20 million years hence
Stop three – 20 million years hence – Early Lactozoic era
Earth luxuriates in a climate that is a little warmer and wetter than today. Antartica has begun to move north, and has a habitable belt of tundra at its apex. Australiasia coalesces with some of the Indonesian islands, and will continue towards mainland Asia in time. Africa’s Rift Valley has opened completely, turning East Africa into a separate landmass, separated from the mainland by a strait of shallow sea. The Mediterranean has dried up almost completely, and now forms a parched salt desert punctuated by pools of hostile brine.
Vegetation and ecology is slightly more tropical than today, and the temperate zone extends further than it did in our day.
The Lactozoic is gaining momentum, and mammals dominate the landscape. Cats resembling the bygone Smilodon menace heavy grazing rodents and man-sized flightless chickens in Eurasia. Primates have recovered somewhat, as more widespread kinds of macaque have come to resemble baboons in size and intelligence. In the Americas, opossums have diversified into Thylacine-like carnivores which hunt large herbivores descended from guinea pigs and marmots. Australia plays host to large predatory descendants of marsupial mice, as well as kangaroos as large as bulls. The greatest ocean predators are large descendants of bottlenose dolphins, as well as pugnacious toothed perches as long as marlin. As the stocks of plankton recover and thrive, seabirds actively sieve the water for this seemingly endless bounty.
It surely seems that the mammals of the Lactozoic are starting to show their true potential.
Earth luxuriates in a climate that is a little warmer and wetter than today. Antartica has begun to move north, and has a habitable belt of tundra at its apex. Australiasia coalesces with some of the Indonesian islands, and will continue towards mainland Asia in time. Africa’s Rift Valley has opened completely, turning East Africa into a separate landmass, separated from the mainland by a strait of shallow sea. The Mediterranean has dried up almost completely, and now forms a parched salt desert punctuated by pools of hostile brine.
Vegetation and ecology is slightly more tropical than today, and the temperate zone extends further than it did in our day.
The Lactozoic is gaining momentum, and mammals dominate the landscape. Cats resembling the bygone Smilodon menace heavy grazing rodents and man-sized flightless chickens in Eurasia. Primates have recovered somewhat, as more widespread kinds of macaque have come to resemble baboons in size and intelligence. In the Americas, opossums have diversified into Thylacine-like carnivores which hunt large herbivores descended from guinea pigs and marmots. Australia plays host to large predatory descendants of marsupial mice, as well as kangaroos as large as bulls. The greatest ocean predators are large descendants of bottlenose dolphins, as well as pugnacious toothed perches as long as marlin. As the stocks of plankton recover and thrive, seabirds actively sieve the water for this seemingly endless bounty.
It surely seems that the mammals of the Lactozoic are starting to show their true potential.
Fauna
Swinolope (Antillochoerus brunus)
Ancestor: Domestic Pig (Sus scrofa domesticus)
The verdant steppes of mainland Eurasia play host to the Swinolope, a cursorial kind of pig. At about 1.5 meters at the shoulder and 200 kilograms average weight in males, it is about as large as an African antelope. Swinolope are agile grazers, moving across the steppe in large herds, having their heads down cropping grass with their senses constantly tuned to any sign of a predator. When chased or alarmed, they can flee at a sprint of around 55 kilometres per hour. Females give birth to twin piglets in the spring.
Ancestor: Domestic Pig (Sus scrofa domesticus)
The verdant steppes of mainland Eurasia play host to the Swinolope, a cursorial kind of pig. At about 1.5 meters at the shoulder and 200 kilograms average weight in males, it is about as large as an African antelope. Swinolope are agile grazers, moving across the steppe in large herds, having their heads down cropping grass with their senses constantly tuned to any sign of a predator. When chased or alarmed, they can flee at a sprint of around 55 kilometres per hour. Females give birth to twin piglets in the spring.
Sabre-tabby (Machairofelis fatalis)
Ancestor: Domestic Cat (Felis catus)
The Machairofelis genus is distributed throughout Eurasia and Africa, this species is found in the middle-east across through mainland Asia, and is roughly analogous to a tiger. Weighing in at 170 kilograms in males and 130 in females, these are formidable predators which rival any modern big cat. They ambush large ungulates and giant rodents, making a fatal bite to the throat with their large canines.
Ancestor: Domestic Cat (Felis catus)
The Machairofelis genus is distributed throughout Eurasia and Africa, this species is found in the middle-east across through mainland Asia, and is roughly analogous to a tiger. Weighing in at 170 kilograms in males and 130 in females, these are formidable predators which rival any modern big cat. They ambush large ungulates and giant rodents, making a fatal bite to the throat with their large canines.
Gallemu (Dromogallus belligerus)
Ancestor: Domestic Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)
This great flightless bird has the size and speed of an emu, with the fighting spirit of a rooster. These huge game birds regularly weigh 50 kilograms, and can be as tall as 1.7 meters. Gallemu mainly feed on plant matter; especially tender browse, fragrant grass, berries and nuts, but they will consume smaller vertebrates, swallowing them whole. They generally roam in small, loose groups which usually consist of a cock, his hens and their chicks, young hens grow up to form groups of their own that will be claimed by young cocks. Females reproduce more slowly than their domestic ancestor, but still lay large clutches of eggs.
Ancestor: Domestic Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)
This great flightless bird has the size and speed of an emu, with the fighting spirit of a rooster. These huge game birds regularly weigh 50 kilograms, and can be as tall as 1.7 meters. Gallemu mainly feed on plant matter; especially tender browse, fragrant grass, berries and nuts, but they will consume smaller vertebrates, swallowing them whole. They generally roam in small, loose groups which usually consist of a cock, his hens and their chicks, young hens grow up to form groups of their own that will be claimed by young cocks. Females reproduce more slowly than their domestic ancestor, but still lay large clutches of eggs.
Cowrat (Boviomys caecus)
Ancestor: Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus)
As large and as heavy as a Spanish bull, the Cowrat is a great grazing herbivore which is common throughout Eurasia. Having hoof-like toes and a large fermenting hindgut, it is supremely adapted for endlessly grazing the steppe and open forest. Its molars resemble that of a horse, but it still has the large cropping incisors that betray its rodent ancestry. Females are much less fertile than their ancestor, and give birth to twin kits 2 times a year.
Ancestor: Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus)
As large and as heavy as a Spanish bull, the Cowrat is a great grazing herbivore which is common throughout Eurasia. Having hoof-like toes and a large fermenting hindgut, it is supremely adapted for endlessly grazing the steppe and open forest. Its molars resemble that of a horse, but it still has the large cropping incisors that betray its rodent ancestry. Females are much less fertile than their ancestor, and give birth to twin kits 2 times a year.
Plains Marmothera (Marmotathera griseus)
Ancestor: Groundhog (Marmota monax)
In the Americas too, rodents are the dominant herbivores, North America thunders with the footfalls of Marmotheres. Weighing up to 2.6 tons and having a shoulder height of 1.7 meters, these are impressive beasts. This species is commonly found on the grassy plains of the North American interior, where they graze even the toughest grass. No vestige exists of their ancestors digging habits, even their pups are born in the open.
Ancestor: Groundhog (Marmota monax)
In the Americas too, rodents are the dominant herbivores, North America thunders with the footfalls of Marmotheres. Weighing up to 2.6 tons and having a shoulder height of 1.7 meters, these are impressive beasts. This species is commonly found on the grassy plains of the North American interior, where they graze even the toughest grass. No vestige exists of their ancestors digging habits, even their pups are born in the open.
Possum-wolf (Didelphocyon americana)
Ancestor: Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)
A regular predator of young mega-rodents is the possum-wolf. This predatory marsupial is found across North and Central America, and also in the northern parts of South America, it is able to adapt to a variety of habitats. It generally attacks from ambush, alone or in pairs, and kills with a bite to the throat or belly. It is able to consume flesh, organs and all but the largest bones. Possum-wolves also commonly scavenge carrion.
Ancestor: Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)
A regular predator of young mega-rodents is the possum-wolf. This predatory marsupial is found across North and Central America, and also in the northern parts of South America, it is able to adapt to a variety of habitats. It generally attacks from ambush, alone or in pairs, and kills with a bite to the throat or belly. It is able to consume flesh, organs and all but the largest bones. Possum-wolves also commonly scavenge carrion.
Squirrala (Sciurarctos phytophagus)
Ancestor: Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
The hardwood forests of eastern North America provide a generous bounty of leaves and nuts, which are eagerly consumed by this animal. Squirrala are robust, 10 kilogram climbers that spend their whole lives in the trees consuming leaves and nuts, which are chewed thoroughly with ever-growing molars. They only even come down from trees occasionally to traverse between trees that are farther apart, they usually defecate from above.
Ancestor: Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
The hardwood forests of eastern North America provide a generous bounty of leaves and nuts, which are eagerly consumed by this animal. Squirrala are robust, 10 kilogram climbers that spend their whole lives in the trees consuming leaves and nuts, which are chewed thoroughly with ever-growing molars. They only even come down from trees occasionally to traverse between trees that are farther apart, they usually defecate from above.
Flamingull (Phoenicolarus oceanus)
Ancestor: European Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
Plankton stocks have since recovered and renewed after man’s extinction, but many of the filter feeders of the age of man have been replaced. Flamingulls are substantial seabirds, reaching about 2 meters in wingspan. Throughout the fertile oceans, they can be seen paddling quickly about on the surface, filtering plankton with their large flamingo-like bills. Migrating around the planet in large flocks, they follow the stocks of plankton seasonally. Its coloration is still like that of a gull, not a flamingo.
Ancestor: European Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
Plankton stocks have since recovered and renewed after man’s extinction, but many of the filter feeders of the age of man have been replaced. Flamingulls are substantial seabirds, reaching about 2 meters in wingspan. Throughout the fertile oceans, they can be seen paddling quickly about on the surface, filtering plankton with their large flamingo-like bills. Migrating around the planet in large flocks, they follow the stocks of plankton seasonally. Its coloration is still like that of a gull, not a flamingo.
Krono-dolphin (Kronodelphis ferox)
Ancestor: Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
Descended from one of the few cetaceans to survive mankind, the krono-dolphin is a huge, orca-like predator reaching 9 meters long and 6 tons in weight. It is distributed throughout the oceans of the world (with some variations), and is the most common and intelligent large predator of the seas. Their cunning and problem solving intelligence is perhaps even superior to that of their ancestor. Krono-dolphin feed mainly on fish and squid of various sizes, from the small schooling kinds to the robust deep-sea kinds.
Ancestor: Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
Descended from one of the few cetaceans to survive mankind, the krono-dolphin is a huge, orca-like predator reaching 9 meters long and 6 tons in weight. It is distributed throughout the oceans of the world (with some variations), and is the most common and intelligent large predator of the seas. Their cunning and problem solving intelligence is perhaps even superior to that of their ancestor. Krono-dolphin feed mainly on fish and squid of various sizes, from the small schooling kinds to the robust deep-sea kinds.
Dassieoceros (Rhinohyrax gigas)
Ancestor: Cape Hyrax (Procavia capensis)
While Eurasia and North America have mega-rodents, sub-Saharan Africa plays host to enormous descendants of the hyrax. Dassieoceros reach up to 3 tons, and are found mostly on the savannah, scrubland and in dry forest. Being mixed feeders, they have a flexible upper-lip with which they crop vegetation. They move around and graze in small groups, and will tolerate other groups nearby. Predators are repelled or killed by goring with their large tusks, whilst males use their horns to fight over females in the breeding season.
Ancestor: Cape Hyrax (Procavia capensis)
While Eurasia and North America have mega-rodents, sub-Saharan Africa plays host to enormous descendants of the hyrax. Dassieoceros reach up to 3 tons, and are found mostly on the savannah, scrubland and in dry forest. Being mixed feeders, they have a flexible upper-lip with which they crop vegetation. They move around and graze in small groups, and will tolerate other groups nearby. Predators are repelled or killed by goring with their large tusks, whilst males use their horns to fight over females in the breeding season.