Occidentis

**Occidentis**, also known as **Sera** by the Salty naming convention and **Zeus** by the Godly naming convention, is one of the Continents of Wallace II. This continent is unique as it contains all the major biomes of Wallace II. **Archa** is thought to be closest to Occidentis fauna wise.

## Faunal and floral composition of Occidentis

Occidentis is a continent nearly as diverse as Media Insula, though it is an opposite in its isolation. Occidentis has been, for various million years, in contact with various landmasses, only occasionally becoming isolated, like what happened in the early Compsogene and in the late Recensgene until today. Until very recently it has been in contact with Virtu through a land bridge, that in the last millions of years eventually broke off into the Phael archipelago, isolating the Occidentis continent once again. Occidentis is an incarnation of the changing times. The creatures that there dominate are mostly part of some defined clades, in comparison to the Media Insula, filled with refugees from extinction. It still does not cease to be a place teeming with life.

### **Gomphiobia**

Occidentis is a particularly odd continent for gomphiobian diversity. While in continents, like Terra Septentrionis and Media Insula, they prosper, specially leorhynchoatans, they have suffered many changes in their influence in the continent. Specially in the Compsogene-Recensgene extinction event, a strong clinatic event that caused the warming of the Occidentis continent, creating chaos for the diversification of the leorhynchoatans in the region, and instead promoting the diversification of various other creatures. The only leorhynchoatans in Occidentis are part of the endemic Solinantia clade, a group of basal burrowing gomphiobians, that include creatures like the witch's parasol, Nix anguis and the soil swimmer. The astagaleoids, a largely aquatic clade of gomphiobians, has one species that has evolved fully terrestrial habits, the jiruth, with long "tentacles" in its back, and an inhabitant of the forests and swamps, a formidable predator of the humid forests of the continent. The independently evolved terrestrial group of gomphiobians that dominates in the absence of leorhynchoatans are the insidiocaroids. Tegroimpetans are abundant here, with the small predatory Craniumimmus and the giant hunter Osloricati. Entomogracilians are also very diverse here. Ensirostrum is a wetland dwelling omnivore, while Herocritus is a small heron-like piscivore. These two are basal offshoots of the entomogracilians. A group of related yet highly derived gomphiobians are the lupians. These have split from each other in the late Compsogene and evolved in two separate ways. One became the most successful small group of small bug-like fliers, the viditdontians, that are spread across the entire world, even driving flying panoplovitans and small aerial xenopedans to extinction in many less ecodiverse areas of the globe. The other turned into the Lupus triplous, the largest terrestrial dispeculate of all, with adults reaching a shivering maximum length of 45 meters long. This creature has absolutely no competitors and is found all across the continent. It is a predator, and it is believed these creatures only reached these titanic sizes very recently, due to the recent evolution of even bigger sidobosians. The main clade of flying gomphiobians also has a staying here. The ornithosmilids are, weirdly, absent for the most part of the continent, only being found in the northwesternmost tip of the continent, a refuge from polar-dwelling species. It is unknown exactly why they are absent there, but meanwhile abundant elsewhere, and it has been proposed competition with other flying dispeculates was the cause, but currently there is no consensus for the why. The ichthyowestonians present here are various cosmopolitan clades, such as the predatory dracolodontidians and the coast-dwelling scissor beaks. The gomphogopteryx is an endemic and primitive looking flier, that hunts its prey largely in the water, however laying its eggs in trees. The only praedoreginan present is the secondarily flightless giant Terracetus gigas, that adores humid woodlands where it feasts primarily on polyspeculates.

### **Panoplovita**

Terrestrial panoplovitan diversity in Occidentis is pretty reduced in comparison to other continents, such as Media Insula. Scutaphanti is the largest, measuring 9 meters long and living in marshlands and lakes, using its long trunk to breath out of the water, but surviving solely on the highly energetic nutrients it absorbs from symbiotic photosynthetic worms. Eremita harenae, however, lives in more arid plains and is actually endemic to Media Insula, and having rafter to Tenebris and from there they reached Occidentis. Currently tenebrian eremitans are extinct, and now they only exist in the two tropical continents.

### **Celernantida**

The warm climate of Occidentis, in contrast to the much colder regions of the northern and southern continents makes it somewhat on par with Media Insula, in terms of terrestrial celernantid diversity. Huge and small creatures occupy a variety of different niches, but unlike the isolated Media Insula, the current diversity of celernantids in the continent is either a product of migration performed by inhabitants of other lands, or due to the faint survivors that managed to endure the strong climate changes and competition. The northern parts of the continent's shores are visited by the septentrional inhabiting dentamontians, like Zomonties. The weird and ancient dunatibians, with an uneven distribution and diversification across the rest of the continents, are here represented by the giant 13 meter long dune roamers, highly bizarre land-dwelling celernantids from the deserts, and a weird carnivore that forages under the sand. Its evolution is weird and underexplored, and its appearance is somewhat of an enigma. The vexilliamelians are present in the continent too, mostly composed of small creatures, like the carnivore desert dwelling Dilitirion dente and the arboreal jungle badgers. By far, the most successful celernantid monsters are the native sporafiliians, which are otherwise only represented by a minute forest dweller in Auth. Sporafiliians are ancient creatures, the basalmost is the one meter long snake-like Viridi anguis wallaci, while the giant more derived ones, here inhabiting, are the giant 7 meter long herbivorous and armored walker testa and the large 7 meter tall Sporanti, a bipedal carnivore. Oseodontids are present with the basal and small boxhead. The venenumaximans present are the cosmopolitan Celernantida maxima and the Pedescultro, a 5 meter tall herbivore from the mountains that uses its spear like legs to stab predators. The amphibious consuvocucumian phalangesdontids inhabit the freshwater courses. The second radiation of terrestrial celernantids has few representatives. Manicasaurs are restricted to the, however, successful group of aquatic otter-like hunters, the Lutrinsidus. Septevolans fly in the surrounding regions, with Septemales volucris and Volanmaris being present.

### **Ambulospeculida**

Naturally, ambulospeculids dominate this part of the globe as well. Predominant groups get used with the abundant niches and become protagonists. This place is dominated, for example, by the Maiadorsa clade, which despite being present in other continents, here it is much more common. The basalmost is the lumbercow, an herbivore living in northern forests and plains. Also a very successful herbivore, Makrolaimos stomacheiri, uses its long neck and legs to take down leaves from tall trees. The desert dwelling Arenicolus nanos is a small 50 cm long omnivore. Carnivorous maiadorsans, such as the four meter long Cristunguis bestia lurks like an Earth big cat, but the giant 9 meter tall Letitrabus portenderenturus is the largest carnivorous maiadorsan, even larger than Sporanti, and often competing with the predatory celernantid. Alcyoneuvermians are pretty much absent in the continent, allowing maiadorsans to prosper. The only one present is a crinitusavem species, that migrated to Occidentis from Terra Septentrionis. Unlike Media Insula too, celestipleures are not very well represented, with only the aquatic uncatapleurans being found wandering the rivers and shores of the continent. The coasts of Occidentis, however, provide an interesting ground for edurusconchoideans, such as Flagellum cortice and Patella retro densissima from the sea, and Macca from the freshwater regions. Ascenderinsects are represented by the cosmopolitan ascenderespeculids. Xenopedans are abundant. The basalmost xenopedans are the antepedeans, 1 meter long rabbit like arthropod analogs. Canis insectomorfus and kin are weird large ground-dwelling xenopedans that evolved sizes enviable by other xenopedans, to the point of being the largest of the clade. They live in the northern plains and reach sizes bigger than those of wolves. Equitembestia and Xenoarachnia are present. The tweezer fly is a pollinating flying xenopedan common around the rainforests and swamps of the continent. Occidentis seems to be somewhat of a birthplace for pseudocampians. Other than jumpers, pseudocampians are only found here, with the basal pseudoavis and the herbivorous Brachyphacien pecus. Brachyphacien can reach 5 meters long and developed some convergent characteristics with the carnivorous maiadorsan crustunguis, which led some scientists to think they were related. Aerotherians are largely absent here due to competition against other flying dispeculates that are abundant here, being the only exception the migrating Trivolans pulehelus, that escapes competition solely by the sheer number of individuals the colonies display. Flying caedifuremians are present, but their domain in the continent isn't too different from other continents. Cancropterids seem to be the most notorious inhabitants, and paper hawks fly in the southern parts. Flightless caedifuremians seem to have originated here, with the basalmost arboritines being from the local rainforest regions, ranging from 50 cm to 3 meters long. The cosmopolitan fabacursorids are also present. Adriaeanatians are represented by the basal aquatic pitcher duck, that mimics smelly polyspeculates to attract flying pollinating xenopedans, like the tweezer fly. The clavatherium is a large land-dwelling herbivore, coexisting with Makrolaimos in a simillar guild. By far, however, polyraptorians dominate these lands, more than any other clade. Carnivorous polyraptorians are represented by the 3 meter tall tongue of horror, the six meter long Polystomatatherium and the meter long egg raiding Ovicleptes. Herbivores are the most prominent, with the 8 meter long Osteoraptor, the 1,6 meter long cursorial Unoculum and the titanic 11 meter long Intusfistula, the largest herbivore of the continent. Tied to the evolution of the continent in the last 100 million years, are the native oscanids of the continent, more derived, and known as bonedogs. Bonedogs are monstrous predators with 7 meters long that managed to be opportunistic enough to conquer niches of apex predators left open by the Compsogene-Recensgene extinction event, as the predatory leorhynchoatan gomphiobians went extinct after that event in Occidentis. Captionemians are only represented by one extant species, Captionem, a medium-sized carnivore known as trap leg that uses its long sensitive legs to trap prey animals. At least one native soliaugerian is found in Occidentis, the celeraugere. Oromollabians are completely absent in this continent, which granted the diversification of their cousins, the polyraptorians.

## Faunal and floral composition of Archa

Simillarly to Micha, the Archa archipelago has a history of being part of an old isolated continent, that eventually sinked and split, only leaving this secluded archipelago to be colonized by the creatures that are left there or the ones that colonized it from other continents. Its relative isolation, however, does not give it the diversity it deserves and most of the creatures that there inhabit come from limited and selected clades.

### **Gomphiobia**

Terrestrial gomphiobians in the Archa archipelago are largely in short supply. Most of the native gomphiobian species are fliers that flew from all across the world to reach and inhabit this isolated island cluster. The flying viditdontians proliferate as the absence of flying xenopedans installs. Ornithosmilids are also present here with a good diversity, and the related ichthyowestonian dracolodontidians and scissor beaks hunt, respectively, on the forests and on the coasts. The only terrestrial gomphiobian that does not fly or is descended from flying ancestors is Carcharasect testudines, with 4,2 meters long, it is part of a very ancient lineage of gomphiobians, inhabiting coastal insular habitats in Archa. They feast on a variety of food that it finds in the shore. The isolation of the archipelago has granted a free pass for their unique survival.

### **Panoplovita**

The isolation of Archa has granted little chance for the instalation of land-dwelling panoplovitans. Absolutely no terrestrial, aerial or freshwater species of panoplovitan is known from the Archa archipelago.

### **Celernantida**

The only non-aquatic celernantids to reach the archipelago are the flying septevolans. Septemales volucris often migrates to these islands. The related Amphixenopteries is found here and its an exclusive aquatic flier that hunts for aquatic prey that it can hopefully find in the rich aquatic habitats that surround the islands. Volanmaris also roams these waters and indeed a flightless species is known here, where they can reach lengths of 2,25 meters. The flightless Volanmaris that live here are one of the apex predators of their particular region, deeming Archa one of the few places where celernantids still reign as top terrestrial apex predators.

### **Ambulospeculida**

Among the native ambulospeculids, a good amount reached there through the water. The paddle cattle is a large beach-dwelling edurusconchoidean, while the Uncatapleura is an aquatic celestipleure that found a way to reach the islands. Others are terrestrial and reached there through rafting or by being transported in the back of other creatures. Flightless xenopedans like Equitembestia and Xenoarachnia claim a cosmopolitan distribution by being present in this archipelago. Xenoarachnians reach large sizes in these islands with the largest reaching 1 meter in length and showing themselves as formidable carnivores. By far, the most diverse are a group of flightless caedifuremians, the Araneaformes, that diverged from other closest relatives back in the Scelusian, and some scientists don't rule out the hypothesis that they originated there, and stayed in the isolated and sinking continent until there was only one archipelago left for them to prosper until today. Araneaformes occupy various different niches, with arboreal, terrestrial and aquatic species, ranging from 45 cm to 1,75 meters long.

## Environments of Occidentis

* Occidentis Subtropical
* Occidentis Temperate Oceanic
* Occidentis Temperate Rainforest
* Occidentis Humid Continental
* Occidentis Sub Arctic
* Occidentis Tundra
* Occidentis Mountain
* Occidentis Cold Desert
* Occidentis Cold Semi-Arid
* Occidentis Mediterranean
* Occidentis Hot Semi-Arid
* Occidentis Hot Desert
* Occidentis Tropical Rainforest
* Occidentis Tropical Monsoon
* Occidentis Tropical Savanna

## Environments of Archa

* Archa Subtropical
* Archa Temperate Oceanic
* Archa Temperate Rainforest
* Archa Humid Continental
* Archa Mediterranean
* Archa Hot Semi-Arid
* Archa Hot Desert
* Archa Tropical Savanna

## List of native terrestrial and freshwater organisms of Occidentis and surrounding islands

* Bestia Captiosus
* Desert strider
* Herbatinia
* Hippoicthys Aquatilium
* Keratodermata\* : Antleria\*; damini\*, taran\*, cervidani\* Gazellia\*; *truffastrepsoceros\*,* thomsoniicas\*, melampusros\*
* Mega Equus
* *Panoplovita*
* *Pseudodon*\*
* Quinqueoculis\*
* *Saltator* - Bouncers\*
* Skint\*
* Scatter Grass
* Smilorhinus Thisskus- Walking Blade
* Splendid Grimhive\*
* Spitting Avocado
* Testactinaridae
* Western Clad Runner
* Xerokerinouphytaceae: *Tecticerafrons**\* (Clivitectifrons & Planitectifrons\*), Capsulacerafrons\* (Curvicapsulafrons)*

### **Canon**

#### **Gomphiobia**

Astagaleoidea

* Jiruth

Solinantia

* Nix anguis
* Soil swimmer
* Witch's parasol

Candentisia

* Algamimus flossetis\*

Tegroimpeta

* Craniummimus
* Osloricati

Entomogracilia

* Ensirostrum platygracilis
* Herocritus
* Lupus triplous
* Viditdon sanguinem lactantem\*

Ornithosmilia

* Ornithosmilidae\*

Ichthyowestonia

* Dracolodontidia\*
* Scissor beak\*
* The gomphogopteryx

Praedoregina

* Terracetus gigas

Ostrigonia

* Os oris

#### **Panoplovita**

Molasimilia

* Spadenosed wumbus\*

Heliofragaconia

* Eremita harenae\*

Scutaphantia

* Scutaphanti

#### **Celernantida**

Dunatibia

* Dune roamers

Vexilliamelia

* Dilitirion dente
* Jungle badger

Sporafiliia

* Sporanti
* Viridi-anguis-wallaci
* Walker testa

Oseodontida

* Boxhead

Venenumaxima

* Celernantida maxima\*
* Pedescultro

Megadontia

* Hunter scavenger worm

Ostofortosproboskidoidea

* Ostofortosproboskida\*

Consuvocucumia

* Bristled beakfish\*
* Phalangesdontidae\*

Manicasauria

* Lutrinsidus

Septevola

* Septemales volucris\*
* Volanmaris\*

#### **Ambulospeculida**

Cetathalassa

* Ventuscibum\*

Maiadorsa

* Arenicolus-nanos
* Cristunguis bestia
* Letitrabus portenderenturus
* Lumbercow
* Makrolaimos stomacheiri

Alcyoneuvermia

* Crinitusavem\*

Celestipleura

* Uncatapleura\*

Edurusconchoidea

* Flagellum cortice
* Macca
* Patella retro densissima

Ascenderinsecta

* Ascenderespeculida\*

Xenopeda

* Antepedea\*
* Canis insectomorfus
* Equitembestia\*
* Tweezer fly
* Xenoarachnia\*

Aerotheria

* Trivolans pulehelus\*

Pseudocampia

* Brachyphacien pecus
* Pseudoavis

Caedifuremia

* Arboritinae
* Cancropteridae\*
* Fabacursor amicus\*
* Paper Hawk\*

Adriaeanatia

* Clavatherium
* Pitcher duck

Polyraptoria

* Intusfistula longuscolii
* Osteoraptor\*
* Ovicleptes
* Polystomatatherium
* Tongue of Horror
* Unoculum nocticursor

Oscanida

* Bonedog

Captionemia

* Captionem

Soliaugeria

* Celeraugere

## List of native terrestrial and freshwater organisms of Archa

### **Canon**

#### **Gomphiobia**

Carcharasectia

* Carcharasect testudines

Entomogracilia

* Viditdon sanguinem lactantem\*

Ornithosmilia

* Ornithosmilidae\*

Ichthyowestonia

* Dracolodontidia\*
* Scissor beak\*

#### **Panoplovita**

*No terrestrial or freshwater panoplovitans are known from Archa*

#### **Celernantida**

Ostofortosproboskidoidea

* Ostofortosproboskida\*

Consuvocucumia

* Bristled beakfish\*

Septevola

* Amphixenopteries
* Septemales volucris\*
* Volanmaris\*

#### **Ambulospeculida**

Cetathalassa

* Ventuscibum\*

Celestipleura

* Uncatapleura\*

Edurusconchoidea

* Paddle cattle

Xenopeda

* Equitembestia\*
* Xenoarachnia\*

Caedifuremia

* Araneaformes

*\*The linneage is not exlusive to the continent*