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Description

As with Terran, the tropical rain-forests of Amazonia are one of the most biodiverse areas of Viam Alternatus but these forests, along with the rest of South America, also houses the largest levels paradiversity anywhere in this universe, that being the levels of animal and plant species unique to this universe. Whereas in all other continents we at least share a few species of plant or animal, in South America there has been no species found that is present on the same continent back in our universe. The simple reason being in VA South America is still an island continent.

During the Pliocene the volcanic eruptions that took place in Terran which lead to the formation of the Isthmus of Panama never occurred and so neither did the Great American Interchange, meaning the fauna and flora of South America is radically different to those that inhabit it at home. Instead of tapirs, peccaries and jaguars the forests and grasslands here are home to glyptodonts, ground sloths and predatory marsupials. As well as these groups of animals that survived in an isolated South America there are a multitude of other lineages that aren't present in the fossil record back at home.

One bizarre creature is found deep within the winding rivers and tributaries of the Amazon Rainforest. The Black Frog-Hopper (lutupithecus iubatos), a semi-aquatic monkey that looks like a cross between a tamarin and a frog. They in fact share a common ancestor with the Mer genus, the mermaids that are found across the Atlantic and still retain their ancestors basic bauplan; a slim body, mane of hair, semi-webbed fingers and most prominently long powerful legs with huge webbed toes that earn them their name, frog-hoppers. This aids them when diving for food in the murky waters.

Three individuals are making their way along the riverbank scouring the mud for shellfish and insects which they use their fingers and sharp teeth to delicately prize apart. One raises high onto its hind legs after hearing a far off shout. Out on the main body of the rivers are two distant canoes steered by men. People are rare out in these parts, however on the outskirts of the Amazon there are a myriad of vast cities and cultures. A much more common site are the populations of the Fey which readily adapted to the habitat of the Amazon living in small tribes in the treetops and creating small boats to fish with. How they got to South America is a mystery, but its is speculated that they hid in the boats of European settlers as stowaways and went onto set up populations in the New World. The natives of the jungle regard them as evil spirits and tricksters, blaming them for the epidemics of diseases that struck when the settlers arrived and most are killed on sight.

Our trio of Frog-hoppers make their way along the riverbank disturbing a single Emerald Scaly-Skater (Frondactyl rubigula) a strange species of thin diurnal gecko with huge long fingers. They forage for insects such as butterflies and dragonflies by the waters edge and use their small size to walk over lily pads. When threatened they are capable of running over the water for a short period of time using their long fingers that help spread out its weight and hydrophobic skin to deter the water. The monkeys walk up to the waters edge where a Jabberbill Stork (Jabiru bicolor) is stalking fish and keeping an eye out on a Slender-snouted Caiman (Melanosuchus viridis) and a small flock of Lesser Kiskanis (Cuckitis flavagustra).

Suddenly the warning cry of the Frog-Hoppers pierces the air and the birds take off as a large shape explodes from the water. It grabs one of the monkeys in its jaws and pins it down, the others leaping off into the vegetation. From a far one might mistake this beast for the Giant River Otter of home earth Amazon however this beast is larger and armed with sabre teeth. However the only otters of Viam Alternatus South America are small coastal species. It is in fact a River-Stalker (Ripiopuma lutramimus), a species of aquatic predatory marsupial that haunts these waterways and uses the murky waters to ambush prey. It drags the corpse of the monkey into the river and swims off down the chocolate-brown river.

Description

As with Terran, the tropical rain-forests of Amazonia are one of the most biodiverse areas of Viam Alternatus but these forests, along with the rest of South America, also houses the largest levels paradiversity anywhere in this universe, that being the levels of animal and plant species unique to this universe. Whereas in all other continents we at least share a few species of plant or animal, in South America there has been no species found that is present on the same continent back in our universe. The simple reason being in VA South America is still an island continent.

During the Pliocene the volcanic eruptions that took place in Terran which lead to the formation of the Isthmus of Panama never occurred and so neither did the Great American Interchange, meaning the fauna and flora of South America is radically different to those that inhabit it at home. Instead of tapirs, peccaries and jaguars the forests and grasslands here are home to glyptodonts, ground sloths and predatory marsupials. As well as these groups of animals that survived in an isolated South America there are a multitude of other lineages that aren't present in the fossil record back at home.

One bizarre creature is found deep within the winding rivers and tributaries of the Amazon Rainforest. The Black Frog-Hopper (lutupithecus iubatos), a semi-aquatic monkey that looks like a cross between a tamarin and a frog. They in fact share a common ancestor with the Mer genus, the mermaids that are found across the Atlantic and still retain their ancestors basic bauplan; a slim body, mane of hair, semi-webbed fingers and most prominently long powerful legs with huge webbed toes that earn them their name, frog-hoppers. This aids them when diving for food in the murky waters.

Three individuals are making their way along the riverbank scouring the mud for shellfish and insects which they use their fingers and sharp teeth to delicately prize apart. One raises high onto its hind legs after hearing a far off shout. Out on the main body of the rivers are two distant canoes steered by men. People are rare out in these parts, however on the outskirts of the Amazon there are a myriad of vast cities and cultures. A much more common site are the populations of the Fey which readily adapted to the habitat of the Amazon living in small tribes in the treetops and creating small boats to fish with. How they got to South America is a mystery, but its is speculated that they hid in the boats of European settlers as stowaways and went onto set up populations in the New World. The natives of the jungle regard them as evil spirits and tricksters, blaming them for the epidemics of diseases that struck when the settlers arrived and most are killed on sight.

Our trio of Frog-hoppers make their way along the riverbank disturbing a single Emerald Scaly-Skater (Frondactyl rubigula) a strange species of thin diurnal gecko with huge long fingers. They forage for insects such as butterflies and dragonflies by the waters edge and use their small size to walk over lily pads. When threatened they are capable of running over the water for a short period of time using their long fingers that help spread out its weight and hydrophobic skin to deter the water. The monkeys walk up to the waters edge where a Jabberbill Stork (Jabiru bicolor) is stalking fish and keeping an eye out on a Slender-snouted Caiman (Melanosuchus viridis) and a small flock of Lesser Kiskanis (Cuckitis flavagustra).

Suddenly the warning cry of the Frog-Hoppers pierces the air and the birds take off as a large shape explodes from the water. It grabs one of the monkeys in its jaws and pins it down, the others leaping off into the vegetation. From a far one might mistake this beast for the Giant River Otter of home earth Amazon however this beast is larger and armed with sabre teeth. However the only otters of Viam Alternatus South America are small coastal species. It is in fact a River-Stalker (Ripiopuma lutramimus), a species of aquatic predatory marsupial that haunts these waterways and uses the murky waters to ambush prey. It drags the corpse of the monkey into the river and swims off down the chocolate-brown river.