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Description
A possible descendant of pterosaurs with human-type intelligence. Evolved on an island chain, from seagoing penguin-like ancestors. Beak was adapted to stabbing fish, the fingers on the flippers were used to pry open shellfish. Already rather smart at this stage, they'd hunt co-operatively in the manner of orcas and dolphins. Glaciers occurred, locked away a lot of water, and in response to the wide shallows they depended more on shellfish-grubbing and walking than fishing and swimming. The young had always manipulated objects in play, now neotenic adults exploited this to open up new and exciting shellfish. Technology follows.

Their overall shape remain penguin-like (just as we still resemble tree-swinging proto-apes) but the legs are longer and give them a lolloping, powerful stride. The long, low head is a result of streamlining a big brain - it's swept back instead of rising directly up, like ours. The eyes are side set, with a small overlapping of visual fields. The arms are dextrous and move like a mantid's, in contrast to the sleek body. The membrane down the neck and along the inner arm (all that's left of the pterosaur wing) can flush with color and is utilized in communication. Most all traces of flipper shape have disappeared. The outer (4th) finger which once supported the wing membrane has been repurposed into a thumb. The inner toe has as well - like parrots, they are skilled at manipulating with their feet, giving them three effective "hands" if they're standing, four if they lay on their back and use all limbs.

Description
A possible descendant of pterosaurs with human-type intelligence. Evolved on an island chain, from seagoing penguin-like ancestors. Beak was adapted to stabbing fish, the fingers on the flippers were used to pry open shellfish. Already rather smart at this stage, they'd hunt co-operatively in the manner of orcas and dolphins. Glaciers occurred, locked away a lot of water, and in response to the wide shallows they depended more on shellfish-grubbing and walking than fishing and swimming. The young had always manipulated objects in play, now neotenic adults exploited this to open up new and exciting shellfish. Technology follows.

Their overall shape remain penguin-like (just as we still resemble tree-swinging proto-apes) but the legs are longer and give them a lolloping, powerful stride. The long, low head is a result of streamlining a big brain - it's swept back instead of rising directly up, like ours. The eyes are side set, with a small overlapping of visual fields. The arms are dextrous and move like a mantid's, in contrast to the sleek body. The membrane down the neck and along the inner arm (all that's left of the pterosaur wing) can flush with color and is utilized in communication. Most all traces of flipper shape have disappeared. The outer (4th) finger which once supported the wing membrane has been repurposed into a thumb. The inner toe has as well - like parrots, they are skilled at manipulating with their feet, giving them three effective "hands" if they're standing, four if they lay on their back and use all limbs.