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Originally planned for addition for the Center’s unique geography yet limited amount of diverse or unique fauna as of current. My team and I originally were going to select the Late Cretaceous fish Paravinciguerria, though with limited information. We instead selected another bizarre form of Stomiiformes fish that could experience deep-sea or abyssal gigantism, based on the Viperfish. Now while the Viperfish is a genus of deep-sea fish that exist today in the Holocene, they trace their evolution back to the Late Miocene of around 11 million years ago with extinct species. Common Name: Viperfish Species: Chauliodus stompagida Time: Late Miocene to Holocene Diet: Carnivore Temperament: Patient Tameable: Yes Rideable: Yes Breedable: Yes Torpidity Immune: No^2 2 = Only during the passive taming process can a viperfish be knocked out with narcotics (by hand in passive taming or with a projectile) Taming Method: Passive Preferred Kibble: Superior Preferred Food: Angler Egg Equipment: “Viperfish Saddle” (Level 60- Crafted at either a Smithy or on an Argentavis saddle) Rider Weaponry: Yes Humans Can Carry: No https://www.mbari.org/animal/pacific-viperfish/ Wild “With abyssal gigantism and experiencing mass niche dominance in the undersea depths, the Viperfish, Chauliodus stompagida feeds on small fish, arthropods and mollusks within the dark benthic zones of the ocean. Their bioluminescence is more elaborate than that of the Anglerfish Melanocetus angerlpescum, having a special spine on the frontal dorsal fin that acts as a lure, and multiple photophore organs on its sides. Counter-illuminating with surrounding light levels and the continuous dark environment, Chauliodus unhinge their jaws and sit in wait, watching with their large eyes as a small prey source is attracted to the motion of a small light. With shock absorbing vertebrae, the viperfish lunges forward in an instant, consuming the prey whole”. Domesticated “Being more than 12 times larger than their present day counterparts, C. stompagida is usually used by survivors towards traversing the depths without notice by larger predators, using camouflage and large eyes specialised for low light environments. The viperfish is also used for hunting, with large teeth that prevent the fish from closing its mouth completely, being able to swallow prey up to two thirds its own size and with its hypnotic lure. The viperfish is a perfect example of a deep-sea predator”. - Helena Walker Anatomy While the genus Chauliodus is present today, species such as Chauliodus eximus and Chauliodus testa have been uncovered from digsites, presenting that this genus originates with a presence in the fossil record from the Late Miocene. The first species, Chauliodus eximus was originally described in 1925 by American Ichthyologist David Starr Jordan from stratified material in Southern California, United States. The second species, Chauliodus testa was discovered and described in 2014 by Russian Ichthyologist Mikhail V. Nazarkin from the Kurasi Formation of western Sakhalin Island belonging to Russia. https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2019/10/17/chauliodus-the-viperfish-enters-the-lrt/ When describing the anatomy of these fish, the genus Chauliodus are bizarre in nature and appearance. Most viperfish feed primarily on lanternfish (myctophids), bristlemouths, krill and deep-sea copepods, but are also known to search surface waters for food during pelagic migrations. These migrations are influenced by temperature, with observations describing that the upper limit of distribution is restricted by temperatures around 12 to 15°C, this affecting vertical habitat and trophodynamics. In warmer or tropical climates, viperfish can exist full time in waters below 400 metres. This form of migratory behaviours is known as diel vertical migration. Viperfish are known to migrate to depths of 400 metres at night, these fish are able to withstand daily temperature changes of up to 7°C, even being able to withstand ranges of 4 to 14.5°C. These forms of migrations have been observed in the western Mediterranean Basin, the Adriatic Sea, the Aegean Sea, the Levant Sea and North African waters. The eyes of Chauliodus viperfish maintain a constant size and proportion throughout the fish’s lifespan, but inside of the eye. Seven specialised rod cells continue to grow and overlap upon one another in the retina, increasing in number with the size of the fish. Rod cells are the photoreceptor cells within the eye that are hypersensitive to light levels, allowing these fish to see more accurately in low light frequencies within the mesopelagic (where only 1% of the sun’s original light reaches below 200 metres) and bathypelagic zones. https://www.deepseawaters.com/sloanes-viperfish.html Unlike other fish, viperfish are not covered in scales, they are instead covered in a thick, slimy, transparent coating of an unknown substance that is layered upon hexagonal pigment patterns. This material on their skin most likely helps with their bioluminescence. Viperfish have photophore organs on their ventral, lateral and ventrolateral sides, designed to both emit light as a form of communication, towards luring prey and even as a form of camouflage in the surrounding depths in order to avoid predators. These bioluminescent organs emit light through adrenergic nervous control with synaptic transmission between the nervous system, but also connect to the fish’s endocrine system. Studies have found that the release of adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline (norepinephrine) trigger bioluminescence in Sloane’s viperfish. These fish have even evolved these bioluminescent organs to match the surrounding depths and distributions of light, in a form of camouflage known as counter-illumination. When describing breeding and reproduction, viperfish are gonochoristic (have separate male and female individuals in each species of this genus, when compared to other fish that are hermaphrodites) and breed through batch spawning and asynchronous oocyte development in females. Pacific viperfish (Chauliodus macouni) lack swim bladders and instead rely on the use of acidic glycosaminoglycans in their gelatinous tissue which is used as a form of buoyancy. Viperfish are prey to certain species of deep-sea organisms, primarily certain genera of dolphins and sharks. The paleoenvironment of the Middle to Upper Miocene Kurasi Formation that included Chauliodus testa contained a multitude of different fish species, including prehistoric Cetorhinidae basking sharks, Alepisauridae Lancetfish, Oneirodes Dreamer anglerfish, bristlemouths including Cyclothone mukhachevae from surrounding formations alongside Scomber Mackerel fish, Bathylagidae, Microstomatidae and Leuroglossus or Deep-sea smelts, Argentiniformes, ridgeheads such as Scopelogadus and Caridean shrimp. Design, Behaviour and AI https://sfbaymsi.tumblr.com/post/96105059407/the-viperfish-chauliodus-sloani-viperfish-can Chauliodus stompagida would be a species designed for a more opportunistic hunting method. Through the use of a bioluminescent lure at the tip of a spine on the first dorsal fin, the muscles in the spine swing the lure from side to side, simulating a moving prey item from the interpretation/perspectives of marine invertebrates and other deep-sea vertebrates. Dangling this lure usually in front of the fish’s mouth. Using their long, elongated sharp fangs (they are so long that the fish could puncture its own brain with misalignment) coupled with a protruding hinged lower jaw and skull adapted to a wide opening in the mouth, these fish grab and swallow their prey whole, snapping at quick instances that prevent prey from escaping. Their jaws are able to be unhinged and can open their mouths up to 90° and can catch prey that are up to 63% of their own body size. The stomachs of these fish are quite elastic and are designed to contain and digest prey that have been swallowed whole. These details will apply to the fictional species in Ark and its behavioural instincts towards hunting. Chauliodus similar to other deep-sea fish can experience deep-sea gigantism, which can alter their overall size or mass in certain depths in the ocean. In shallow environments, present day viperfish individuals are found to have lesser or smaller masses than those at depths of over 500 metres. This can play into gameplay with smaller individuals being found around the water’s surface, gradually getting larger the deeper the water progresses. With deep-sea specialisation and the principles of deep-sea gigantism, Chauliodus stompagida will be much larger than its present day counterparts, being over 6 feet in length. Their body plan and shape should resemble the below image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sloane%27s_viperfish#/media/File:Chauliodus_sloani_Gervais.jpg ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Abilities and Advantages - With their unique jaws, viperfish can unhinge their jaws from alignment (with their teeth remaining in place) and can either swallow prey that are around 63% of the fish’s original size, or can use their long canine-like teeth to gouge and pierce the flesh of enemies or predators. This ability which can be activated on its behavioural menu or on command via riding, is known as “Unhinged”. The viperfish can not close its mouth, otherwise it could impale its own eyes or its brain due to the size and length of its teeth. - Viperfish such as Chauliodus macouni or the Pacific Viperfish have evolved specialised vertebrae located at the back of their heads, designed to act as shock absorbers (similar to air bags). This is due to high speed collisions and force in bites with prey items that have resulted in the viperfish adapting to high impacts. - The Chauliodus grants better nocturnal vision to riders and survivors within 3 metres of the fish, due to its rod cell adaptability and specialisation in deep sea habitats. - Animals that are too large to be swallowed whole and are just over the 63% body ratio can gain a debuff known as “Swallowed”. This can trap certain creatures and can cause both damage to the viperfish and the prey organism, until the viperfish lets go of the prey item. - The lure on the top of the Chauliodus can hypnotise aquatic animals as large as a kaprosuchus (includes cnidaria, electrophorus, coelacanths, parakeet fish swarms, anglerfish, sabertooth salmon, megapiranhas, eurypterids, humans and trilobites) but can stun animals such as mantas, ichthyosaurus, carbonemys and sarcosuchus for a limited amount of time (depends on the creature). The hypnosis ability lasts for 30 seconds to a minute depending on the size of the viperfish. - The most important detail and characteristic of the Chauliodus is its size. The deeper the ocean, the larger the viperfish. This means that larger viperfish have stronger bites, sizes, and can swallow large prey, when compared to smaller shallower viperfish that might instead be faster in manoeuvrability rather than in defence, size, health and melee damage. Weaknesses - Viperfish are gill-breathing fish and can not breathe on land as they lack lungs. - Chauliodus stompagida are obligated towards deeper deaths and can experience pressure and temperature problems if they swim past a limit of 250 metres, with larger individuals being limited to around 300 to 350 metres . - Chauliodus are weak against megalodons and basilosaurus. Taming Method: In order to tame a viperfish, a player needs to be hypnotised under its lure and similar to a bloodstalker. The player will be grabbed and held in its jaws, taking small amounts of damage in the process, but being able to consume food items, medical brews and Sanguine Elixir which boosts both taming efficiency and taming progression by 5 to 10%. During this time, the player will give the viperfish either Superior Kibble or Anglerfish Eggs, however. Unlike other passive tames, the Viperfish will hold onto the player as it swims through the water, having to be fed every 2 to 3 minutes depending on its level. During this taming process, the viperfish is no longer torpid immune and can be tranquilised if necessary. Spawning Location: Chauliodus stompagida are primarily found in deep depths of around 300 to 1000 metres below the surface and will hide in darker environments, using their camouflage and bioluminescence to aid in counter-illumination. To give perspective, this would include the Deep Ocean and Oceanic Cliffs on the Island, the Eastern Trench on the Center, the Dark Depths of Genesis Part 1’s Ocean Biome and the Midgard Fjordur oceans. Warmer climates would see Chauliodus spawn closer around 300 to 400 metres when compared to temperate and colder biomes, which would see the opposite effect. Any suggestions and comments please reply below. These are my team's suggestions, so all credit and reference goes to them for the idea (s). Thanks. - MonstersHunters References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chauliodus_eximus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_cell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viperfish https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_viperfish https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sloane%27s_viperfish https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancetfish https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulbous_dreamer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microstomatidae https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep-sea_smelt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photophore https://www.mindat.org/taxon-P352793.html https://www.mindat.org/taxon-9528636.html https://link.springer.com/article/10.1134/S0031030120020112 https://www.schweizerbart.de/papers/njgpa/detail/303/100854/A_new_caridean_shrimp_Crustacea_Decapoda_from_the_middle_late_Miocene_of_Sakhalin_Island_Russia https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Gill-rakers-of-basking-sharks-from-Sakhalin-Tertiary-Specimens-ZIN-306p-1-a-and-ZIN_fig1_273777115 https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Miocene-deep-sea-smelts-from-Far-East-Russia-unidentifiable-to-genus-a-Bathylagini_fig3_325533833 https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/adrenergic-system https://www.eopugetsound.org/content/pacific-viperfish