Ornithere: Difference between revisions

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Their namesake are their eyestrils. Derived from the scent pits found in all beastworms, they are used for both sight and smell. The pupil is open to allow air in, and as this constraint prevented them from evolving lenses, they instead focus light using mirrors at the back of the eye. In effect, the entire eye is a highly efficient tapetum lucidum which reflects and focuses light into a photoreceptive patch on the inside next to the pupil hole. This causes them to appear to have white pupils, and if one were to look into a jewel-eyed sauceback's eyes, they would see exactly what it sees reflected back at them. The eye itself is stretched and squashed to focus and to push out old air, and the external part of it is featherless and rubbery. As having an open eye makes it prone to particles and small fauna becoming trapped inside, jewel-eyed saucebacks produce tears which they then remove from their eyes using the centrifugal force generated by shaking their heads like dogs.

In ~~most~~ jewel-eyed saucebacks, the spiracles and microlungs are partially supported by chitinous shells called ceres. These are inherited from their harnessback ancestors and allow them to breathe more strongly than most other saucebacks.

In basal jewel-eyed saucebacks, the spiracles and microlungs are partially supported by chitinous shells called ceres. These are inherited from their harnessback ancestors and allow them to breathe more strongly than most other saucebacks.

===Legs and Hips===

Like other modern saucebacks, the legs of jewel-eyed saucebacks appear digitigrade or unguligrade in relation to Earth animals. However, in reality, there is no true distinction between "leg", "foot", and "digit", and their two toes are the result of the limb itself branching. Regardless, for ease of understanding, terminology generally used for tetrapod anatomy will be used here.

The legs and outer toe bear long aerodynamic feathers similar to those of terran birds. They can be moved ~~independently~~ of ~~the~~ ~~limbs~~ ~~they~~ ~~are~~ ~~attached~~ to, and when not in use they are usually folded upwards. Argusraptors and ophreys have the "wing toe" raised off the ground for monodactyl running and preventing the long feathers from dragging on the ground, respectively. In some flighted species, the wings are slotted to allow for thermal gliding.

The legs and outer toe bear long aerodynamic feathers similar to those of terran birds. They can be moved and folded using tendons running parallel with the wing, and when not in use they are usually folded upwards. Argusraptors and ophreys have the "wing toe" raised off the ground for monodactyl running and preventing the long feathers from dragging on the ground, respectively. In some flighted species, the wings are slotted to allow for thermal gliding.

There are two patagia on the leading edge of the limb, which streamline it for gliding or flight and obscure the anatomy underneath. One stretches from the ankle to the knee, while the other stretches from the knee to the neck.

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Flight-capable species have large keels derived from the front protrusion of their cephalopelvis, which supports their massive wing muscles. Their hips are also more flexible, as necessitated by the use of their legs as wings, though this comes at the cost that the protrusion which supports the pillar-erect posture of other species is tilted upwards or even completely absent in some species, therefore requiring them to use more energy to stand upright.

Flight-capable species have highly muscular legs and large keels derived from the front protrusion of their cephalopelvis, which supports their massive wing muscles. Their hips are also more flexible, as necessitated by the use of their legs as wings, though this comes at the cost that the protrusion which supports the pillar-erect posture of other species is tilted upwards or even completely absent in some species, therefore requiring them to use more energy to stand upright.

===Mouth Anatomy and Feeding===

Although nearly all living saucebacks have mandibles (or "tusks"), the mandibles of the jewel-eyed saucebacks are considerably more mandible-like than those of nearly any other sauceback, closely resembling insect mandibles or sideways beaks and even being pigmented. These are used to grab, tear, or crush their food.

Although nearly all living saucebacks have mandibles (or "tusks"), the mandibles of the jewel-eyed saucebacks and their closest relatives are considerably more mandible-like than those of nearly any other sauceback, closely resembling insect mandibles or sideways beaks and even being pigmented. These are used to grab, tear, or crush their food. Some species have upturned jaws, which can be used to dig.

Jewel-eyed saucebacks and their close relatives have limited up-down flexibility in their mandibles, unlike other saucebacks, as the muscles used to pivot the jaws up and down in other groups instead pull them together for a powerful bite. This gives strong-jawed species a superficially heart-shaped head, due to the powerful muscles bulging outwards.

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 Their namesake are their eyestrils. Derived from the scent pits found in all beastworms, they are used for both sight and smell. The pupil is open to allow air in, and as this constraint prevented them from evolving lenses, they instead focus light using mirrors at the back of the eye. In effect, the entire eye is a highly efficient tapetum lucidum which reflects and focuses light into a photoreceptive patch on the inside next to the pupil hole. This causes them to appear to have white pupils, and if one were to look into a jewel-eyed sauceback's eyes, they would see exactly what it sees reflected back at them. The eye itself is stretched and squashed to focus and to push out old air, and the external part of it is featherless and rubbery. As having an open eye makes it prone to particles and small fauna becoming trapped inside, jewel-eyed saucebacks produce tears which they then remove from their eyes using the centrifugal force generated by shaking their heads like dogs.
-In most jewel-eyed saucebacks, the spiracles and microlungs are partially supported by chitinous shells called ceres. These are inherited from their harnessback ancestors and allow them to breathe more strongly than most other saucebacks.
+In basal jewel-eyed saucebacks, the spiracles and microlungs are partially supported by chitinous shells called ceres. These are inherited from their harnessback ancestors and allow them to breathe more strongly than most other saucebacks.
 ===Legs and Hips===
 Like other modern saucebacks, the legs of jewel-eyed saucebacks appear digitigrade or unguligrade in relation to Earth animals. However, in reality, there is no true distinction between "leg", "foot", and "digit", and their two toes are the result of the limb itself branching. Regardless, for ease of understanding, terminology generally used for tetrapod anatomy will be used here.
-The legs and outer toe bear long aerodynamic feathers similar to those of terran birds. They can be moved independently of the limbs they are attached to, and when not in use they are usually folded upwards. Argusraptors and ophreys have the "wing toe" raised off the ground for monodactyl running and preventing the long feathers from dragging on the ground, respectively. In some flighted species, the wings are slotted to allow for thermal gliding.
+The legs and outer toe bear long aerodynamic feathers similar to those of terran birds. They can be moved and folded using tendons running parallel with the wing, and when not in use they are usually folded upwards. Argusraptors and ophreys have the "wing toe" raised off the ground for monodactyl running and preventing the long feathers from dragging on the ground, respectively. In some flighted species, the wings are slotted to allow for thermal gliding.
 There are two patagia on the leading edge of the limb, which streamline it for gliding or flight and obscure the anatomy underneath. One stretches from the ankle to the knee, while the other stretches from the knee to the neck.
@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 </gallery>
-Flight-capable species have large keels derived from the front protrusion of their cephalopelvis, which supports their massive wing muscles. Their hips are also more flexible, as necessitated by the use of their legs as wings, though this comes at the cost that the protrusion which supports the pillar-erect posture of other species is tilted upwards or even completely absent in some species, therefore requiring them to use more energy to stand upright.
+Flight-capable species have highly muscular legs and large keels derived from the front protrusion of their cephalopelvis, which supports their massive wing muscles. Their hips are also more flexible, as necessitated by the use of their legs as wings, though this comes at the cost that the protrusion which supports the pillar-erect posture of other species is tilted upwards or even completely absent in some species, therefore requiring them to use more energy to stand upright.
 ===Mouth Anatomy and Feeding===
-Although nearly all living saucebacks have mandibles (or "tusks"), the mandibles of the jewel-eyed saucebacks are considerably more mandible-like than those of nearly any other sauceback, closely resembling insect mandibles or sideways beaks and even being pigmented. These are used to grab, tear, or crush their food.
+Although nearly all living saucebacks have mandibles (or "tusks"), the mandibles of the jewel-eyed saucebacks and their closest relatives are considerably more mandible-like than those of nearly any other sauceback, closely resembling insect mandibles or sideways beaks and even being pigmented. These are used to grab, tear, or crush their food. Some species have upturned jaws, which can be used to dig.
 Jewel-eyed saucebacks and their close relatives have limited up-down flexibility in their mandibles, unlike other saucebacks, as the muscles used to pivot the jaws up and down in other groups instead pull them together for a powerful bite. This gives strong-jawed species a superficially heart-shaped head, due to the powerful muscles bulging outwards.

Ornithere: Difference between revisions

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