#african grey eyes

[tiktokparrot]

Do African grey parrots have good eyesight?

Jump into the vibrant world of African grey parrot vision! Discover their stunning eyesight abilities and colorful perception. Explore their secret world of color, ultraviolet light and more!

[d1n0pwr]

Hold little man like a package (so he doesn't disturb you)

[tysonfurybattlepass]

if i had a nickel for every muscular scarred up lion woman oc of mine that people wanna bang, i’d have 2 nickels

[ladysparklefarts]

African Grey parrot would work so well. They are mean and there was one at a local pet shop on the town where I live that had a habit of either biting or stealing people sunglasses, sometimes both if you were one of the unlucky few that bird hated for absolutely no reason.

Quick tip for Star Wars modern au writers! If you're not sure how to use him in your story, write Grievous as Dooku's weird pet gecko for which Obi-Wan holds an immeasurable amount of contempt. Anakin just thought he'd be bigger.

[nitr09-productions]

Got sworn at by an African grey parrot today.

[yanderedrabbles]

do you have any physical descriptions for each yanderes? like for cowboy yandere I’m imagining a dirty blonde tan skin, freckles and stubble on his face

Yandere boys and their physical descriptions

It kind of shifts around a lot and this is how I picture them but it's not a definitive description by any means. This is not canon.

Yandere! Cowboy is literally exactly as you described him. A real cornfed American cowboy. Strong jawline, stubble and blonde hair he keeps swept back under his Stetson.

Yandere! Soldier is the quintessential soldier from a Post-Soviet state. Buzzed hair, tattoos, a straight nose and high cheekbones. A bit on the pale side with dark eyes. Ridiculously buff.

Yandere! Boyfriend is a big guy. That's all I know. I usually picture him as Samoan. With shoulder length, wavy hair and olive skin.

Yandere! State Trooper is the definition of never trust a blond. He keeps his hair short and in a regulation cut but it usually gets a bit messed up whenever he runs into you. (We all know why). I see him as having forearm tattoos and he's almost always clean shaven. Usually has a light tan.

Yandere! Cop has a friendly, approachable face. He looks like a nice guy, someone you can trust to listen to you when you get in trouble. I see him as African American with a flat Midwestern accent. Usually keeps his hair short and within regulations, but he might sometimes get it braided. He's got plenty of lean muscle and he ain't afraid to use his strength when he needs to.

Yandere! Gangster is tall and strong, but still a bit on the thin side. Usually wears a suit but almost always takes off his jacket and rolls up his sleeves. I picture him as a dark haired Denji from Chainsaw Man. Definitely wears one of those slutty silver chains that boys like so much.

Yandere! Incubus is tall with a slightly muscular build. Where does a supposed priest find time to get buff? Who knows. He has long dark hair that he keeps neatly swept back and that brushes the edge of his dog collar. He wears a dark wood rosary. His canine teeth seem unusually sharp. In his demon form, his eyes are usually a deep wine red.

Yandere! Desert Bandit is inspired by the Tuareg and Amazigh. I see him with dark skin, long black hair and golden eyes. He definitely has a hooked/Roman nose and a traditional tattoo on one cheekbone. Wears kohl in his eyes that gives him a very sexy glare.

Yandere! Academic Rival is a nepo baby so fashion wise, he usually wears suits, vests and shirts. He basically looks like a Ralph Lauren model. Goldish hair that's kind of wavy. A bit on the thin side. He relies on wits more than strength when he wants you to do something.

Yandere! Apocalypse Survivor is pretty much inspired by Deacon St John from Days Gone. Dark hair cut in a mullet and grey eyes. He's got a few tattoos on his back and he wears silver studs in his right ear. He's got a mean right hook too.

Yandere! Greek Champion is one buff bastard. Shoulder length black hair and olive skin darkened by the Mediterranean sun. I see him as having hazel eyes. A colour you'd think would be warm and inviting, but on him they look like the eyes of a hawk. Dangerous and just a little sadistic.

Yandere! Riot Cop is... well, he's in his riot gear so I guess you'll never know. Strong as hell, that's for sure.

[bestanimal]

Round 3 - Reptilia - Passeriformes

(Sources - 1, 2, 3, 4)

Our last, and largest, order of birds are the Passeriformes, collectively known as “passerines” or “perching birds.” This huge, diverse order contains more than half of all bird species. It includes the families… *deeeep breath*…

Acanthisittidae (“New Zealand wrens��), Philepittidae (“asities”), Eurylaimidae (“typical broadbills”), Calyptomenidae (“African and green broadbills”), Sapayoidae (“Sapayoa”), Pittidae (“pittas”), Melanopareiidae (“crescentchests”), Conopophagidae (“gnateaters”), Thamnophilidae (“antbirds”), Grallariidae (“antpittas”), Rhinocryptidae (“tapaculos”), Formicariidae (“antthrushes”), Furnariidae (“ovenbirds”), Pipridae (“manakins”), Cotingidae (“cotingas”), Tityridae (“tityras”), Oxyruncidae (“Sharpbill”), Onychorhynchidae (“royal flycatchers” and “myiobiuses”), Tyrannidae (“tyrant flycatchers”), Atrichornithidae (“scrubbirds”), Menuridae (“lyrebirds”), Climacteridae (“Australasian treecreepers”), Ptilonorhynchidae (“bowerbirds”), Pomatostomidae (“Australo-Papuan babblers”), Orthonychidae (“logrunners”), Acanthizidae (“Australian warblers”), Meliphagidae (“honeyeaters”), Maluridae (“Australasian wrens”), Dasyornithidae (“bristlebirds”), Pardalotidae (“pardalotes”), Cinclosomatidae (“quail-thrushes” and “jewel-babblers”), Campephagidae (“cuckooshrikes” and “trillers”), Mohouidae (“whiteheads”), Neosittidae (“sittellas”), Psophodidae (“whipbirds” and “wedgebills”), Eulacestomatidae (“Wattled Ploughbill”), Falcunculidae (“shriketits”), Oreoicidae (“Australo-Papuan bellbirds”), Paramythiidae (“painted berrypeckers”), Vireonidae (“vireos”), Pachycephalidae (“whistlers”), Oriolidae (“Old World orioles”), Machaerirhynchidae (“boatbills”), Artamidae (“butcherbirds” and “woodswallows”), Rhagologidae (“Mottled Berryhunter”), Malaconotidae (“bushshrikes”), Pityriasidae (“Bornean Bristlehead”), Aegithinidae (“ioras”), Platysteiridae (“wattle-eyes”, “batises”, and “shrike-flycatchers”), Vangidae (“vangas”), Rhipiduridae (“fantails”), Dicruridae (“drongos”), Monarchidae (“monarch flycatchers”), Ifritidae (“Blue-capped Ifrit”), Paradisaeidae (“birds-of-paradise”), Corcoracidae (“White-winged Chough” and “Apostlebird”), Melampittidae (“melampittas”), Laniidae (“shrikes”), Platylophidae (“Crested Jayshrike”), Corvidae (“corvids”), Cnemophilidae (“satinbirds”), Melanocharitidae (“berrypeckers” and “longbills”), Callaeidae (“New Zealand wattlebirds”), Notiomystidae (“Stitchbird”), Petroicidae (“Australasian robins”), Eupetidae (“Rail-babbler”), Picathartidae (“rockfowl”), Chaetopidae (“rockjumpers”), Hyliotidae (“hyliotas”), Stenostiridae (“fairy flycatchers”), Paridae (“tits”), Remizidae (“penduline tits”), Panuridae (“Bearded Reedling”), Alaudidae (“larks”), Nicatoridae (“nicators”), Macrosphenidae (“African warblers”), Cisticolidae (“cisticola warblers”), Acrocephalidae (“reed warblers”), Locustellidae (“grass warblers”), Donacobiidae (“Black-capped Donacobius”), Bernieridae (“Malagasy warblers”), Pnoepygidae (“wren-babblers”), Hirundinidae (“swallows”), Pycnonotidae (“bulbuls”), Sylviidae (“sylviid warblers”), Paradoxornithidae (“parrotbills”), Zosteropidae (“white-eyes”), Timaliidae (“Old World babblers”), Leiothrichidae (“laughingthrushes”), Alcippeidae (“Alcippe fulvettas”), Pellorneidae (“ground babblers”), Phylloscopidae (“leaf warblers”), Hyliidae (“hylias”), Aegithalidae (“bushtits”), Scotocercidae (“Streaked Scrub Warbler”), Cettiidae (“cettiid warblers”), Erythrocercidae (“yellow flycatchers”), Dulidae (“Palmchat”), Bombycillidae (“waxwings”), Ptiliogonatidae (“silky-flycatchers”), Hylocitreidae (“Hylocitrea”), Hypocoliidae (“Grey Hypocolius”), Elachuridae (“Spotted Elachura”), Cinclidae (“dippers”), Muscicapidae (“Old World flycatchers”), Turdidae (“thrushes”), Buphagidae (“oxpeckers”), Sturnidae (“starlings”), Mimidae (“mockingbirds” and “thrashers”), Regulidae (“kinglets”), Tichodromidae (“Wallcreeper”), Sittidae (“nuthatches”), Certhiidae (“treecreepers”), Salpornithidae (“spotted creepers”), Polioptilidae (“gnatcatchers”), Troglodytidae (“wrens”), Promeropidae (“sugarbirds”), Modulatricidae (“dapplethroats”),

Nectariniidae (“sunbirds”), Dicaeidae (“flowerpeckers”), Chloropseidae (“leafbirds”), Irenidae (“fairy-bluebirds”), Peucedramidae (“Olive Warbler”), Urocynchramidae (“Przevalski's Finch”), Ploceidae (“weavers”), Viduidae (“indigobirds”, “whydahs”, and “Cuckoo-finch”), Estrildidae (“estrildid finches”), Prunellidae (“accentors”), Passeridae (“Old World sparrows”), Motacillidae (“wagtails”, “longclaws”, and “pipits”), Fringillidae (“true finches”), Rhodinocichlidae (“Rosy Thrush-tanager”), Calcariidae (“longspurs” and “snow buntings”), Emberizidae (“buntings”), Cardinalidae (“cardinals” and “grosbeaks”), Mitrospingidae (“mitrospingid tanagers”), Thraupidae (“tanagers”), Passerellidae (“New World sparrows”), Parulidae (“New World warblers”), Icteriidae (“Yellow-breasted Chat”), Icteridae (“New World blackbirds”), Calyptophilidae (“chat-tanagers”), Zeledoniidae (“wrenthrush”), Teretistridae (“Cuban warblers”), Nesospingidae (“Puerto Rican Tanager”), Spindalidae (“spindalises”), and Phaenicophilidae (“Hispaniolan tanagers”).

As this is such a large, diverse order (whose list of families have already taken up way too much room), it would be hard for me to summarize them. They are defined by the anisodactyl arrangement of their toes (three pointing forward and one back), which facilitates perching.

In the Cretaceous, the most dominant clade of birds were the Enantiornithes. After the K-Pg extinction, all Enantiornithes went extinct, leaving large swaths of empty niches behind. By the Eocene, around 52.5 million years ago, Passeriformes began to diverge and fill all those empty niches, leading to the large wealth of bird diversity today.

Propaganda under the cut:

Aside from the parrots, Passeriformes contains most of the birds capable of mimicry, including lyrebirds, mockingbirds, starlings, and corvids. Starlings and corvids are even known to mimic human words and sentences.

The largest passerine is the Thick-billed Raven (Corvus crassirostris), which ranges from 60 - 70 cm (2 - 2.3 ft) in length and weighs approximately 1.15 kg (2.5 lb) in females and 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) in males. The pheasant-sized Superb Lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae) is sometimes called the largest passerine, but the Thick-billed Raven is around 25% heavier on average!

The smallest passerine is the Short-tailed Pygmy Tyrant (Myiornis ecaudatus), at 6.5 cm (2.6 in) long and weighing 4.2 g (0.15 oz).

There’s too many of these to talk about; I’m overwhelmed. Just know that if you like birds, you probably have a favorite in this order!

[mammoth-clangen]

Behold! Big Kitties!

I wanted to make one of these for fun mostly, also because I wanted to slightly update how I draw the Fleets to fit the Homotherium mummy; mostly in the lack of carpal pads and that brown is the wildtype colour uvu

Notes that didn't fit:

- Eye colours can be anything natural-looking except in Ice Fangs, which are always blue (that's actually where their name comes from)

- None of the colour variants are sexually dimorphic (though some may be sex linked)

- All species can be fluffier than shown here (especially in winter), I just shaved them here to show the varied anatomy

- All the cats probably have a melanistic and albino variant but there aren't any in Kindred so I didn't include them

- I'm never gonna draw the characters in Kindred with detailed patterns as shown here, that would take 554637 hours per page cx

Don't @ me about paleo inaccuracies bc there's a lot of intentional exaggerations e.g. how variable they can be, for the sake of making characters actually fun to work with + the Tuft Tails are basically just lions because their skeletal anatomy is sooooo similar but bigger (and lions are pretty)

Image ID

"Kindred of the Mammoth- Pleistocene big cats"

Fleet Fang- Homotherium serum.

Tireless hunters of the steppe.

Male: Tom

Female: Molly

Nonbinary: Motte

Young: Cub

Grouping: Kindred

A drawing in a slightly more realistic style than Kindred of a brown Fleet Fang with green eyes and extensive barring running down her sides. There is a headshot of a tom with shaggy grey and white fur, who has his mouth open in a slight pant to show dental anatomy.

Notes read:

"Inverted neck hackle

Patterns run laterally.

Tufted ears

Heart-shaped nose.

All teeth are serrated

No carpal pad

Claws don't retract fully

Skin usually dull pink

Paler under-tail

No sexual dimorphism

Huge incisors, tiny lower canines

Tundra morphs shaggy and pale grey"

There are a few natural variants shown as well: dilute few spots, joined-barring (lateral stripes instead of broken spots), Open-saddle ginger, melanistic with paler grey markings.

Ice Fang- Smilodon fatalis ssp.

Powerful hunters of the north.

Male: Boar

Female: Sow

Nonbinary: Urs

Young: Cub

Grouping: Sounder

A drawing in a slightly more realistic style than Kindred of a white, grey striped Ice Fang with blue eyes . There is a headshot of a boar with pale golden fur and a darker beard under his neck. He has his mouth open in a slight pant to show dental anatomy.

Notes read:

False eyes on small ears

Powerful neck/shoulders

Vertical stripes

Very short tail

Bear-like lower lip

Only sabers are serrated

Very large dewclaws

Skin usually dull pink/brown

Boars have a goat-like 'beard'.

Wide nose, sideways nostrils.

Huge incisors, tiny lower canines.

There are a few natural variants shown as well: Faded stripes with a pale warm grey coat, Few stripes only on the shoulders and rump, Tawny morph with broken stripes (they form vertical bars), Abundism- heavy stripes that are interlocking and covering the whole body.

Tuft Tail- Panthera leo atrox

Coordinated hunters of the plains.

Male: Lion

Female: Lioness

Nonbinary: Leo

Young: Cub

Grouping: Pride

A drawing in a slightly more realistic style than Kindred of a golden tawny Tuft tail (lioness) with amber eyes. There is a headshot of a lion with greyish fur and a tawny underbelly. He also has a darker mane around his neck. He has his mouth open in a slight pant to show dental anatomy.

Notes read:

Larger ears

Long, flexible spine

Nose darkens with age

Robust non-serrated teeth

Dark pawpads

Patternless or faintly spotted

Long, tufted tail

Lions have a mane (but less full than African Lions)

Lions much heavier than lionesses.

There are a few natural variants shown as well: Completely spottless warm grey with a tawny underbelly, orxy type dark markings that outline the paler underbelly, retained juvenile spots and a reddish tint, fully grey morph that is entirely desaturated.

A note at the bottom reads: Kindred of the Mammoth, art, and these speculative depictions belong to PencilPavlova [END ID]

[allwaswell16]

A fic rec of One Direction fics in which opposites attract as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers! You can find my other recs here. Happy reading!

- Louis / Harry -

♟️ Baby Heaven's in your Eyes by theboyfriendstagram

(E, 120k, high school) Or a sixth form!AU where Harry is the fucked up bad boy with too many problems, Louis is the perfect rich boy with too much money and their schools are right across from each other. They meet at a party and that’s the last (and maybe the only) thing they need.

♟️ Say Hallelujah, Say Goodnight by @alivingfire

(E, 110k, Greek mythology) Louis is an angel who is just a little too bad to be good, Harry is a demon who is just a little too good to be bad, and they're both a little too in love to be impartial when angels and demons go to war.

♟️ It started with a whisper by jaded25

(M, 92k, uni) Forced to attend University, Harry bumps into his sister's roommate and another time, another day Harry would have been a goner the very second he’d laid eyes on Louis. But he's already got the perfect boyfriend and Louis is the complete opposite of perfect.

♟️ with venom on your tongue by wildestdreams / @thelavendrhaze

(E, 91k, enemies to lovers) a boarding school AU where Harry and Louis are academic rivals until they realize they’re more similar than they thought.

♟️ Strawberries & Cigarettes by dimpled_halo / @comebackassholes

(E, 76k, punk Louis) Two stories, eleven years, and the two boys that never stopped loving each other.

♟️ I hear you calling in the dead of night by Thelonelycoast

(M, 72k, high school) No one really notices Marcel Styles. In fact, Marcel’s so invisible that if his teachers don’t call on him in lessons - and they rarely do - Marcel can go whole days without speaking to anyone other than his mum, his sister, Gemma, his cat, Dusty and the school librarian

♟️ and i would search the night sky to find you by devilinmybrain / @thedevilinmybrain

(E, 56k, omegaverse) Harry Styles is a high class, well-bred Omega attending Bosworth Academy - a prestigious boarding school looking over the small town on Kinsey. He has his whole life already planned for him, learning his place as the potential mate for an important Alpha, practicing his home making skills, and be obedient above all else.

♟️ Even Angels Have Their Demons by @afangirlfantasy

(NR, 53k, demon Harry) Louis is appointed the role of Guardian Angel, and his first mission is a boy named Zayn Malik. Unfortunately, it seems that a certain Demon has gotten to him first.

♟️ You're Not My Type (still I fall) by Imogenlee / @imogenleewriter

(M, 38k, omegaverse) This is just a bit of rain; it'll blow over. Then Harry will just... well, alright, he isn't entirely sure what to do when the rain stops because he'll still be stuck and lost. 

♟️ That's How I Know by @allwaswell16

(E, 21k, neighbors) the one where Harry’s African grey parrot spills his dirty secrets to his very hot neighbor.

♟️ i’d burn this city down to show you the light by you_explode / @nobodymoves

(E, 23k, high school) Harry's a sheltered rich kid and Louis's a punk with a heart of gold. They meet when Louis breaks into Harry's house, Harry obtains an instant and all-encompassing crush, and they spend the summer falling into a whirlwind romance.

♟️ long hair don't care by ballsdeepinjesus

(E, 20k, Tangled au) harry is sheltered and louis is a thief.

♟️ Shut Up and Wink at Me by kikikryslee / @flamboyantommo

(T, 14k, high school) the one where Louis wants to go away to college to get away from everything having to do with his hometown. So when he finds out his roommate will be Harry Styles, perfect school athlete and the exact opposite of what Louis wants in a roommate, he's not happy about it.

♟️ Devil in my brain, whispering my name by @lunarheslwt

(E, 9k, pwp) Louis, a demon, shows Harry, an angel, just how good it can feel to give in to temptation and sin.

♟️ Opposites Attract by @kingsofeverything

(E, 7k, restaurant au) Harry has a list of reasons he and Louis shouldn’t date. Maybe they’re more compatible than he thinks.

♟️ Convalescent Boy (with a Heart of Gold) by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup

(T, 7k, uni)  the one where Marcel is a nerd who loves to learn but loves to go to theatre productions even more, and may or may not have a long time crush on the lead in most of the plays, Louis Tomlinson. The same Louis Tomlinson who seems to be appearing wherever Marcel is.

♟️ Delicate by @fallinglikethis

(T, 1k, uni) They say opposites attract. Maybe that’s why nerdy, shy Harry Styles has such a huge crush on rough, brash Louis Tomlinson.

- Rare Pairs -

♟️ leave my life outside (or let me in) by we_are_the_same / @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed

(M, 52k, Zayn/Liam) Zayn is a 111 year old demon who is trying to decide his future. Liam is a 17 year old human struggling with his own life. Two people from completely different worlds, yet they find a little piece of home in one another. But nothing’s ever quite that simple, is it?

♟️ Like A Force Of Nature by @reminiscingintherain

(T, 30k, Zayn/Liam) the Heartstopper AU no one asked for.

[allieebobo]

College Tennis: Origin Story

Demo | Characters | Dev log | Ko-fi

Sports x Slice-of-life x Romance x Coming-of-age x Found-family x College

Step onto the court and into the whirlwind life of a freshman at Cargill University, where tennis isn't just a game—it's everything.

Forge lasting friendships, pursue budding romances, face fierce rivals, and experience the emotional highs and lows of pursuing greatness on and off the court.

College Tennis: Origin Story plunges you into the heart of a high-stakes journey to reclaim the NCAA Div I championship title—compete in fast-paced singles and doubles matches alongside your teammates, all while navigating the pressures of college life.

Will you make a name for yourself as one of the most promising college tennis players in history? Or will the pressure prove too much for you to handle?

Full character customisation

Customise your gender, height, build, personality, physical appearance, languages spoken, tennis style, dominant hand, and more!

Strike a balance between: tennis, keeping up a rich social life, and maintaining your grades

Nail-biting tennis matches

Every match is different! Play matches throughout the fall and spring seasons, leading up to the NCAO championships—that is, if you make the Cargill team.

Intricate tennis game mechanics: Factors such as your condition/energy, preparation for the match, opponent's play style, doubles partner chemistry, as well as your choices at key junctures of the match etc. will affect the outcome of the match!

Craft your own distinctive playing style and make a name for yourself on the tennis court

Hone your strength, agility, finesse, serve-and-volley skill, and endurance over the course of the game!

Romance four possible characters

Rayyan Afiq, the gruff, hot-headed no. 1 seed

Guillaume/Geneviève Lavigne, the sardonic international student on your floor

Tobin Harris, the warm, unflappable team captain

Sam O'Connelly, your nerdy and spirited high-school best friend

And forge lifelong friendships with many more...

Rayyan Afiq The rival

Gender: Follows the gender of your team Age: 20 Nationality/Ethnicity: Egyptian-American

Student information: Junior, Anthropology major Player information: Vice-captain, No. 1 position, Aggressive Baseliner

Appearance: 5′6 (f) or 5′10 (m). Lean, athletic build. Dark, wavy curls, and thick sweeping eyebrows over piercing dark-olive eyes. Tawny, honey-brown skin.

Description: Surly, intense, and proud. Ambitious and driven to excellence in everything they do. Willing to give up almost anything for their tennis career. Has a soft-spot for cats. Loves organising things, has a plan for everything, and dislikes surprises.

Tobin Harris The captain

Gender: Follows the gender of your team Age: 20 Nationality/Ethnicity: African-American

Student information: Junior, History major Player information: Captain, No. 2 position, All-court player

Appearance: 5′9 (f) or 6′1 (m). Tall, solid build. Short black hair, warm, brown eyes and a calm, assured demeanour. Dark bronze skin. A smile that lights up the room.

Description: Kind, laid-back, selfless, and sociable. Goes out of their way to make everyone feel welcome, but has a tendency to stuff down their own emotions in the process. Surprisingly private and cautious when it comes to their own desires/wishes. Gentle to a fault, steadfast and unflappable. If not playing tennis, probably can be found cooking, hanging out with friends, or going to the library.

Geneviève/Guillaume Lavigne The exchange student

Gender: Gender selectable (f/m) Age: 20 Nationality/Ethnicity: Half French (father's side), half French-Canadian (mother's side)

Student information: Third year exchange student, Political science bachelor’s degree. Hall-mate.

Appearance: 5′6 (f) or 5′11 (m). Toned, supple build. Dark, tousled hair with fair skin. Smoky grey eyes, with a smattering of freckles. Permanent half-smile.

Description: Rarely excited or enthusiastic, always armed with a dry remark. Slightly cynical, but softer than they look. Very intelligent, though they don't often let on what they're actually thinking or feeling. Rich (and intensely private) inner world.

Sam O'Connelly The childhood best friend

Gender: Gender selectable (f/m) Age: 18, Freshman Nationality/ethnicity: American

Student information: Freshman, Undecided major. Player information: No. 6 position for the UCLA Bruins

Appearance: 5′4 (f) or 5′8 (m). Trim build, with a small frame. Curly russet hair that often sticks out in all directions. Mischievous light blue eyes and an infectious smile.

Description: Excitable, with a chaotic positivity that radiates from them like sunshine. Fun-loving and scattered, and nerdy. Competent tennis player, but too often distracted by other hobbies and interests. Somehow manages to survive on a diet of Cheetos and Ben & Jerry's ice cream.

More character descriptions here, face-claims here.

[zunibugsiren]

Unnatural Chapter 2

There was heavy arm weighing my waist down. 

As I came to, I became vaguely aware of a swath of warmth on my back, puffs of breath hitting the back of my neck. 

I stiffened.

There was a vague pang between my legs, and as I attempted not to panic, yesterday’s events suddenly rushed through my mind. The email, talking to Lani, the job search, Mr. Ri—

My eyes widened, and as stealthily and slowly as I could, I turned to face the man. 

My eyes met blue-grey eyes.

I screamed and jumped.

His arms moved much too fast, holding me down to the bed.

His deep voice reached my ears, “Please calm down. Take deep breaths.”

The hand clutched to my chest was soon joined by his. Our hands were slowing down as my chest stopped heaving.

I felt his eyes linger on my heaving breasts. 

I’ve completely lost it.

“I’m crazy, I’ve lost it.”

“You are not crazy.”

As if I couldn’t hear him, I continued.

“They’re going to put me back, I’ll be locked up for good.”

“Nobody is going to touch you.”

I looked into his eyes, held his gaze and in a rush and blurted out the truth.

“I was locked into mental health asylum for six months. Strange things happen around me. I ca—I can’t have people too close to me, they’ll know. I’m not well.”

His eyes brows furrowed in confusion.

“You don’t remember all of yesterday.” He looked deep in thought. “Human biology hasn’t been completely figured out, I don’t know how to remove the block,” he muttered.

“Excuse me?!”

Oh god he’s crazy too! 

I started struggling and before I know it he lowered his head onto mind forcing eye contact.

His eyes switched from a grey-blue to pure white. 

I felt myself calm.

Unbeknownst to me, my eyes started glimmering white as well. A moment of silence passed as the entire night came to me.

The spark. The lust. His eyes. The lightning. The loss of virginity.

My eyes started flickering between oak brown and white.

I pulled my head back, gasping as if I had ran for my life, and asked softly, “What are you?”

“I come descend from a line of  individuals considered your progenitors.”

He gently pulled me up from the bed placing me in seated position.

“Eons ago scientists from my world made the decision to plant seeds on this planet. Our population was drastically dwindling. We could not understand why our women were not getting pregnant. Time was running out, we had to consider all possible options. One of them was to manipulate the genes of a low level civilization.”

He sounded he crazy.

His lips lifted a little, as if he heard something funny.

“I know.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Freshly bonded pairs share telepathic connection.”

“Oh fuck no!”

I jumped from the bed and he followed suit. I haphazardly put on my dress from yesterday, glaring at him as he put on his black dress pants and button up.  I started my way to the kitchen him on my ankles.  

I felt clausterphobic. I opened up the windows and  started to pace back and forth on the wooden floors.

“It’s temporary. If you want a permanent telepathic bond, there is a more complex process.”

I started talking hysterically. 

“If all you say is true, why are you here? Why are you in New York city? Working as—I don’t even know what you do?! Shouldn’t you be underground somewhere conducting your experiments?”

“We have multiple underground facilities, mainly on the African continent. What you call the “black race” was our creation. Other races are claimed by others.”

“Enough!”

I stopped pacing. 

“You need to leave.”

I pointed him to the door. 

“Please.”

I turned to the kitchen, trying to turn on the lights. I flipped the switch up and down and nothing.

I frantically tried every switch in the kitchen.

No electricity.

There was a moment of silence before I heard his footsteps behind me move towards the door. 

I heard the door open, before closing softly.

He came back to where I was standing in the kitchen. 

He projected images into my mind. His home world, a planetary explosion, an evacuation, his landing on Earth,, him getting accustomed to Earth. 

These images rushed into my mind. Oh my god.

His meeting with me. The electricity. The spark that ignited inside me. The barely controlled lust. His need to complete the bond.

I felt everything. I saw everything.

He gently eased out of my mind.

I looked up at him speechless.

He spoke passionately. “I do not want to overwhelm you, but understand everything I say to you is true.”

He grasped my shoulders gently, looking into my eyes intently.

He whispered intensely, “What we shared last night was the culmination of millennia of work of our ancestors. You have absolutely no idea how special you are. Your 'quirks'? The aches, the insomnia, the telepathic abilities, the electricity? Recessive DNA activating. You're not crazy, it's your DNA. And it is only the beginning.”

I felt my heart jump in fear. 

He softened his eyes, “Don’t be scared. I’m here.”

He kept eye contact as he lowered his lips onto mine.

He gave me a gentle kiss and eased my lips open.

His right hand reached up gently massaging the front with his thumb and back with his other fingers.

His tongue played with mine before sucking it.

He eased out of my mouth. 

“When you are ready to talk, call me.”

He tapped the side of his head.

He walked to the door and closed it with finality.

I was speechless.

[elzifelzi]

PHANTOM

CHAPTER ONE

Chapter 1:Going Ghost

Ghosts!Ectoplasmic manifestations of post human consciousness, Literal creatures of the undead. Do they exist? Or are they simply fictional creatures created with the intention of scaring people?

Well some people believe that they are as real as you and I, while others believe otherwise.

If they exist Do they walk among us? Are they friendly?Do they pose a threat to human existence?Where do they come from?

These were all the questions that  plagued the minds of 18 year old college students Tucker Chris Foley and Daniel "Dan"/Danny Fenton.After graduating casper high Danny and Tucker moved from Amity park to Amity City to attend AC university where they both majored in paranormal activity studies.

Dan was an average height Caucasian male with a slim to lean build.He had deep blue eyes and jet black hair and typically wore a red and grey varsity hoodie with a red A sewn to the chest he also wore blue jeans and black and white sneakers.Tucker was an African American male of similar height and build as danny with dark brown dreads.Atop his head he wore a red beanie with a light blue sweater atop a darker blue dress shirt, khaki pants and brown shoes

Dan and Tucker both shared great interest in the paranormal after they had a somewhat supernatural encounter with what could be described as a ghost many years ago.

Dan's father Jack always went on about how he and Dan's mother maddie along with their friend Vlad were researching ghosts in college until a lab accident caused them to quit it for good.Dan had never taken him seriously until an unlikely event led him to pursue the exact same field and Tucker who is Dan's best friend decided to join him.

Now they were college students working on their 1st self chosen assignment: a ghost portal.

While rummaging through his parents' old files Dan found schematics for one of their' old experiments: a “ghost portal” , a device that could in theory create a bridge between the ghost world and the human world..and allow beings from either side to visit the other worlds.The blueprints however were unfinished but Dan figured with Tucker's help they'd be able to get it up and running. 

Both the boys got together in the lab after school and worked on the portal day after day until finally the day for testing had arrived but Dan seemed apprehensive l. He repeatedly looked over his clipboard of formulas and notes before directing his attention  to the portal.

Dan:"Tucker y'know I'm not really sure about this.. how are we sure this thing won't explode in our faces or something." 

He says sweat dripping profusely from his forehead. 

Tucker very matter of factly gestures towards his notepad Which was filled with what can only be assumed as flawlessly solved equations.

Tucker:”I think the math speaks for itself” “Besides if it blows up..it won't just take our face, it'll probably take all of us.”

He seemed very proud of his joke until he looked over at Dan and realized that his joke did nothing more than add to his worries.

Tucker:"Dude Are you getting cold feet?” “Comeon Danny, I've never seen you back down from anything before, why start now?" 

Dan:"Because we don't know if this thing will even work! And if it does I sure as hell  don't think it'll work the way we want it to!" 

He turns his attention over to the ghost portal.

Dan:”I mean…there has to be a reason why my parents ditched this thing…”

Tucker shrugged 

Tucker:”Maybe…but I mean,what's the worst that could happen?”

Dan:”you're not doing a good job at reassuring me..”

Tucker:"Relax man it'll be fine.You're working with a genius after all."he smugly points to himself which causes Dan to throw his clipboard and hit Tucker square in the head.

Dan:" didn't you get locked in the bathroom this morning?" Danny says chuckling 

Tucker:" Screw you man!"

Tucker was a technological genius. There wasn't any piece of technology on earth that he didn't know like the back of his hand. If he could build a supercomputer in under 30 minutes surely he could build a ghost portal or at least that's what he's been telling himself.  

 Tucker:"But seriously you got nothing to worry about so just chill." He placed a reassuring hand on Dan's shoulder and gave him a warm smile and that seemed to be enough to calm him down. 

Dan: "I hope you're right."

Dan donned his lab coat and goggles in preparation for the 1st ever testing of the Fenton and Foley Ghost portal but as they are about to commence testing a girl shoots open the lab door, she wore a white open lab coat with a black dress and shoes and white thigh high socks she had dark hair and light brown skin.

????:"Heyyyyyyyyyyyy Dan!! I've been looking for you!!" She screamed in a loud nasally voice. 

Dan:"What do you want, Paulina? Can't you see I'm busy?" 

Paulina:"Why the attitude??I'm your girlfriend, remember?" she says feigning sadness 

Tucker interjects

Tucker:"didn't you two break up like weeks ago?" 

Dan:"yeah we did!" 

Paulina:”You can't seriously still be mad at me,are you?”

Dan:”Mad at you for cheating on me?” “I totally Can!”

Paulina had been Dan's crush ever since he was 14 ,as a kid there was nothing he wanted more than to be her boyfriend and when they finally started dating a year ago he had felt like he'd died and gone to heaven. Things between them seemed magical until a month ago when he caught her at a party making out with the captain of the basketball team,his world was crushed and despite Paulinas numerous  attempts at trying to explain herself Dan did not want to hear one bit of it.

Tucker, feeling the increase of Tension in the room, immediately jumped in once again in an attempt to prevent Dan from any further heartache.

Tucker:”You should leave Paulina, we're in the middle of something important.”

Paulina scoffs and storms out of the lab.

Paulina:”whatever!”

Tucker turns over to Dan

Tucker:”sorry about that man.”

Dan shook his head in response.

Dan:”No worries,let's just get to work.”

Now that they had  no more distractions they could begin their work. Tucker powered up the machine and read the readings while Dan stood near it with his clipboard making notes of everything that happened. Then the readings began to spike, they were off the charts there was no way that these were normal. The entire room became enveloped in a green glow and everything around the portal with the exception of Dan began to float. 

Dan: "Tucker, that's enough, we can turn it off now!.

Tucker:"I don't think I can!" 

He tried shutting down the machine but his efforts proved to be in vain.

Tucker: "Danny get out of there, now!!!" 

Dan tried running away but he had no such luck he got caught in the ghost portal explosion and his life from that day forward was forever changed.

Disoriented from the explosion Dan woke up trapped under a desk.The room is still covered in the same green glow ,struggling to get up he is unable to process what it was that just happened to him. He pushes the table  off of him and stumbles to his feet turning towards his best friend who seemed to cower at his very presence. 

Dan:"T-tucker what happened man?" He asked his friend  in a weak voice.

Tucker looked on at Dan in horror.

Tucker:"Who the hell are you!!" Tucker responded, his voice riddled with fear. 

Dan:"What do you mean who am I? I'm Dan, you know your best friend!"

Tucker:"D-Danny, is that really you?" He asked,the fear in his voice echoing through the room.

Dan:"Who else would it be?" Dan responded not understanding the reason behind  Tucker's strange reaction.

Tucker picked up a nearby piece of shattered glass and handed it to Dan, still being careful not to get too close to him. 

Dan was terrified to see the face that stared back at him in the mirror, his once straight jet black hair became an ever-growing white flame, his deep blue eyes were now a ghastly green color with no pupils. His pale Caucasian skin became supernatural blue and his ears, fingernails and teeth became pointed like that of a vampires. 

Dan:"What the fu...!!" Dan screamed in horror, tossing the glass to the floor causing it to shatter.

He turned to Tucker, anger oozing from his very aura.

Dan:"Look what happened!!! I told you that the portal wasn't ready!Now look at what you caused! I'm a freak!”

 Dan screamed at Tucker while snatching him by the collar.

Tucker:" Comeon Danny, relax man! "Tucker pleaded, trying to get out of Dans grip.

Dan:" Relax? RELAX!!!? How can I relax when I look like this now?? Dan yelled at him.

He flipped over a nearby table while angrily making his way towards Tucker.

Tucker:"Think about it man, If we turned you into this then we should be able to turn you back." Tucker said rather matter of factly. These words which were intended to calm Dan down only seemed to make him angrier.

Dan:"You don't know that!!." “What if I'm stuck like this!?”

Tucker let out a weak chuckle.

Tucker:”he he,well blue has always been a good color on you…”

Dan remained unamused and he tossed Tucker back causing the boy to land on his butt.

Dan:”This isn't funny man! I told you the damn portal wasn't ready!”

Tuck raised his hands in defense.

Tucker:”calm down man,I'm sure i can fix this!”

Dan raised an eyebrow.

Dan:”Are you sure?”

Tucker flashes him a grin

Tucker:”Sure I am!” “Remember I'm a genius!”

That Joke managed to get a small chuckle out of Dan and he finally seemed to calm down.

Dan:*sigh “I hope you're right about this…”

Tucker places a reassuring hand on Dan's shoulder.

Tucker:"Don't worry about it man, all we gotta do is head back to our place and sort this out and you'll be back to normal before you know it.

He looked back at the ruined ghost portal.

Tucker:”ummm we should probably take that with us too..”

As soon as those words left Tucker's mouth a loud banging was heard on the lab door.

????:" You boys better not be making a mess in there, other people need to use the lab!" The voice yelled 

Tucker:"Crap it's professor Lancer, Dude u gotta hide We can't let him see you like this."

Dan panicked where he could hide?Everything in the lab was damaged beyond recognition. But just as he had given up hope something miraculous happened,as if responding to his desire to not be seen,almost like magic Dan's body turned invisible. No sooner than that had happened Professor Lancer barged into the LAB, when he entered the room and he was shocked to see the deplorable state that it was in. 

Lancer:" Chicken soup for the soul!!! What happened here?" He asked. 

Tucker:"Umm well me and Danny had just a little difficulty with our project."Tucker responded, shrugging it off as nothing. 

Lancer:"I can see that… and where might I ask, is Mr Fenton right now?"

Lancer asked, the tone in his voice getting even more serious by the moment. 

Tucker:" Danny went to the bathroom, can I take a message?" 

Lancer sighed in exasperation. 

Lancer:"Look you guys are 2 of my best students so I won't report you for this little mishap, I'll take care of the lab this time but don't let it happen again!!" 

Lancer told Tucker while leaving to get cleaning supplies. 

Tucker:"Psstt Danny he's gone, wherever you're hiding you can come out now." 

As if on cue Dan became visible directly in front of Tucker. His sudden appearance startled Tucker, causing him to Fall back. 

Tucker:"How did you do that?" He asked while sitting on the floor 

Dan offers Tucker his hand and helps him up 

Dan:"I don't know, I just kind of did it." 

Tucker places a hand on his chin as if trying to solve a mystery. Then a light bulb went off in his head and a large grin formed on his face, one that left Dan very uneasy..

Dan:”why are you smiling like that?”

Tucker:”I have a theory about what happened to you.”

Dan:”Alright! Let's hear it.”

Tucker:"it looks like your body must-have absorbed a shit ton of the portal's ecto energy and  it altered you somehow. 

Dan:”great! Now how do we unalter me?”

Tucker:”I don't think it's gonna be as simple as I initially thought..”

Dan:”what!?but you said you could!”

Tucker:”if it was just your appearance That changed then sure it would've been hella easy but it seems this goes way beyond just your cosmetics.”

Tucker:”If my theory is correct then I think you may have ghost powers!" 

Dan:”what?! No way!”

He waved his hand dismissively at Tucker’s suggestion.

Tucker:”Why not? The blue skin, the white hair and are we gonna pretend like you weren't just invisible a while ago?”

Dan had to admit that Tucker did have a point ,as crazy as his theory was, it is the only way they could justify what had happened to him.

Dan:”ok let's say i do have ghost powers now, what do I do about it?”

Tucker:”Well we'd have to figure out the full scope of what you're capable of.We gotta get back to our place and run some tests on you right away!"

After Disguising himself Dan and Tucker immediately set out for their house. 

Dan:"Wait if I'm a ghost.... Doesn't that mean I'm dead!!??" 

Tucker:"idk maybe" He shrugs.

Dan and Tucker made it back to their rundown 2 bedroom apartment being sure to avoid any form of human contact on the way back. Along the way the duo discussed different ways in which they could revert Danny back to his normal form. 

Dan: “Any ideas on how we can turn me back?” 

Tucker:”only one really.”

Dan:”Lemme hear it.”

Tucker:”I remember reading in your parents old notes that ghosts have the ability to shapeshift,so in theory you should be able to at least shift yourself into your human appearance.”

Dan pondered on Tuckers theory all the way to their rental house, it was  an old building which had seen better days, most of the windows were broken, the once bright baby blue color that covered the house was practically non existent and the overall building looked like no one had set foot in it in years. Dan and Tucker were the only known tenants who lived there,the building was practically their own. They went in and walked all the way to the 4th floor where  their rooms (which were much better kept than the rest of their building) were located. They got inside and immediately began trying to figure out Dan's new found abilities. Tucker sat on the bed with a clipboard in hand ready to mark down all of Danny's confirmed abilities. 

Dan:”So what do I gotta do?”

Tucker: “So you got ghost powers right, we just got to figure out which ones.”

Tucker's words confused Dan, neither of them had any idea the true scope of a ghost's powers so how would he even know his limit?Sure they both were a bit more knowledgeable than the average person on what a ghost is capable of but they couldn't possibly figure out the scope of them.

Dan:”How many powers do ghosts even have?”

Tucker :”Alot, but Let's just focus on the basics for now. We already know that you can turn invisible now we just got to figure out if you can phase through walls and fly and shit.”

Dan:”Alright!! So how do we do that?”

Tucker: I don't know man, just try running through a wall or something.

Dan rolled his eyes

Dan:”haha yeah,no.”

Tucker:”comeon! Do you got any better ideas?”

Dan:”well uh no…”

Tucker:”come-on man, what's the worst that could happen?”

While rubbing his eyes and letting out a large sigh Dan decides to take Tucker's advice and runs directly into a nearby wall only to get stuck halfway through it. Dan remained still for a moment in bewilderment at what his life had become,eventually he spoke up. 

Dan:”umm Tuck....”

Tucker :”Yeah bro?”

Dan:”I'm stuck in the door..”

Tucker:”Aren't we all stuck in this door of life.”

Dan, unamused by Tucker's jokes, began struggling to get free but to no avail. The sight of his friend stuck halfway through a door struggling to get out brought a small grin to Tuckers face amusement this however made Dan even more irritable.

Dan:”Tucker I swear to god , if you don't help me out of this door,  you won't live to see 20!”

Compelled by Dan's words, Tucker finally decided  to help him and together they eventually  got him unstuck.

 Tucker then picks up his clipboard and checks off intangibility, he then turns to Dan. 

Tucker :”Well you can walk through walls and turn invisible now let's see if you can fly.1st we gotta find you a roof to jump off of.”

Dan, completely unaware that Tucker was joking, glances at the drop from the 4th floor to the 1st.

Dan:”I think I'll pass.” 

Tucker:”Well then if you're not flying all that's left is to morph back to normal.”

Dan raised an eyebrow in response.

Dan:”And how do I do that?:

Tucker grabs a book from a nearby shelf and flips through the pages.

Tucker:”It says here that with enough concentration ghosts can use the ecto energy around their body and use it to manipulate their appearance!..maybe you can too! If you just think hard enough.”

Dan crossed his arms

Dan:”You make it sound real easy for someone who has no idea how it's done.”

Tucker shrugged.

Tucker:”Just think human I guess.”

A huge sigh escaped Dan's lips, he knew the idea of thinking human sounded ridiculous but he had nothing else to go off of,so he balled his hands up into fists and began concentrating as hard as he could. He did this for 2 minutes straight until a ring of light, flashed around his body and before he knew it he was human again. He looked at his arms and pulled his hair. He high fived Tucker and they both cheered in excitement. 

Dan:”I can't believe that actually worked! I thought for sure you were full of shit!”

Tuck chuckled.

Tucker:”told you I knew what I was doing!”

Their cheers however were stopped by the sudden appearance of a muscular, hunched floating figure, he had blue skin, with a crimson red eye and was dressed in torn Gray overalls, with a matching beanie and gloves, on his left eye was an eyepatch and in his right was murderous intent. His evil chuckle echoed through the room as he slowly approached the boys. 

??? :”Lookie here, a pair of humans with fresh souls ripe for picking. “

Dan:”Who the hell are you, what do you want from us??”

??? :They call me Box ghost….

He tosses a dresser at the boys which they both barely dodge.

Box ghost: “And I’ve come for your souls!!”

Tucker :”The box ghost?? “

The ghost opened up his hand and a green glow escaped from it as he aimed it at the duo he uttered a single sinister word.

Box ghost :Beware!!!!.

To be continued….

Thanks for reading the first chapter sorry it ended up being so long Hopefully the other chapters are much shorter😅

Im not the best at describing characters so Here are the character designs to go along with the story🤧

Chapter 2 coming soon do let me know what you think😬

Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8

[frank-zhang-praetor]

ooc post

I want to talk about the fact that people are saying that Leah is the only Annabeth. No, she is not. Book!Annabeth and Musical!Annabeth exist. It's racist to imply that Annabeth is only African American. No she is not she also has blonde hair and grey eyes. In Haz's words "Racist can be towards anyone". pls be respectful to everyone's opinion regardless or whether you like it or not.

[franabz]

★Random 141 headcanons

Ghost is on the aroace spectrum, only having sexual feelings towards someone under very specific circumstances or a very strong bond. He's probably only had one or two "partners" in his life, both spanning throughout grade school. He also has commitment issues due to the amount of people he has lost in his line of work.

Ghost is a very good listener, despite popular belief. You give him a good story or gossip and you best believe he is sat down directly beside you, his eyes never leaving yours between small invested nods or subtle reactions behind his balaclava-concealed face.

Ghost is a picky eater, though after having been in the military for years now it has significantly gotten better. Well, anything is better than those god forsaken MRE packs, anyway. He still has certain foods he will scrunch his face and glare at behind his mask, but still eat; though begrudgingly.

Price is definitely a gift giver. Randomly showing up one day in front of your barracks to present you a little trinket that he claimed reminded him of you.

Price is always checking up on his fellow soldiers, making sure they are taking care of themselves and not neglecting their own needs. He knows how many soldiers tend to neglect their mental health first hand.

Price had a massive sweet tooth. He claims to hate anything sweet and says chocolate tastes like "dog shite", but the second he's along with some good pastries or sweets, you bet your ass they're gone by the time you get back. He somehow never gets caught.

Soap is a huge adrenaline junkie. You ever going to a theme park? He's already begging on his hands and knees to go with you, practically dragging you by the arm onto every single roller coaster and giddy with adrenaline the entire time in the line. He has definitely been on the slingshot ride more than once.

Soap has definitely slipped the Scotland national anthem into your playlists more times than once, silently wheezing to himself as he watches you go about your day, only to suddenly stop everything you were doing to slowly turn to look at him, knowing exactly who did it.

Soap gives the best hugs. You having a rough day and just need some alone time? Well too bad, he's already halfway to your barracks just to pull you into his arms in a huge bear hug (bonus points if you're shorter and he can lift you). Somehow always seems to lighten someone's day no matter how upset they are.

Gaz takes up photography on his free time. He even invested in a fancy expensive camera to take logs and photos of places he's been, food he's eaten, scenery, and friends. His personal favorite is a picture of Soap in a bar piss-drunk while mid way singing his heart out to whatever was on the karaoke machine, his arm slung around Ghost's shoulder to support himself and a half empty scotch on-hand.

Gaz can play piano, and very well at that. It is one of those hidden talents that nobody would have suspected from him until it actually happened. The group is strolling around a plaza during their off days between missions, finding a stray piano and watching in shock as Gaz suddenly hops into the seat and gives the rest of the group a knowing look, before completely taking the show away. "The hell'd you learn t'do that, Sergeant?" Price practically choked on his cigar.

Gaz has a roommate back at home, as well as a pet... parrot? An African Grey to be exact. He is always eager to get back home to his beloved bird and roommate, one of which practically became family to him at this point. He doesn't talk about his personal life much, hence why the rest of 141 was so surprised to hear he had a roommate. The one day he invited 141 to his apartment after a mission just to hang out gave them quite the surprise when they heard two unfamiliar voices; one from his roommate, and one from the bird. Definitely scared Soap more than once.

[bestanimal]

Round 3 - Mammalia - Afrosoricida

(Sources - 1, 2, 3, 4)

Our next group of Afrotherians is the strange order Afrosoricida. Afrosoricida is a Latin-Greek compound name which means "looking like African shrews”, another of the many groups of animals called “shrews” that is in no way related to true shrews. It contains the families Potamogalidae (“otter shrews”), Tenrecidae (“tenrecs”), and Chrysochloridae (“golden moles” - also in no way related to true moles).

Afrosoricids tend to be small. Most species are nocturnal and have poor eyesight. Their whiskers are rather sensitive and they can detect very minute vibrations in the ground to locate their prey. The three living groups have very little similarities otherwise, having evolved to occupy different niches. Potamogalids, the “otter shrews”, are carnivorous and semi-aquatic, preying on any aquatic animal they can find with their sensitive whiskers, particularly insects. Unlike most aquatic mammals, they swim by undulating their tail in a side-to-side motion. They are native to sub-Saharan Africa. Tenrecids, the “tenrecs”, are diverse, with some resembling shrews, some resembling rodents, and some resembling hedgehogs. Most are terrestrial, but some are semi-arboreal, some are fossorial, and at least one is semi-aquatic. All species are at least somewhat omnivorous, with invertebrates making up the largest part of their diets. They are native only to the island of Madagascar. Chrysochlorids, the “golden moles”, have short legs with powerful digging claws, very dense fur that repels dirt and moisture, and toughened skin, particularly on the head. Their fur varies from black to pale yellow or grey, and has an iridescent sheen of green, blue, violet or copper when viewed in light. Their eyes are non-functional and covered with furred skin, and their external ears are just tiny openings. An enlarged, dry, leathery pad protects their nostrils while the animal digs. They feed on small insects and earthworms or small vertebrates such as lizards or burrowing snakes. They are native to sub-Saharan Africa, mainly South Africa.

Unusual among placental mammals, afrosoricids have a cloaca, a singular orifice for both relieving waste and reproducing. Otter shrews have just two young per litter, golden moles one to three, but tenrecs can have as many as 32, depending on species.

Afrosoricida arose during the Eocene. The otter shrews and tenrecs are considered to have split about 47–53 million years ago, with all modern tenrecs descending from a common ancestor that crossed the Mozambique Channel 29–37 million years ago. While the fossil record of tenrecs is scarce, at least some specimens from the early Miocene of Kenya show close affinities to living species from Madagascar, such as Geogale aurita. Golden moles likely diverged from the group around 50 million years ago.

Propaganda under the cut:

Some species of tenrec are among the few terrestrial mammals that echolocate.

Some tenrec species are social, living in multigenerational family groups with over a dozen individuals.

The Large-eared Tenrec (Geogale aurita) (image 4) is heterothermic, meaning its body temperature fluctuates with the surrounding environment, although pregnant and lactating females may maintain a more steady, higher temperature. The animal is often torpid in the heat of the day, hiding in concealed locations such as hollow logs or holes, and waking up at night to hunt.

One of the smallest tenrecs is the Large-eared Tenrec at 6 to 7.5 cm (2.4 to 3.0 in) long, with a tail half as long, and weighing between 5 and 8 grams. Nevertheless, they are tiny predators, and will hunt for small prey, particularly termites, on the forest floor.

The endangered Jenkins's Shrew Tenrec (Microgale jenkinsae) lives only within the Mikea Forest, a semi-arid forest of sandy soil and relatively short trees. The forest is also home to several other species of tenrecs (though not unique to the forest), rodents, a shrew, lemurs, and many reptiles, including two vulnerable bird species. Mikea Forest is currently not protected, and is at risk of clearing for land and for commodity lumber.

Like humans, the Lesser Long-tailed Shrew Tenrec (Microgale longicaudata) can be active at any hour of the day or night. Each individual maintains its own pattern of rest and activity.

The Web-footed Tenrec (Microgale mergulus) is the only known semi-aquatic tenrec. It is strictly nocturnal, spending the day in stream-side burrows, only emerging at night to hunt. It feeds on aquatic insects and larvae, crayfish, crabs, small fish, and tadpoles.

The Greater Long-tailed Shrew Tenrec (Microgale principula) is one of eight species of Microgale tenrecs whose remains have been found in deposits in caverns at Andrahomana, alongside the bones of extinct birds including Elephant Birds (Mullerornis modestus) and Malagasy Sheldgoose (Centrornis majori). The animals may have fallen into the cave system through "skylights" in the roof. The cave is outside the present day range of the Greater Long-tailed Shrew Tenrec, suggesting it used to be more widespread.

The Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec (Echinops telfairi) is a tenrec which has convergently evolved to resemble a hedgehog. Like many other small exotic animals, they are growing in popularity in the exotic pet trade, resulting in these tenrecs being taken from the wild to fuel the industry. Like many other wild animals kept as pets, they tend to suffer from higher rates of malnutrition, abandonment, and morbidity when kept as pets.

The Highland Streaked Tenrec (Hemicentetes nigriceps) takes its quilled defense to the next level, raising its quills when agitated. The barbed spines can also detach and will remain lodged in the skin of an inquisitive predator, like porcupine quills.

The black-and-white pattern of the Highland Streaked Tenrec is thought to mimic the juvenile patterning of the Tailless Tenrec (Tenrec ecaudatus), since the parents of the Tailless Tenrec are known to be aggressively protective.

The Tailless Tenrec is the largest species of tenrec, at 26 to 39 cm (10 to 15 in) in length and 2 kilograms (4.4 lb) in weight. As an omnivore, it eats large invertebrates, frogs, reptiles, mice and other small mammals, as well as fruits, leaves and other vegetation. It has small, needle-sharp teeth and, if threatened, will scream, erect its spiny hairs into a crest, jump, buck, and bite.

The Tailless Tenrec was the first tropical mammal observed to hibernate, for long stretches of time without waking periods, up to nine months at a time.

Tailless Tenrec females possess up to 29 teats, more than any other mammal.

The Lowland Streaked Tenrec (Hemicentetes semispinosus) (image 1) will not only raise its quills to deter predators, but may also aggressively headbutt them. It can also rub its quills together in a method known as stridulation, similar to the method of sound produced by crickets and cicadas. The sound produced is too high-pitched to be perceived by human ears, and is likely used to communicate with other Lowland Streaked Tenrecs. The streaked tenrec is the only mammal known to use stridulation for generating sound.

Giant Otter Shrews (Potamogale velox) (image 3) are solitary and are known to occupy between 500 and 1,000 m of stream, marking the boundaries of their territory with piles of dung, which they regularly visit to refresh.

The Nimba Otter Shrew (Micropotamogale lamottei) is able to dive for up to 15 minutes when frightened, temporarily slowing its metabolic rate to withstand oxygen deprivation.

Golden moles sense the world mainly through their heightened sense of hearing. They have been found to have ossicles (middle ear bones) that are larger than other similar mammals. These ossicles are believed to allow them to sense seismic vibrations, allowing them to be able to sense where they are. Many species also have long and highly coiled cochleas.

The Rough-haired Golden Mole (Chrysospalax villosus) sometimes feeds above ground, and, when it does, it roots about like a pig in search of worms and insects.

Golden moles may travel up to 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) a night in search of food. They seek promising clumps of grass by listening for wind-rustled grass-root stresses and termites' head-banging alarm signals, neither of which can be heard easily above ground, so they stop periodically and dip their heads under the sand to listen.

Cape Golden Moles (Chrysochloris asiatica) live in soil, but have been observed venturing onto sandy beaches, presumably to feed on amphipods and isopods occurring there.

In 2013 it was discovered that Hottentot Golden Moles (Amblysomus hottentotus) prefer males with larger penises.

The Giant Golden Mole (Chrysospalax trevelyani) is the largest golden mole species, at 23 cm (9.1 in) in length. It is also one of the rarest and most endangered of all the golden moles.

The critically endangered De Winton's Golden Mole (Cryptochloris wintoni) was last seen in 1937, and thought to be extinct. In 2017, it was listed among the 25 "most wanted lost species” for Re:wild's "Search for Lost Species" initiative. Using data and samples from surveys conducted in 2021, including environmental DNA, burrow traces, and sniffer dogs, a population was finally rediscovered in 2023, 86 years after its last sighting!