HOME | DD

thomastapir — Pteright Whale

#alien #alt #alternate #alternative #aquatic #bio #biological #biology #bowhead #chimera #creature #cryptid #dougaldixon #evolution #extraterrestrial #fantastical #fantasy #genetic #hybrid #kaiju #marine #monster #parallel #prehistoric #rightwhale #sea #spec #speculative #universe #whale #bowheadwhale #extrasolar #panspermia #pterodaustro #filterfeeder #panspermic #baleenwhale #cryptozoology #pterodactyl #pterosaur #timeline #mysticete
Published: 2016-02-29 05:05:07 +0000 UTC; Views: 3308; Favourites: 77; Downloads: 16
Redirect to original
Description Pronounced teh RIGHT whale

Pterodaustrian-derived marine filter-feeder converging on a baleen whale.

BOTTOM: The heavily modified wings are kept folded forward flush against the jaws during long-distance migration to streamline the body. In this configuration, propulsive power is provided primarily by the massive tail flukes and mammalian-style vertical undulation of the muscular trunk.

TOP: The wings rotate down and out to become paddles when maneuvering and feeding, exposing the baleen-like plankton-straining teeth and the pleated throat pouch. I can also see the wings employed as a sort of scoop or funnel to channel masses of plankton towards the open mouth.

Ancestral to or probabilistically entangled with thomastapir.deviantart.com/art… , in some possible worldline...?  For

in recognition of his enthusiasm for the Subterranean Epicycle concept and, apparently, just about everything else I do, regardless how vile.  : p

will scrap soooon
Related content
Comments: 20

John-AM [2016-03-04 21:46:48 +0000 UTC]

What a neat look having the flippers/wings resemble a whale-like lower jaw.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

thomastapir In reply to John-AM [2016-03-06 05:32:30 +0000 UTC]

I was almost ashamed to suggest it!
41.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhy…

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

John-AM In reply to thomastapir [2016-03-08 04:24:27 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

TheDubstepAddict [2016-03-01 13:38:50 +0000 UTC]

NOICE

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

thomastapir In reply to TheDubstepAddict [2016-03-01 19:18:46 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

TheDubstepAddict In reply to thomastapir [2016-03-01 19:38:54 +0000 UTC]

Lewl

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Rob-Cavanna [2016-02-29 13:01:17 +0000 UTC]

The bottom guy is totally scandalized. 

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

thomastapir In reply to Rob-Cavanna [2016-02-29 15:15:12 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Rob-Cavanna In reply to thomastapir [2016-02-29 18:11:32 +0000 UTC]

exactly! 

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

thomastapir In reply to Rob-Cavanna [2016-03-04 07:15:05 +0000 UTC]

Hey, speaking of crustacean-derived tactical mech designs--which I kind of assume we always are even if it isn't explicitly stated--surely you're familiar with the "shame-faced" crab genus Calappa...?
www.naturamediterraneo.com/Pub…

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Ouroboros-491 [2016-02-29 11:53:13 +0000 UTC]

This is much better than my idea!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

thomastapir In reply to Ouroboros-491 [2016-02-29 15:18:08 +0000 UTC]

Oh, seriously?  What was your idea?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Ouroboros-491 In reply to thomastapir [2016-03-01 21:42:38 +0000 UTC]

On this.

Quote "...larger Pterostars would find their forelimbs shrinking, becoming a triangle shape, with hindlimbs fused into one immense fluke, becoming analogous to whales." Unquote

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

TheAsianGuyLOL [2016-02-29 06:11:18 +0000 UTC]

Such awesome convergence there. 

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

thomastapir In reply to TheAsianGuyLOL [2016-02-29 07:03:21 +0000 UTC]

Thanks, man...It seemed like a natural fit.  

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

legendguard [2016-02-29 05:50:36 +0000 UTC]

Wait, would flexible tail/spine propulsion even be possible for a post-pterodactyloid? Pterosaur bodies are so heavily modified for piston breathing  (and likewise have ridged/inflexible trunks and fused vertebrae) that up and down tail propulsion like that of whales would likely be impossible.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

thomastapir In reply to legendguard [2016-02-29 15:27:20 +0000 UTC]

These aren't necessarily direct linear descendants of true orthodox pterosaurs.  It's probably more accurate to interpret them as representatives of an alternate evolutionary lineage--what pterosaurs *might* have been under different circumstances.  Like many of my creatures, it's also likely they have undergone some degree of genetic modification.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

TrilobiteCannibal [2016-02-29 05:10:34 +0000 UTC]

That about sums me up

Epic concept to, pterosaurs converging on whales, now flip that around to a whale converging on pterosaurs an we got a party!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

thomastapir In reply to TrilobiteCannibal [2016-02-29 05:17:51 +0000 UTC]

I definitely had the impression you were a filter-feeding pterosaurian whale analog...To thine own self be true!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

TrilobiteCannibal In reply to thomastapir [2016-02-29 05:19:45 +0000 UTC]

Oh, that wasn't thought through

👍: 0 ⏩: 0