The Long Game

[Jehoshua]

note: Cephalopods don't really have abdomens, and they are molluscs... so an internal bone-analogue structure would presumably be more like an advanced internal shell "case" around the vital organs in its mantle. Building on the internal shell already present in many cephalopods [like with cuttlefish]

 

[TheGryphonPrince]

The trilobites (1 point) and the pterosauroids (another point) are becoming more sociable and sticking together in packs for better protection.

 

[inthesomeday]

note: Cephalopods don't really have abdomens, and they are molluscs... so an internal bone-analogue structure would presumably be more like an advanced internal shell "case" around the vital organs in its mantle. Building on the internal shell already present in many cephalopods [like with cuttlefish]

Sure thing, that works too.

 

[Ailedhoo]

Whatever the case they will awe as the world once more is awakened with the spewing of magma.

 

[tobiisagoodboy]

1. The Lizard boys that left the forest begin adapting to their new life. First, to protect their eggs and themself, they begin to develope pack and family behavior. These groups can reach sizes in lower two digit region, with siblings, parents and cousins. The central part of this social dynamic is the protection of a familys eggs, males going as far as to sacrifice themself so females can escape with the eggs.

2. The Lizard Boys slowly begin to develope bipedal walk and develope better stanima. The bipedal standing allows them to easier spot potential predators (like those massive monster worms) and, combined with developement number one, the now bipedal Lizard can actually carry the eggs in their arms. This allows them to be mobile, even while they breed their eggs. The eggs are resiliant and won't die from a few hourse of less than optimal temprature and the entire family can carry the packs eggs with them. This allows their egg a higher rate of survival than normal lizards and reptilians, but slowly the Lizards begin to lay less eggs(only between 8-10), to adapt to this strategy.

 

[Marcher Jovian]

2 points - Emissions from volcanic eruptions work to reflect solar radiation and cool the planet.

 

[Angst]

1 Underwater packhunting cephalopods get even smarter

2 Some land ambush squids begin adapting to underground life, making underground dens and tunnels, keeping them humid, and raising their young there

 

[Immaculate]

Arachnid Evolution: Complex Web Structures

Arachnid species evolve increasingly complex webs including forms that can be 'fired' to ensnare prey or avoid predation, forms woven into complex nests for protection or rearing of young, forms spun out into the air to travel long distances, as well as increasingly effective forms already used to trap, lure, or immobilize prey.

Cephalopod Evolution: Nest Building and Parenting Behavior
Cephalopods evolve to protect their immature forms and to build nests of varying complexity for these.
"Parents" provide food to their young 'polyp-stage' and immature cephalopods to accelerate their maturation and development.
They provide nests to protect their young. These nests may include woven kelp, stone caves, plants and leaves intwined around them, or various other forms depending on terrain, etc to provide protection and concealment.
Some species may continue to build nests for themselves in their adult form to protect themselves, store food, or control prime hunting/foraging territory.

This last part may synergize well with Angst's adaptation???

 

[Seon]

1. Period of lowered solar output continues, cooling the planet further.

 

[Daftpanzer]

1) Move Panzernia North towards the equator
2) Create a global disaster in the form of a series of earthquakes

@jackelgull, earthquakes are happening all the time when each turn is millions of years. Its hard to imagine an earthquake powerful enough to make much of an impact on animals and plants (volcanoes are a bit different). There are no buildings to get shaken up.

We could be talking about landslides and massive tsunamis though, which could happen as a result of volcanism (when part of a volcano collapses into the sea).

Cephalopod Evolution: Reproduction

Cephalopod reproductive strategies evolve during this time.
Effectively asexual, cephalopod species reproduce through the following life-cycle:
1) deposition of gametes on a surface- this is usually underwater but terrestrial cephalopods may be creative in how they find these 'underwater' spots. Other terrestrial cephalopods may just use dry surfaces and adapt these reproductive strategies to their terrain.
This is usually done in masses. So hundreds or thousands of 'eggs' are deposited onto the surface (coral, stone, plant, etc)
2) other cephalopods may contribute to the gamete 'egg' by adding their own. This does two things- provide additional energy for the growing 'egg' and allow genetic recombination between the gametes. Unlike female/male pairing, unlimited additional gametes may be contributed but ultimately most of the genetic material is removed through shuffling. More donors=more variability and more energy but is still only 1 offspring. Fertilization occurs in 'clouds' so multiple "egg" gametes are contributed to in one 'egg-laying'/'egg-fertilization'.
3) these form into polyps that grow from the surface. they look like this, except they occur in 'lawns' or 'clouds' depending on where the 'eggs' are deposited.
View attachment 502868
The polyp is an effective filter feeder and can derive nutrients from the atmosphere or waters around it, contributing to its development and bioenergetic needs beyond the energy provided by its parents' egg 'yolk'.
4) these grow and mature, forming 'budding arms'.
View attachment 502870
So while part of the immature cephalopod continues to collect energy by filter feeding, branching arms form immature cephalopods that with time, 'swim' free of the anchored multi-armed immature structure and go on to grow into full-fledged mature cephalopods. The poly structure will continue to grow and release offspring for as long as its nutrient requirements are met and its stem-cells remain viable (which drops off with time-approximately 1 year).

This method of reproduction allows accumulation of variety by intermixing, production of many offspring at a time, and semi self-sufficient immature form that can feed itself to varying degrees.

Cephalopod Evolution: Nest Building and Parenting Behavior
Cephalopods evolve to protect their immature forms and to build nests of varying complexity for these.
"Parents" provide food to their young 'polyp-stage' and immature cephalopods to accelerate their maturation and development.
They provide nests to protect their young. These nests may include woven kelp, stone caves, plants and leaves intwined around them, or various other forms depending on terrain, etc to provide protection and concealment.
Some species may continue to build nests for themselves in their adult form to protect themselves, store food, or control prime hunting/foraging territory.

This last part may synergize well with Angst's adaptation???

@Immaculate, I'm afraid I'm not comfortable with this idea. There are things that are had for me to moderate without being a qualified biologist myself (going back to the lighter-than-air floating). I'd rather go with the patterns of what nature has produced in real life.

I just get the feeling that this kind of radical change in reproductive strategy wouldn't happen - I know jellyfish have a weird life cycle similar to this (which is pretty cool), but its what they always had. I think it would be a lot harder/impossible for more complex creatures to make a huge shift like this once they are already progressed down the evolutionary path.

Communal breeding / egg laying? Sure, I mean a lot of our squid-species would probably already do that, but they lay eggs with enough energy that they need to develop, at least to larval stage, without worrying about being in an exposed spot on the seabed that receives a high flow of plankton, etc?

That's not even talking about the merging gametes from eggs - that breaks my brain and I'm not sure if this is a thing in nature. I'm afraid I'm not going to include something specific like that unless I'm comfortable with how it would work :/

tl,dr; brooding behaviour, nest guarding, protection of hatchlings, is all good with me - if we can do that without going down the rabbit hole!

 

[Omega124]

The trilobites (1 point) and the pterosauroids (another point) are becoming more sociable and sticking together in packs for better protection.

I spend one of my points to do the same for trilobites

The other point I spend is to raise the immunity for trilobites in nessperia

 

[jackelgull]

@jackelgull, earthquakes are happening all the time when each turn is millions of years. Its hard to imagine an earthquake powerful enough to make much of an impact on animals and plants (volcanoes are a bit different). There are no buildings to get shaken up.

We could be talking about landslides and massive tsunamis though, which could happen as a result of volcanism (when part of a volcano collapses into the sea).

Ok sure I just wanted a natural disaster that wasn’t a volcanic eruption as we’ve already had plenty of those

 

[Everblack]

1. Boost the evolution of Velvet Worms vocal organ for better communication. This new organ enable the velvet worms to use screeches as a form of communication to alert others of dangers ahead and call for backup. When a pack is on the defensive they use these screeches to both warn/disway predators.

2. Boost the evolution of Velvet Worms Improved species communicability (Social Hierarchy): Velvet worms species have created a Female dominance hierarchy were the largest Female with social groups of up to fifteen individuals, usually closely related, which will typically live and found food together to discourage attack from predators. This Dominance is achieved through aggression and maintained through submissive behavior.[ After a kill, the dominant female always feeds first, followed in turn by the other females, then males, then the young. When traveling long distances to new areas juveniles climb on top of adults for safety until they reach there destination.

 

[Ailedhoo]

Ok sure I just wanted a natural disaster that wasn’t a volcanic eruption as we’ve already had plenty of those

You cannot have enough volcanoes...

 

[Daftpanzer]

To come up with a list of natural disasters powerful enough to affect evolution:

* Super volcanoes / epic lava flows
* Huge tsunami events which may be related to volcanoes or ocean floor ridge collapse
* Comet/Meteor strikes
* Cosmic events? (nearby supernova, gamma ray burst etc)

Other events I've allowed:
* Microbial upheaval, new viruses / parasites / pathogens

Other than that, raising the temperature high or low enough will also be devastating for most forms of life.

Earthquakes on their own are probably too insignificant, but if you spend points on tectonic movements to crash continents into each other - this can raise huge mountains, which will affect both climate and sea levels (interestingly, sea level tends to drop when more land is piled up on top of itself, and ocean crust has expanded leaving more volume of ocean basin for the water to fill).

 

[jackelgull]

To come up with a list of natural disasters powerful enough to affect evolution:

* Super volcanoes / epic lava flows
* Huge tsunami events which may be related to volcanoes or ocean floor ridge collapse
* Comet/Meteor strikes
* Cosmic events? (nearby supernova, gamma ray burst etc)

Other events I've allowed:
* Microbial upheaval, new viruses / parasites / pathogens

Other than that, raising the temperature high or low enough will also be devastating for most forms of life.

Earthquakes on their own are probably too insignificant, but if you spend points on tectonic movements to crash continents into each other - this can raise huge mountains, which will affect both climate and sea levels (interestingly, sea level tends to drop when more land is piled up on top of itself, and ocean crust has expanded leaving more volume of ocean basin for the water to fill).

Then I'd like to change my 1 point from being spent on an earthquake to being spent on huge tsunami event

 

[Seon]

2. Let's make the world colder. Why not.

 

[erez87]

1. Ever bigger velvet worms, that lose their legs and become Purple Worms!
2. Even digger purple worms, tunneling underground, eating what’s on the ground, creating vast tunnel systems where things can live away from whatever craziness is going on outside. Cold? Hot? It’s always the same down here- only risk is purple worms coming to eat you.

 

[Daftpanzer]

Thanks guys, I'm looking to start updating tomorrow (thursday) so if anyone was still hovering or thinking about posting, I'd appreciate it if you could post in the next 12 hours or so.

I spent last Friday night updating, so I want to have a break this friday. Either I will finish on thursday or, most likely, it will be saturday afternoon GMT when the update is posted.

 

[filli_noctus]

This has drawn me back in after many a year. I'll wait for the update before contributing though.