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Showing results for tags 'herbivore'.
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From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Triceratops Species: Triceratops styrax Time: Late Cretaceous Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Short-Tempered Wild: Apparently a cross-breed of a Triceratops and Styracosaurus, Triceratops styrax has both the characteristic three-horned face of Triceratops and the prominent horned-ridge of Styracosarus. Normally a very docile grazing animal, Triceratops becomes extremely aggressive once angered. Triceratops will chase down would-be predators (and egg-stealers) with incredible prejudice. I've seen Triceratops have an especially hostile reaction to the Tyrannosaurus on the island, with herds attacking in groups. Domesticated: A common mount for those that ride dinosaurs, Triceratops doubles as both pack animal and combat war horse. Triceraptops' bony ridge works excellently as cover from frontal attacks, and the dinosaur's charge is incredibly dangerous. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Titanomyrma Species: Titanomyrma parvagigan Time: Paleogene Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Territorial Wild: Titanomyrma is one of the smaller creatures on the island; A frightening thought, when you realize it is the size of a dog. A hive-minded herbivore, Titanomyrma usually goes about it's business unless provoked. When attacked or threatened, it releases a chemical which alerts all Titanomyrma in a large range to help fight the aggressor. I've seen two varieties of Titanomyrma: Drones and soldiers. Drones are smaller, faster and land-bound, and they harvest for the hive. Soldiers are larger, slower and have wings; They defend the hive. If Titanomyrma is akin to other hive-insects, there must be Queens too, but I've yet to encounter such a variant. Domesticated: Because of its hive mentality, I've not seen any successfully tamed Titanomyrma on the island yet. Fortunately for lone survivors, separated Titanomyrma can be easily picked off for a small supply of Chitin among other valuable natural resources. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Therizinosaur Species: Therizinosaur Multiensis Time: Late Cretaceous Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Aggressive Wild: I’m not entirely sure how Therizinosaur Multiensis stays populated on the island. It is surprising slow for it’s size, and is a solitary creative (so no pack to back it up). I suppose the fact that it’s sheer power rivals Tyrannosaurus us the only thing that allows this very aggressive medium-sized herbivore to thrive on the island. The claws of Therizinosaur are some of the most versatile biological tools I’ve encountered, as adept at removing trees and foliage from Therizinosaur path as they are at piercing the thick shells and hide of the island’s most defensive creatures if backed into a fight. Domesticated: A tamed Therizinosaur is one of the most versatile mounts a survivor can have. It can be trained to use it’s claws brutally or delicately, allowing the rider to primarily harvest the specific kinds of resources that he or she needs, with abnormally extreme of resource that he or she needs, with abnormally extreme efficiency. And in combat, these same claws can piece straight through. The toughest armor. This flexibility more than makes up for it’s inability to carry the large loads of the islands many herbivorous pack beasts. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Stegosaurus Species: Stegosaurus regium Time: Late Jurassic Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Docile Wild: Stegosaurus regium has approximately 16 paired rows of plates along its back, flanked by another smaller pair of 6 plates. This is contrary to the alternating rows of Stegosaurus fossils found in museums. I've encountered Stegosaurus, in varying amounts almost everywhere on the island. Not surprisingly, Stegosaurus uses the spines on its tail to defend itself. While not aggressive, Stegosaurus will come to the aid of other nearby Stegosaurus. This implies it to be a herd animal. Domesticated: Commonly used as a safe way to transport large quantities of goods. The plates on the Stegosaurus regium double as a cover against the arrows of the attackers. Unfortunately, they also make it harder to load and unload some cargo. The Stegosaurus attacks by swinging its spiked tail at the opponent, which has a wide area of attack. Care must be taken not to anger any nearby dinosaurs by accidentally hitting them. The swinging attack, however, is excellent for collecting large amounts of berries. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Procoptodon Species: Procoptodon vivencurrus Time: Plestiocene Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Reactive Wild: The first marsupial I've encountered on the island is the Procoptodon vivencurrus. Standing nearly three meters tall, it is also the largest jumping creature I've ever heard of. It is a fairly peaceful herbivore that only fiercely attacks if aggressed upon. One of Procoptodon's most unique features is its pouch. Unlike many pouched marsupials, Procoptodon's pouch is relatively dry, and has little in the way of sticky or oily fluids. I assume this is good for the joey, but I have not figured out exactly why yet... Domesticated: Procoptodon's dry pouch makes it an excellent beast of burden that can carry far more than other creatures of its size. But more importantly, many tribes use it as a two-seater transport by having a secondary rider nest in the pouch. Since this passenger doesn't have to worry about controlling the Procoptodon, the pouch-warrior can focus on firing his or her weapons. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Phiomia Species: Phiomia ignavus Time: Late Eocene/Early Oligocene Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Skittish Wild: Phiomia ignavus is another herd animal on the island. They are small enough that almost any predator can bring them down, but large enough to provide plenty of meat. Were it not for the protection of the herd, and their instinct to run from any predator, these would almost certainly be hunted to extinction. A Phiomia's tusks and trunk make it especially suited to scavenging plant life from the ground. It uses its tusks to dig up loose plant life, then uses its stubby trunk to scoop the foliage into its mouth. Adult Phiomia often dig up food for their young, and watching a baby Phiomia attempt to use its trunk can be quite amusing. Domesticated: While it is completely possible to ride a Phiomia around, they are a meager choice. They work very well, however, as pack-mules. And I've seen some communities keeping a herd of these around as livestock. The Phiomiarequire protection though, as they are terrible fighters. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Pegomastax Species: Pegomastax Fructarator Time: Early Jurassic Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Defensive Wild: Among the bottom of the island’s dinosaur food chain is a small herbivore called Pegomastax Fructarator. It is content to spend all day alone, gorging itself on far more food that you might reasonably expect for a creature of its tiny stature. It’s beak appears perfectly evolved for collecting food from plants while avoiding the indigestible fibrous strands. Pegomastax is likely to ignore any nearby creature and continue foraging, unless it is attacked. At which point, it turns into a very aggressive (though rather nonthreatening) opponent, shrieking and wooping far above it’s actual threat level. You would expect a creature this small and weak to live in flocks, but Pegomastax seems to be fairly solitary in nature. Domesticated: While not pretty, and far too small to ride, tribes often keep Pegomastax around as a kind of farming aid. It’s skill at scavenging means that it collects an extraordinary quantity of seeds and berries, while also handily gathering the rare flowers, mushrooms, and other ingredients necessary to cool up unusual conceptions. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Parasaur Species: Parasaurolophus amphibio Time: Late Cretaceous Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Skittish Wild: Parasaurolophus amphibio has some of the more interesting adaptions of all creatures I've seen on the Island. Like all parasaur it has a signature head ridge. Very docile at first, I've often been able to approach them without complaint. If startled, however, the Parasaur immediately runs - very far and very fast. This species of Parasaur seems to have a previously "disproved" use for its ridge. Small openings at the top of the ridge allow it to be used as a snorkel. This is unique to Parasaurolophus amphibio, as is their surprising speed in the water. Domesticated: As a relatively simple creature to domesticate, Parasaurolophus amphibio is one of the most common mounts I've yet seen on the island. Its ability to run fairly fast for lengthy intervals makes it a solid mode of medium-range transportation, though it has almost no ability to defend itself or its rider. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Paracer Species: Paraceratherium gigamicus Time: Oligocene Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Docile Wild: Paraceratherium Gigamicus is a massive, long-necked mammal that inhabits some of the island's grasslands. It resembles a gigantic horse/rhinoceros hybrid, but is over twice the size of either. Paraceratherium is a very peaceful and friendly herbivore, and doesn't even seem to mind other creatures near its nest. Barring some... surprise... yet in store for me, I can safely say that the Paracerathrium is the largest mammal on the island. While its size means that the Paraceratherium can provide an incredible amount of food, it also makes it dangerous when hunted. Domesticated: A beast of burden second to the Brontosaurus, Paraceratherium is an excellent worker. It is a naturally friendly animal, and is not afraid of humans. However despite its normally calm demeanor, when it or its owner is provoked by aggression, the Paraceratherium can quickly become a real threat to the attacker and will use its girth to its advantage in combat. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Pachyrhinosaurus Species: Pachyrhinosaurus Mitisaura Time: Late Cretaceous Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Evasive Wild: Pachyrhinosaurus Mitisaura is a medium-sized herbivore, found almost everywhere but the island’s mountains. It is generally calm, and ignores all other nearby creatures unless it is attacked, at which point it usually tries to flee. Of the island’s varied creatures, Pachyrhinosaurus may possess among the most unique survival skills. When threatened, it’s massive nasal boss releases a chemical into the air that calms other nearby creatures, making them less likely to attack it. Affected creatures are sometimes hungry enough to ignore the effect and humans seem immune to it. Conversely, it can seemingly invert this phenomenon at will and induce creatures to become more aggressive towards it! Domesticated: Pachyrhinosaurus is an excellent starting mount for anyone new to taming. It is fairly easy to train, can carry enough to be a simple pack-animal, and is not as deadly as some of the larger herbivores. Additionally, Pachyrhinosaurus can release it’s unique chemical on command to protect itself and it’s rider from nearby predators, or draw attention if desired, making it a potential life saver in a pinch. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Pachy Species: Pachycephalosaurus leniproelia Time: Late Cretaceous Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Passive Wild: Pachycephalosaurus is a bit of a conundrum. It is a very passive (even friendly) herbivore, common to much of the island. At the same time, it is one of the most dangerous herbivores that I have yet encountered on the island. Its charging headbutt is a display of sheer physical power, and can kill much more quickly than you might think. While Pachycephalosaurus is generally amiable, it has a short temper. Its fight-or-flight response always seems to choose "fight"! The Pachy becomes extremely aggressive once attacked. Additionally, it is an incredibly fast sprinter, so escaping from an enraged Pachy is very difficult. Domesticated: Pachycephalosaurus is an excellent battle-mount for those who want to ride a smaller, nimble combatant into the fray. Because of its particular musculature, it cannot effectively carry large quantities of resources. It can, however, move with brief magnificent bursts of speed, and its headbutt is simply devastating. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Megaloceros Species: Megaloceros Latuscoronam Time: Pliocene Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Skittish Wild: Megaloceros Latuscoronam is a very skittish herbivore, found mostly in the forests and mountains of the island. Because of its large size, its fraught demeanor would be strange in any other place. But Megaloceros knows how fierce the predators of the island are, and knows that it is safer to flee from them than to risk its life in a fight. The horns of Megaloceros are very large, and make for an excellent source of Keratin. This, of course, makes it a valuable resource. Unfortunately, hunting Megaloceros is not easy because of their quick speed and ability to bound over most obstacles. Domesticated: Megaloceros is a jack-of-all-trades creature, and many who ride it value its versatility. It is decently powerful, and its resilience, speed, and ability to jump often come in handy. Finally, its charging horn attack tends to cause targets to "bleed", decreasing their health, stamina, and speed until healed! -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Mammoth Species: Mammuthus steincaput Time: Early Pliocene Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Docile Wild: Seeing the likes of Mammuthus steincaput alongside dinosaurs is still strange. This behemoth towers over most creatures on the island, and does not seem to fear anything but the Tyrannosaurus. Mammoths generally thrive in colder areas and have a herd mentality. I'm honestly not certain how the herds of Mammoths find enough plant life to graze on some of the islands mountains. They must spend much of their time traveling between the mountains' cold summit and more lush base. Or maybe the Mammoth herd are the main reason the summits are so barren. Domesticated: Mammuthus steincaput is a difficult beast to domesticate. Not because they are inherently stubborn, but because knocking one out to begin the taming process takes forever. Once tamed, however, Mammoths are one of the only creatures on the island that can uproot trees without shattering them. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Lystrosaurus Species: Lystrosaurus amicifidelis Time: Late Permian - Early Triassic Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Loyal Wild: Lystrosaurus aicifidelis is a small herbivore, common to much of the island. Only about two feet long, it is not high on the food chain, and eats small plant life. The poisonous insects of the island seem to have little effect on Lystrosaurus. Despite being among the Island's tinier herbivores, Lystrosaurus is an incredibly resilient survivor. It recovers its torpor and health much faster than most creatures, which makes rendering a Lystrosaurus unconscious a rather difficult affair. Domesticated: Not surprisingly, Lystrosaurus is an extremely loyal pet once tamed. It's a very fast learner, so it gains experience much more quickly than most other creatures. Additionally, its presence nearby appears to inspire allies, making them learn and gain experience more rapidly as well. Thusly, Lystrosaurus is an excellent addition to any tribe's hunting party. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Iguanodon Species: Iguanodon vicissitudinis Time: Late Jurassic Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Reactive Wild: Of the many creatures I've yet encountered the island, the Iguanodon vicissitudinis has the distinctly versatile ability to change its primary method of locomotion according to its momentary needs. While bipedal, it can employ rapid stabbing attacks with its distinctive thumb spikes. In quadrupedal stance, conversely, it seems to have an endless supply of stamina, even while sprinting! Primarily a rather lethargic quadrupedal herbivore native to the island's many grasslands and forests, in situations where increased speed or maneuverability is called for, it will quickly shift its posture into bipedal stance and behave like a very different creature! Domesticated: Interestingly, the Iguanodon's thumb spikes also provide it with the capability to pick seeds out of fruits, allowing a farmer to handily convert stacks of fruits into stacks of seed for planting. Combined with its highly effective fruit harvesting and substantial carry weight, the Iguanodon's excellent mobility in bipedal stance makes it an ideal field-hand that can also pull off a quick get-away, or an agile defense, when needed. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Gigantopithecus Species: Gigantopithecus fibrarator Time: Pleistocene Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Territorial Wild: Gigantopithecus fibrarator is a strange creature. It is usually quite passive, but it has a very short temper when it comes to its personal space. Once another creature gets close, this gentle giant quickly becomes a rampaging beast. Best to give them a wide berth. Gigantopithecus seems most happy to lazily lay about, picking berries from plants. Many Gigantopithecus spend much of their day in one small area unless they are provoked. Domesticated: In addition to being at home picking berries a tamed Gigantopithecus can be taught to harvest the fibers found on many island plants as well. It appears to be entirely content to pick at plants all day, eat the berries, and hold the fibers for its tribe. Playful once tamed, Gigantopithecus seems to enjoy throwing its shoulder-mounted rider into the air. It probably feels this is a game, but clever brigands can use this "game" to vault over walls and small cliffs. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Gallimimus Species: Gallimimus evolvelox Time: Late Cretaceous Period Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Skittish Wild: When someone asks me what the fastest creatures on the island are, Gallimimus is always a contender. Unlike the island's many armored animals, Gallimimus eschews strong defenses for the ability to outrun pretty much anything. A skittish herbivore, Gallimimus even looks nervous when eating in a peaceful clear meadow. Having no real way to harm predators, it simply runs away and uses its ability to stay safe. I've even seen wild Gallimimusoutrun speed-trained Utahraptors! Domesticated: There are two general camps on the use of tamed Gallimimus. One camp thinks that their inability to actually harm hostile creatures, and their inability to harvest most resources, makes them primarily a burden to the tribe. The other camp thinks that their extreme speed and ability to jump long distances is among the best for scouting and exploring... or just making a quick getaway! -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Doedicurus Species: Doedicurus custosaxum Time: Plestiocene – Holocene Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Docile Wild: Doedicurus custosaxum is one of the island’s non-aggressive herbivores, generally found on mountains and grasslands. Large and well-armored, it has a supply of fat under its plates to keep it warm and fed in the cold. Doedicurus has adapted well to the dangers of the island, perhaps even better than the Ankylosaurus. Doedicurus has two very different reactions to predators. Against smaller foes, it generally uses its spiked tail to inflict as much damage as possible. Against larger predators, however, it pulls its tail underneath itself to form a solid armored ball that is nearly impossible for creatures to pierce. Domesticated: Doedicurus is a highly prized work animal on the island. Its spiked Tail is ideal for quickly shattering the large rocks, so Doedicurus is a very efficient quarry worker. And in case their quarry gets raided, Doedicurus-Riders have a very difficult-to-kill mount! -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Dodo Species: Raphus replicare Time: Late Holocene Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Oblivious Wild: Raphus replicare (more commonly known as the Dodo Bird) is quite possibly the dumbest creature I've ever seen in my life. It wanders around the beaches of the island, eating berries off bushes and being eaten by all manner of carnivore. Without the Dodo the whole Island's food chain would disintegrate. This subspecies of the Dodo has developed an unbelievably clever way to sustain itself: they mate constantly. I'm fairly convinced that they reach full maturity within a week of being born. This is the only trait keeping them populous on the island. Domesticated: There is almost no reason to domesticate a Raphus replicare. It cannot carry enough to be a beast of burden, it does not provide much food, and it's too stupid to show companionship. I suppose it could work as a last-ditch food source, though. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Diplodocus Species: Diplodocus Insulaprincep Time: Late Jurassic Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Naive Wild: Despite being one of the Island's larger creatures, Diplodocus Insulaprincep is among the Island's smaller sauropods. Instead of the size and intelligence, Diplodocus developed faster maximum speed and greater endurance. When fully matured, it generally only reaches about two-thirds the size of the rather enormous Brontosaurus. Diplodocus is another creature whose continued survival on the Island confuses me. It's a very thick-headed and trusting animal, often to its fatal detriment. It usually doesn't flee from predators until after they've attacked it repeatedly, preferring instead to make numerous fruitless attempts at friendship. For some strange reason, Diplodocus trusts humans so much that it doesn't seem to fight back against them... ever! Domesticated: Due to Diplodocus' smaller frame, it cannot support the type of 'platform' saddle that other large creatures can. To make up for this, many tribes instead use a three-seater passenger saddle that allows Diplodocus to carry two additional riders. These passengers often use ranged weapons to protect the creature, or to attack nearby enemies while on the move! -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Carbonemys Species: Carbonemys obibimus Time: Danian Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Defensive Wild: Carbonemys obibimus is one of the least aggressive creatures on the island. Were it not for the plethora of predators on the island, I'm certain it would spend its days basking in the sun, eating, or sleeping. Carbonemys leads a simple, solitary life. It seems to be one of the most peaceful animals I have yet encountered. With its slow walking speed, the only things that keep it safe are its surprisingly fast swim speed, and its incredibly thick shell. I would not be surprised to see a Carbonemys withdraw entirely into its shell and be completely safe from most predators. Domesticated: Carbonemys ' swift swim rate, fairly high strength, and lack of real threat makes it an ideal aquatic mount for many coastal survivors who shy away from violence. It can carry its rider to the ocean's resources at a fairly high speed, and are not particularly dangerous to tame. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Brontosaurus Species: Brontosaurus lazarus Time: Late Cretaceous Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Docile Wild: Among the largest creatures I've seen on the island, Brontosaurus lazarus is larger than any sauropod I've read about. In fact, the dinosaur is so massive that it ignores most other creatures. I've seen a pack of Raptors tear apart smaller Dinosaurs while Brontosaurus continues eating, seemingly oblivious to the hunting pack. The Brontosaurus is extremely protective of its eggs and will attack if provoked. However, some may think this is an Apatosaurus, Dreadnoughtus, Argentinosaurus, or other sauropod - but this is a strange island and I'm the one doing the research. I'm convinced that this genus is Brontosaurus and no one can tell me otherwise. My study, my rules. Domesticated: Because of how docile it is, Brontosaurus makes the ideal pack-animal. Peaceful tribes use it to carry incredible quantities of resources, while warring tribes use it to mobilize their army. Unfortunately, its enormity means that most attempts to tame Brontosaurs can take longer than almost any other creature on the island. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Ankylosaurus Species: Ankylosaurus crassacutis Time: Late Cretaceous Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Docile Wild: Unlike many of the herd animals on the island, Ankylosaurus crassacutis tends to live in small family units. I believe they can afford to stick with smaller groups because of their incredibly thick skin for which they're named. Despite not being among the largest of the islands herbivores, the Ankylosaurus is one of the more difficult Creatures to take down. Its thick, armored skin seems to make it more than a match for several of the mid-sized predators that would otherwise hunt it. Reckless carnivores are just as likely to hurt themselves on Ankylosaurus' spikes as they are to get hit by its tail. Domesticated: Without a doubt, the best trait of a trained Ankylosaurus is its enormously dense tail. This tail is powerful enough to shatter the resource-laden rocks of the island. One of the wealthier human tribes on the island utilizes a squad of Ankylosaurus in its mines and quarries. -
From the album: Dossiers
Common Name: Achatina Species: Achatina Limusegnis Time: Holocene Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Passive Wild: Found mostly in marshes and jungles, Achatina Lumusegnis is a very slow, very non-threatening land mollusk. It might be the safest creature on the island to hunt, and while it only provides a small amount of meat and Chitin, An easy meal is always good on the island. Unlike nearly every other creature on the island, Achatina does not defecate normally. Instead, it secretes a thick, sticky substance. Achatina leaves trails of this slime, but the trails are so thin that they crumble to dust quickly. Domesticated: There is a very diguesting, but useful, fact about achatina that causes tribes to seek to tame them: its secretions are chemically similar to the 'cementing paste' used by many tribes for building materials. Tamed Achatina naturally build up this slime over time, which can then be collected at the tribe’s convenience.
