#grey's beaked whale

[animal-families-tournaments]

[quillusquillus]

Pink Dolphins

I've read two posts with absolutely atrocious information about pink dolphins and rather than succumbing to the evil urge to correct people who are WRONG ON THE INTERNET (woe) I'm going to make my own post.

first of all "that's a bottlenose dolphin that's been photoshopped pink/generated by an art bot" yes that's pretty likely but ALSO, real albino dolphins can be VERY PINK INDEED, more than you'd ever think! but only some of the time... when an albino dolphin is exerted or excited their pale skin flushes with blood, making them look very pink (please look up dolphin skin biology sometime I won't get into it here but it's all kinds of wonderfully fucked up)

As an example, this is Spica (スピカ), an albino common bottlenose housed at the Taiji Whale Museum in Japan. As you can see she's nearly white when calm, but a shining rosy pink when excited and swimming about (source) (https://www.kujirakan.jp/pdf/201503_spica.pdf original source removed :c )

There are also dolphin species that are naturally pink! The one everyone always hastens to mention is the classic "pink dolphin": the amazon river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis) of Boto myth:

These guys start grey and get more pink as the grey scuffs off, with the adult males generally ending up pinker due to being larger and rowdier. Amazon river dolphins have a keel along their back, large flappy pectoral fins, dark teeth, and a very unique beak and general bone structure: Their neck vertebrae allow their heads to turn much more than other dolphins, which gives them big creases on either side of their necks, almost looking like gills. there's maybe several subspecies or even distinct species and they all look very slightly different, but those are the important traits they have in common.

These traits set them apart from the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis), which are another commonly grey-to-pink dolphin that are VERY OFTEN mislabeled as amazon river dolphins. imo it's pretty easy to tell the difference because 1.) their photos are taken in wave-chopped open ocean waters not brown/green amazon waters, and 2.) they look so much more... dolphin-like (apologies to the boto) (source)

Most "pink dolphin" photos you see online are either of these guys or of "Pinky", an albino bottlenose living in a brackish lake system in Louisiana in the USA (and her calf), but there's one more I know of that can be slightly pink:

The tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis) looks like a smaller cuter bottlenose and also inhabits the amazon. The closely related costero or guiana dolphin (S. guianensis) is its estuary/coastal cousin, and both of them can not only flush strongly pink but also a lovely soft purple! (the costero was also the first type of dolphin confirmed to have electrosense, but we won't get into that here) (source)

And finally, another thing that is important to note is that some oceanic dolphins with pale markings or patches, especially on their bellies, can flush pink, for pretty much all the same reasons this might happen to a pale-skinned human!

(Tursiops sp.) (source)

(Steno bredanensis) (source: http://www.wildscope.com/photo-gallery/azores-2010/rough-toothed-dolphin-steno/rough-toothed-dolphin-breac.html)

[bethanythebogwitch]

Wet Beast Wednesday: false killer whale

Assorted creatures and beasts of the audience, I have been duped. Tricked. Bamboozled, even. I was all ready to write a post on the mighty orca, but this imposter snuck in and tricked me into researching it instead. So this week, I'm covering the false killer whale. You win this time, imposter.

This guy knows he tricked me and he's smug about it.

(Image: a false killer whale poking its head out of the water and sticking its tongue out. It has a bulbous, rounded head with a large snout and eyes on the side. Several conical teeth are showing ad a thick, pink tongue is poking out.)

The false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) is actually a dolphin, but the real killer whale is a dolphin too, so I won't hold that against it. False killer whales are closely related to Risso's dolphin, the melon-headed whale (a dolphin), pygmy killer whale (still a dolphin), and the pilot whale (you guessed it, a dolphin). Also dolphins are a subset of toothed whales so this joke was pointless. They are large for dolphins, being the fourth largest species after the orca and two species of pilot whale. Females can reach 5 meters (16 ft) long and 1,200 kg (2,600 lbs) while the large males can reach 6 m (20 ft) and 2,300 kg (5,100 lbs). False killer whales have a similar body shape to orcas, but lack the distinctive black and white coloration, instead being dark gray all over. They have slender bodies with bulges on the front of their flippers and bulbous heads. The bulge on the head contains the melon, a fatty organ toothed whales use to focus their echolocation and vocalizations by acting as a sound lens.

(Image: a pod of 6 false killer whales. They are robust dolphins with bulbous heads and are grey in color. The head lacks the beak seen in may dolphin species and the upper jaw extend beyond the lower one. A single bottlenose dolphin has joined the pod, identifiable by its smaller size and distinct beak. End ID)

False killer whales are found along the coasts and deep oceans of most of the world, from tropical to subpolar latitudes. There are multiple distinct populations that tend to reside in the same general area. These populations can be recognized with unique behavior and vocalizations. They are generally regarded as apex predators, though there have been reports of individuals being attacked by sharks. Their preferred prey is fish and squid, including large fish like tuna. They also prey on other marine mammals, including small or juvenile dolphins and whales. There have even been reports of pods attacking sperm whales. Members of the same pod will share food with each other. Their hunting style is mostly pursuit predation with tactic including ambushes and herding prey into choke points and dead ends. They will also dive for food, and while not much is known about their diving behavior, it appears to be similar to that of related species. Tagged individuals have been recorded going on 12-minute dives and dives as deep as 927.5 m (3,043 ft) though most dives don't go that deep.

(Image: a false killer whale breaching the water, seen mid-jump. End ID)

False Killer whales are highly social animals. As with their close relatives, they live in large pods that typically range from 10 to 20 members and are mostly extended family units led by the oldest female. Males that reach maturity will often leave the pods to seek out mates. Individual families will have their own hunting tactics and vocalizations that are passed down from mother to child. All the females in the pod take part in raising the calves. They communicate with complex vocalizations and body language. False killer whale sociability does not only extend to other members of their species. They are known to peacefully interact with other dolphin species, most notable the common bottlenose dolphin, which whom they will sometimes form mixed-species pods (possibly in reaction to food shortages). False killer whales are also known to respond to distress calls from other dolphin or whale species and help protect them from predators. They have even been recorded helping other species give birth by protecting the mother and helping remove the afterbirth (possibly to eat it). False killer whales have been observed cooperatively hunting fish with true killer whales, working together to herd and capture prey. In these cases, the orcas will take the larger fish while the false killer whales take the smaller ones. Wild false killer whales are reportedly curious about humans and have attempted to share food with divers.

(Image: a false killer whale swimming with a pod of bottlenose dolphins. End DI)

Not much is known about false killer whale reproduction. Based on their relatives, they are probably polygynous, with males attempting to mate with as many females as possible. Males probably provide little to no parental care and calves are raised by their pods. Calves are usually born in late winter after a 15 month gestation period. Newborns can measure up to 2.1 meters (7 ft) and will nurse for between 9 months and 2 years. Mothers will usually not mate until their most recent calf has weaned. False killer whales are one of the few whale species (and few species in general) that can live for a long time after menopause. These elder, non-reproductive females aid the younger mothers in raising their calves, passing on their experience to the younger generations. The maximum age of wild animals is not know, but based on captive specimens, it is up to 57 years for males and 62 for females, with females reaching menopause at 45 to 47 years. Sexual maturity is reach between 8 and 11 years, with males maturing sooner. Male false killer whales have been observed interacting sexually with common bottlenose dolphins, including with males. A hybrid of a male false killer whale and bottlenose dolphin is a wholphin and while extremely rare, they have been observed in the wild.

(Image: a juvenile false killer whale swimming alongside its mother, both seen peeking out of the water. The juvenile is a miniature adult. End ID)

(Image: two wholphins in captivity at Hawaii's Sea Life Park. They look like bottlenose dolphins with shorter beaks and the dark coloration of false killer whales. One has its mouth open. End ID)

There isn't a decent estimation of the wild population of false killer whales, though the population seems relatively stable and they are tentatively classified as near threatened by the IUCN. The Hawai'ian population is considered endangered due to large population losses. They have historically been hunted for meat, leather, and blubber and still are in Japan, where the most common method is using boats to chase them into nets or onshore. False killer whales are known to steal fish off of fishing lines, something that is dangers as swallowing kooks can lead to intestinal blockage or puncturing of the digestive system, both of which can be fatal. It is believed this is the main reason for the decline of the Hawai'ian population. Anglers may also target the dolphins considering them nuisances. False killer whales are know for frequent mass standings and nobody really knows exactly why. Often, whole pods, sometimes hundreds in number, will strand at once and subsequently die. These strandings seem to be increasing due to more extreme weather caused by climate change and possibly an increase in ocean noise. The noise cause by ships has been shown to increase cetacean mortality along major shipping lanes in other species. It has been suggested that the reason whole pods seems to strand together is that their social bond is so strong they will refuse to leave a wounded or stranded member behind. Rescue efforts can help at least some stranded animals return to the water. False killer whales are fairly common in captivity and are housed in aquariums in many countries. They are reported to be more adaptable to captivity than most cetaceans and are intelligent enough to be taught complex tricks. They have been successfully bread in captivity. I generally keep my opinions out of these posts, but I don't think it's really possible to ethically keep cetaceans in captivity outside of rehabilitation and release programs.

(Image: a captive young false killer whale. It has its head out of the water and mouth open, allowing a handler to examine its teeth. End ID)

[lewis-winters]

Sorry going a bit nuts abt whale/shark dæmon Web tbh, especially in terms of body horror and transformation; Annabelle being a raven for so long, all the pain of that particular relationship, and then the boat incident happens. And she changes to survive, for them both to survive. Never to fly again, never to even be on land again, trapped in the ocean that almost killed them both, tethering them to it forever - Nathan

death by drowning and body horror ahead but like--

I always had this image of Web like. Drowning while Annabelle flies above, being tossed in the wind by the storm, while also swooping down, trying to save him, before she realizes that she's slowly turning into dust and fading away. That Web drowned, and she wasn't able to save him at all.

But then like... the idea of her diving beak first into the rough waters, blinded by searing pain and so much regret. There was so much resentment between the two of them, but it doesn't seem to matter now, or even at all, when they're both staring the inevitable down.

Only for her to start taking on the shape of something... different. Almost as fast as her little lungs take on water. Her delicate bird bones crack and twist, grow and shrink, and her throat splits open, open, open until she can breathe! She can breathe!! One last time, her body changes, and it's almost like a sweet release.

But consciousness... is fading. No, her vision doesn't turn black-- just dull shades of blue and grey. Has the world always been just blue and grey? Water rushes into her lungs. The waves bully her farther and farther away from the surface. Was she ever even above the water to begin with? Already, she's starting to forget the sensation of breathing air. The feeling of wind beneath jet black wings.

The name of the boy she once belonged to. Who belonged to her.

In some ways, even before all this, they'd ceased to be a team, anymore. Somewhere, some place, they'd split, harshly, at the seams.

And now, one of them is gone. But the other pitifully remains.

She doesn't remember his name.

She doesn't remember hers.

[red-water-dragon]

Snap Turtle Monster Design

Earlier this week I came across Romeck_ Art's channel on youtube they are a professional illustrator and designer. They uploaded this video documenting their process of designing a cow-like creature called a Mludhuz. Though not a full on tutorial, its a well documented close-up into designing a unique critter with commentary. I would definitely recommend giving their vid and channel a look.

Reminded me I haven't done any creature designing of my own in a while so this guy was born. He's not finished yet, but I've got his basic look down enough to share.

Process and wips under the cut

Basic Idea:

alligator snapping turtles

(loosly) narwhal / whale like

salt water or fresh water

easygoing lumbering giant

could kill easily but would most likely run away

Sketch and base shading

Everything is loose and proportions aren't correct. I'm not concerned with accuracy at this stage, my focus is on nailing down the basic form im going for. Shading is soft to lock down values, parts that are further away are lighter, closer parts are darker, that sort of thing. The texture is minimal and will be used as a foundation for scales, spikes, and other details later on. All of the shading is beneath the sketch layer.

Texture and correcting the pose

At this stage I merge the sketch and base together. I'll blend the sketch layer into the softer values already established and start blotting in more detail on top. First by sketching the square scales on the limbs and adding paneling to the shell and underbelly.

I made a custom brush for the square scales that made my life easier:

I also changed the leg placement and squished in the dino's torso. I decided I didn't really like the snakelike appearance the sketched shell had. With his hind legs more bulky and the turtle shell more round he seemed closer to the tortoise look I was going for.

More touch up work and color

To pull the values together I move to a separate layer and go over the ref with a soft circle brush. I'll add the highlights and darker shadows with black and white. Then use multiply, screen, and overlay to get the effect that I want.

Color is added with the color layer mode. Ill keep the colors muted and grey for most of the base only adding saturated values where I know I want them. In this case the horns, crest, beak, and tail are most saturated, added color to attract a mate maybe?

Thats it for now :)

[inatungulates]

Atlantic spotted dolphin "Stenella" frontalis

Observed by jpdandretta, CC BY

Features for recognizing the bridled dolphins, pt. 1: Atlantic spotted dolphin

The five mid-size dolphin species traditionally grouped together in the paraphyletic genus Stenella - the "bridled" or "side-striped" dolphins - may not have the striking coloration of some dolphins (i.e., common dolphins, Atlantic white-sided dolphins) or the extremely bold high-contrast patterning of others (i.e., southern right whale dolphins, Commerson's dolphins, killer whales), but these species still exhibit intricate patterns with several subtleties that, along with general body form, allow the fairly-similar species to be told apart.

Despite the name, Atlantic spotted dolphins are only sparsely spotted for much of their life, and complete coverage of a dense spot pattern develops only in the oldest individuals. Unspotted or lightly-spotted juveniles and young adults are probably the most "generic"-looking of the bridled dolphins, more easy to confuse with common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus than with any of their traditional congeners. Still, there are useful field marks to look for:

The most obvious, to my eye, is the intruding blaze from the paler thoracic patch (lighter area on the side of the face and ribcage) into the darker dorsal cape, running up toward the dorsal fin. Note that in this individual, the spotting is more heavily-developed along the thoracic patch and continues along the blaze, but the cape remains virtually unspotted.

The paler color of the underside often runs quite high up the sides of these dolphins, and can be quite strongly demarcated, rather than gradual. Note that in this individual, the transition from the medium-grey of the sides to the white of the lower body is crisp, and marked by a concentration of spots.

Note that the spots in the paler areas (lower body, face) are large, black, and more widely-spaced, while the spots in the darker areas (sides, back) are smaller, pale grey or whitish, and more concentrated. Older animals are completely dark with a dense covering of pale spots.

There is a fairly strong development of the mask (dark area immediately around the eye) and the typical delphinid bridle (thin stripes running from the eye over the rostrum, and from the rostrum to the blowhole).

Useful features of body form for ID:

The rostrum (beak) is of moderate length. It is a bit shorter and stubbier than in most of the other bridled dolphins, but it is notably longer and more thin than a common bottlenose dolphin.

The pectoral flippers and especially the dorsal fin are proportionally large. The relative size of the dorsal fin is, again, a useful trait for distinguishing from bottlenose dolphins.

[lightning-of-farosh]

Mermaid Legend

I think this was a livewrite at some point but i never edited it and i never posted it. have some mer-legend!

Sand billowed out in small, rolling clouds, kicked up by a flat, pink fin. Fish darted out of the way, fleeing beneath the shadow of wide stingray wings and into the deep corners of a reef. Nothing followed them; the merman happy enough to weave between a shiver of frowning sharks.

He bopped one on the top of the head and darted off into deeper, bluer waters.

 Desert stretched out before Legend; flat and full of sand, of wilderness, of everything and nothing all at once. He dragged his fingers along the ocean floor, winding back and forth with no set direction only to turn and watch as the murkiness he created settled grumpily behind him.

Spring had given way to summer, the waters warmed by currents from the south. Storms were replaced by bright blue skies and heavy sunlight that drew gold patterns along the sand. Legend admired the way they played across the stripes along his tail.

A sea turtle passed below him. No place to go, no place to be.

Dropping his hand, Legend traced the pattern along its shell with a finger and watched it head deeper into the blue. Sounds echoed from further out; whales and dolphins and beasts that had more teeth than he did. He debated heading over to see what the fuss was about but turned, instead, into a roll and kicked off in a random direction.

Darkness passed over him and Legend curled, watching the triangular shadow for a second. It flittered from left to right then back again and he darted after it, chasing across the sea floor with a boyish grin on his lips. One kick got him close enough that he could pounce, burying his fingers into the sand—

An octopus flashed bright red and scurried in the other direction.

Legend blew a few bubbles after it in apology and turned on his back, watching the shadow dart back and forth above him. Metal settled against his chest and he reached up absently, running his fingers along the edge of a ring before tangling his fingers in the leather necklace it was hanging from.

A bird passed over head. Another followed. He followed them with lazy flicks of his tailfin and spread out his arms to glide. The heaviness of the warm waters settled in his skin, chasing away the coolness that had been there for so long. Blonde hair drifted around his face, swirling like a pleasant storm. Pink was returning to it after all those years of dying it black and blonde.

He had missed it.

Somewhat.

Fish scattered around him and Legend flared out his fins, using the drag to slow him to a stop. There were shadows above, shadows below. A school broke and formed around him, twisting as one and parting as many.

Legend swam below it, settling with his back in the sand to watch feathers break the surface of the water as beaks snatched what they could. It would have been easier for the birds with a pod of dolphins circling like a pack of shepherds because the fish would have nowhere to go.

As it was, the school simply parted and most of the birds shot back into the sky empty bellied.

Wondering—briefly—which group he should play with, Legend brushed his tail back and forth through the sand. It rose around him, drifting like a storm cloud across his bright scales, and there was a distant rumble of thunder.

He twisted, eyeing the sunlight that drifted through the surface, at the shadows of birds and fish and half formed clouds that dotted the bottom of the sea. Ignoring the dance of predator and prey behind him, Legend kicked away from the sand and broke the surface. His hair stuck to his face and ears, clinging to his skin and he wiped it out of the way with a scowl.

There was a pod of clouds in the distance. Grey. Dark. Heavy. They were singular in the sky; a patch of darkness on a blue canvas.

A seagull squawked above him. Legend glanced up at it and frowned.

“Yeah, yeah,” He told it and rolled his eyes. His fin caught the water and he kicked forward, diving back under the surface and shooting off towards the out-of-place storm. A few smaller fish got caught in his wake and were brushed to the side, little fins rushing to dart out of his way.

Legend didn’t notice, arching over the remains of a small fishing boat, around a small forest of kelp, and twisting between two of the larger boulders.

One scraped along his dorsal but he ignored it, watching the sky darken the closer he got to the storm. The water grew shallower; crab claws replacing small schools of fish and old nets threatened to snatch him from where they had been caught along rocks and branches of white streaked coral.

Heavy waves picked up the sand and he swam up, surfacing a second time to look up at the side of a towering cliff.

A wave crashed against the back of his head and Legend cursed when he was forced back under.

Stupid, he thought, waiting for another to pass before rising again. It took a second for his eyes to adjust to the different light and he kicked to steady himself, arms stretched out for balance. Crested white caps pushed against him, trying to nudge him closer to sharpened rocks but he kicked against the force, fighting to keep place.

Light flashed in the darkness. Thunder rumbled above his head.

Beyond the small patch of the storm, there was nothing but clear blue skies.

Magic.

He dropped back down and swam back, closer to the edge of the clouds and kicked hard against the bottom to shoot up. Half his torso breeched the waves.

A flash of silver steel, of brown, of green.

Lightning crashed from the heavens, echoing a howl of rage.

Legend dropped back into the water before the earth shattering boom could rattle his bones.

Definitely magic. His fingers dug into sand and he watched for any more angry flashing light—but it only flickered, fading away and leaving the clouds behind. Legend pushed off the sea floor, rising slowly, and peeked his eyes above the waves to look up at the sky. His heart was hammering in his chest, old memories of storms rising like a tsunami in his chest—

Red caught his eye and he twisted, baring his teeth in a half formed snarl.

Fire fell, spitting and sparking, into the waves. It existed for a moment in the water despite its nature and then faded, swallowed up by the unforgiving ocean. Small bits of rock tumbled down the cliffside, knocked astray by a heel.

Legend turned his gaze up to the young man backed up against the ledge.

His blade was a hungry blaze, arching to block the swing from a mace, the thrust of a sword, the arch of an axe. Creatures with the faces of pigs and canines and lizards snarled at him, climbing over each other to get closer.

Legend cursed himself for leaving his sword behind as he reached for the ring against his chest.

Well, it wouldn’t matter. A rock could bash in a monster skull if it was thrown hard enough.

He tugged on the leather necklace, prepared to pull it over his head when hands grabbed a green tunic, pulling the teenager away from the edge of the cliff.

That’s nice of them, Legend thought. They normally try to push me off it.

The teen wrenched out of their grip, green fabric tearing as he stepped back—

His weight teetered backwards, shield flung out as if for balance. Gravity wrapped hungry, desperate fingers around the heavy metal and tugged the kid off the cliff and into the waters below.

“Shit!” Legend cried, diving under the water and racing forward. Not the rocks, he begged, having to take it slow because of the sand kicked up from the storm. Not the rocks, not the rocks, not the—*

His fingers found cloth. Found skin. He wrapped his arms around a chest and kicked back, heading up and away, diagonal from any possible danger. Nails dug into his shoulders and something batted uselessly against Legend’s chest as he kicked and kicked and kicked.

They surfaced with a gasp and he looked down at messy brown hair, at wide, half-coloured eyes—

A palm shoved against his face.

Legend sputtered and a fist knocked against his chin, his collar, his shoulder. “Wait, wait!” He almost dropped back beneath the surface. “Shit, kid! Stop it—!”

“Let go of me!” Toes caught on his scales and pushed.

“Fine! Hylia,” Legend snarled. “Have it your way,” He said, shoving the kid away.

The brown haired teen stayed above the water for a second, arms and legs flailing uselessly.

And then he dropped like a stone.

“Shit!” Legend scrambled down after him. He grabbed the back of the tunic that time, wrenching the teen back to the surface.

He was coughing, gagging on salt water.

Serves him right.

“What the hell, kid!”

“Geddoff me!”

“No!” Legend shook him like a misbehaving shark. “You can’t swim, you idiot!”

A hand missed his ear by inches. “Screw you! I’m not going back with you—”

Wait, Legend blinked. What?

“—pig faced, ugly ass, red loving shit stain of a—”

“First of all,” Legend cut him off, “rude. Look at me. I’m none of those things.”

The kid splashed water at his face.

Little shit.

Legend shook him again for good measure.  “Second of all, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Narrowed eyes stared at him, searched his face, caught on the point of his ears and the line of his jaw.

And then they looked down.

“You have a tail.”

Goddess, Legend rolled his eyes. “And you have legs. Let’s move on.”

“Why do you have a tail?”

“Because my mommy had one and my daddy had one and one day they decided to make babies—”

There was a splash behind them. Both turned and watched one of the lizards slipping through the waves like a serpent.

“Fuck,” Legend bared his teeth and watched the silver beast get closer. Its eyes flashed yellow in the lightening shadows as electricity sparked across the horn on its head. “Give me your sword.”

The teen muttered something.

“What?”

Brown eyes flashed. “I said ‘I dropped it’!”

“Dropped it? Where?”

“Where do you think, genius?”

Legend cursed.

The lizard was getting closer. Above them, the storm clouds were clearing.

“Don’t hit me again,” Legend told the teen, turning around and pulling him closer. “And hang on.”

Timid fingers brushed against his shoulder then gained more confidence as they brushed against the leather of his necklace and the scales along his collar. Arms locked around his neck and Legend could feel the pounding of the kid’s heart against his back.

“Deep breath,” he said and waited for the sharp sound of an inhale before dropping. Using the extra weight to spin around, Legend kick off towards the side of the cliff.

The shadow of the lizard passed overhead. Sharp, white claws were too slow and Legend’s tail slipped easily past its grasp.

His burst of speed put enough distance between them and the monster for a moment and Legend used his hands to feel for stone and kelp and sand.

Bubbles blew past his hair.

Hang on, kid, he thought, patting frantically against the sand. Hang on, hang on—

The grip around his neck loosened.

Legend’s fingers hit metal. He snatched the hilt of the silver blade, dug out the shield beside it, and tucked both against his chest as he shot towards the surface. 

There was a frantic, desperate gasp against his ear and the teen shuddered against his back, shaking and coughing wetly against his shoulder.

“You okay, kid?” Legend adjusted his grip on the sword and watched as a crocodile shaped head lifted out of the water.

The monster opened its mouth bearing its curved, pointed teeth.

Legend bared his right back.

Coughing continued against his back, but the hand against his chest curled and offered a weak thumbs up.

Good lad, Legend thought, pressing the shield against his chest with one hand and hoisting the sword with the other. “Take another deep breath for me, then.”

There was a grumble against his skin. It was probably something rude.

Despite himself, Legend smiled. The kid had fight in him. That was good.

Lungs expanded and he heard the rush of an inhale. Legend dropped back below the surface and pushed himself as fast as he could, rushing forward in a roar of bubbling water. The sword was held out in front of him like a spear as sand rose in his wake, launched up with the force of his kicking. The lizard creature scrambled out of his way with a screech and Legend laughed, spinning he took the boy on his back further and further into the open ocean.

[perpetualspinach]

new patches in my etsy shop! → perpetualspinach.etsy.com

[ID: 4 photos of handprinted patches, in three designs: elephant teeth, pigeons, sturgeons and beaked whale skulls. the fabric for the patches varies, it is either pale blue-grey, pink, or grey, and some patches are printed in red ink, some in black ink. thr background is red and white striped fabric. end ID]

[photon-bytez]

Alright, if I can be real with you all, one of the animals that I want to see the most show up in Prehistoric Planet season 2 is Ocepechelon. I’m not sure if any of y’all that don’t know aren’t ready for what this species looks like, but I’m very, very, VERY happy to show it off.

You folks might wanna strap in for a bit, but this is gonna be a doozy....

...What’s that? You people think this was some sort of ancient crocodile with a broken snout? Well, I really wouldn’t blame any of you, as not only were the scaly buggers extremely common back in Maastrichtian times, a good few species were found in this guy’s native range (the Ouled Abdoun Basin). However, something tells me that your folks AREN’T ready for what this guy really was.

Are you all ready?....

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnd.......

(Art made by Charlene Letenneur)

Yeah, that’s right; This thing was a frickin’ SEA TURTLE...with a SNOOT. Not only that, this guy was also one of the largest seas turtles that we know of. Even dwarfing the leatherbacks of today. Don’t believe me? Take a look and see how massive this absolute unit was.

While not as big as the largest specimens of Archelon, Ocepechelon was still a big boi, easily being alot bigger than the leatherback turtles of today’s oceans. With that in mind, you might think that this species fed on a similar diet to its relatives to get that big. Well, guess again! As if this Pingu-looking bastard wasn’t already full of surprises, it still has one MORE to give to the world. Guess what it was.

C’mon, guess. The clue should be obvious enough...

That’s right... Sometime during the history of life on our planet, there was a sea turtle that not only had the snoot of either a beaked whale or pipefish...it also fed in the SAME. EXACT. WAY as them. Evolution is one hell of a drug in terms of looks, but if it helps with a creature’s own survival, Mother Nature is allowed to trip balls as damn well as she pleases.

Now, with that said, I think I know just where in Season 2 would be perfect for this lovechild between a leatherback sea turtle and a beaked whale.

Not only did one of my own predictions came true (I.E., the baitball scene of my dreams), this presents a great opportunity for Ocepechelon to show up in the series. The following scenario presents itself as such.

(Art made by HodariNundu)

66 million years ago, in what would be the Ouled Abdoun Basin, the seas off of the north African coast were teeming with life, especially great big schools of fish. One such example would be a massive school of Enchodus. Huge schools of these prehistoric relatives of lancetfish would be a potential feast for massive ocean predators. Huge marine reptiles like Zarafasaura, along with large sharks like Squalicorax, would lead the chase, causing the baitball to be packed tighter and tighter together. It’s then where more and more predators join in for the great feast; Stratodus (A large, predatory fish with a long and flexible body), seagoing pterosaurs like Alcione and Tethydraco divebombing from the skies above to grab a beakful, a gharial-like mosasaur in the form of Gavialimimus, and other such predators, all working together to wear down the moving feast. And for any stray fish that somehow managed to escape the many jaws of the first few waves of arrivals, they’re suddenly sucked in by a large, darkish grey snout-like mouth. A lone Ocepechelon, accompanied by his entourage of small fish that stay by him for protection, has slowly swam into the feeding frenzy up above, picking off any stranglers that avoided the jaws of the other predators. The male turtle, as with many others of his kind, is cool with taking it slow and easy, being content with snacking on the few remaining stranglers that survived the previous waves of of hunters, all starting to get their fill as the baitball not only starts to get very small, but also starting to leave. As the other predators all leave the scene, the Ocepechelon is more than happy to suck up the rest of the Enchodus, leaving only but a few shimmering scales as he himself, along with his own school of fish, heads out into the big blue beyond.

That (frankly long) description is how I’d imagine how a segment featuring Ocepechelon would play out in Prehistoric Planet. Given how we finally got the teaser trailer for Season 2, it shouldn’t be long before we get more news on this batch of brand-new episodes. And who knows? Maybe out Pingu-snouted friend here will grace the world with his mere presence. I’m certainly bracing for it as we speak.

[ambiguouspuzuma]

The Globster

This story begins in March 1972, on a beach in North America, with seven thousand kilos of unspecified biomass.

It wasn't the first story to start that way. The disposal of carcasses has always been a tricky business, and a succession of protagonists have tried various routes to resolve this conflict in their narrative: towing a corpse back out to sea, hacking it up into moveable parts, burning it - and, in at least one notable case, using excessive amounts of explosives to send it scattered across the nearby town.

In 1972, they turned to gas. The carcass was turning that way itself, digestive gases filling its strange hollows as it decomposed - there are reports of some whales exploding of their own accord - and the local authorities sought only to help it on that path, inflating it like a balloon to make it easier to move. The aim was to tow it inland, where it might be buried with some dignity, and with little of the usual stench - but, as with the explosives, they overdid it by a factor of ten.

And they forgot to attach the tether first.

There is much talk about whalefalls: the great boon of an ocean ecosystem's lower rungs, a smorgasbord of nutrients drifting down through the abyss, supporting thousands of smaller lives with one giant death. A whalerise is much the same. The inflated carcass rose high into the clouds, a bloated, rotting cumulus that formed a floating island on which an osprey might perch, a kittiwake nest, an albatross refuel on their great journey south.

From above, it was an island, an oasis of land amongst the barren sky, a mass of soft grey stone their beaks had whittled into jagged cliffs. From below, it was a UFO - a storm cloud, some supposed, squinting up into the white as its round shadow cast a gloom upon their homes; a foreign Zeppelin, bound on a secret mission; a lost parade float, drifting with the prevailing wind.

If it had been even larger, it might have kept rising, mistaken for a weather balloon, a low-hanging satellite, and even surviving passage through the atmosphere. Perhaps the common stories of space whales had arisen, not from the combined imagination of converging fantasists, but by... well, arising in this way.

But there is an older story - perhaps as old as time, and only republished in 1687. What goes up must come down. A swollen chest is often followed by a fall. Gaseous carcasses should not fly too close to the sun. Decomposition continues, and the blubber wall is ultimately breached, and the whale begins to descend rather more quickly than it rose.

The story begins again in a small Lincolnshire community, who are about to get the shock of their lives.

[pleistocene-pride]

Neophocaena asiaeorientalis better known as the jiangtun or the Yangtze finless porpoise is a species of of toothed whale in the porpoise family Phocoenidae, is endemic to the Yangtze River in China. They are one of the world’s only freshwater porpoises and tend to be found in shallow bay areas, swamps, lakes, and estuaries where the feed upon various species of fish and crustaceans. Like most cetaceans they are a highly social species which lives in pods as little as 3 to as many as 20 individuals. Rather than vocalizing via chirps and whistles, as most dolphin species do, these porpoises use echolocation and ultrasonic pulses to communicate with one another. They are also know to sleep in shift like cycles, with active porpoises occasionally supporting there lethargic compatriots with there backs. Tho this is particularly common with parents and there offspring. Reaching some 5 to 7.5ft (1.5 to 2.3m) in length and 100 to 160lbs (45 to 72kg) in weight, with males being larger than females, the Yangtze finless porpoise is one of the smaller cetaceans. They sport large curved flippers with pointed tips, a stocky grey to black body that slims towards the tail, and a unique very steep head lacking a beak. Instead of a dorsal fin, these porpoises have a dorsal ridge or "groove" that is covered in varying rows of tubercles. Breeding occurs in late spring and early summer, and after a ten to 11 month pregnancy a mother Yangtze finless porpoise will give birth to a single offspring called a calf. Under ideal conditions a Yangtze finless porpoise may live upwards of 30 years. The Yangtze finless porpoise is considered critically endangered and it is estimated that only about 1,000 remain.

[animal-families-tournaments]

[bestgullpoll]

Round 1, Side A: Match 1

[Image ID: Two pictures of gulls. The left is a kelp gull on a mossy rock. The right is an Andean gull walking across grass. /End ID]

The kelp gull (Larus dominicanus) is a large gull that lives and breeds on coasts and islands through much of the Southern Hemisphere, including South America, Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, southern Africa, and Antarctica. They typically measure 54-65 cm (21-26 in) in length and 128-142 cm (50-56 in) in wingspan. They have black upperparts and wings; white underparts, tail, head, and "mirrors" at the wingtips; greenish-yellow legs; and yellow bill with a red spot. They have been observed preying on living right whales by using their powerful beaks to peck into skin and blubber, seal pups, and shellfish by repeatedly flying several meters into the air and dropping them onto rocks below to break them open.

The Andean gull (Chroicocephalus serranus) can be found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. They typically measure 42-48 cm (17-19 in) in length. They have a black head with a white crescent behind the eye, white tail, white body, and grey back. Sometimes they have a pink flush on the underparts. The underside of the wing is pale gray with a black outer half and large white "mirrors" on the three outermost primaries. They have brown eyes and dark reddish brown legs and bill. They feed on worms, insects, amphibians, small fish, and occasionally eggs and chicks of waterbirds in the mountains; and offal, fish, and marine invertebrates along the coast.

kelp gull image by Andrew Shiva

Andean gull image by Nick Athanas

[tidalgardener]

also, all whales are carnivores

rorquals like blue whales and minke whales eat krill, which is meat, and some also eat fish, which is also meat

right whales eat pelagic copepods, which are meat

grey whales eat benthic copepods and other invertebrates living in the seafloor substrate, which are also meat

sperm whales and beaked whales eat squid, which are meat

orcas eat seals, salmon, porpoises, sharks, penguins, moose, all of those too are meat

river dolphins, oceanic dolphins, and porpoises eat fish

all cetaceans

all of them

Sperm whale mimics a spinning diver.

[lelouch]

one is also a Gray Whale and the other is Cuvier's Beaked Whale and I just realized the Minke is a dwarf Minke (based on the coloring 😔) but idk if you care about that for your tags fsjcjdjf I'm a little obsessed with whales

thank you sina!!! i was unsure if it was a grey whale thank you! :D i care 🫂🐋 i love whales too but i think you're more knowledgeable on this front ^__^

[er-cryptid]

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