Antarctic Forest

Location:

Antarctica

Biome:

Tropical Rainforest

(A result of Antarctica now sitting on the equator in this time period)

Climate:

Hot, humid, and rainy year-round.

Hazards:

Acid-shooting birds, venomous insects, ambush predators, and toxic plants make survival in this dense, biodiverse ecosystem dangerous.

Bestiary:

Birds

Roachcutter (Volucris insectoraptor)

Ancestor: Petrel.

Size: 30 cm (1 ft).

Appearance: Small, agile flutterbird with with purple feathers, streamlined wings and sharp talons.

Niche: Fast-flying insectivore that preys on smaller insects. A common target for Falconfly attacks.

Spitfire Bird (Volucris pyropyga)

Ancestor: Petrel.

Size: 40 cm (1.3 ft).

Appearance: Vibrant yellow and orange feathers with tube-like nostrils used to spray acidic chemicals.

Niche: Pollinates Spitfire Trees while defending itself with acid spray, deterring predators like Falconfly.

False Spitfire Bird (Volucris imitator)

Ancestor: Petrel.

Size: 38 cm (1.25 ft).

Appearance: Mimics the Spitfire Bird but lacks acid-spraying nostrils.

Niche: Relies on mimicry to avoid predators.

Little Flutterbird (Volucris parvicauda)

Size: 25 cm (10 in).

Appearance: Small, compact body with short, rounded wings and a stubby beak. Plumage is mottled green and brown for camouflage.

Ecological Niche: Low-canopy insectivore, flitting through dense undergrowth to catch insects and avoid predators.

Broad-winged Flutterbird (Volucris latipennis)

Size: 40 cm (1.3 ft).

Appearance: Medium-sized with broad, rounded wings and a short, curved beak. Plumage features vibrant colors to attract mates.

Niche: Canopy-dwelling frugivore and seed disperser, foraging among treetops.

Long-necked Flutterbird (Volucris cervicollis)

Size: 45 cm (1.5 ft).

Appearance: Duck-like body with a slender neck, webbed feet, and water-resistant feathers in shades of blue and green.

Niche: Aquatic herbivore, foraging for floating plants and algae in ponds and streams.

Long-winged Flutterbird (Volucris altivolans)

Size: 60 cm (2 ft).

Appearance: Large with long, pointed wings and streamlined feathers for soaring. Dark plumage contrasts with lighter underparts.

Niche: High-flying scavenger and insect hunter, patrolling skies above the canopy.

Sharp-winged Flutterbird (Volucris acutala)

Size: 58 cm (1.9 ft).

Appearance: Sleek and aerodynamic with sharply pointed wings and a narrow tail. Plumage is dark with light streaks for stealth.

Ecological Niche: High-speed aerial predator, diving to catch flying insects and smaller birds mid-flight.

Fork-tailed Flutterbird (Volucris furcocauda)

Size: 55 cm (1.8 ft).

Appearance: Slender body with a deeply forked tail for agility. Feathers are iridescent with metallic hues.

Ecological Niche: Agile flier preying on insects, using sharp turns and dives to outmaneuver prey.

Groundfeather (Struthinsecta fossor)

Ancestor: Penguin.

Size: 50 cm (1.6 ft).

Appearance: Flightless bird with feathered legs and a long, pointed beak.

Niche: Forages for insects and worms in leaf litter, competing with beetles and ants.

Tallplume (Struthinsecta altus)

Ancestor: Penguin.

Size: 3 m (10 ft) tall.

Appearance: Long-necked, herbivorous bird with sharp claws for defense.

Niche: Browses mid-level trees for fruits and fungi, competing with Sporeclimbers.

Predfeather (Struthinsecta carnivorus)

Ancestor: Penguin.

Size: 1.5 m (5 ft).

Appearance: Muscular legs, sharp claws, and hooked beak.

Niche: Apex predator hunting smaller birds and mammals.

Invertebrates

Falconfly (Falcneumon predatora)

Ancestor: Ichneumon Wasp.

Size: 45 cm (1.5 ft) wingspan.

Appearance: Large, wasp-like predator with a harpoon-like stinger.

Niche: Hunts Flutterbirds mid-air using its stinger.

Spitfire Beetle (Coccinella toxica)

Ancestor: Blister Beetle.

Size: 10 cm (4 in).

Appearance: Bright red and yellow patterns mimicking Spitfire Tree flowers.

Niche: Carnivore that lures Spitfire Birds into ambushes.

Antarctic Roach (Blattoidea antarctica)

Ancestor: Cockroach.

Size: 8 cm (3 in).

Appearance: Brown, segmented exoskeleton with long antennae.

Niche: Detritivore feeding on decaying plants, fungi, and carrion. Base of the food chain, preyed upon by Roachcutters and Clamberbats.

Wingthorn Beetle (Coleoptera armatus)

Ancestor: Leaf Beetle.

Size: 8 cm (3 in).

Appearance: Green, thorny body mimicking plants.

Niche: Herbivore feeding on Spitfire Trees while mimicking toxic beetles for protection.

Stalksting (Reductocoris embuscador)

Ancestor: Assassin Bug.

Size: 12 cm (4.7 in).

Appearance: Camouflaged, spiky body.

Niche: Ambush predator feeding on smaller insects and Flutterbirds.

Bristlefang (Scolopendra venefica)

Ancestor: Centipede.

Size: 50 cm (1.6 ft).

Appearance: Armored, segmented body with venomous fangs.

Niche: Ground predator targeting Spitfire Beetles and Flutterbirds.

Snoutdart (Vespa venator)

Ancestor: Hornet.

Size: 15 cm (6 in).

Appearance: Sleek body with a needle-like stinger.

Niche: Hunts insects and defends against Falconfly drones.

Webspinner Ant (Formica textrix)

Ancestor: Ant.

Size: 1 cm (0.4 in).

Appearance: Small, silk-producing ant forming intricate colonies.

Niche: Builds leaf shelters and forms mutualistic relationships with beetles.

Daggerbug (Mantodea venator)

Ancestor: Mantidfly.

Size: 10 cm (4 in).

Appearance: Leaf-mimicking predator with clawed forelimbs.

Niche: Ambush predator preying on Spitfire Beetles and ants.

Sporeclimber (Phasmatodea foliata)

Ancestor: Stick Insect.

Size: 30 cm (1 ft).

Appearance: Branch-like body camouflaging as Spitfire Trees.

Niche: Herbivore feeding on fungi and mimicking plants for defense.

Gloomwing Moth (Luminiptera obscura)

Ancestor: Hawk Moth.

Size: 20 cm (8 in) wingspan.

Appearance: Dark wings with glowing spots and a long proboscis.

Niche: Pollinates Spitfire Trees at night.

Slickbeetle (Coleoptera lubricus)

Ancestor: Water Beetle.

Size: 10 cm (4 in).

Appearance: Smooth, slippery shell with webbed legs.

Niche: Scavenger feeding on corpses near water.

Reptiles

Plumeserpent (Serpentae vinetrix)

Ancestor: Tree Snake.

Size: 2.5 m (8 ft).

Appearance: Slender, vine-like body with camouflage scales.

Niche: Arboreal constrictor hunting Flutterbirds and small reptiles.

Forestglider (Gecko volans)

Ancestor: Gecko.

Size: 20 cm (8 in).

Appearance: Slender lizard with skin flaps for gliding and mottled brown-green coloration.

Niche: Insectivore feeding on Antarctic roaches and Webspinner ants, escaping predators like Plumeserpents by gliding between trees in the dense jungles.

Amphibians

Glidefrog (Rhacophoridae volans)

Ancestor: Tree Frog.

Size: 10 cm (4 in).

Appearance: Bright green, webbed toes for gliding.

Ecological Niche: Insectivore that glides between trees to evade predators.

Mammals

Clamberbat (Chiroptera simiens)

Ancestor: Bat.

Size: 30 cm (1 ft).

Appearance: Flightless, quadrupedal bat with grasping limbs for climbing.

Niche: Tree-dweller preying on insects like Antarctic Roaches.

Plants and Fungi

Spitfire Tree (Arborflammus veneficus)

Ancestor: Flowering Plant.

Size: 20 m (66 ft).

Appearance: Towering tree with fiery orange and yellow flowers.

Niche: Keystone species providing nectar and chemicals for Spitfire Birds.

Velvet Spore (Fungus venenum)

Ancestor: Fungus.

Size: 30 cm (1 ft).

Appearance: Fuzzy, spore-producing caps.

Niche: Infects Flutterbirds, spreading spores through their feathers.

Glowworm Tendril (Carnivora luminis)

Ancestor: Carnivorous Plant.

Size: 1 m (3.3 ft).

Appearance: Bioluminescent tendrils resembling glowing vines.

Niche: Lures and traps insects.