jackalhawk

[jackalhawk]

Look at how they crawl around, upon the ground like little ants~ Yes, but how they fascinate, confusing fate with what is merely chance!

(could not for the life of me get this concept out of my head)

[jackalhawk]

Hey, by the way!! I do commissions!! Check out this form if you've got a cool thing for me to draw!!

[jackalhawk]

Lancehorns are small forest-dwelling browsers that rely on their countershaded camouflage and diminutive stature to escape the notice of most carnivores. Anything they find themselves unable to run or hide from can hopefully be persuaded to find a meal elsewhere by way of their impressively sharp weaponry, which they will happily turn on fellow rivals. The telltale keratin clacking can be heard ringing through the underbrush from Lancehorns sparring over food or Wolfdrakes are coursing predators with fission-fusion social structures, opportunistically banding together in a mob to hunt large prey like Chatterbirds or Honkhs. Juveniles are precocious, and follow their parent, using their proportionally larger wings and lighter frames to make flying leaps through the air to capture prey and navigate, to limited success. The upright, sickle claws on their feet act as meathooks, allowing Wolfdrakes to feed on prey while latched to or pinning it beneath them. Betti are arid scrubland and desert survivalists, relying on sharp quills, long legs, and a propensity for excavating large burrows to avoid the sharp claws and snapping jaws of their ecosystems. Feeding on water-rich tubers found beneath the thin topsoil, they can survive long stretches without drinking. When threatened, they'll flush their shield-shaped frill as an display of aggression, a promise backed up by their sharp beak and intimidating bite force. Bulbi are rotund, horned, hoofed creatures that live in small, closely-knit pods of 10 to 15. Feasting on aquatic grass in marshes, ponds, and rivers, they're never found particularly far from the safe haven of the nearest body of water. The herd leader is usually determined through constant and ongoing social politics, including frequency of vocalizations, threat assessment, and feats of strength in shoving matches, consisting of interlocking horns and stretching their jaws wide. Marshbloats are solitary herbivores, using their thumb claws to root through vegetation, mark their territory by scoring trees, compete with rivals over food, and defend themselves from predators. Comfortable moving on two or all four limbs, they can cover large stretches of the wetlands they call home. As the marsh's largest year-round herbivore, they're fiercely protective of their territories, and the foliage within. Ecosystem engineers, their rooting and foraging, as well as mudbathing to stave off the heat of the midday sun, create vernal pools that other wetland creatures depend on.

[jackalhawk]

WIP Rain World creatures and characters: The Naturalist - Capable of hibernating two cycles in a row if it stores enough fat in its tail. When grabbed, caudal autotomy allows it to forfeit its brightly-colored tail -- and stored energy -- as a diversion. Spiny hairs around its hindquarters prevent capture from behind by many predators, but only once its tail is dropped. Bile Vulture - Larger and more terrestrial than standard Vultures, it's less aggressive overall, relying on an acidic projectile produced and stored in vats across its bulk to defend itself and its kills from competitors. A long, serpentine neck allows it to reach into pipes to snatch or stab at small prey. Grey Lizard - A feathery, facultative biped that sprints across land and water for short distances to catch prey or avoid predators. Rearing up gives them better reach and phenomenal close-range speed, but makes maneuvering more difficult and exposes more of their soft, vulnerable body. Uncharacteristically cautious for their size, they flash their armored heads and frills as a threat display and to communicate. As a last resort, Grey Lizards will unleash an ear-splitting scream that can concuss foes at short range and disorient from a distance. Buried Feathers - This Iterator considered itself an expert on local fauna, until it was rather unfortunately indisposed for quite some time. Back online in an unfamiliar world, it wishes to pass the time by cataloguing the vast array of life that has developed in its absence, and potentially determine what caused it to reawaken in the first place.

[jackalhawk]

Woe, minecrafts be upon ye. If you tell me shulkers aren't funny little molluscs you're lying.

[jackalhawk]

Wandering Palms are large ambulatory invertebrates that mimic Weeping Palms by constructing a layered "shell" from shed tree bark and plant fibers. Two or more pseudopods near the posterior end of the animal allow it to shamble from hunting ground to hunting ground, relying on its slow movement and camouflage to capture small- to mid-sized prey with thin, stinging tentacles. The leaf-like plumes at its crown are capable of photosynthesis, but the organism gains most of its energy through predation. Coralwoods are terrestrial invertebrates that grow into branching colonies, making up titanic reefs called Coralwood forests that many biota depend on for survival. An external skeleton keeps the organisms within safe, as each polyp can retract when threatened. During the day, they photosynthesize, as well as sustaining themselves on free-floating debris such as pollen and aerial insects and microorganisms. At night, each polyp retracts, giving the impression of deadwood. Razorjaws swagger through open plains and dense forests alike, unearthing burrowing animals, launching brief ambushes on more gracile prey, and bullying other predators off their hard-won kills. A robust skull equipped with enlarged scimitar-like canines, shearing carnassials and sturdy molars mean they function well as scavengers. Typically, these therapsids' territories revolve around a central den they've excavated themselves, using the shelter as a preferred ambush spot. Crowndrakes are largely solitary predators found around forested areas of high elevation. Preferring to drop onto prey from above, they're nonetheless poor long-distance fliers, using their short, broad wings to assist in adjusting the speed and angle of their killing leaps. Thanks to the notch in their jaw, they will sometimes take aquatic prey. Long feathers at the base of the skull become part of a defensive display when flared outwards along with the wings. This is often an assailant's last warning before the drake releases a shockwave of disorienting energy from an organ in the jaw. Plainstalkers are formidable opportunistic generalist predators, with a prey range consisting of whatever fits into their impressively large beak. With extremely expansive roaming territories owing to their soaring-adapted wingspan, Plainstalkers will land upon spotting prey and pursue it on the ground with an alarmingly wide stride length at a gallop. Kelpies are omnivorous, cursorial artiodactyls that hunt in and around floodplains in tight-knight groups. Owing their success to their wide-splayed, webbed hooves and strong social bonds, Kelpies can be found foraging and patrolling territories cooperatively. An affliction is said to occur in some southern populations, resulting in physical abnormalities, though this has yet to be confirmed.

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Gorgers are plains- and forest-dwelling apex predators adapted for grazing chunks of flesh off of large prey items like Thunderbeasts. Solitary by nature outside of rearing small clutches of young, they're intolerant of other mature individuals within their vast roaming territories. Manes of dark feathers adorn the throat, serving as signals of age and fitness, as well as protection from their competitors' serrated teeth. Adults rely on impressive stamina and a highly developed sense of smell to walk their prey to exhaustion. Thunderbeasts are the largest animals on two legs, traveling in family units through grasslands and relying on their bulk, claws, and spiked tails to ward off anything but the most determined Gorgers or Firewyrms. Ecosystem engineers, they can grind down and consume the tough exoskeleton of Coralwoods, clearing sections of forest to allow new growth and nutrient cycling. Named for their booming subsonic calls, the hunting of a Thunderbeast by people is an uncommon event, their plate armor often collected from the aftermath of predation to be used in construction or crafts. Polar Kings can thank their thick coats of shaggy feathers for their success in the farthest northern reaches of the Frigid Wastes. Despite their intimidating head ornamentation, at their adult size Kings rarely face predation from similarly-sized carnivores, and thus rarely show aggression outside of displays of dominance within their herds. Juveniles, however, will be fiercely protected by every member of the group. Black Crowns enjoy the status of apex predator of the Frigid Wastes, patrolling the coasts and icy seaways for aquatic and terrestrial prey alike. Little is known about their oceanic habits, but on land Crowns savagely defend their stretch of beach from intruders. Rarely venturing inland, Black Crowns will still opportunistically take Polar Kings, Razorjaws, and even smaller Crowns. Their crest and neural spines serve as honest signals to avoid fights neither individual can win. Pit Sovereigns lie in wait under the Scorching Dunes using four modified legs and thousands of small sensitive hairs to detect vibrations made by animals walking above. Once prey of a suitable size is identified, the insect will quickly unbury itself, the action either trapping the animal under the sand whereupon it will suffocate, or bringing its quarry close enough to inject it with venom and begin liquefying its insides. Firewyrms, though incredibly rare, are undoubtedly forces of nature in their own right. A cosmopolitan species, their adaptability and sheer scale demand respect from those they share their environments with. Feeding strategies range from typical predation to sedentary absorption of nutrients through the substrate. Limbs adapted into "vents" allow the animal to propel itself forward and through the air via an expulsion of destructive, nutrient-rich plasma. This is typically reserved for self-defense. Upon a Firewyrm's death (referred to as a Wyrmfall), an ecosystem can be expected to bloom and flourish to an unusual degree. Studies into Firewyrm intelligence have left scientific communities in disagreement as to whether (and when, during development) Firewyrms can be classified as "sapient".

[jackalhawk]

Clawgrasp live their mature lives in colonies consisting of disconnected burrows on the forest floor. With elastic soft tissue connecting their heads to their thorax, they stretch toward small prey that wanders into the colony with raptorial appendages extended. As cooperative ambush predators, they latch onto whatever's small enough for the group to catch and hold down long enough to eat.

Barkwings are large, volant, wood-boring insects that use their posterior pincers to anchor themselves to the plants and animals they consume. With a preference for laying eggs in Weeping Palms, and eating their fruit, they're a staple food source for many around desert oases and arroyos. Smokewyrms are small amphibians common around swamps and in the underbrush of Coralwood forests. Deceptively mobile for their size and lack of hindlimbs, escapes into water or deeper cover are aided by the opaque aerosol spray produced by pores along their spine. This smoke can be released underwater along with viscous mucus to achieve the same effect and to choke the gills of predators. Drop-Strikers, named so for their arboreal ambush tactics, are land-adapted cephalopods that thrive in trees and on steep terrain overlooking water. For this reason they have a symbiotic relationship with Weeping Palms, with the plants providing perches for ambushes and the Striker defending the Palm from parasites like Barkwings. Poffs are flighty, herbivorous bipeds native to the Frigid Wastes, serving as the basis for many arctic carnivores' meals. The tufts at the end of their tails are used for communication when found in a group. Chuckals in particular take this animal often. Fortunately, Poffs are equipped with large eyes and the ability to burrow underneath the permafrost, digging foreclaws kept warmly tucked into their insulating feathers. Sidejaw Weavers earn their name for the lopsided rictus adorning their face. Their diagonal dentition affords them the opportunity to use their thin beaks as multi-tools, accessing hard-to-reach food items like insect larvae and fruits protected by tough outer casings. These pterosaurs are also known for stitching together massive communal nests in the branches of Coraltrees, using whatever materials are available to the flock. They'll defend these structures aggressively from any intruders. Shineshells are a small, opulent detritovore, diligently combing beaches and riverbanks for any nutrients that washes up. Capable of burying themselves quickly in mud or sand, their iridescent carapace makes them easy to spot while foraging. Their body is smooth and round to fend off attacks from similarly-sized threats. Mudcreeps are large fish that use modified pectoral fin spines to haul themselves across dry land for short periods of time. They spend most of their lives laying motionless in murky pools, hunting based on touch and smell, with their lure acting as a trigger for a brief lunge forward. They'll take any prey that fits into their jaws, but often attempt to swallow animals far larger than what they're able to handle. A Mudcreep preferentially lays eggs in vernal pools left by wallowing Bulbi.

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Armadapede are eusocial arthropods that spend their entire lives on the move in swarms. Transported by the broad-carapaced Carrier caste, immature Workers will stretch their bodies from their backs to pull detritus into the pile in order to feed their large families. Meanwhile, the colorful Warriors will raise their hindmost section in a defensive warning. Any animals that venture too close may be stung by their modified pincer-like legs and injected with a painful venom. In the center of the mass, the queen and her brood of eggs and young are kept safe, fed, and on the move. Important scavengers and decomposers to the forests and grasslands of Aethios, the nutrients an Armadapede breaks down are put to use by both the fauna that predate upon them and the flora that spring up in their wake.

[jackalhawk]

Tuffles are ubiquitous, omnivorous generalists. Living everywhere from the frozen tundra to the arid desert, they exist as a staple to many mesopredators' diets. They live in vast underground networks of warrens, producing lots of offspring on the chance that a few may survive to adulthood to repopulate their ecosystems. Pests to some, delicacies in others, there are few species in Aethios more divisive than these rodents. Fancy breeds exist as domestic pets, as well. Some overlaps in these opinions occur in Imp and Dunerunner circles.

[jackalhawk]

Some silhouette-y sketches of REAL old OC's from a project you'll probably be seeing a lot of in the future. From the margins of middle school notebooks to the digital realm. They've come so far :')

[jackalhawk]

The following wildlife is catalogued for the safety of seafaring vessels passing through territory known to be occupied by sirens. Talkrot: Those who spend too long alone at sea, seeing what ought not to be seen and hearing what ought not to be heard, often find themselves muttering to no one. A sickness carried on songs from inhuman voices manifests in paranoia, dazed speech, and incoherence. Then, feathers. At the final stage, victims exist as obligate carnivores, nonsensically repeating phrases half-remembered from their previous life. Out of respect, it's best not to listen. Bluff: noun

a steep cliff, bank, or promontory.

verb

try to deceive someone as to one's abilities or intentions.

adjective

direct in speech or behavior but in a good-natured way.

Tentatively classified as a varanid, skull resembles an approximation of a human face with "hair-like" quills derived from scales. Capable of mimicking speech in complex sentences. Much like the terrestrial True Sphinx, this creature is curiously incapable of lying, but will taunt and deceive listeners by telling partial or incomplete truths with the intent of provoking a hostile reaction or fatal mistake. Common in mangrove swamps and open ocean habitats, but is able to haul itself onto land to pursue prey. If you gain one's attention, it's best not to listen. Chorist: A large cetacean with a transparent membrane protecting a hollow chamber in its head. This acts as a resonating device, amplifying its calls when foraging. A new voice is added to its choir after each successful hunt. It's such a beautiful song. It's such a beautiful song. Adhoc: Impressive mimicry and dazzling patterns of bioluminescent chromatophores aid this cephalopod in both attracting prey and repelling potential predators. When threatened, it will render itself nearly invisible with camouflage, attempt to distract or disable its attacker with ink, or take the form of a deceased spouse, loved one, or family member as a defense mechanism. The hooks and teeth of their feeding arms will make any hesitation or embrace one's last. Nymph: Sea faeries form the basis of much of the pelagic supernatural ecosystem. Abundant in number and wide in range, anomalous properties of many sirens are theorized to be traceable back through the trophic levels to Nymphs. Those most experienced at navigating sirens' waters insist the crustaceans guide them; whispered warnings and silent suggestions pushing vessels toward and through dangerous waters. However, the voice is faint, and best heard as close to the ear as possible. Nothing in this world is free. Is the knowledge worth the price? (Art and creature concepts for a good buddy of mine @incorrectist and his neat siren setting)

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Colored concept for a large, cannibalistic volant apex predator. Say hello to Ivadrs!! They dislike cats very much. (gift for a good buddy with a cool website)

[jackalhawk]

Character design concepts for a SUPER neat project I worked on way back with my good buddy @aghostinablanket These were incredibly fun to do, and I'm lookin' forward to making more ghostly guys in the future!!

[jackalhawk]

Some sketches from an urban fantasy biology setting I've been workshopping for a LONG long time. Feat. dragons, drakes, centaurs, griffins, qilin, mokele-mbembe, chupacabra, unicorns, werewolves, and many more creatures. Don't worry, I'll spec bio about it lots more later, but for now enjoy the doodles!!

[jackalhawk]

The Niobrara County branch of the Department of Prehistoric Wildlife is focused primarily on removing, monitoring, and studying habituated genera in the area. A holding facility of 30 permanent staff managed by Ross Hartford, an influential local figure responsible for overseeing profits, species transfers, and local reports. It also employs Barry Sembène, a former Velociraptor Trainer at Jurassic World, as an animal specialist. The following genera are currently housed indefinitely within the Niobrara County DPW: Deinonychus, Pteranodon, Gallimimus, Suchomimus, Parasaurolophus.

[jackalhawk]

Some spec bio Yoshi fanart to soothe the soul. This one's getting harassed by a pair of Dromeo, a creation of yours truly. Inspired by the work of my good friend over at @dokupine

bonus boshi (who put sunglasses on that beast)