A Thylacine On Kunanyi/mt Wellington

Sharktember: Big Mouth Squad (and yet they eat the smallest things in the ocean)

Reblogging this again, I'm very proud of this.

Might become a sticker design

Halloween art piece:)

Enjoy

Also if you understand the tombstones, kudos!!!!

a mating pair of tyviit harass a pair of bjommri, while a frandir fox picks parasitic crabs, unbothered

species info under the cut (its long lol)

these creatures are native to the ursval islands, a northern region dominated by temperate rainforest and rocky coastlines.

tyviit are part of a family of flightless sea pterosauroids that can be found almost worldwide (though are concentrated in northern latitudes). they occupy a similar niche to penguins, but are far quicker on land and capable of a (somewhat awkward) quadrupedal gait, and can be found far inland and even in fresh water. they congregate in large colonies, nesting near the treeline. they feed almost exclusively on fish, and are extensively hunted by bjommri while out at sea.

this clade is unique among pterosauroids, both for their flightlessness and for the density of their pyncofiber (hair). this incredibly dense coat works alongside a layer of blubber to keep them warm in cool seas.

bjommri and frandir are both part of a small clade of marine mammals exclusively found in northern latitudes. while their exact classification is uncertain, they are believed to derive from early canids who found niches in cool coastal areas. the two are distant cousins, with frandir representing the basal form of this group.

bjommri are large predators, with the biggest individuals weighing in at around 2000 lbs. their (and others of their clade) method of propulsion is unique among marine mammals, bearing more similarity to polycotylid plesiosaurs than the seals they resemble. however, they still haul onto land to rest and breed, where they are slow to the point that their prey can quite easily walk among them.

also unlike seals, they are almost strictly monogamous, forming close-knit pair bonds that can last a lifetime. their fur coloration and spotting is unique to each individual and assists in recognition. while these pairs are generally mates, they may also be siblings or an unrelated same-sex bond, in which case they will mate with other pairs or unattached bachelors. these pairs will coordinate hunts, sometimes even taking down small beaked whales, but mostly consume fish, squid, seabirds, tyviit, and seals.

the frandir fox (or just frandir) (not actually a fox) are opportunistic omnivores, eating fish, mollusks, kelp, seabirds, eggs, berries, and occasionally congregating in loose packs to hunt small seals or young ungulates (though they are typically solitary). they also feed on the parasitic crabs that plague the bjommri, and in turn are tolerated and receive a degree of protection from the bigger beasts. their similar coat colors and close interaction earns them their name, which roughly translates to 'little cousin'.

the parasitic crabs here have no specific name, but are colloquially referred to as 'sea ticks'. they are opportunistic parasites, feeding predominantly on the blood of semi-aquatic mammals but also sometimes stealing bites from their host's prey. they are removed from bjommri via social grooming, but their small size, flat shells, and tight grasp make this a difficult task for such a large animal. the delicate teeth of the frandir fox are better suited to this task.

Starry Seas part 2 for Redbubble!

(part 1)

(part 3)

salmon (real life)

The Kingdom of Animals. Written by David Taylor. Illustrated by David Quinn. 1990.

Illustrated Sketches of Natural History: Consisting of Descriptions and Engravings of Animals. Second Series. 1864.

Internet Archive

A Sea Full of Sharks. Written by Betsy Maestro. Illustrated by Giulio Maestro. 1990.