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Description

An entry for the Spec Evo community challenge/contest of Hyrotrioskjan/Joschua
Knüppe 's #AtlantisBestiary3 project !

My 1st entry !

This contest is about to submit potential species candidate for his Atlantis island speculative evolution project, who turn around the speculative evolution of the fauna of this fictional island during the Cenozoic.
In three phase : one at the Paleocene (Phase I),one at the Miocene (Phase 2) and one at the Holocene (Phase III).

The first two phases are complete, now we are at the final Phase, the Holocene.
In which poeple can participate and create new species either from the surviving fauna of the previous phase or either newcomers species that arrive from mainland from the sky (birds) or by the sea from rafting by natural rafts.

For this first entry, from mine, I choose to made a newcomer species.
Among the animals groups authorized to be present, there are the Ciconiiformes and the (only of it) family of the Ciconidae. Aka the family of the Storks !

Storks are perfect candidates, being a diverse and successfull group of mainly generalist and opportunistic birds very flexible in term of habitats and diet.
So I choose them as a first spec evo suggestion example for this community event.

The results are the following species :

* The Atlantis common stork (Ciconia gigantea) ;

A large stork of the genus Ciconia, the type genus of the order and family, that inhabit the island of Atlantis. This species live in the grasslands, bushland and open-woodland areas of the island, and can sometimes be present, althought more rarely, in the subtropical areas of Atlantis.
It’s a pretty common species, having a wide distribution on almost all the island and some of the close mini-islands near it.
His size is 1,21 meter/4 ft (on average) at adulthood.

Like all true stork of the same genus, it’s a very generalist, opportunistic an flexible species when it come about food, being not very picky. This species eat every animals than aren’t bigger than their chest/torso at maximum, but mostly eay every small animals that pass in front of it. Including small amphibian, small reptiles, small birds, small mammals, insects, arthropods, as well as fish when they are present in wet areas or near waterponds.
It does not eat/scavenge carrions however.

This species, outside his larger size, fit overall the same ecological niche than a typical stork from the mainland of Europe and Africa.
Only the larger size is the main difference.
However, due to his larger size similar to the one of the extants and extincts species of Marabou stork (Leptoptilos genus), the Atlantis common stork fit more a niche similar of these relatives species. And as an effect, it can attempt to hunt, catch and eat larger games on occasion, but only ones who can be swallowed at once.

Despite his larger size, this species is still completely capable of normal flight, being not much heavier than the smaller storks, such the Oriental stork (C. boyciana) for example. But mostly fly and use this ability to escape/flee or to reach the top and the branches of the trees to rest or rise their offsprings.
This species pass more time on the ground than the mainland storks.
His size is mainly due to the more high abbundant number of food/games restricted in a such small areas that Atlantis is. In some aspects, his evolution is similar to the extincts asian Marabou storks (such L. robustus, L. titan or L. falconeri).
Outside his size, the species have, in both sexes, three small black spots behind the eyes, unique to this species, maybe for species recognition between individuals.

It pass all the year in the open or semi-open areas of the island, and reproduce mostly during the mating/breeding season in the open-woodland or subtropical areas, where they can made their nest on trees. Pairs mate and bond for life and re-use the same nest, who can reach great dimensions.
Each pairs only have one cluth per years, each clith being of three-four eggs. However, only one or two offsprings reach independence, due to the high inner competition between them for the food gived by the parents.
It happen that they don’t reproduce each years following the climatic and food supplies conditions.

This species isn’t migratory, at all, is endemic to Atlantis, and remain a permanent resident of it.

His closest relative is the famous White Stork (C. ciconia), who inhabit Europe (during breeding season) and Africa (outside breeding season) the rest of the years, and which his migratory ways are close to the areas were Atlantis is.
It’s even likely, while not yet proven, that the Atlantis common stork actually descend from this species, from explorer/lost specimens that reached Atlantis and established a permanent population here.

Despite being smaller than the extinct La Brea Stork/Asphalt Stork (C. maltha), she currently the biggest true stork (of the Ciconia genus) alive in modern times, being larger than the Oriental stork (C. boyciana).

This species, being a very recent newcomer on Atlantis right after the end of the Pleistocene era when several animals and especially natives stork-like birds became extinct due to the climatic changes, didn’t differ much since then from the others species of the genus in term of niche, behaviors or physical appearance. Since the end of the Pleistocene point at 11, 650 kya/BP is yet a too recent date from today, not enough to allow species to evolved greatly into new forms or even species in folowing the conditions.
Even more in generalist and flexible animals who aren’ forced to evolved into new forms and species if they can already adapt to almost any possible contexts/settings.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is it !
That was the complete description of my creature.

Despite the result looking not very inventive, original or inventive (just a generic stork a little larger), the setting of the Spec Evo challenge of Atlantis of Hyrotrioskjan don’t leave many possible liberties if people want for this final phase to create newcomer arrival species. And limitations are greats here.

Already, as said, in the description, the end of the Pleistocene is a very, very recent point in time. Every genus/taxas of animals species that exist on earth today were already alive back to most, or even the beggining, of the Pleistocene era, and even if numerous species have occured in each, most of them didn’t change a lot in term of apearance, ecological niche and behaviors from a grandmother species to a granddaughter (see great granddaughter) one. More species’ generations must occured to have the last species even noticeably different physically from the very first (from a original base species, differences begin to be visible at the 10th or 15th species descending from the orignal one, in general. To give a good view).
And since 11, 000 kya/BP is in millenials and not in millions of years, there not enough time to have a species to evolved enough and to be greatly different from the rest of his relatives (of course, exceptions exist, but here, I preffered to be conservative, in case).

Even if a specific order/group of animal is allowed (here, the Ciconiiformes were authorized by Hyrotrioskjan), it not possible to take any genus/taxas we want that exist in this groups. Numerous conditions must be taken into account.

For example, I have in mind to do a Marabou stork, so a true member of the Ciconiiformes, as a species to work on, but the genus Leptoptilos have any fossil or extant distribution in Southern Europe (like in Spain) or in Western North Africa (in Maghreb). Only in Sub-Saharan Africa to Southern Asia.
Same for the Ephippiorhynchus genus species, Anastomus genus species (Openbills)and Mycteria genus species.
Only the Ciconia genus was available to these two areas. And yet, only some species of it.

Why Southern Europe (Spain) or in Western North Africa (Maghreb) ? Because it’s the two mainland landmasses areas who are the nearest/closest to Atlantis in during Holocene since the Middle Miocene.
Atlantis begin very close to North America back to the Paleocene, but became closer and closer to Europe and Africa over the Cenozoic, and since it more closer since phase II to them, it prefferable and made more sens that newcomers species will comme from these landmasses than North America.
So, we must do with what live in these regions, as genus and species, who aren’t high already.

So, shame, but any Marabou storks species, only Ciconia instead, because it th only taxa available at this time and place.

The liberties and inventive possiblities are more diverses if people choose to made a species who descend from the native fauna of the island who was present in the previous phase.
For the one interested, here a link to the Phase III description and rules to see hwo things work and are authorized (very detailed !) :
www.deviantart.com/hyrotrioskj…

That was all ! Hope that peopel wathing it will enjoy this creation !

(Note : this piece is my very first DeviantArt submission, of my entire life, so I’m very happy and excited. Especially since Joschua Knüppe/Hyrotrioskjan is a very talented person, and that I admire his work, arts and events. His spec evo community contest of Atlantis, from Phase I to Phase III currently truly decide me to to get into Deviantart. Just for pleasure and to share my drawns and personnals pictures I made. Very irregulary and randomely. Even ore since I’m a huge fan of Speculative Evolution, this domain, as a whole.
And the fact that Phase III contest have stated from April 1st 2023 and run to April 30 2023 as the deadline point for participants to submit their creatures, and so the possibly for me to participate, truly decide me to post my very first creation, this one here, as a exercise and discovery for me to leanr and see how DevinantArt work as a plateform. How that work, how we can submit and what all the thigns we can do etc… Before then, I was only a reader, watcher and follower, seeing the creations of all the others. Now, I’m technically a creator ! XD
Like I said, I’m pretty happy with the result, my very first Spec Evo creature, even if it’s sober and humble (very in fact), but it’s how everything begins. Small to great overtime, step by step.
Even if this species isn’t choosed or don’t make it in the final results of this final phase, I’m still hapy to made it, that was a lot of fun, and that allowed me to train myself to devinantArt !).

Description

An entry for the Spec Evo community challenge/contest of Hyrotrioskjan/Joschua
Knüppe 's #AtlantisBestiary3 project !

My 1st entry !

This contest is about to submit potential species candidate for his Atlantis island speculative evolution project, who turn around the speculative evolution of the fauna of this fictional island during the Cenozoic.
In three phase : one at the Paleocene (Phase I),one at the Miocene (Phase 2) and one at the Holocene (Phase III).

The first two phases are complete, now we are at the final Phase, the Holocene.
In which poeple can participate and create new species either from the surviving fauna of the previous phase or either newcomers species that arrive from mainland from the sky (birds) or by the sea from rafting by natural rafts.

For this first entry, from mine, I choose to made a newcomer species.
Among the animals groups authorized to be present, there are the Ciconiiformes and the (only of it) family of the Ciconidae. Aka the family of the Storks !

Storks are perfect candidates, being a diverse and successfull group of mainly generalist and opportunistic birds very flexible in term of habitats and diet.
So I choose them as a first spec evo suggestion example for this community event.

The results are the following species :

* The Atlantis common stork (Ciconia gigantea) ;

A large stork of the genus Ciconia, the type genus of the order and family, that inhabit the island of Atlantis. This species live in the grasslands, bushland and open-woodland areas of the island, and can sometimes be present, althought more rarely, in the subtropical areas of Atlantis.
It’s a pretty common species, having a wide distribution on almost all the island and some of the close mini-islands near it.
His size is 1,21 meter/4 ft (on average) at adulthood.

Like all true stork of the same genus, it’s a very generalist, opportunistic an flexible species when it come about food, being not very picky. This species eat every animals than aren’t bigger than their chest/torso at maximum, but mostly eay every small animals that pass in front of it. Including small amphibian, small reptiles, small birds, small mammals, insects, arthropods, as well as fish when they are present in wet areas or near waterponds.
It does not eat/scavenge carrions however.

This species, outside his larger size, fit overall the same ecological niche than a typical stork from the mainland of Europe and Africa.
Only the larger size is the main difference.
However, due to his larger size similar to the one of the extants and extincts species of Marabou stork (Leptoptilos genus), the Atlantis common stork fit more a niche similar of these relatives species. And as an effect, it can attempt to hunt, catch and eat larger games on occasion, but only ones who can be swallowed at once.

Despite his larger size, this species is still completely capable of normal flight, being not much heavier than the smaller storks, such the Oriental stork (C. boyciana) for example. But mostly fly and use this ability to escape/flee or to reach the top and the branches of the trees to rest or rise their offsprings.
This species pass more time on the ground than the mainland storks.
His size is mainly due to the more high abbundant number of food/games restricted in a such small areas that Atlantis is. In some aspects, his evolution is similar to the extincts asian Marabou storks (such L. robustus, L. titan or L. falconeri).
Outside his size, the species have, in both sexes, three small black spots behind the eyes, unique to this species, maybe for species recognition between individuals.

It pass all the year in the open or semi-open areas of the island, and reproduce mostly during the mating/breeding season in the open-woodland or subtropical areas, where they can made their nest on trees. Pairs mate and bond for life and re-use the same nest, who can reach great dimensions.
Each pairs only have one cluth per years, each clith being of three-four eggs. However, only one or two offsprings reach independence, due to the high inner competition between them for the food gived by the parents.
It happen that they don’t reproduce each years following the climatic and food supplies conditions.

This species isn’t migratory, at all, is endemic to Atlantis, and remain a permanent resident of it.

His closest relative is the famous White Stork (C. ciconia), who inhabit Europe (during breeding season) and Africa (outside breeding season) the rest of the years, and which his migratory ways are close to the areas were Atlantis is.
It’s even likely, while not yet proven, that the Atlantis common stork actually descend from this species, from explorer/lost specimens that reached Atlantis and established a permanent population here.

Despite being smaller than the extinct La Brea Stork/Asphalt Stork (C. maltha), she currently the biggest true stork (of the Ciconia genus) alive in modern times, being larger than the Oriental stork (C. boyciana).

This species, being a very recent newcomer on Atlantis right after the end of the Pleistocene era when several animals and especially natives stork-like birds became extinct due to the climatic changes, didn’t differ much since then from the others species of the genus in term of niche, behaviors or physical appearance. Since the end of the Pleistocene point at 11, 650 kya/BP is yet a too recent date from today, not enough to allow species to evolved greatly into new forms or even species in folowing the conditions.
Even more in generalist and flexible animals who aren’ forced to evolved into new forms and species if they can already adapt to almost any possible contexts/settings.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is it !
That was the complete description of my creature.

Despite the result looking not very inventive, original or inventive (just a generic stork a little larger), the setting of the Spec Evo challenge of Atlantis of Hyrotrioskjan don’t leave many possible liberties if people want for this final phase to create newcomer arrival species. And limitations are greats here.

Already, as said, in the description, the end of the Pleistocene is a very, very recent point in time. Every genus/taxas of animals species that exist on earth today were already alive back to most, or even the beggining, of the Pleistocene era, and even if numerous species have occured in each, most of them didn’t change a lot in term of apearance, ecological niche and behaviors from a grandmother species to a granddaughter (see great granddaughter) one. More species’ generations must occured to have the last species even noticeably different physically from the very first (from a original base species, differences begin to be visible at the 10th or 15th species descending from the orignal one, in general. To give a good view).
And since 11, 000 kya/BP is in millenials and not in millions of years, there not enough time to have a species to evolved enough and to be greatly different from the rest of his relatives (of course, exceptions exist, but here, I preffered to be conservative, in case).

Even if a specific order/group of animal is allowed (here, the Ciconiiformes were authorized by Hyrotrioskjan), it not possible to take any genus/taxas we want that exist in this groups. Numerous conditions must be taken into account.

For example, I have in mind to do a Marabou stork, so a true member of the Ciconiiformes, as a species to work on, but the genus Leptoptilos have any fossil or extant distribution in Southern Europe (like in Spain) or in Western North Africa (in Maghreb). Only in Sub-Saharan Africa to Southern Asia.
Same for the Ephippiorhynchus genus species, Anastomus genus species (Openbills)and Mycteria genus species.
Only the Ciconia genus was available to these two areas. And yet, only some species of it.

Why Southern Europe (Spain) or in Western North Africa (Maghreb) ? Because it’s the two mainland landmasses areas who are the nearest/closest to Atlantis in during Holocene since the Middle Miocene.
Atlantis begin very close to North America back to the Paleocene, but became closer and closer to Europe and Africa over the Cenozoic, and since it more closer since phase II to them, it prefferable and made more sens that newcomers species will comme from these landmasses than North America.
So, we must do with what live in these regions, as genus and species, who aren’t high already.

So, shame, but any Marabou storks species, only Ciconia instead, because it th only taxa available at this time and place.

The liberties and inventive possiblities are more diverses if people choose to made a species who descend from the native fauna of the island who was present in the previous phase.
For the one interested, here a link to the Phase III description and rules to see hwo things work and are authorized (very detailed !) :
www.deviantart.com/hyrotrioskj…

That was all ! Hope that peopel wathing it will enjoy this creation !

(Note : this piece is my very first DeviantArt submission, of my entire life, so I’m very happy and excited. Especially since Joschua Knüppe/Hyrotrioskjan is a very talented person, and that I admire his work, arts and events. His spec evo community contest of Atlantis, from Phase I to Phase III currently truly decide me to to get into Deviantart. Just for pleasure and to share my drawns and personnals pictures I made. Very irregulary and randomely. Even ore since I’m a huge fan of Speculative Evolution, this domain, as a whole.
And the fact that Phase III contest have stated from April 1st 2023 and run to April 30 2023 as the deadline point for participants to submit their creatures, and so the possibly for me to participate, truly decide me to post my very first creation, this one here, as a exercise and discovery for me to leanr and see how DevinantArt work as a plateform. How that work, how we can submit and what all the thigns we can do etc… Before then, I was only a reader, watcher and follower, seeing the creations of all the others. Now, I’m technically a creator ! XD
Like I said, I’m pretty happy with the result, my very first Spec Evo creature, even if it’s sober and humble (very in fact), but it’s how everything begins. Small to great overtime, step by step.
Even if this species isn’t choosed or don’t make it in the final results of this final phase, I’m still hapy to made it, that was a lot of fun, and that allowed me to train myself to devinantArt !).