Fly Ridgehorn

The fly ridgehorn has replaced its ancestor in the Fly Tropical Rainforest. Although superficially similar they have undergone some major changes. The most extreme of these from an evolutionary stand point is the appearance of a "nose" in the form of an olfactory membrane on the inside of the "flute" region of their respiratory system. This lining is particularly prevalent in the first and second nostril and the space in between. The first nostril now tilts forward to better sniff the air in front of the organism. The evolution of a sense of smell is a game changer for the ridgehorns, allowing them to detect rotting foliage, differentiate between similarly shaped food items, and identify threats at longer ranges in the thick vegetation of their rainforest home. In addition to this they have lost the vestiges of their arms and eyes and evolved the ability to move their legs out of phase allowing both walking and hopping gaits. The most visually striking feature of the fly ridgehorn, the massive and elaborate beak, is also one of its most mundane. The massive size of the beak allows it to be used for excavating burrows while the horns and bumps are used for sexual display. Notes: Picture by Coolsteph