed as cold forest biome) and very misty, the best possible place for truly giant trees.

Species: Cerberus mirabilis

Common names: Three headed dragon, cerberus

Size: Up to 70 cm including second (or third?) head and tail

Habitat: Southern part of Azonic Jungle

            Amidst great diversity of climbers in thicket of Azonic Jungle, there are very many weird species. Cerberus is so strange, that after photographed first time by camera trap, it was wrongly assumed to be odd, severely mutated individual. However, few years later, pregnant female was caught and gave birth to pair of equally three headed babies in the zoo. Wild specimens are very rarely observed. It is unknown if it is because they are rare or just elusive. Certainly they are very hard to find because they live high in tree canopies and are mute.

    With its primary dicephaly, Cerberus basically has three heads. Trait unique even to Snaiad, where having two heads is normal. On Earth, creatures with two heads are sometimes born, but rarely survive long. Snaiad creatures have no vital organs inside their first heads, beside their eyes and genitals, so creature with doubled set of it, are not critically impaired. Because tree dragons use their heads as legs, this species can move on eight legs, what probably give it some advantage in tree canopies. Maybe it is the reason why so eerie trait still lingers. Also, ability to keep their eyes high and simultaneously holding branch tightly is certainly comfortable, especially when running fast. They have double set of genitals, but females become pregnant only in one set at a time. Probably because doubling their litter quantity could be too exhaustible for her body. Female on the picture is obviously right-head pregnant





Species: Saurokahydron infernalis

Common names: Fire bellied kahydron

Size: 70 cm including tail

Habitat: Sprogland of Great Vesternian Plains.

    Fire bellied kahydron are very small kahydrons, little smaller than domesticated cat. They live like Snaiad version of meerkats. Big family groups live together and sleep in common burrow. In the night they hunt primarily on creatures buried in sprog (Sprogopsidians, Haplobrachids, Picozoans, etc.) They can cooperatively kill even aggressive snake-like creatures three times heavier than themselves (humans are fortunately far too big and not snake-like enough for them to be perceived as potential prey). Their extended claws are sometimes used for hunting, but digging in sprog is their primary purpose. Fire belied kahydrons have insignificant, however visible sexual dimorphism. Male jaws are little thinner and longer, while females have shorter and broader. It is helpful when hunting cooperatively. Male jaws are more suitable to pulling animals from their burrows, while female have stronger bite. Also, broader jaws effects for females with easier childbirth.

            Such a small, social and quite smart kahydron looks like perfect alien pet. In fact they are very friendly and easy to tame, but unfortunately have very strong, impossible to wean, digging instinct. They destroy furniture very quickly (especially these with sponge filled upholstering), remove flooring and daub. They use not only their claws, but also jaws as their digging tool, so with their famous kahydron hydraulic bite, even the sturdiest objects would be easily defeated. Fire bellied kahydrons if allowed into human buildings would very quickly redecorate them to match their taste, and thus are absolutely impossible to keep at home.

    To be honest, I wanted not to draw any more Snaiad creatures, because I have dozens ideas and unfinished drawings of creatures from my worlds, which I procrastinate to upload since years. Idea of climber which uses its two heads as legs was however so eerie, I felt I just must draw it.

Description

Another creatures from planet Snaiad. This time I created completely new order, hope you like them.

Planet Snaiad and all creatures what lives on it belongs to

You can find Snaiad here: canopy.uc.edu/bbcswebdav/users…


    Cephalopodosauriformes are strange group of tree climbers from Snaiad. Their four legs are prehensile, however very short, and creatures use also prehensile tail and both prehensile heads, ended with grasping jaws, as their additional limbs. Of course only their first head has ossified skull. Second head is soft like elephant trunk but interior of its lips are (like emery paper) covered with many small, inward pointing hooks. With long, thin body and seven prehensile appendages used as legs, they have quite strange moving style, something between that used by snake and monkey. Despite being so snake-like, tree dragons can easily jump from tree to tree, using their tail as hydraulic-aided catapult, and also can run quite fast on trees (in gallop, their tail is used only for lope and do not entwine branches). They live commonly in jungles, forests and pinnacles, but their extremely specialized walking style, so efficient among tree branches makes them very vulnerable on the ground and almost completely excludes them from non arboreal niches. Various species reach size from only 15 cm to even 4 meters long and are mostly solitary omnivores.

    They are named Cephalopodosaurus not because they have their legs on their heads like Earth cephalopods, but because they use heads as their legs. Also despite of their name, they however look like lizards, are hot blooded and have layer of tiny air bubbles inside their skin to protect them from cold. Because of their long, reptile-like bodies, and two, similarly looking heads, they are commonly named tree dragons.



Species: Cephalopodosaurus longicaudatus

Common names: Common tree dragon, long-tailed tree dragon, tree octopus

Size: Up to 90 cm including second head and tail

Habitat: Mons Olympos forests

    Common tree dragon is not the most common species of tree dragon on a planet (but most common near human cities) neither have the longest tail (some of many jungle species look even freakier), nor have anything in common with octopus (even if they look like hank of tentacles).

    It is possible to keep these weird creatures in terrariums or cages, but they are completely untamable and any touching attempt will end with forceful bite. Because of this, some of the dwarf jungle species, not bigger than human hand, makes much better pets. Not because they are nicer. The reason is that smaller jaws simply bite weaker.



Species: Cephalopodosaurus alpinus

Common names: Fir dragon

Size: Up to 190 cm including second head and tail

Habitat: Tall, Fog forests in eastern part of Divider Alps

    Fir dragons are quite big for a tree dragon species from “cold forest” biome (the biggest as well as smallest species of tree dragons live in jungles). They are omnivorous creatures and sometimes hunt on small arboreal animals, but most of their diet consists of tree leaves (of course not firs, but alien species of tall trees, which may resemble firs only when seen from far away). Fir dragons don’t have any very advanced specializations for herbivorous diet, but big body containing large stomach and habit of swallowing gravel ensure that easily accessible tree leaves would make sufficient food for them. Living high on treetops they are hard to observe, but their booming call can be heard from long distance every dawn and dusk. Comb-like extensions on their back are soft, filled with air bubbles, and used as part of camouflage. Unlike Ridge chameleons, which have similar extensions, those of tree dragons cannot change their shape.

    Note also all these tiny critters, which live among epiphytes on tree branch. I particularly like flypaper land clams and arboreal gigantopicozoan. This ecosystem was based on this gallery: www2.humboldt.edu/redwoods/pho… (Oh, looks like gallery is gone, it showed some beautiful photos of ecosystem grownig on top branches in giant Pseudotsuga menziesii forest) I assumed that mountain forest close to sea on planet equator would be quite warm (even if it is classed as cold forest biome) and very misty, the best possible place for truly giant trees.

Species: Cerberus mirabilis

Common names: Three headed dragon, cerberus

Size: Up to 70 cm including second (or third?) head and tail

Habitat: Southern part of Azonic Jungle

            Amidst great diversity of climbers in thicket of Azonic Jungle, there are very many weird species. Cerberus is so strange, that after photographed first time by camera trap, it was wrongly assumed to be odd, severely mutated individual. However, few years later, pregnant female was caught and gave birth to pair of equally three headed babies in the zoo. Wild specimens are very rarely observed. It is unknown if it is because they are rare or just elusive. Certainly they are very hard to find because they live high in tree canopies and are mute.

    With its primary dicephaly, Cerberus basically has three heads. Trait unique even to Snaiad, where having two heads is normal. On Earth, creatures with two heads are sometimes born, but rarely survive long. Snaiad creatures have no vital organs inside their first heads, beside their eyes and genitals, so creature with doubled set of it, are not critically impaired. Because tree dragons use their heads as legs, this species can move on eight legs, what probably give it some advantage in tree canopies. Maybe it is the reason why so eerie trait still lingers. Also, ability to keep their eyes high and simultaneously holding branch tightly is certainly comfortable, especially when running fast. They have double set of genitals, but females become pregnant only in one set at a time. Probably because doubling their litter quantity could be too exhaustible for her body. Female on the picture is obviously right-head pregnant





Species: Saurokahydron infernalis

Common names: Fire bellied kahydron

Size: 70 cm including tail

Habitat: Sprogland of Great Vesternian Plains.

    Fire bellied kahydron are very small kahydrons, little smaller than domesticated cat. They live like Snaiad version of meerkats. Big family groups live together and sleep in common burrow. In the night they hunt primarily on creatures buried in sprog (Sprogopsidians, Haplobrachids, Picozoans, etc.) They can cooperatively kill even aggressive snake-like creatures three times heavier than themselves (humans are fortunately far too big and not snake-like enough for them to be perceived as potential prey). Their extended claws are sometimes used for hunting, but digging in sprog is their primary purpose. Fire belied kahydrons have insignificant, however visible sexual dimorphism. Male jaws are little thinner and longer, while females have shorter and broader. It is helpful when hunting cooperatively. Male jaws are more suitable to pulling animals from their burrows, while female have stronger bite. Also, broader jaws effects for females with easier childbirth.

            Such a small, social and quite smart kahydron looks like perfect alien pet. In fact they are very friendly and easy to tame, but unfortunately have very strong, impossible to wean, digging instinct. They destroy furniture very quickly (especially these with sponge filled upholstering), remove flooring and daub. They use not only their claws, but also jaws as their digging tool, so with their famous kahydron hydraulic bite, even the sturdiest objects would be easily defeated. Fire bellied kahydrons if allowed into human buildings would very quickly redecorate them to match their taste, and thus are absolutely impossible to keep at home.

    To be honest, I wanted not to draw any more Snaiad creatures, because I have dozens ideas and unfinished drawings of creatures from my worlds, which I procrastinate to upload since years. Idea of climber which uses its two heads as legs was however so eerie, I felt I just must draw it.