Alien species name?

[tinkerdan]

Science.

Thanks for this it is a much clearer picture than I could find.
Doesn't he look like Roger Ebert and he's giving the movie made from this novel two thumbs up.
He looks a bit three antennae to the wind though.

 

[ErikB]

Phyrebrat no worries. Actually the leafy dragon still has a base of bilateral symmetry. The protuberances are evolved to emulate vegetation in which the animal hides. Much like angler fish.

But I liked your post. Very creative mate.

 

[ErikB]

Science.

So because of the dactyl split of the second and third finger you are calling the second finger a thumb?

I am trying not to sound arrogant. There are some limitations in understanding of morphology and evolutionary forces presented in this thread.

That said, I will say that this second thumb notion is tantamount to saying that when Mr. Spock is gesturing to; "Live long and prosper." that he has three thumbs.

Obviously this is not the case. The same with the toe configuration for chameleons vs. other non arboreal lizards.

Oh my goodness... Science. Hmmm...



And to the thread poster a species name suggestion. Antagon.

Best wishes with your work.

 

[RX-79G]

Obviously this is not the case. The same with the toe configuration for chameleons vs. other non arboreal lizards.

Ah, so what you're saying is that my cat, by virtue of having five digits on each forepaw has "thumbs", because thumbs are universally defined as the first digit?

Or is this one of those tautologies where a thumb is only a human trait, so any opposable digit not identical to a human thumb is therefore not a thumb?

Where are all these biology definitions I didn't learn in college written down? I still can't find the 'limb' definition your use, and now thumb is new and different.

 

[Brian G Turner]

In other threads we see readers complaining about the lack of science in science fiction. And then when a writer starts asking about biology and gets an answer from a biologist, everyone jumps on him for sharing his knowledge. Make up your minds, folks!

If the original poster wants to write children's fantasy, then by all means they can just make stuff up as they go along. But if they are planning to write adult science fiction, they are going to need an awareness of biology if they want to create new and believable species.

In the meantime, it would be good to know if @caters has found any part of this discussion useful.

 

[RX-79G]

In other threads we see readers complaining about the lack of science in science fiction. And then when a writer starts asking about biology and gets an answer from a biologist, everyone jumps on him for sharing his knowledge. Make up your minds, folks!

If the original poster wants to write children's fantasy, then by all means they can just make stuff up as they go along. But if they are planning to write adult science fiction, they are going to need an awareness of biology if they want to create new and believable species.

In the meantime, it would be good to know if @caters has found any part of this discussion useful.

Brian,

Myself and other's aren't jumping on a scientist for sharing his knowledge. We are reacting to Erik's opinions about the applicability of the biology that we are also aware of. This is a science vs science debate, not a couple of uneducated lunk heads arguing about something they know nothing about. I was doing protein electrophoresis in high and did some neuroscience experiments with rats in college, despite not pursuing a life science degree.

I've asked Erik several times where a biologist is getting the strict definitions of certain terms and categories he has decided to use, and he never replies. "Large animal" or "limb" are not biological science nomenclature or categories with fixed definitions the way Erik has tended to use them. And I don't think he would have been so glib about the thumb thing if he had simply done an image search for "koala thumb".

I have enough knowledge from being a pilot and mechanic to speak at length like an aeronautical engineer, but if I keep conflating terms like strength vs yield or elastic vs. plastic deformation, people are going to start to wonder if I know what I'm talking about.

Biology, evolution, anatomy are not arcane subjects. If I can still keep mitosis, endoplasmic reticulum and ADP/ATP straight 30 years later, many other SF people who read this forum can probably understand the distinctions that are being discussed as well. Subject matter experts are great, but I think another biologist would also be arguing with Erik.

 

[ErikB]

Ah, so what you're saying is that my cat, by virtue of having five digits on each forepaw has "thumbs", because thumbs are universally defined as the first digit?

Or is this one of those tautologies where a thumb is only a human trait, so any opposable digit not identical to a human thumb is therefore not a thumb?

Where are all these biology definitions I didn't learn in college written down? I still can't find the 'limb' definition your use, and now thumb is new and different.

Do you know that this back and forth can go on and on? I have so much more information that I have not discussed including the answer to the use of the term thumb and why this is not applicable in cats (generally speaking) however it is used in hand-type structures such as many arboreal marsupials, lemurs and primates, racoon's and couati mundi, and other animals possess, that the discussion could sidetrack this thread endlessly.

RX-79G if I have rubbed you wrong with my answers allow me to apologize. I think you are getting a bit knit picky to make a point.

Given the many directions that you keep going in an effort to establish that point it is fairly obvious that this will not end as long as I respond and counter your discussion points with biological information.

Therefore I will bow out to you by simply stopping the interaction on this thread. I may not agree with every point you make (and quite probably will not) hereafter but I am done with our discussion on this thread.

My best to you. I respect the points you are trying to make. Not all of which were bad by the way. But enough is enough. By discussing this with you I am seen as "showboating" my knowledge. Which is arrogant and condescending and offensive I am told.

Those are not my goals here on the site. I am now and always will be number 2. Meaning I try to put others first in life. I find if I always think of others as number 1 and place myself second then it makes it easier to interact and others often reciprocate in kind.

Online is more difficult for folks because you cannot see my smiles, my nodding, and my relaxed nature in many of the posts. Placing an LOL or smiley face is not always sufficient to indicate mood of the poster.

But I have smiled and nodded (not in a denigrating or superior way) at many of your posts.

Now I believe that we should stop hogging the biological spotlight and allow the post to return to its original premise; species naming.

I offer Antagon to the thread poster. Cheers!

 

[RX-79G]

Sorry if this has gotten dramatic. I agree that it is not necessary and apologize for taking it too far.

 

[ratsy]

I give this thread four thumbs down

 

[Phyrebrat]

I give it..... hmmm.....

One quarter food cube


uP

 

[Classysturgeon]

One of my favorite places to get character and species names, especially for animalistic characters, is in scientific character names. I have a shrimp named Decapoda Caridea and an Egyptian guinea pig named Pharaoh Porcellus. Something about names like that just feels right, probably because the animal names we all know are derived from the scientific names