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Description

Peguila: These strange mammals represent a remarkable offshoot of the pinniped lineage, native to Skull Island’s turbulent coastlines, that have adapted for aerial locomotion. Large colonies of Peguila circumnavigate the island in search of huge schools of fish that become trapped within the island’s surrounding currents. They hunt much like gannets, by diving into the water at high speed. Their whiskers have become a secondary row of interlocking teeth-like growths which aid in capturing their prey. Males also posses large curved tusks, elongated ears, and frill-like fur growths for display purposes. When first observed, these were thought to denote them as a separate species that was dubbed “Chandara”, but this has now become merely a phrase in reference to the males. To further ensure an easy catch, they emit a distinct electromagnetic resonance that crystalizes water molecules within living bodies, effectively paralyzing them. This “freeze breath” technique can also be used against attackers in an effort to escape. Wingspan: 13 to 18 feet.

Raider Ants: These colonial insects prefer to nest deep within the mountains or jungles, but can be seen foraging for potential prey all across the island. Their bodies are coated in irritating hairs and all casts can produce powerful bites and stings. Aside from this, they don’t present a significant threat to most other creatures of Skull Island alone. Their strength, like other ants, lies in numbers. Raiders are highly polymorphic, with foragers and scouts being the size of average birds and often using whistling noises for communication. The workers and soldiers can grow to the size of a large man, while super majors can be as large as elephants, though these are rare. If the species has queens, they have yet to be observed, but are speculated to be larger still. Their burrows can extend for miles below ground as they mine sources of radioactive minerals. The possibility of them spreading beyond the island warrants monitorization of all known super colonies. This is not a very difficult task, as they are so common the typical response to their presence is “it’s Them”. Length: scout 0.5 to 1 foot, worker 3 to six feet, soldier 8 to 12 feet, super major 20 to 30 feet.

Die-Die: These creatures appear to be a convergence with the flightless extinct Dodo birds, though it is unclear if they stem from a similar branch of the avian lineage. Outwardly, they possess very few defenses, though sometimes their act of playing dead will confuse some hunters’ highly predatory instincts. While they are still common prey for many creatures, their success lies in their reproduction. The species is entirely asexual, with individuals beginning to produce eggs very soon after hatching. The shells’ molecular stability makes them extremely resistant to damage until dissolution occurs thanks to an enzyme produced by near-full-term embryos. Even the eggs of individuals that are eaten whole will pass unharmed through most digestive systems to be deposited in potential new foraging grounds. Height: 3 to 5 feet.

Ogreceratops: These large ceratopsians possess stony hides that make them almost impenetrable to most predators. Their enormous horns and self-sharpening beak provide further defensive traits. They spend much of their adult lives in a state of hibernation that could last hundreds of years at a time. Their porous ventral surface allows them to absorb radiation and other minerals and nutrients directly from the soil to add to their biolithic bulk. Mosses, lichens, and ferns may also grow across the body to provide camouflage and oxygen during the creature’s static periods. Length: 62 to 112 feet.

Shinigami: These creatures seem to be derived from primates, possibly sharing a common ancestry with gibbons. Unlike most other apes, Shinigami are primarily carnivorous. Their large eyes, in addition to seeing in low-light conditions, are highly attuned to thermal and bioelectrical fluctuations in other creatures, particularly those indicative of approaching death. This “death stare” allows them to hone in on future meals ahead of other scavengers. On occasion, they may also take live prey when in large numbers. Razor-sharp claws slice cleanly through softer flesh as they butcher their meals. Thanks to sturdy membranes along their arms, they are capable of short bouts of clumsy flight, although they usually prefer to brachiate or glide in pursuit of future food. They are especially common around boneyards, and were among the few creatures tolerated by the Vagnosaurs during their reign of terror. Armspan: 14 to 17 feet.

Brontosaur: These enormous herbivores are ecosystems unto themselves. They, along with several other types of sauropod-derived kaiju, are most common in and around the Sea of Thunder, though they may travel across all waterways of Skull Island. They tough hides are reinforced with a subdermal layer of biolithic scutes, protecting them like chainmail. The more porous upper skin becomes home to many plants, even a few trees, over their long lives. Their hearts, like many florafaunal creatures, circulate both blood and chlorophyll to supplement their symbiosis. As Brontosaurs spend much of their time in water, their nostrils have developed into flexible trunks that allow them to snorkel without fully raising their necks above water. It is common for smaller creatures to hitch rides within the deep folds and pockets of Brontosaur skin in order to travel to new bodies of water, making them key dispersers of aquatic fauna across the island. Length: 275 to 400 feet.

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Creature Inspirations:
Peguila: The monster of the same name of the Ultra Q series, as well as the repurposed suit dubbed “Chandara” for the original Ultraman series 1966-1967.
Raider Ant: Them 1954, and the never-seen whistling ants of Kong: Skull Island 2017.
Die-Die: Behavior based on Gypceros of Monster Hunter franchise.
Ogreceratops: Old-school ceratopsians, specifically the giant Triceratops from The Last Dinosaur 1977.
Shinigami: Based on primate creatures seen in Kong: Gods of Skull Island comic 2017.
Brontosaur: Based on illustration by Joe DeVito in Kong: King of Skull Island 2005, and brontosaurs of Peter Jackson’s King Kong 2005.
Inspirations also based on suggestions by fellow Deviant, Lediblock2. Thank you for the ideas.

Description

Peguila: These strange mammals represent a remarkable offshoot of the pinniped lineage, native to Skull Island’s turbulent coastlines, that have adapted for aerial locomotion. Large colonies of Peguila circumnavigate the island in search of huge schools of fish that become trapped within the island’s surrounding currents. They hunt much like gannets, by diving into the water at high speed. Their whiskers have become a secondary row of interlocking teeth-like growths which aid in capturing their prey. Males also posses large curved tusks, elongated ears, and frill-like fur growths for display purposes. When first observed, these were thought to denote them as a separate species that was dubbed “Chandara”, but this has now become merely a phrase in reference to the males. To further ensure an easy catch, they emit a distinct electromagnetic resonance that crystalizes water molecules within living bodies, effectively paralyzing them. This “freeze breath” technique can also be used against attackers in an effort to escape. Wingspan: 13 to 18 feet.

Raider Ants: These colonial insects prefer to nest deep within the mountains or jungles, but can be seen foraging for potential prey all across the island. Their bodies are coated in irritating hairs and all casts can produce powerful bites and stings. Aside from this, they don’t present a significant threat to most other creatures of Skull Island alone. Their strength, like other ants, lies in numbers. Raiders are highly polymorphic, with foragers and scouts being the size of average birds and often using whistling noises for communication. The workers and soldiers can grow to the size of a large man, while super majors can be as large as elephants, though these are rare. If the species has queens, they have yet to be observed, but are speculated to be larger still. Their burrows can extend for miles below ground as they mine sources of radioactive minerals. The possibility of them spreading beyond the island warrants monitorization of all known super colonies. This is not a very difficult task, as they are so common the typical response to their presence is “it’s Them”. Length: scout 0.5 to 1 foot, worker 3 to six feet, soldier 8 to 12 feet, super major 20 to 30 feet.

Die-Die: These creatures appear to be a convergence with the flightless extinct Dodo birds, though it is unclear if they stem from a similar branch of the avian lineage. Outwardly, they possess very few defenses, though sometimes their act of playing dead will confuse some hunters’ highly predatory instincts. While they are still common prey for many creatures, their success lies in their reproduction. The species is entirely asexual, with individuals beginning to produce eggs very soon after hatching. The shells’ molecular stability makes them extremely resistant to damage until dissolution occurs thanks to an enzyme produced by near-full-term embryos. Even the eggs of individuals that are eaten whole will pass unharmed through most digestive systems to be deposited in potential new foraging grounds. Height: 3 to 5 feet.

Ogreceratops: These large ceratopsians possess stony hides that make them almost impenetrable to most predators. Their enormous horns and self-sharpening beak provide further defensive traits. They spend much of their adult lives in a state of hibernation that could last hundreds of years at a time. Their porous ventral surface allows them to absorb radiation and other minerals and nutrients directly from the soil to add to their biolithic bulk. Mosses, lichens, and ferns may also grow across the body to provide camouflage and oxygen during the creature’s static periods. Length: 62 to 112 feet.

Shinigami: These creatures seem to be derived from primates, possibly sharing a common ancestry with gibbons. Unlike most other apes, Shinigami are primarily carnivorous. Their large eyes, in addition to seeing in low-light conditions, are highly attuned to thermal and bioelectrical fluctuations in other creatures, particularly those indicative of approaching death. This “death stare” allows them to hone in on future meals ahead of other scavengers. On occasion, they may also take live prey when in large numbers. Razor-sharp claws slice cleanly through softer flesh as they butcher their meals. Thanks to sturdy membranes along their arms, they are capable of short bouts of clumsy flight, although they usually prefer to brachiate or glide in pursuit of future food. They are especially common around boneyards, and were among the few creatures tolerated by the Vagnosaurs during their reign of terror. Armspan: 14 to 17 feet.

Brontosaur: These enormous herbivores are ecosystems unto themselves. They, along with several other types of sauropod-derived kaiju, are most common in and around the Sea of Thunder, though they may travel across all waterways of Skull Island. They tough hides are reinforced with a subdermal layer of biolithic scutes, protecting them like chainmail. The more porous upper skin becomes home to many plants, even a few trees, over their long lives. Their hearts, like many florafaunal creatures, circulate both blood and chlorophyll to supplement their symbiosis. As Brontosaurs spend much of their time in water, their nostrils have developed into flexible trunks that allow them to snorkel without fully raising their necks above water. It is common for smaller creatures to hitch rides within the deep folds and pockets of Brontosaur skin in order to travel to new bodies of water, making them key dispersers of aquatic fauna across the island. Length: 275 to 400 feet.

----------

Creature Inspirations:
Peguila: The monster of the same name of the Ultra Q series, as well as the repurposed suit dubbed “Chandara” for the original Ultraman series 1966-1967.
Raider Ant: Them 1954, and the never-seen whistling ants of Kong: Skull Island 2017.
Die-Die: Behavior based on Gypceros of Monster Hunter franchise.
Ogreceratops: Old-school ceratopsians, specifically the giant Triceratops from The Last Dinosaur 1977.
Shinigami: Based on primate creatures seen in Kong: Gods of Skull Island comic 2017.
Brontosaur: Based on illustration by Joe DeVito in Kong: King of Skull Island 2005, and brontosaurs of Peter Jackson’s King Kong 2005.
Inspirations also based on suggestions by fellow Deviant, Lediblock2. Thank you for the ideas.