#biotopes

[niqvassieart]

I was helping observe and tidy some biotopes in Shibuya yesterday and found this tiny fish. Even the tiniest little living things can be so strikingly beautiful, i was very moved by it.

(Sorry for the lack of art, i have been working very hard on client work and sadly haven't had much energy for my own work. <3 )

[j-august]

As in many parts of Germany that used to lie east of the Wall, the weeds of late capitalism have sprouted more aggressively in Marzahn than in the protected biotopes of West Berlin.

Philip Oltermann, The Stasi Poetry Circle

[prinsomnia]

biotope teapot ✶ 4/12 of a special set 🌿💫🫖

[heartnosekid]

source / source

[nineslugs]

Some basic anatomy notes on kee, one of the sophonts in Sea of Spires. They are the most common sophont in the Keeland biotope and, after the establishment of kee-gardens in the Terran biotope hundreds of years after first contact, are the most common Keeland sophont outside of their biotope.

Kee bodies are divided into six segments, each with a single limb and spiracle, arranged in an alternating pattern around their central nerve cord. This lends their bodies a slight asymmetry. Their first segment is most derived, with the limb adapted into a jaw and the spiracle adapted into a "vox" organ capable of synthesizing a wide range of sounds. In a typical kee the fore vox is only present on the right side and a second smaller vox sits on the left side of their terminal segment. In both the front limb and wing segments the spiracle remains intact as a breathing organ.

Also pictured is cranial differences between N and T-type kee, and genitalia differences between males and females. Both sexes have brightly colored flanges surrounding their cloaca for display, similar to the display flanges on their face. The main external difference is that males have brighter flanges and a pair of claspers flanking the cloaca.

N (nurturing) and T (territorial) type kee have no genital differences, but posess major morphological differences in the rest of the body. T-types have very brightly colored heads and wings, along with larger wing-claws and a more prominent beak spike. They are more aggressive and prone to wander, tending towards protecting the edges of a kee flock's territory and participating in foraging activities. N-types tend to fill more of a homemaker roll, raising and guarding young and maintaining their nests.

[barksbog]

HE IS STEALING MY POND PLANTS

[sunfish-exotics]

My little slice of Peru

[kneipe]

berlin 2024

[jinsei-pika-pika]

[illuminaryart]

Planted!

Psygmorchis pusila, Peperomia serpens, P. rotundifolia, P. emarginella, Selaginella diffusa, S. kraussiana, and a NOID Gesneriad from the general region. Next step is to be very patient and wait to see that everything is rooting and surviving. I'll be adding my springtails shortly (Neanura growae, non-native but cute) and later will put my Trinidad dwarf tarantula (Cyriocosmus elegans) in it.

[gamat3000]

[ughfuckingbiotypical]

Paraguana peninsula Biotope

Target Species: Green Bottle Blue Tarantula (Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens)

Location: Paraguana peninsula, Northern Venezuela, South America

Habitat Type: Desert

I know this blog's been quiet, since I started it, but I'm finally back with my first biotope summary and its even one I've recently built! It was finally time for me to upgrade my Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens Vlad into her adult enclosure.

This is not a care guide, if you are looking for information on care for this species there are sources at the bottom of this post written by tarantula keepers much more experienced than me. I used many of them when I was originally deciding if this was a species I would like to keep.

The target species of this enclosure is a docile species of new world tarantula. They boast dark blue and rusty orange coloration, and once settled into an enclosure, are typically outgoing enough for you to see and enjoy them. They are a burrowing species that will build a thick web around the entrance, so providing plenty of substrate and structure to anchor to is key. They also don't require conditions that are terribly difficult to maintain. Unfortunately they are classified as critically endangered in the wild, potentially making the captive bred population of this species an important resource.

Original Photos: young specimen with juvenile coloration, 21 Mar. 2023 (Left). Vlad almost fully transitioned to the adult coloration, 14 Feb. 2024 (Right).

The setup I built is very simple. The only animals are the target species and cleanup crew (isopods, not habitat accurate). All foliage is artificial, as I didn't want to potentially stress her with a grow light to maintain plants that she will likely web over anyway (the LED above her cage will only be turned on for viewing). So this outline will have much less specific information on the flora and fauna that occur in this habitat outside of the target species than future outlines will.

I had some trouble finding photos I was sure were habitat from Paraguana that weren't wide shots, let alone photos of C. cyaneopubescens in its natural environment, but based on photos like this one:

Cerro Santa Ana, Paraguaná Peninsula, Venezuela - by Jujovar2010.

And a couple of short descriptions, this habitat seems to be characterized by dense shrubs and barrel cacti. The deserts of this region are also characterized by sand dunes, but C. cyaneopubescens reportedly (and in my experience) likes to anchor their webs around plants. So It is unlikely one would willingly spend much of its time out on open sand dunes.

Desert on the Way to Paraguaná- by R, Frank Morales, 12 Oct. 2009. Flickr

With that information, my observations on Vlad's habits, and the materials available, this is the setup I've put together.

Original Photo, 9 Sept. 2024.

I kept things simple, as this is one of my smaller terrariums inhabited by an animal, and much of it will eventually be covered by webbing as well. I included branches of various sizes to simulate the underbrush and a hollow piece of cholla wood mounted in a vertical position. The cholla wood is not a biotypically accurate variety of cactus, but it provides a convenient naturalistic hide for the tarantula. I also chose faux grass that would mimic the look of dormant desert grass. I may make some adjustments when I get the chance, specifically replacing the current water bowl with one that fits into the scape better.

Bonus cryptid spotting:

Original Photo, 12 Sept. 2024.

Image Descriptions in Alt

Sources under cut

David, Zach. “Chromatopelma Cyaneopubescens 101: Care, Enclosure, Temperament & More.” Beyond The Treat, 22 Aug. 2019, https://beyondthetreat.com/chromatopelma-cyaneopubescens/.

“Green Bottle Blue Tarantula Care.” The Tarantula Collective, https://www.thetarantulacollective.com/caresheets/chromatopelma-cyaneopubescens. Accessed 23 July 2024.

Greenbottle Blue Care Sheet | Tarantula Husbandry | TARANTULAS.Com. http://tarantulas.com/caresheets/C_cyaneopubescens.html. Accessed 12 Sept. 2024.

“Greenbottle Blue Tarantula.” Wikipedia, 25 Feb. 2024. Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Greenbottle_blue_tarantula&oldid=1210157315.

Greenbottle Blue Tarantula: GBB Care, Facts & Species - More Reptiles. https://www.morereptiles.com/greenbottle-blue-tarantula/. Accessed 12 Sept. 2024.

Klich, Szymon. “Chromatopelma Cyaneopubescens: Green Bottle Blue Tarantula.” Spiders World, 18 Dec. 2023, https://spiderswrld.com/chromatopelma-cyaneopubescens-description/.

Paraguaná & Médanos de Coro: Where Desert Meets the Caribbean | LAC Geo. https://lacgeo.com/paraguana-peninsula-medanos-coro. Accessed 12 Sept. 2024.

Paraguaná Peninsula | Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Venezuela, Araya Peninsula | Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Paraguana-Peninsula. Accessed 12 Sept. 2024.

R, Frank Morales. Desert on the Way to Paraguaná. photo, 12 Oct. 2009. Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/frankmorales/4006822182/.

Will. Green Bottle Blue Tarantula Care Guide and FAQs. 22 June 2022, https://thespiderblog.com/green-bottle-blue-tarantula-care-guide-and-faqs/.

big shout out to the Zotero extension for making compiling the sources for this thing I do in my free time MUCH easier

[underthehedge]

This morning has been disappointing. I've finally got the money to stock my fish tank that's been sitting, cycled, but devoid of fish for the last 18 months, last week I got some cardinal tetras to go in it because I'm doing an upper Negro biotope type thing. They seem to be doing well, and though cardinals aren't my favourite fish, they've brought my a lot of joy.

But they were really just a prelude to the main event: ordered 11 days ago but arriving this morning was a pair of Apistogramma gephyra, perfect for the system I'm trying to replicate, gorgeous and small. I have been chewing the walls for the last week waiting for them to arrive, even though I knew it was going to be today. Just look at this photo from the seller's website!

Opened the box, pulled out the first bag ready to stare lovingly at my new fish and...why are their tails like that? I mean, apistos famously change colour a lot but the tail is square, and orange-red.

Shite pic I know but it is what it is.

They've sent me a pair of A. macmasteri "red" by accident. A fine fish I'm sure, clearly a lot of people like them, and they're the same price so it's not like the sellers are trying to rip me off. Tbh they're by far a more popular fish than gephyra.

Unfortunately I personally don't care for macmasteri, but beyond that they're from the Rio Meta, a whitewater river, while my tank is distinctly blackwater (conductivity of "lol no", pH somewhere south of 5.0, it's basically just slightly grubby RO). And apistos are noted to be territorial with not just their own species, but others in the genus so I can't just get some gephyra too now without having to send those back, which...shipping fish is a pain and not one I'm set up for. I'll see what the seller says but suffice to say I'm disappointed, went from giddy with excitement to dejected in seconds.

[prinsomnia]

strawberry tea ✶ 5/12 of a special set 🍓💫🫖

[satoshi-mochida]

Side-scrolling roguelike action Million Depth to be published by PLAYISM - Gematsu

PLAYISM will publish Cyber Space Biotope-developed side-scrolling roguelike action game Million Depth, the companies announced. It will launch for PC via Steam in 2025.

Here is an overview of the game, via its Steam page:

About

Million Depth is a “deep-diving action strategy game” where Moma, a human girl from outer space, visits Earth to find her only friend, and dives into the million-floor deep underground world known as Naraka Akasha. As Moma, players will have to design and craft their own original weapons and engage in strategic time-freezing battles to survive the hostile environment of Naraka Akasha in order to reach the bottom and uncover the true identity of Moma’s elusive friend. To Moma, left drifting all alone in space, messaging her Earth friend was the only thing that kept her going. After all of her dearest crewmates died from a virus, the only thing to do was the daily aptitude test. But as long as Moma could imagine the scenery of Earth as described by her friend, she managed to live through the boredom and solitude of life on the ship. “This will be my last message. I’m sorry. Thank you.” Her friend never sent another message, but Moma knows where they are—a million-floor deep abyss known as Naraka Akasha, the only place on Earth fit for human survival. Even though she has no idea what they look like, Moma decides to dive into the underground world in search of her only friend…

Strategically Craft Your Own Weapons and Shields

Million Depth has a crafting system where you can freely combine blocks to build your very own original weapons and shields. Every creation has different offensive and defensive abilities depending on its shape and materials used, and combining the same type of block can create parts that have special effects. Editing your weapons and shields and working towards the best creations for your playstyle through trial and error only gets more enjoyable as the going gets tougher.

Mind-Boggling Time-Freezing Battles

When Moma moves, so does the enemy, but when Moma stops, the enemy stops too. In this time-freezing battle system, you will engage in hectic, overwhelming battles… one physical step at a time. Every enemy attack and the power of each attack is clearly shown on-screen, which means you can take your time to analyze the situation and deal with them one by one. The key to winning is using your brain every step of the way to make the best decisions.

Deep-Diving Exploration

Naraka Akasha is very, very deep, and floors can either be completely empty or swarming with dangerous creatures. Scanning the upcoming areas is crucial to effective exploration, and by doing so you can choose between a wide variety of floors. Will you face off against hostile creatures, trade at a shop, expand your crafting abilities, recover some health, or gather much-needed resources? Dive deeper and deeper into the abyss and aim for floors of civilization, locations strongly connected to the secrets of the story.

What Awaits at the Bottom?

Depending on what floors you visit as well as other criteria, you will reach one of multiple story endings. What’s more, over multiple playthroughs, NPCs will act differently, and you might even be able to affect Momas from different worlds…

A Word from Pop, the Representative of Cyber Space Biotope

Million Depth is a game where Moma, a girl who drifted in space all alone, explores an underground world over a million levels deep in order to reach her one and only friend—“you.” The weapon crafting system where you can freely design your own weapons and the unique battle system where enemies only move when you do are closely tied to each other. I’m striving to make a system that encourages “crafting for battle” as much as possible. I’m also working hard on the sci-fi story with the theme of parallel worlds, and on the meaty details of the mysterious underground world, so please look forward to it!

Watch a new trailer below. View a new set of screenshots at the gallery.

Publisher Announce Trailer

English

Japanese

Traditional Chinese

Simplified Chinese

[nineslugs]

Nyooooom! Incoming!

Here's a t-type kee in flight I drew a little while back. The design has changed slightly but mostly just subtle tweaks to the color pattern.

Kee usually fold their front arms up in flight but use them to adjust balance and to help with landing.