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:iconspeculativeevolution: #SpeculativeEvolution

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March 17, 2011
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:iconnocturnalsea:
A hypothetical anomalocarid and its equally hypothetical commensals. First in a series.
Here I've postulated a group of anomalocarids that have developed a hermit crab-like habit of using discarded shells (in this case a Hercoceras nautiloid) as protective homes. This specimen is the Blue Squid-crab (Repticaris caerulea), a benthic animal that drags itself along using its first two sets of highly-modified lateral fins. Like Atlantic lobsters, the squid-crab is an opportunistic feeder, typically scavenging carcasses-- although it will occasionally catch live prey such as this Weinbergina opitzi (a real prehistoric animal and a relative of the horseshoe crab).
The squid-crab's shell also provides shelter for several other animals. Coin trilobites (Harpes denarius) live just inside the mouth of the shell, emerging occasionally to scavenge scraps from their host's meal. A boring sponge (Archaeocliona xanthos) often colonizes the upper parts of the shell. It's acidic burrowing frequently breaks all the way through to the interior camerae, providing shelters for the poisonous, brightly-colored trunk-squid (Cryptomonstrum nothopabinia), a relative of Tullimonstrum gregarium.
In addition to the speculative animals, I've also depicted here a couple of real-life prehistoric critters. The squid-crab is currently trudging through a forest of crinoids, composed primarily of Hapalocrinus and Bactrocrinites. Edging the open areas of the forest are several conularids and an abundance of edrioasters and seastars. Finally, in the upper right corner is the crinoid-eating pycnogonid Palaeoisopus.
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:iconjwartwork:
~JWArtwork Nov 25, 2012  Hobbyist Digital Artist
This is a beautiful and serene scene, the type of works dA needs more. :nod: That deserves a watch! :)
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:iconnocturnalsea:
~NocturnalSea Nov 28, 2012  Professional Traditional Artist
Thanks :)
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:iconismailbintang:
~ismailbintang Jul 24, 2012
hi, nocturnalsea, nice anomalocarid.im so curious, what's species of that flying slug thingy with light blue, orange (or red), and black?
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:iconnocturnalsea:
~NocturnalSea Jul 24, 2012  Professional Traditional Artist
Well, it's actually a hyothetical animal. The body is based off of Tullimonstrum gregarium, an unusual prehistoric mollusk found in fossil beds from Illinois. The color pattern is based off a sea slug, Thuridilla lineolata.
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:iconindigomagpie:
~indigomagpie Jan 29, 2013
...mollusk?
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:iconnocturnalsea:
~NocturnalSea Jan 29, 2013  Professional Traditional Artist
well, Tullimonstrum's affinities aren't exactly known, but it most closely resembles a mollusk-- specifically the sea elephant, Pterotrachea coronata. Here, have a look: [link]
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:iconchrestovenator:
Mood: Wow! ~Chrestovenator Mar 25, 2012
That is such a cool idea, and the way you've integrated it into its environment makes it seem so *likely*. When something like this is actually discovered, those of us in the know need to proclaim "Nocturnal Sea called it!". You make the crinoid forests look like a badass place to go time-diving....
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:iconnocturnalsea:
~NocturnalSea Mar 26, 2012  Professional Traditional Artist
Wow, thanks for all the kind words! I think I might have mentioned it somewhere else, but the original idea for all these hypothetical anomalocarids was sparked by the discovery of Schinderhannes bartelsi. I mean, anomalocarids were supposed to have died off in the Cambrian, but all of a sudden here's this one lone fossil in the middle of the Devonian. That means there were hundreds of other anomalocarid species preceding it (and possibly appearing later as well) that we just haven't found yet.
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:icondeinonychusempire:
~DeinonychusEmpire Mar 22, 2011  Hobbyist General Artist
That is some awesome speculative evolution. Favorited!
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:iconnocturnalsea:
~NocturnalSea Mar 22, 2011  Professional Traditional Artist
thanks
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