#tapetum lucidum they can hunt at night

[narvin]

listen gallifrey is a nightmare death planet I have to believe that time lords can be easily converted back into terrifying apex predators if they spend a long enough time outside. like how domesticated pigs will revert to wild ones within a few generations

[vobomon]

Can’t believe that plants are confirmed (in Trigun Stampede) to have a Tapetum Lucidum. Like that’s so raw and metal...

According to wikipedia, the tapetum lucidum is a feature of many nocturnal animals and it allows them to see in the dark.

“The tapetum lucidum contributes to the superior night vision of some animals. Many of these animals are nocturnal, especially carnivores, while others are deep sea animals.”

Can you believe that plants are predators??? What do they hunt?

[a-silver-dragoness]

Updated personal headcanons/opinions/interpretations for Light/Night Furies:

Light Fury:

• Referred to as "The Unicorn of Dragons", for their beauty and grace

• Male and Female Light Furies are identical (no sexual dimorphism)

• Light Furies are diurnal and have excellent vision, but lack tapetum lucidum

• Light Furies skin and scales are soft (like some changewings are), therefore they are more likely to flee from a battle

• Light Furies like to nest together in groups, oftentimes the nesting females will combine nests and raise their young together

• Each Light Fury has a unique pattern of stripes, that intensifies during the mating season

• Incapable of echolocation (hence smaller, fewer nubs)

• Light Furies mate for life

• Same sex couples are not very common

• Interspecies couples are very rare

• They have intense maternal/paternal instincts, so much so that they are known to adopt and raise hatchlings that aren't their own

• Light Furies live exclusively in the Hidden World, but they have been known to fly far from the Caldera in search of food

• They are capable of flying long distances, and make shallow dives to catch aquatic prey (similar to the Wandering Albatross)

• Cloaking without a plasma blast is silent, but slower (it takes time to heat up its reflective scales with internal body heat)

• Cloaking with a plasma blast is noisier, but faster, and is primarily used when the animal is attempting a quick getaway

• Light Furies are hypercarnivores, have a main diet of fish, shark, and shellfish, but have been known to hunt terrestrial animals such as deer, sheep, and cattle

• Hybrid offspring (Night Lights) are infertile

Night Fury:

• Male and Female Night Furies are identical (no sexual dimorphism)

• Night Furies are nocturnal, and therefore possess incredible night vision (tapetum lucidum)

• Night Furies are semi-colorblind (like a dog)

• Wild Night Furies like to nest far away from other dragons, but domesticated/tamed Night Furies are drastically more tolerant of other dragons near their nests

• Each Night Fury has a unique pattern of spots, which fade as they reach adulthood

• Capable of Echolocation (hence larger, more nubs)

• Night Furies mate for life

• Same sex couples are not very common

• Interspecies couples are very rare

• They have intense maternal/paternal instincts, so much so that they are known to adopt and raise hatchlings that aren't their own

• Preferred habitat is the Hidden World, but Night Furies can also be found in deep, dark caves

• Night Furies lack the ability to cloak, but their tough, scaly hide (similar in appearance to leather) makes them no walk in the park to take down

• Night Furies are hypercarnivores, have a main diet of deer, sheep, yak, and fish

• The species began to decline in numbers on the surface due to human encroachment, disease, and habitat loss

• By the time Grimmel started his genocidal hunt, the species numbered about 20 individuals, which finally pushed the species to (presumed) extinction

• Hybrid offspring (Night Lights) are infertile

[loveoaths]

wait come back I am ready to hear about zabrak organs and zabrak men giving birth

alright, but you asked for this!

as a blanket statement, it is my general sci-fi/star wars belief that alien species’ organs and genitals should change according to 1)  the need of the species involved 2) the specifics of their environment, and 3) whatever i personally think is super fucking cool/funny/and/or sexy. the headcanons below are broken up into two categories: “environmental/survival centric”, “organs used for communication”, “sex and reproduction/this is hot, let’s do that!”

with that in mind, let’s chat zabrak!

ENVIRONMENTAL/SURVIVAL-BASED ORGAN HEADCANONS

the zabrak homeworld, iridonia, is described as an arid and tough landscape, presumably either a desert or with desert-like biomes, so i based my zabrak headcanons on desert species, namely reptiles-- like the horned toad lizard, one of my inspirations for zabrak headcanons! 

(doesn’t it look kinda like a zabrak with those horns??) 

like the horned toad lizard, i imagine all zabrak are born with naturally thicker and denser skin to insulate their bodies and reduce moisture loss. they are not apex predators, but essentially low to mid-level predators. (however, because of how hostile iridonia and dathomir are, they’re fearsome out in the wider galaxy, but no worse than a pussycat back home)

as low-level predators/prey animals, they have evolved several organs and adaptions to help them stay alive: 

tapetum lucidum for nightvision, as they were/are either naturally nocturnal or crepuscular, to escape the heat 

EYE SLITS. because i said so.

a translucent brille, or eye scale, that protects the eyes from wind damage

a small organ that stores an emergency portion of water, like a camel; 

a second bladder bag because all that extra pee’s gotta go somewhere; 

a keen olfactory system that helps them hunt and “taste” the air for water and prey; 

and, because they evolved among predators MUCH larger than them with even keener senses of smell and eyesight, they have small glands in their waterlines that emits foul-tasting fluid or blood, to deter predators. just like horned toad lizards. because it makes me laugh. 

this foul fluid does not seem to work on the massive carnivorous birds of iridonia and dathomir. thankfully, they’ve got horns to avoid getting snatched by the back of their neck like a naughty puppy and dropped in a nest 

potentially, it’s possible for their horns to have blood vessels but no nerve endings, as a means of regulating heat, which is vital in a desert/arid climate

okay this one is mostly a joke but i love imagining zabrak with very rough palms and feet. in these places, their dense skin hardens into something closer to scaling, so they can get purchase on the many sheer cliff faces and rocky terrains of iridonia and, later, dathomir. basically they are capable of scaling walls hands-free like a goddam gecko. imagine waking up in the middle of the night terrified to TWO GLOWING EYES GLARING DOWN AT YOU FROM YOUR CEILING and then hearing a quiet “i threw up.” that is so fucking funny.

SOCIAL ORGANS/BODY PARTS

a larger voicebox (or perhaps a small, secondary voicebox lower in the throat) that allows them to purr. purring is largely involuntary, and indicates safety, pleasure, satisfaction, or extreme joy. they can purr and talk at the same time. no, maul does not know he can do this, because he has never been happy enough to purr in his entire life. this voicebox also enables a high-pitched chirping noise used by infants to indicate distress, because zabraks do not cry naturally unless they are incredibly ill or in dangerous levels of emotional distress. i’m talking “dying of heartbreak” levels, for a few tears.

FUN COOL SEX/ROMANCE/STUFF ORGANS

i haven’t fully decided on this section, admittedly, but generally thinking, i find giving near-humanoid species “standard” human genitalia incredibly boring and wack, so these ideas are like... vague, hand-wavey brainstorms, more than hard headcanons.

zabraks bite to show affection, and claim mates. they also scent-mark territory/favorite people using subcutaneous pheromone glands at the base of their horns, under their chins and along their necks, and the back of their wrists. however they’re also very uhhhhh private, so no zabrak is going to tell you this. they’re just going to rub their face all over your pillow and fresh laundry and hand it to you, and you’ll walk around wearing their scent, none the wiser, wondering why your other zabrak friends are giving you a wide berth all of a sudden

at one point i was very into zabraks having hollow canines that could spit fluid and/or be used in marking a mate by biting them and injecting pheromone into the bite, but i don’t know anymore. i like it conceptually though.

generally speaking, most zabrak can both fertilize and be fertilized by a partner. (secondary sex characteristics such as mammary glands, horn placement and presentation are used to determine gender) 

on iridonia, who carries a child is governed more by personal preference and cultural influence. on dathomir, only nightbrothers give birth. nightsisters (who are not zabrak) center femininity, among other things, in their idealogy, but since birth-giving and child-rearing are not tied to a specific sex or gender presentation among dathomirian nightsisters nor zabraks, it is not considered feminine. nightbrothers are assigned all tasks considered below nightsisters’ attention, including hard labor and menial tasks, and it’s not hard to see why they’d include bearing and raising children as falling under both those umbrellas. 

like in humans, the pregnant zabrak body readies itself for pregnancy by stimulating mammaries and other processes to care for children. child-rearing and child-care are considered masculine traits and behaviors among the nightbrothers. sea-horse clan for life.

because nightbrothers are largely left alone and only have each other, child-birth and child-rearing are a communal affair, because they don’t get to have mates of their own. they are claimed by nightsisters, impregnated, and left. nightbrothers are close, but there is always a degree of distance between those outside their immediate family, because they know at some point they will have to kill each other, or watch each other die. but with young children, nightbrothers often carry them around on slings, keeping them close at hand, always in arm’s reach, because dathomir is an incredibly hostile planet, and a youngling wandering off even a few feet is likely to be snatched by one of the many opportunistic hunter animals populating the planet.

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

What do you know about the biology of he Killer Cats of Gin-Seng, other than their prophetic and psychic abilities?

🐱 Who are the Gin-Seng cats?

The Killer Cats of Gin-Seng are a race of humanoid cats that live on Gallifrey alongside Gallifreyans. They're quite rarely encountered, however, they did once try to wage an uprising against Gallifreyans and failed.

👀 What is the tapetum lucidum?

The tapetum lucidum is a real-world feature of the eye in many Earth-dwelling species that helps to enhance night vision by reflecting visible light back through the retina. This is what causes eyes to shine in the dark when illuminated. It's commonly found in species like cats and dogs, but not in humans.

🔍 How might Gin-Seng cat physiology look?

We don't know much about these creatures' physiology because they are rarely seen. However, we do know they are primarily felines and do possess normal feline traits such as claws, fangs, and fur.

(Dee Robson's designs for the cancelled serial Killers of the Dark, DWM 336)

This (if we presume that they are similar to Earth felines) in turn might make them feature more cat-like traits:

Sensory Abilities: Apart from their prophetic abilities, these beings might have heightened senses compared to Gallifreyans. Their olfactory and auditory senses could be highly developed, offering them a different perception of the world around them.

Muscular and Skeletal System: They might have a muscular system that grants them agility and power, paired with a skeletal system that allows for fluid and graceful movements. Their physical prowess could be a vital part of their lifestyle, potentially being adept hunters and a social system that relies on the physical.

Cognitive Abilities: While they are known for their psychic abilities, they might also have a unique way of processing information, perhaps being more intuitive and reactive like cats and less reliant on logical reasoning than Gallifreyans.

Carnivorous diet: Being primarily feline, the Gin-Seng cats may prefer a carnivorous diet, relying heavily on the consumption of meat. Their digestive systems could be optimised to process meat efficiently, with a potentially shorter digestive tract compared to omnivorous species.

Crepuscular behaviour: They might also exhibit crepuscular behaviour, being most active during dawn and dusk. This could involve a series of nocturnal rituals or hunting patterns that make use of the quiet and cooler temperatures of Gallifreyan nights.

Additionally, being creatures who have apparently evolved on Gallifrey alongside Gallifreyans, they may have time sensitivities, which could account for their prophetic abilities and could also suggest more unknown abilities.

Why do some Houses have tapetum lucidums?

House Arpexia is where the Corsair hails from, who has especially prominent tapeta lucida. There could be a wide range of reasons for this:

Theory 1: Everyone's got them - There's nothing to suggest other Houses don't possess tapeta lucida at all, since we do know Gallifreyans have improved night vision. Let's note that the eye shine induced by tapetum lucidum can vary in colour. Could different Gallifreyan houses have distinct eye-shine colours, each hinting at a different biochemical composition of the tapeta lucida? Could some be duller than others, so you don't even notice? Maybe the bloodline of the Corsair and some in Arpexia just have more predisposition for this particular trait, like some people can roll their tongue and others can't.

Theory 2: Historical hang-ups - Delving a bit further, we could also theorise that the distinct biological traits among different houses/bloodlines have roots in their unique roles and functions in ancient Gallifreyan society. Could the prominence of the tapeta lucida in certain houses be a clue to their historical or current involvement in night-time endeavours or secret missions?

Theory 3: Selective breeding - Maybe some Houses embraced selective breeding/looming to nurture certain traits, enhancing characteristics over generations?

Theory 4: Biological alteration - Arpexia is a very scientific house and part of the House Military. Whether for experimentation or military purposes, they may have intentionally altered some biodata to enhance their cousins? After all, gotta keep up with House Xianthellipse ...!

Theory 5: Interbreeding - Or perhaps it's far more carnal, and at one point in their history, a Gallifreyan had a saucy night with a Gin-Seng cat over a glass of Rassilon's Red and a bowl of Sheba?

These are, of course, ALL theories. Could there be other underlying reasons that dictate the variation in the prominence of tapeta lucida among the Gallifreyan houses? Could there be more physiological traits of Gin-Seng cats? Answers on a postcard, as the human saying goes.

Related:

Factoid: Do Gallifreyans share any biology with cats?

How do Gallifreyan Houses influence abilities and traits?: Looking at the Harry Potter-style system for Gallifreyan kids.

What are the top ten Houses for weird biology?: How Houses affect biological traits in Gallifreyan society, ranked by weirdness.

Hope that helped! 😃

More content ... →📫Got a question? | 📚Complete list of Q+A →😆Jokes |🩻Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts →🫀Gallifreyan Anatomy and Physiology Guide (pending) →⚕️Gallifreyan Emergency Medicine Guides →📝Source list (WIP) →📜Masterpost If you're finding your happy place in this part of the internet, feel free to buy a coffee to help keep our exhausted human conscious. She works full-time in medicine and is so very tired 😴

[silly-lil-scribbles]

for that ask game you reblogged: questions 20, 29, and 31 :]

:D

aughhh im really bad at remembering things if im not asked about something specific but ill try: mm the reason cats eyes glow in the dark is because they have a lining in the back of their eyes called the tapetum lucidum that reflects the unabsorbed light when its dark out which gives it a second chance to be absorbed so they can see better ^^ (sorry if you knew this again im bad at fun facts)

favorite song lyrics: not good at favorites but currently im listening to bullets and “we could be perfect one last night, and die like star crossed lovers when we fight. and we can settle this affair, if you would shed your yellow, take my hand” in our lady of sorrows is really neat, because i’ve always felt like yellow symbolized not simply happiness and positivity but more like a mask, it kinda has the vibe of like uncanny valley and something is wrong. like its a very cheery color but its also like a warning, a kind of sickly color, like the feeling of impending doom but you cant tell why or whats wrong. yellow feels like its the first time you realize that something is off. kinda gives me a mix of stranger and corruption vibes. ooh or like a person who seems like they live a very neat and clean life but the more you watch them you realize that this perfect cleanliness is seemingly the only thing that matters to them anymore and theyve gone from a normal person to a shell of their former self who excessively cleans because they cant go back now this is the only important thing and if they lose it they dont know who they are anymore. all of this to say that this has absolutely nothing to do with the song i just wanted to rant about the color yellow oops ill stop now. i swear its important to analyzing the song i just don’t know how. hard to put into words. ive always imagined that the lady (i dont know her name sorry ill just call her the lady) and her lover were like hunting vampires and now theyve gotten caught up in it and like this is their life now so i interpret this line to be set in their last night while surrounded by the vampires. and so like they can tell that something is wrong and hes begun to accept that this might be their last day together so hes trying to get the lady to accept it and just let them spend one last night without being caught up in fighting vampires. but this is her purpose now and she cant just stop and move on. I HAVE CONNECTED THE IMAGINARY DOTS. THIS MAKES SENSE I PROMISE. CAN YOU TELL IVE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS WAYYYY TOO MUCH LMAO. @humanteethmarksonhumanbone this is our lady of sorrows’ backstory btw since you wanted to know more about her, and congrats on picking up on the vampire theme that was very intentional! i still have more to tell you later but heres my lore rant

that was long jesus fucking christ

this is very important to me

and uhhh so sorry can you tell me what 31 was again?? i got caught up in the second and forgot oops

[fishyfishyfishtimes]

Daily fish fact #300

300 fish facts reached!

Let's keep it going, shall we? :)

Walleye!

Also called yellow walleye, yellow pike or pickerel! They're named for their very opaque-looking eyes, caused by the reflective tapetum lucidum; a layer of tissue found in the eyes of many nocturnal animals that enhances night vision, the shine in a cat's eye is due to the tapetum lucidum, for example. Thanks to this enhanced night vision they can thrive in waters with low visibility, giving them an edge over other fish that hunt with sight!

[sweetlikehoneystingslikeabee]

So, let us say, for the dork squad (general). They meet a girl who seems to know all about them and who they are. A fan, so to speak! And she knows so much about them. She mentions a 'thank you' for all the souls they've sent, but really...when are THEY going to end up punching their ticket? Maybe they notice something like tapetum lucidum flashing in her eyes at the wrong angle. And then they start seeing her everywhere. They're being followed. Or hunted. Can they keep Death from her dues?

So to clarify there is a romantic spin on this and girl means young woman adult in this occasion (I asked). While I figured most people would know, it helps being clear. That being said. Death becomes her.

Tw: murder, child abuse (mentioned in past tense)

Scarecrow

- For a moment he's ready to tell her not to bother with the little charade. That he has other things to deal with rather than some young woman with flights of fancy in her head. Then he sees the flicker of an animals eyes looking back at him.

- It shakes him to his core, at first. She disappears and he's left with many thoughts. The afterlife? What does this all mean...? She said she was a fan. Of him?

- Then he keeps seeing her everywhere it seems. At one point he finally just sits down in the park at night, waiting for her to join him. Once she does he asks plainly, "Is it my time?"

- She hums, "Not necessarily. Not unless you wanted to go. I'd take you by the hand to the rotting dark right now if you wanted."

- "I don't. I have things that need to be done first." He says simply. She shrugs. Worth a shot!

- "Then I wait." She smiles, "You don't mind me waiting in sight, do you?"

- It strikes him as an odd question. Would she still be waiting, just unseen, if he wished it? To that he shakes his head, "I don't mind much. You've seen it all, have you?"

- "Of yours? Yup. Ever since your granny. Big pause after that, though." She tilts her head. A "simple" mix-up of medications by a young Jonathan Crane took care of all that easily.

- Death continues, "People should cherish their lives. And the lives of others. She didn't cherish yours much."

- His silence answers the insinuation. When she leans on him, he seems surprised. It's comforting, somehow. She softly sings an old folk song he knows quite well growing up where he did.

-"O death... O death... won't you spare me o'er another year?"

- His eyes close. His voice, ragged and not quite as pretty- joins hers.

- It's the first of many intimate moments between them.

Mad Hatter

- Nervous laughter, what the fuck. Look, he's spooky in his own way, incredibly so but this is a whole other level. Her eyes shining like that when a truck went by scared him deep into his soul.

- The rest of it doesn't really process or register until later. The souls HE'S sent? Oh dear, oh no, oh... fuck. Jervis, dear boy, you're really in it now. But- but- he hasn't even met his Alice!

- The next few times he sees Death, he outright tries to ignore her. Smiling, watching. Tries to make tonics to send him to Wonderland in an attempt to forget... to not think about her... Even there he still seems to see her.

- Eventually she's walking beside him and he says pointedly, "I cannot go with you, I need to..." He looks upset.

- "Find your Alice?" Death asks, "Haven't you tried that already? There's been a few souls delivered that way. A lady killer." Her eyes narrow on him and he feels faint.

- "It wasn't like that! It wasn't-" He stammers, "Everything just keeps..."

- "You're not meant for this world. These people. I understand. Always feeling like you don't belong." She says, "I'm not taking you. Yet. You can stop being so worried. I told you, I'm a fan."

- He stops as she continues to walk. A hopeful look in his eyes, "Do you... perhaps... like Alice in Wonderland?"

- "I love it. I had a long conversation with Mr. Carrol when he passed about the books." She looks so proud of herself, "Do you want to hear?"

- It takes him a moment, but he offers his arm, "After you, dear lady!"

Riddler

- You're joking. You can't be serious, right? What a cute little prank. He gently pats the young woman on the head and tries to walk away as quickly as he possibly can.

- The tapetum lucidum was what bothered him the most. Whatever that was, she wasn't human.

- He gathers himself and the next time he sees her he approaches her oh-so-smug, "If you're really Death, then who was the first person I killed?"

- Smiling, cute as a button she'll respond, "Your father. You set up a very complex web of information that made him think he was going to get the payday of his life if he went to a certain spot. A certain spot you set up with traps. The moment he entered his hand into the cuff for the key, you gave him options to stay trapped and starve or risk bleeding out by cutting his hand off. Like an animal. That hand that hurt you so often, right?"

- Edward's face goes white. He's never told anyone that. She doesn't even need to tell him how as a young man he made it look like a burglary gone wrong afterwards. He gets the message. Seeing her around afterwards makes him paranoid.

- He's going to use her fan status- or try to. You think he's witty? Clever? Let him tell you all about it. Behind the scenes on his most brilliant and sometimes fatal traps! He figures if she won't stop following him the least he can do is talk his way out of this.

- People have done it for eons in stories about Death, haven't they? What he's not ready for is the sweet way she listens. And comments on his stories. She doesn't even necessarily judge him, not the way a regular person would.

- fuck, he's caught feelings. Disgusting. But he can't quite help himself with how he leans in with that smarmy grin and charming voice. Pity him, oh Death, spare his mortal soul! What great offerings can he give in penance for his... Mistress?

[rabbitcruiser]

World Lemur Day 

World Lemur Day celebrates lemurs and spreads the word about the need to conserve them; it inspires a love for them and actions to save them from extinction. It also celebrates Madagascar, the island nation located 250 miles off the east coast of Africa that lemurs call home. Events are held around the world on the day, in person and virtually. World Lemur Day takes place on the last Friday of October, and the World Lemur Festival takes place during the weeks surrounding it.

Madagascar is rich in biodiversity, and much of its flora and fauna can be found nowhere else in the world, as is the case with lemurs. Scientists believe that lemurs may have gotten their start on Africa's mainland before arriving; they think lemurs floated to the island on vegetation, and then evolved and diversified over millions of years. Madagascar was a favorable environment for them because the landscape was habitable, there were varied food sources, and there weren't any large predators.

Today there are over 100 species of lemurs. By one count there are 112, but the number changes when new ones are identified through discoveries and genetic testing. Subfossils indicate there once were more and that some became extinct, possibly from being hunted by humans after humans arrived on the island. The 2020 update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species indicated that almost all lemur species were threatened with extinction and that almost a third were critically endangered.

The smallest lemur is the Madame's Berthe mouse lemur, weighing in at 30 grams, and the largest is the indri, which may weigh up to 9.5 kilograms. Subfossils indicate that some lemurs were once as large as gorillas. Some other lemurs are the ring-tailed lemur, dancing sifaka, and aye-aye. Lemurs have unique traits in common. They have a heightened sense of smell because of their long snouts and wet noses and have improved night vision because of their tapetum lucidum, an extra layer of tissue behind their retina. All lemurs except aye-ayes have incisors and canines that lean forward instead of upward, called toothcombs, which are used for grooming, as well as to eat seeds and bark.

The forests of Madagascar benefit from lemurs, who help them grow by pollinating plants and dispersing seeds. Lemurs eat fruit but don't digest the seeds, and leave the seeds around the forest in their droppings. They also may get seeds and pollen stuck in their fur while looking for fruits and nectar, and may pass them onto other flowers.

To protect lemurs, the challenges and threats they face must be known. They face habitat change and loss, climate change, invasive species, and poaching. The forests of Madagascar are decreasing in size, changing the habitats of lemurs. This negatively impacts individual lemurs and the species as a whole. Madagascar is one of the top countries affected by climate change caused by humans. Droughts in the south and yearly monsoons in the north have become more prevalent in the twenty-first century, affecting all life on the island, including lemurs. Being that Madagascar developed in isolation when non-native species enter the ecosystem, they can threaten those that live there. Lemurs are also hunted for the pet trade, for food, and for cultural reasons.

A "fady" is a taboo of the Malagasy people, those who reside in Madagascar. For some, hunting, killing, or eating the indri is fady, since legend says that the spirits of ancestors live on within them. The aye-aye is associated with evil, and legend says that bad things may happen to those who see one. They are often killed because of this.

Lemurs benefit from ecotourism. Those visiting Madagascar bring money to the local economy, and, in turn, the Malagasy see the benefit of having the lemurs around—tourism wouldn't thrive without them. As the economy grows, the lemurs benefit. Conservation work in Madagascar is complex and supports wildlife, habitats, and people. Building relationships with and working with the Malagasy is crucial. Establishing and maintaining protected areas, reforestation efforts, dealing with invasive species, captive breeding at zoos, and reintroducing and relocating species are all part of conservation efforts. These efforts are given a boost today with World Lemur Day!

How to Observe World Lemur Day

World Lemur Day is celebrated individually, but also by zoos and other organizations. Some ideas for participation include:

Post on social media with the hashtag #WorldLemurDay and tag the Lemur Conservation Network. They can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Focus your posts on the urgency of lemur conservation and how everyone can help make a difference and save lemurs from extinction by working together. Use the social media guide to help you craft your posts.

Utilize the Lemur Conservation Network's participation guide for ideas on how individuals, member organizations, zoos, educators, and libraries can participate. For individuals, they suggest holding a fundraiser for a Lemur Conservation Network's member organization; sharing photos of lemurs seen at zoos or during travel to Madagascar, along with information about them, what is loved about them, and memories of the trip; creating and sharing information graphics about lemurs; holding a community event, such as a lemur-themed happy hour, film screening, or costume party; visiting a school to teach kids about lemurs; or walking around in a lemur costume.

Plan your own event. Consider collaborating with a Lemur Conservation Network member organization to create one. Send details about your activity or event to the Lemur Conservation Network for them to add to their event calendar, and check the calendar for other events to attend.

Join the Lemur Conservation Network.

Volunteer with the Lemur Conservation Network or with an organization in Madagascar that protects lemurs.

Read a book about Madagascar.

Listen to a podcast about lemurs or Madagascar.

If you are a teacher, you could use the Lemur Conservation Network's teaching resources for your classroom.

Check out the Lemur Conservation Network's "Professional Resources for Research and Conservation."

Check for other ideas on the Lemur Conservation Network's "How to Help" page.

The Lemur Conservation Network suggests contacting them to learn more about participating in the day.

Source

[akamikazae]

Your most recent drawing of Akami, Kakashi and Sasuke is so cute! Love Akami’s outfit!! She looks great in the hues of the Sharingan

Out of curiosity, do Akami’s eyes glow in the dark? As far as I am aware, most reptiles don’t have tapetum lucidum so I assume she would not but I am very curious about her snake resembling ocular design! (I can’t help but say again I love Akami’s design)

Also since she has vertical pupils would they expand (atleast slightly more) in the dark, or perhaps depending her emotional state?

I am by no means an animal expert nor any form of expert in this context XD just an admirer for all the effort and talent you gifted us with!

Thank you for sharing your work with us! It brightens my day :)

Oh my gosh, thank you so much! <33 I just love her complexion in red!! And maybe to match a certain someones vibrant red eye lol I always thought snakes were cool from like an aesthetic pov. But when I made Akami I dug more into them, because I love an excuse to do research, so my very long-winded answer is under the cut

I don’t think they necessarily glow, they way a gators would. Snakes' level of vision varies species to species, and when they tend to hunt, snakes that hunt at night have a little lens that will let more UV light in so they can see better in the dark/low-lighting. I like to think that Akami has that lil lens, so it would probably pick up light a bit better than a human eye would in the dark, so because of that I do try to make em' shine a bit when I draw/write about them. So no lol.

But also it depended who you’d ask . If you asked Kakashi or Sasuke or Gai they’d tell you they were the most beautiful pair of glimmering eyes you'd ever seen . If you asked someone like Tenzo or Genma they’d say her, and her eyes were kinda creepy lol

Orochimaru’s eyes are a bit more of a yellow/green compared to Akami’s, hers are a bit warmer, because her mother's eyes were a soft brown. But I like to think that they do shift colors a bit depending on her mood/mental state. 

There's a type of snake called a ‘mock viper’ that will typically have a more rounded, fuller pupil but when it feels threathened the pupil contracts to become more slitted and scare off predators. So Akami’s pupils would react similarly. Though hers are slitted all the time—if she was very angry, upset, feels threatened they contract like a sharp razor straight line.  And on the other hand if Sasuke were to do something very cute and sweet I imagine they’ll expand and fill out a bit more too--because she loves that lil baby with all her heart. 

But mainly they look a lil glowy because I just think they’re neat! And with all the fancy dojutsu in naruto I thought it would be cool that she had fun eyes—even though theres no real power behind them.

thank you thank you for your very kind ask---I could ramble about my Kami all day lol! it is very sweet of you to say, and I am honored my lil doodles can brighten anyone's day<33 --you give me far too much credit my sweet anon

take care !

-🐍

[askethandothers]

Royal Endermen Explained

(part I?)

Endermen had lived here on the continent, pandora for thousands of years evolving quickly into the biomes here yet one out of many fascinated me. and the species i’m talking about are so named “Royal endermen” due to there social status in the world of endermen.

Royal endermen are a powerful subspecies of common endermen, having a black and white coloring for their scales which comes in unique patterns. they oddly for the color of their flesh and eyes it may come in colors from purple to red, all shades and hues.

The males are larger and stronger with long, powerful fangs they use to eat, fight, hunt, and attract females. male and female sexual dimorphism is almost no different from humans, females of all ender species though have flat breast mainly due to endermen much like reptiles don’t need to nurse, female endermen are called enderness.

Their anatomy is interesting to say the least from what I'd seen. their bodies are the same as common endermen but the difference between them is their skeleton is quite beautiful, some parts are colored like their blood and other parts like their teeth or their claws. speaking of blood and teeth their blood is described as metallic and sparkly like the stars, same goes for their bodily fluids, organs and muscles, there are possibly 30 or 32 teeth in total, 15 or 16 on both sides.

Royal endermen contain and learn magic, too many types to list off but the main ones are common from levitation to shape shifting. Though only a few have one ability from a creature millions of years ago called medusa, although there's a big difference that involves staring at their victim in which upon doing so the victim's pupils turn pure white like the ender's, and either sucking their soul or simply suck the air out of the victim until they die.

Like their name suggests they have statuses like that of kings and queens, over recent years (two thousand years ago) they are considered very rare among endermen due to a mass extinction from a war between different kingdoms and only a few are standing today. the current king is highly protected despite being feared by all and is believed to be one of four known royals that are alive, the others are thought to be dead although they are in hiding.

They are quite nocturnal creatures with unnaturally pure white pupils which doesn't glow with the iris but there is tapetum lucidum in their pupils like phantoms and have superior night vision that is better than island night vision, royals also possess excellent vision that can see from 200 meters away plus the ability to selectively focus.

Their diet is carnivorous that includes one they favor the most, livers have nutrients they need so they go out to hunt down any livestock humans have and take most of the meat including the liver. Royals have a good immune system and its very rare for one to get sick but the sickness doesn't last long for them

[danihost-blog]

What is a Cat?

A cat is a mammal that is highly adapted for hunting and is a crepuscular predator. It has a specialized digestive system, powerful jaws and teeth that function as shears to separate meat from bone. It can see six times better at night than humans and has a special adaptation – its eyes have a reflective layer called a tapetum lucidum, which helps it in dim light. It can also communicate with its…

[hungryyheartarchive]

conrad's abilities.

FAUX IMMORTALITY. suspension of the host's growth hormones that 'locks' the host in at the age at which they were infected. conrad will forever be sixteen in his appearance.

ENHANCED ADAPTABILITY. which could be considered a blanket term for most of conrad's supernatural abilities. he can survive in any climate, withstand extreme temperatures and toxic air quality, and sustain himself from all parts of a carcass regardless of its age or health status (thanks to a highly acidic stomach), as well as hydrating from any kind of water source.

ENHANCED ENDURANCE AND RESILIENCE. vampiis have incredible stamina and can lope tirelessly for hundreds of miles per day, however this skill can weaken if it's not used regularly enough. they are quarrelers by nature, and the infection compensates for this by having a fairly efficient recovery time for wounds and injuries. physical strength is not inherent in vampiis, but can be easily attained through regular practice - namely kicking the shit out of each other. it's their effortless ability to continuously get back up again that makes them far more valuable and intimidating in combat than their physical prowess.

ENHANCED BITE FORCE. around 8,000 pounds per square inch. they can cut through steel like it's butter and crush bone without a second thought. their jaws are among the strongest of any supernatural creature. every tooth in a vampii's mouth is made of ivory, not just their fangs.

ENHANCED AND MANIPULATED SENSES. most famously their sense of smell, but vampiis also have exceptional vision and hearing. their sense of taste isn't markedly better than a human, although they seem to possess more receptors for salty flavours. they can manipulate their thermoreceptors, but no other receptors that can be responsible for pain.

OLFACTORY THIRD EYE. only present in feral strains. conrad has an extremely powerful sense of smell that far exceeds that of his urban peers. he is able to detect scent trails that would go unnoticed by the urban vampiis and is more successful in following trails to their furthest extent. he has a memory bank of scents that he can unwittingly call upon when following trails, which in turn helps him to form an image in his mind of the history behind the smell, as well as its future. conrad can visualize scenes so that they play out inside of his head, and can identify the missing pieces of the smell's story due to how clear these visuals are. all that to say that conrad is an superior tracker - a skill that doesn't go unnoticed by the other vampiis.

SOFTFOOTEDNESS*. a trait only present in feral strains, in which the individual can become noiseless when hunting or traveling in a rival's territory. *conrad is yet to learn this technique.

DISEASE IMMUNITY. no longer vulnerable to illnesses that plague men or animals.

NIGHT VISION AND NIGHT EMPOWERMENT. thanks to their tapetum lucidum, they are much better able to utilize low light levels. there is a theory among some researchers that the vampii's senses become keener at dusk, thereby helping them to hunt their prey, the bulk of which tend to be crepuscular or nocturnal.

SPECIES DETECTION. vampiis have the ability to identify the exact nature of an individual purely by their scent, however, this is a learned skill that is acquired over time. once a vampii learns what a certain scent represents, they never forget it.

PSYCHIC BOND. (seemingly) only present in feral strains. sires and their offspring can develop a psychic link during the early days of infection that tends to deteriorate once the offspring has fledged. the skill is not completely lost, however, and ties can be reestablished if two individuals become particularly close. a link can only be made with one other vampii at a time. not much is known about the nature of the link, or why it's so rare in urban strains, though it appears largely benign. there is a theory that non-vampiis may be able to link with a vampii, should such a bond occur.

[a-silver-dragoness]

My personal headcanons/interpretation/opinions on the Night Fury and Light Fury species:

Night Fury Headcanons:

• Male and Female Night Furies are identical (no sexual dimorphism)

• Night Furies are nocturnal, and therefore possess incredible night vision (tapetum lucidum)

• Night Furies are semi-colorblind (like a dog)

• Wild Night Furies like to nest far away from other dragons, but domesticated/tamed Night Furies are drastically more tolerant of other dragons near their nests

• Each Night Fury has a unique pattern of spots, which fade as they reach adulthood

• Capable of Echolocation (hence larger, more nubs)

• Night Furies mate for life

• Same sex couples are not very common

• Interspecies couples are very rare

• They have intense maternal/paternal instincts, so much so that they are known to adopt and raise hatchlings that aren't their own

• Preferred habitat is the Hidden World, but Night Furies can also be found in deep, dark caves

• Night Furies lack the ability to cloak, but their tough, scaly hide (similar in appearance to leather) makes them no walk in the park to take down

• Night Furies are decent swimmers

• Night Furies can hold dive up to 100 feet, and hold their breath up to 15 minutes

• Night Furies are hypercarnivores, have a main diet of deer, sheep, yak, and fish

__________________________________

Light Fury Headcanons:

• Referred to as "The Unicorn of Dragons", for their resemblance to the mythological creature

• Male and Female Light Furies are identical (no sexual dimorphism)

• Light Furies are diurnal and have excellent vision, but lack tapetum lucidum

• Light Furies skin and scales are soft (like some changewings are), therefore they are more likely to flee from a battle

• Light Furies like to nest together in groups, oftentimes the nesting females will combine nests and raise their young together

• Each Light Fury has a unique pattern of stripes, that intensifies during the mating season

• Incapable of echolocation (hence smaller, fewer nubs)

• Light Furies mate for life

• Same sex couples are not very common

• Interspecies couples are very rare

• They have intense maternal/paternal instincts, so much so that they are known to adopt and raise hatchlings that aren't their own

• Light Furies live exclusively in the Hidden World, but they have been known to fly far from the Caldera in search of food

• Cloaking without a plasma blast is silent, but slower (it takes time to heat up its reflective scales with internal body heat)

• Cloaking with a plasma blast is noisier, but faster, and is primarily used when the animal is attempting a quick getaway

• Adult Light Furies can hold their breath up to 30 minutes, and prefer to hunt/fish throughout the Sunlight Zone (diving up to 600 feet)

• Babies/juveniles must train themselves to hold their breath/dive deep

• Light Furies are hypercarnivores, have a main diet of fish, shark, and shellfish, but have been known to hunt terrestrial animals such as deer, sheep, and cattle

[buglife]

spiders have bad eyesight too so dw it’s method writing

Lol! I'd probably put myself on tarantula level. Tarantulas CAN see but mostly they focus on brights and darks, such as when it darkens above them cause that may be a predator! Tarantulas usually get around by touch and using the hairs on thier bodies to feel vibrations. Tarantulas and other true web building spiders don't NEED good vision as they are sit and wait predators.

HOWEVER, active hunting spiders like wolf spiders and jumping spiders have excellent vision as they stalk thier prey. You can see the difference when you look at a comparison to a tarantula and a jumping spider. Tarantulas have teeny eyes arranged in a cluster for maximum efficiency for detecting levels of brightness. A jumping spider has enormous eyes arranged in the front so they can calculate distances required to pounce.

Both nocturnal hunting spiders and tarantulas have tapetum lucidums, a reflective surface in the back of the eyes that aid in night vision. So I'm just chilling in bed reading a book and I look up to see the eyeshines of three tarantulas staring at me in the dark lol.

In terms of writing articles and fanfic I'm just some poor tarantula flailing at the keys.

[lokivangelist]

Name: Rostek

Race/Class/Alignment: Neutral Good Half-Elf Monster Slayer Ranger

Vitals: tall, white hair, (see: Witcher, but less scars) perpetually dirty and unshaven but can clean up well, doesn’t actually have cat eyes but I headcanon that D&D races with darkvision absolutely have some tapetum lucidum going on

Personality: gruff, quiet, tends to communicate in grunts and gestures, walls up all around so nobody knows that he /actually/ cares, may or may not have a drinking problem, clings to a very strong moral code otherwise that makes a big distinction between what is and isn’t a monster, still loves to make things and always finds ways to keep his hands busy when he’s idle

Bio: A Tragic Backstory(tm). Was a contented blacksmith with a family until one night a bunch of ghoulish monsters attacked their homestead and destroyed everything and killed everybody. He fought back as much as he could and only survived by some miracle of circumstance, though the encounter left his hair turned white. After that dedicated himself to hunting down and killing monsters. Your typical revenge quest. Nothing else to live for. Yada yada.

Quote: “..........”

Theme Song: “Losing My Religion” by Lacuna Coil

...I have...no justification for this character other than I wanted to play Geralt of Rivia. x_x Just a huge pile of tropes that I love: sad hot single dad, white-haired bishie, badass lone wolf, grump with a heart of gold, etc.

UGH

(also holy crap I rolled well for his stats o_O )