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Shark

2023-05-06T08:19:48Z

2A01:CB1D:302:CA00:6887:9C99:DDEB:E07E:

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[[File:WhitesharkPD.jpg|thumb|right|255px|White shark]]
[[File:Lenny.webp|thumb|right|235px|Lenny from [[DreamWorks]]' [[animation|animated feature]] '''''Shark Tale''''']]
[[File:WS WIP BGuthrie.jpg|thumb|right|235px|White shark game character (sketch), art by [[Bob M. Guthrie]].]]
'''Sharks''', also known as '''selachimorphs''', are [[W:Elasmobranch|elasmobranch]]s which dominated the Earth. Scientific consensus holds that most of them; however, in the various [[W:Elasmobranch|elasmobranch]] [[fish]] characterized by a [[W:Chondrichthyes#Skeleton|cartilaginous skeleton]], five to seven [[W:gill slit|gill slit]]s on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head.

== General overview ==

Modern sharks are classified within the clade '''Selachimorpha''' (or '''Selachii''') and are the [[W:sister group|sister group]] to the [[W:Batoidea|rays|Batoidea|rays]]. However, the term "shark" has also been (incorrectly) used to refer to extinct members of the subclass [[W:Elasmobranchii|Elasmobranchii]], which are technically outside the Selachimorpha clade. Notable examples of improper classification include [[W:Cladoselache|Cladoselache]], [[W:Xenacanthus|Xenacanthus]], and various other members of the [[W:Chondrichthyes|Chondrichthyes]] class like the [[W:holocephalid|holocephalid]] [[W:Eugeneodontida|eugenedontidans]].

Sharks are swift, strong, silent, and very well adapted to their lifestyle, remaining unchanged since the time of the [[dinosaur]]s. [[W:Shamanism|Shamanism]] attributes the shark with many fine qualities, including remorselessness and [[shapeshifting]]. They take the role of protector and savior. Sharks are gods of the sea and guardians of family, with the ability to move constantly, a connection to past knowledge, the ability to defend themselves, and to never be caught off guard.

Several shark species are [[W:apex predator|apex predator]]s, which are organisms that are at the top of their food chain.

[[Kamohoali'i]] was the king shark god of [[Oahu]] and the elder brother of [[Pele]]. Each island of Hawaii has its own shark god, and many families have personal shark guardians or '''''Aumakuas'''''

== Most known/common shark species ==

* '''Great hammerhead shark''' (''Sphyrna mokarran'') - The Great hammerhead shark is found in all tropical waters, in both the open ocean and coastal areas. Normally 12 to 18 feet in length, these sharks are easily recognized by their strange, 'hammer' shaped heads. These are used as an advanced [[:wikipedia:electroreceptory|electroreceptory]] organ and for rapid turns. Hammerhead's usual hunting behavior is slide just above the seabed and detects living prey underneath much like a metal detector. Modern research suggests that the 'hammer' may have been a spontaneous mutation, since the [[:wikipedia:Basal (phylogenetics)|basal]] species has the largest hammer of all.

: Unlike other species of Hammerhead, the Great Hammerhead is solitary and dangerous to [[human]]s. They feed on rays, smaller sharks, and many species of bony fish.

: Great Hammerhead Shark is one of the three hammerhead shark species suggested for [[Rokea]] characters ([[were]]sharks of [[World of Darkness]] RPG). They get a bonus on sight-based rolls and Social rolls with other Rokea (the system grants this bonus to all hammerhead species).

* '''Whale shark''' -
* '''Great white shark''' -
* '''Mako shark''' -
* '''Thresher shark''' -
* '''Tiger shark''' -
* '''Megalodon''' -

== Sharks in mainstream media ==

* ''[[Street Sharks]]'':
** '''Ripster'''
** '''Jab'''
** '''Streex'''
** '''Big Slammu'''
* [[Lenny]] (''[[Shark Tale]]'')
* [[Sharkanian]]s (''[[The Little Mermaid]]'' series)
* [[Razor the Shark]] (''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie)|Archie's Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' series)
* [[Prince Sidon]] (''[[Legend Of Zelda]]'' Series)

== See also ==

* [[Wikipedia:Shark|Shark]] on [[Wikipedia]]
* [[:Category:Shark characters|Shark characters]]

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{{Wikipedia|Shark}}
[[Category:Fish species]]

[[ja:サメ]]
[[ru:Акулы]]
[[it:Squalo]]

Dinosaur

2023-05-06T08:17:38Z

2A01:CB1D:302:CA00:6887:9C99:DDEB:E07E:

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[[File:Deinonychus Portrait by Ixerin.jpg|right|thumb|[[Ixerin]]'s ''[[W:Deinonychus|Deinonychus]]'' character]]
'''Dinosaurs'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQX7JYQjDOQ|title=The BEST of Dinosaurs|author=Dinosaurs|date=2 July 2013|work=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW3PhlhVzuE|title=The BEST of Dinosaurs 2|author=Dinosaurs|date=2 July 2013|work=YouTube}}</ref> are a form of [[w:archosaur|archosaur]]s that dominated the Earth during their existence. Scientific consensus holds that most of them, minus [[bird]]s, became extinct 66 million years ago; however, in the various [[reptile]]s belonging to the '''Dinosauria''' clade. It is from the greek meaning "terrible lizard" and was coined in 1842 by [[Richard Owen]].

Dinosaurs arose in the early [[Wikipedia:Triassic period|Triassic period]], around 231 million years ago, from [[archosaur]]s (a division including dinosaurs, [[crocodiles]], [[pterosaurs]], and many other less well-known groups), and [[W:Evolutionary_radiation|radiated]] in the early-mid [[Wikipedia:Jurassic period|Jurassic period]], reaching their greatest diversity around the late Jurassic and early [[Wikipedia:Cretaceous period|Cretaceous]]. Most lineages of dinosaurs became extinct during the [[Wikipedia:Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event|Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event]]<ref>[[W:Dinosaur|Wiki - Dinosaurs]]</ref> around 66 million years ago, which caused the extinction of approximately 75% of all plant and animal life on Earth at the time. The only remaining dinosaur lineage is that of modern [[bird]]s ("avian dinosaurs").

==Non-avian dinosaurs==
[[File:Super-Dinosaur.jpg|thumb|[[Super Dinosaur]] cover]]
[[File:Ice age dawn of the dinosaurs01.jpg|thumb|''[[Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs]]'']]
[[File:Les Dinosaures.png|thumb|''[[Les Dinosaures]]'']]
===Morphology and ecology===

Dinosaurs in popular culture have often been depicted as giant, lumbering, and cold-blooded [[beast]]s. In reality, the group was highly diverse with organisms ranging in size from 28 cm ('Ashdown Maniraptor' — unknown species<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2003349/Smallest-dinosaur-amateur-fossil-hunter--kept-drawer-2-years.html Daily Mail report of the discovery of the Ashdown Maniraptor.]</ref>) to 60 m in length (''Amphicoelias'' — rough estimate) and were dynamic active animals. As a whole, dinosaurs were highly likely to have been warm-blooded. This is reflected in the development of feathers in the theropods (the bipedal, largely carnivorous dinosaurs) as insulators.

There are two major clades of a dinosaur, which are based on an early divergence in the structure of the hip joint in the mid-Triassic:

*Saurischians (from the Greek meaning "Lizard hip") including two major groups:
**'''Theropods''' - Bipedal animals that were mostly carnivorous and contain some of the most well-known dinosaurs (''[[w:Velociraptor|Velociraptor]]'' and ''[[w:Deinonychus|Deinonychus]]''). They are generally considered to be the most intelligent group of dinosaurs and this is reflected by their relatively large braincases. There is also evidence of complex social behavior similar to that of modern birds. This group includes the smallest dinosaur ever discovered and this lineage gave rise to aves (extant birds).
** '''Sauropods''' - Quadrupedal animals that were almost certainly all herbivorous (however, some early Prosauropods were likely omnivorous). The group developed elongated necks and tails as well as columnar limbs to support their massive bulk. They had a large gut for processing tough plant material and were generally very large. This group includes the largest dinosaur ever discovered.<ref name=Dinosauria/>
*Ornithischians (from the Greek meaning "Bird hip") including four major groups:
**'''Ankylosaurs''' - Heavily armored (extensive osteoderms), quadrupedal herbivores. Many species also had an associated bony club on the tail or shoulder spikes. They had exceptionally wide hips and large guts to digest plant matter.
**'''Ceratopsians''' - Quadrupedal herbivores and omnivores that have distinctive head ornamentation. This often includes bony horns and neck crests. The neck crests may have been for defensive or display reasons. In some animals, the crests are simply a frame with large gaps that would have been filled with soft tissue. These would have provided little to no defense but could have been filled with blood to give a vivid display. Another group that is closely related is the Pachycephalosaurs.
**'''Ornithopods''' - Bipedal herbivores that are often known as the 'duck-billed dinosaurs'. Many of them did indeed have duck-like bills along with elaborate head crests. It is likely that the head crests were used for species recognition and sexual display.
**'''Stegosaurians''' - Quadrupedal herbivores with relatively small heads and armor plating. They are most well known for the bony plates (osteoderms) that often run along their backs and the presence of tail spikes (thagomizers).<ref name=Dinosauria>D. B. Weishampel, P. Dodson, and H. Osmólska, (2004), ''The Dinosauria'', University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California, Pp 861.</ref>

All dinosaurs are known to be terrestrial, with flight developing in theropods around the Middle Jurassic. There are no known marine dinosaurs, although trace fossil evidence suggests some species could swim well. The ancient marine reptiles, ichthyosaurs, and plesiosaurs are, contrary to popular belief, not dinosaurs, and are in fact more closely related to modern lizards than to dinosaurs.

===Skin and coloration===

Exceptional preservation is required to preserve anything other than bone and teeth. This is exceptionally rare, but, despite this, a large number of theropod dinosaurs have been discovered with extensive downy feathers covering their whole bodies. They also had have been shown to have long display feathers on the forelimbs, the tail ends, the backs of their heads, and the back of the hips (depending on the species). It is, however, becoming more apparent that possibly all theropod dinosaurs had feathers. Some ceratopsians have also been discovered with 'quill' like structures along with their hides. It is now being considered that quill-like structures evolved in early archosaurs and that the 'fuzz' on pterosaurs is related to both the ceratopsian quills and the theropod feathers. Preserved skin samples of some ornithopods and sauropods suggest that they at least partially lost these features and had a tough scaly hide.

The color of dinosaurs has long been a heated debate. Until very recently, it was impossible to determine the actual colors of a dinosaur. However, a new technique has been developed to accurately determine the color of feathered dinosaurs. This has so far only been used to completely establish the colors of the dinosaur ''Anchiornis huxleyi''<ref>[http://news.nationalgeographic.co.uk/news/2010/01/100127-dinosaurs-color-feathers-science/o/ Article on ''Anchiornis huxleyi''.]</ref>. Since this technique can only be used on samples with exceptional preservation, there is still a wide scope for coloration among many groups of dinosaurs. Research is currently being done to color more species.

==Extinction==

Although the dinosaur lineage still exists today in birds, dinosaurs underwent a massive extinction event approximately 65.5 million years ago. Their diversity was greatly reduced, with the loss of all ornithischians, all sauropods, and most of the theropods. The extinction occurred at the end of the Late Cretaceous (also the end of the Mesozoic). The extinction event is commonly known as the KT event (K representing Cretaceous and T representing Tertiary, which has since been renamed as the Paleogene) and it greatly affected many other groups too. Pterosaurs, mosasaurs, pliosaurs, plesiosaurs, belemnites, ammonites, and many others were all wiped out and plantic forams, calcareous nanofossils, land plants, and rudist bivalves were all severely affected. The extinction even had little to no visible impact on the insect populations<ref name=VP>Benton, M. J. (2005), ''Vertebrate Paleontology'', 3rd ed. Blackwell Science Ltd, London, Pp 472.</ref>.

There is still heated debate about the actual cause of the extinction event(s). The paleontological community is roughly equally divided among it. Although there is a prominent iridium layer present at the KT boundary (strongly suggesting a bolide impact), the associated tsunami deposits that should be associated with it don't seem to be present at sites across the world where they should be and there is still no impact crater recorded of the right size '''with the right age'''<ref name=Gale>Peers Coms - Professor Andy Gale, Chairman of Stratigraphy Commission, Geological Society of London, http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/academic/sees/staff/title,63666,en.html</ref>. Many of the groups in question here were already in decline and there is also an associated volcanic event that occurred at the same time. This volcanic event is known as the Deccan Traps and undoubtedly would have had a significant impact on the planet's climate and animals (as was shown with the Siberian Traps and the Permo-Triassic extinction). Research into the Deccan Traps is still ongoing. The currently accepted 'middle ground' is that it was probably a combination of events that lead to the final decline and extinction of these taxa.

== Dinosaurs in mainstream media ==
=== Webcomic ===

*[[Generic Dinosaur Comic]]

=== Comic/graphic novel ===

* ''[[Super Dinosaour]]''
* ''[[Jurassic Strike Force 5]]''

=== Books ===

*''[[Jurassic Park]]'', is a book about an island where actual dinosaurs are created. As expected, things go a bit wrong and the dinosaurs escape out of their pens. They then wreak havoc on the various people who are in the park at the time. A total of five movies were made from the franchise along with video game adaptations. One unproduced movie script involved creating human-dinosaur hybrids for military use.
*The ''[[Dinotopia]]'' books feature [[human]]s living alongside dinosaurs in harmony on an isolated island, surrounded by a large storm over a reef that prevents contact with the outside world. The majority of the dinosaurs within the story are sentient and able to talk. This is due to magical glowing stones that keep order in their world. Dinotopia was also made into a TV miniseries.

=== Television ===

* ''[[Dinosaucers]]'' (1987)
* ''[[Dinosaurs]]'' was an American TV sitcom, based around a family of anthropomorphic dinosaurs approximately 60 million years BC. The series concept was designed by [[Jim Henson]] a few years before his death, and it ran for 4 seasons between 1991 and 1994. Strangely, each member of the family seemed to be from a different species of dinosaur, and the few humans who appeared were portrayed as [[cavemen]].

=== Movies ===

* ''[[The Land Before Time]]'' (1988) is an animated film, featuring a cast of entirely [[anthropomorphic]] dinosaurs. It is the story of a group of hatchling herbivorous dinosaurs that are isolated from their parents in a dangerous and dying world. They set out on an adventure to find 'The Great Valley', where they will be reunited with their parents. The success of this movie spawned an astounding 13 more movies in which they have various adventures within The Great Valley itself.
* ''[[We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story]]'' (1993) is a very loose film adaptation of a children's book, but involves more anthropomorphism. It features four central characters, three of which are dinosaurs (Tyrannosaurus Rex, Stegosaurus, Parasaurolophus, and Pteranodon - which, despite common misconception, is not a dinosaur but instead part of the same evolutionary clade) that were given human intelligence via "brain grain", an intelligence boosting cereal invented by a time-traveling scientist. The dinosaurs then get lost in modern-day New York City where they befriend a young boy and girl, run afoul of a mad scientist with a horror-themed circus, and learn valuable life lessons. It also includes talking birds bookending the narrative.
*''[[Dinosaur]]'' (2000) is a [[W:Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] animated [[Disney]] film. A stolen dinosaur egg hatches into an iguanodon named Aladar, who is raised by [[lemur]]s on a lush island devoid of other dinosaurs. When a [[W:meteorite|meteorite]] destroys their island home, the lemur family and Aladar become part of a dinosaur troop roaming the mainland deserts looking for the lush nesting grounds. All the animals are portrayed as anthropomorphic, given human voices and characteristics.

== Dinosaurs and furry ==
[[File:DinoWalk.jpg|right|thumb|''DinoWalk'', art by Marc Schirmeister]]
There are many dinosaur [[character]]s present within the [[furry fandom]] as a popular [[scalie]] choice. The majority of these tend to be theropod dinosaur characters and are almost always based on the Jurassic Park misrepresentation of a ''Velociraptor'' with some feathers and quills stuck on. They also tend to be described as [[cold-blooded]], due to a general misconception. Characters based on other species of dinosaurs are rare and complete [[fursona]]s based on them are even rarer.

In an attempt to expand public ideas of dinosaur character creation, [[Palaeofox]] developed the character 'Pecky'. Pecky is a ''Troodon formosus'' and so is somewhat similar morphologically to a ''Velociraptor'', but is more slender with a narrower snout and was probably an [[omnivor]]e. His aim in developing this character was to allow furries to see that there are many different species of dinosaur they could base a character on, even if they specifically like the 'theropod look'.

===Artists===

* [[Chris Sawyer]]
* [[Macroceli]]
* [[Fossil]]
* [[Kaa Bakensobek]]
* [[Marc Schirmeister]]
* [[TheDinosaurMann]]
* [[Alex Spastic]]

===Groups===

* [http://anthro-reptiles.deviantart.com/ Anthro-reptiles] on [[DeviantArt]]

===Characters===

* ''[[Dinosaurs in relation to furry lore]]''
* ''[[Dinosaur characters|Dinosaur characters in the fandom]]''

==Trivia==

*In [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[Lord of the Ring]]'', the name '''Sauron''' comes from the Greek word for lizard, '''saur'''.

==References==
<references/>

==See also==

*[[W:Dinosaur|Dinosaurs]] on [[Wikipedia]]
*[[:Category:Dinosaur characters]]

==External links==

* [http://www.dinosaurfact.net ''Dinosaurs facts''] official website
* [http://fan.geekish.net/dinosaurs/ Dinosaur'] fanlisting
* [http://www.dinosauria.com/ ''Dinosaurias'''] official website
* [http://dino.wikia.com/wiki/Dinosaur_Wiki Dinosaurs] on [[Dino Wiki]]

[[Category:Dinosaur species]]
[[it:Dinosauro]]
[[ru:Динозавры]]

Bird

2023-05-06T08:13:08Z

2A01:CB1D:302:CA00:6887:9C99:DDEB:E07E:

[[File:Hummingbird.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Male Hummingbird]]
'''Birds''' are members of this form of [[w:archosaur|archosaur]]s that dominated the Earth. Scientific consensus holds that most of them; however, in the various warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the '''aves''', characterized by [[feather]]s, toothless [[beak]]ed [[jaw]]s, the [[W:Oviparity|laying]] of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweight skeleton.

Birds live worldwide and range in size from the [[W:bee hummingbird|bee hummingbird]] to the [[ostrich (species)|ostrich]], and are [[W:feathered dinosaur|feathered]] [[W:Theropod|theropod]] [[dinosaur]]s, and thus constitute the only known living dinosaurs. Likewise, birds are considered [[reptile]]s in the modern [[W:Cladistics|cladistic]] sense of the term, and their closest living relatives are the [[W:crocodilia|crocodilia]]ns. Birds are descendants of the primitive [[W:Avialae|avialans]] (whose members include ''[[Archaeopteryx]]'') which first appeared about 160 million years ago in China.

The vast majority of bird species are socially (but not necessarily [[sex]]ually) [[W:Monogamy in animals|monogamous]], usually for one breeding season at a time, sometimes for years, and rarely for life. Other species have breeding systems that are [[W:Polygyny in animals|polygynous]] (one [[male]] with many [[female]]s) or, rarely, [[W:Polyandry in nature|polyandrous]] (one female with many males). Birds produce offspring by laying eggs which are fertilized through sexual reproduction. They are usually laid in a nest and incubated by the parents. Most birds have an extended period of parental care after hatching.

== Anatomy ==

Birds have [[wing]]s whose development varies according to [[species]]; the only known groups without wings are the extinct [[moa]] and [[elephant bird]]s.

These appendages, which are modified forelimbs, give birds the ability to fly, although further evolution has led to the [[W:Flightless bird|loss of flight in some birds]], including [[ratite]]s, [[penguin]]s, and diverse [[W:endemism|endemic]] island species. The digestive and respiratory systems of birds are also uniquely adapted for flight. Some bird species of aquatic environments, particularly [[seabird]]s and some [[W:Water bird|waterbirds]] have further evolved for swimming.

== Bird characters in mainstream media ==

* [[Falco Lombardi]]
* [[Big Bird]]
* [[Mordecai (character)|Mordecai]]
* [[Rito]]

== Birds and furry ==
[[File:SchirmsTitannaVSChickenMenFromPerdue.png|right|thumb|250px|"''[https://www.furaffinity.net/view/6305288/ No Chicken tonite]''", art by [[Schirm|Marc "Schirm" Schirmeister]], featuring [[alien]] [[anthro]] [[chicken]]s.]]
[[Furry]] bird [[character]]s are a common species in the [[furry fandom]], and are depicted with or without developed wings. Another term for birds used in the fandom is the term [[avian]]s.

=== Anatomical features ===

* '''Arms''': In birds, wings are extended forelimbs with long, strong feathers, meaning that a direct anthropomorphization would result in a being with wings instead of arms. There are four main ways around this:
** [[Toony]] wings, in which the wing feathers double as fingers. This is frequently seen in [[cartoon]]s but is very unrealistic.
** Normal wings, in which the character possesses regular bird wings, which is possibly the most popular option.
** "Wing arms", which are wings modified into arms. This takes into account the wing's evolutionary history as a forelimb, which often shows claws on wings. This feature can be seen today in a vestigial form in juveniles [[W:Hoatzin|hoatzins]].
** Back-mounted wings, and arms; this is the second most popular option, as it enables flight and skill, but all other options can also achieve that as birds grip onto objects with their feet and [[talon]]s.
* '''Legs''':
** Most real birds are [[digitigrade]]s, the bird's knees actually being their ankles; this is not normally reflected in [[anthro]] birds, although when they are used the foot proportions are normally modified to be closer to [[human]]-like proportions.

=== Sexual anatomy and reproduction ===

* Males
** Some furry male birds have a [[penis|phallus]], including ostriches, [[W:emu|emus]], [[W:rhea (bird)|rheas]], [[duck]]s, [[W:goose|geeses]], and [[swan]]s. However, many [[artist]]s draw [[anthropomorphic]] bird characters with a phallus regardless of species. Less ambiguity is a major advantage of [[griffin]]s, in which the rear half is not avian. In real life, most male birds deposit [[W:Sperm|sperm]] in the female through their [[W:cloaca|cloacae]], but cloacae are extremely rare on male bird characters anyway.
* Females
** [[Air Sacs|Breasts on females]]? - These are often the only clear indication of [[gender]], but real birds, not being mammals, lack them.
** [[W:Oviposition|Oviposition]] is the bird process of laying eggs for (normally) [[W:Reproduction|reproduction]] (a process shared by [[scalies]], [[fish]] and [[W:monotreme|monotremes]]). They're usually laid with the help of a very human-like set of reproductive organs ([[vagina]], [[vulva]], [[uterus]], etc.), despite real female birds possessing a cloaca (or "vent") instead, passing eggs through what is essentially an [[anus]]. Female birds usually lay multiple eggs at once, whereas real birds lay one a day over the course of a period of time.

== See also ==

* [[W:Bird|Bird]] on [[Wikipedia]]
* [[:Category:Bird species|Bird characters]]
* [[Avian]] (term)

== External links ==

* [https://www.deviantart.com/tag/bird Bird] search results in [[DeviantArt]]
* [https://www.furaffinity.net/search/?q=bird Bird] search results in [[Fur affinity]]
* [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BirdPeople Bird people] on [[W:TV Tropes|TV Tropes]]

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{{Wikipedia|Bird}}
[[Category:Bird species]]
[[Category:Dinosaur species]]