Flora and Fauna of Mars

The fauna of Mars includes all the animals living on the planet Mars, beneath its seas, and on its off-world habitats. Mars has many distinctive indigenous species tailored by humans during the terraforming process. At a distance from the sun 50% greater than the Earth, and only 38% terran gravity, the species inhabiting Mars are noticeably larger than their counterparts on Earth, and adapted for colder average temperatures.

Mars has eleven life zones which are the lower Noachian (desert); Greater Margartifier (temperate lowlands and some coastal lands), Upper Tharsis and Araby (coastal areas and moist northeastern counties); Hesperia (Mediterranean), Hellas and Argyre basins (rolling grasslands and coastal areas), Mariner Valley, and the Elysian, Olympic, and Antarctic Zones, comprising the planet's highest elevations.

## **Wildlife**

* Avisaurs- Avisaurs are a lineage of animals unique to Mars, which resemble theropod dinosaurs such as dromaeosaurs and oviraptorids. However, they are actually genetically modified birds, with the genes for such traits as teeth, wing claws, and tail bones (which are present but recessive in all birds) "switched on" to produce a creature similar to their dinosaur ancestors.
* Porpids--The largest animals on Mars, these are modified descendants of dolphins and other toothed whales which have become baleen whale-like filter-feeders. Instead of baleen, they use their comblike teeth to filter krill and baitfish from the water, much like the crab-eater seal of Earth. The largest species can grow up to 20 meters long and dwell in the deep waters of the Sea of Hellas.
* Martian Dragons-- This is a term used to refer to a variety of modified and usually very large reptiles that have been introduced to the planet at various points. Many were created to resemble mythical creatures such as wyverns or Chinese dragons. So far six of these artificial "species" have been created, and while they are all designated Dragons, very few have any kind of shared common ancestor, though monitor lizards and girdled lizards tend to be the more common sources of genetic code.
* Phoenixes-- Like dragons, this is a catchall term for a number of unrelated but typically large and impressive birds found throughout the planet. So far a total of four species have been created, three of them derived from birds of prey and one from waterfowl.
* Other Modified Species-- Other than the main categories of wildlife on Mars, several other distinct species live here, most either modified from extinct animal DNA, or near exact recreations of actual former Fauna from Earth.

### Noachia

* Desert Phoenix-- This mostly terrestrial raptor was engineered from the terran Secretary Bird and Crane Hawk, and can be found throughout the Noachian and Cimmerian deserts. Standing roughly 1.5 meters tall, the Desert Phoenix survives mainly on insects and small reptiles.
* Woolly Noachian Rhinoceros-- At 7 meters tall, the Noachian Rhino bears a striking resemblance to the ancient *Paraceratherium* of Earth, and roams the Noachian plains kicking up soil and depositing feces which provide an essential source of nutrients to the soil, maintaining the southern grasslands. Sporting a thick coat of red fur, the Noachian Rhino is engineered from reconstructed Pleistocene Woolly Rhino DNA.
* Noachian Giant Tortoise-- A modification to Agassiz's desert tortoise has yielded the largest member of the family Testudinidae at 5 meters in length for an adult male, and weighing in at more than 2000 kg. Due to the low gravity, these tortoises walk in a more erect gait than their terran counterparts.

### Margartifer

* Poe-Birds: Modified ravens and crows. Extremely intelligent, at a level rivaling primates. Known to use tools. Frequently scavenge in human cities, feeding on garbage and other waste much as crows on Earth do.
* Griffins: Modified birds of prey with teeth, long tails, and wing claws. Resemble dromaeosaurs such as *Deinonychus* or *Velociraptor.* Griffins fill the scavenger niche in the Margartifer lowlands. The smallest species, derived from falcons, hunt rodents, while the larger ones, derived from eagles, are capable of killing mammals up to the size of a Scrofanok.
* Martian Bison-- Genetically engineered from strains of North American plains bison and various breeds of domesticated cow, the Martian bison was created to handle the harder winters of Mars while providing a docile and reliable source of beef. At 2 meters tall at the shoulder and another 0.25 meters taller at the large hump on the animal's back, the North American bison weighs in at 700 kg.
* Kestrel Moth-- The second most common pollinating insect on Mars, the Kestrel Moth is a dwarf breed of the Hummingbird hawk-moth of Earth. The species was specifically engineered and introduced to facilitate pollination of Martian produce, and as such its larval stage has been tailored to feed primarily on dead biomass and is repelled by healthy plants. As an adult, the Kestrel moth has a wingspan of only 17mm.
* Common Avisaur-- Commonly known as the House Avi, the Common Avisaur stands 1 meter tall at head height, comes in a variety of color patterns and is a common pet across Mars. In its "natural" environment the Common Avisaur survives primarily by eating small rodents, fish, lizards, and small birds. It traces its origins to the Terran burrowing owl.
* Martian Honey bee. The most common pollinating insect on Mars and not significantly different from its terran counterpart in anatomy. Its only major biological enhancement has been in its pheromone receptors to govern its ability to sense Martian plant-life that its parents species would be unable to recognize.

### Acidalia Basin

* Oxian Drake-- A modification of the Armadillo girdled lizard, and the most common of the dragons. This carnivorous lizard is found in the planet's warmer equatorial regions and grows up to 5 meters long. They actively prey on any smaller animal they can kill, but as with all large Martian predators they have been engineered to instinctively avoid humans.
* Towerbirds: Modified geese. The largest Avisaurs, standing up to 4.5 meters tall and weighing up to a tonne. Wings are vestigial and tipped with long, rake-like claws, much like the extinct therizinosaurs. These claws are used to gather branches of trees to eat, as well as for display in males.
* Martian Lynx--The largest purely land-based predator on Mars, a modified, much larger (about the size of a tiger) descendant of the bobcat which feeds on other mammals, birds, and Avisaurs. They were engineered to dislike the odor of humans, as with all large predators on Mars, so unprovoked attacks on humans are nonexistent.

### Amazonis Basin

* Great Phoenix-- Sporting a 9 meter wingspan, and iridescent red, orange, and yellow plumage, the Great Phoenix is considered one of the most beautiful birds on Mars. Unlike the other three species of Phoenix the Great Phoenix is not a raptor, but rather a species of waterfowl descended from various species of Swan, Mandarin duck and the Ruddy shelduck. Surviving mainly on small fish and weeds, the Great Phoenix dwells in rivers and lakes across the regions bordering the Amazon Sea, migrating from the northern islands of Elysium to southeastern Araby in the summer and then back down to the Amazonis basin in the winter.
* Winged Lemur - Modified from the terran flying fox and dwarf lemur, the winged lemur was one of the first organisms engineered using DNA from two separate species. Unlike a flying fox, the winged lemur is not considered a true flying mammal as it is only capable of extended gliding on its realtively short 1.1 meter wingspan.
* Shen Long- Another aquatic dragon, this one derived from the earless monitor lizard *Lanthanotus borneensis* of Borneo. Growing up to 6 meters long, they resemble the archetypal Chinese dragon, and are aquatic fish-eaters which detect prey (mostly bottom-dwelling fish and mollusks) with their sensitive barbels.
* Hogparrots: Modified parrots with hands and long tails, which resemble the prehistoric *Oviraptor*. Intelligent and omnivorous, often kept as pets. Can be trained to imitate human speech. Their size is variable, with the smallest varieties (derived from budgerigars) being small enough to perch in a human hand and the largest (derived from macaws) standing up to three feet tall. Unlike other avisaurs, they still lack teeth.
* Dawn Avisaur-- A genetic descendent of the Carolina parakeet and a scavenger of forest floor fruits and nuts, Dawn Avis are a less common, but still popular pet on Mars.
* Atlas Sloth Lemur: A very large descendant of *Palaeopropithecus* that were brought to Mars during the terraforming process and as a result from spending some time on the formerly red planet, they've grown to a size comparable to *Gigantopithecus blacki*, the largest terrestrial ape that has ever lived. Much like their smaller ancestors, Atlas Sloth Lemurs are folivores, which means that they eat mostly leaves, but will eat some fruit, and occasionally seeds, if they ever find them.

### Hesperia

* Magnificent Windrider-- The largest flying creature on Mars, with a 15-meter wingspan (though at 200 kg its weight is much smaller than the largest dragons), these enormous white birds are modified from Earth's cranes. They are herbivores, feeding on grasses and seeds, and undertake annual high-altitude migrations halfway around the planet to their breeding grounds in Hesperia. Their calls are something not soon forgotten: a majestic trumpeting cry that echoes for miles.
* Yellow Wyvern- The result of heavy modifications to the genes of the Sulawesi lined gliding lizard, Yellow Wyvern's are named for their distinct yellow wings and serve as the apex predator in the greater Syritis region. With a 9-meter wingspan it is the largest flying dragon outside of the Olympics.
* Azure Porpid-- One of the smallest species of porpids at 3 meters in length, and sporting a bright blue hide on its back, the Azur porpid cruises the warm waters of the Hesperian Gulf during the winter and migrates to Isidis bay in the summer. It is modified from the Dusky Dolphin
* Hesperian Seahawk-- Despite its name, this predatory bird is not a true hawk, but a descendent of the Antarctic skua. Unlike their ancestors, they lack webbing on their feet and have enlarged claws for dispatching their prey. They also scavenge a great deal, eating dead animals along the coastlines.

### Elysium

* Elysian Serpent- The most docile of the Dragons, and the only species derived from snakes rather than lizards. They live in the river valleys of Elysium and live on a diet of mostly fish and small birds and mammals. They are derived from pythons, namely the reticulated python of Asia and the amethyst python of Australia.
* Red Elk-- Actually a large species of antelope, and the result of genetically modified Impala, the Red Elk is one of the largest land mammals on Mars, standing roughly 2 meters at shoulder height. and more than 3 meters tall at the top of the head (not counting the horns, which make males seem even larger still).
* Fenghuang-- The Elysian variety of Phoenix survives primarily on insects and worms in the damp forest floors of Elysium. Genetically derived from the Golden pheasant and Java peafowl, this bird is only a meter in length before including its tail plumage, and are often kept as pets.

### Mariner Valley and East Tharsis

* Aurora sea eagle-- The second largest bird on Mars, derived from the Steller's sea eagle of Earth, and feeds mainly on fish and other birds. Its wingspan reaches up to 8.5 meters--far larger than the 2.7 meters or so reached by its unmodified ancestor, but still small compared to the largest dragons and windriders.
* Great Golden Eagle-- Derived from the Golden eagle, these immense raptors nest in caves a ledges along Mariner Valley and can grow to a wing-span of 8 meters. They are both predators and scavengers, hunting mammals such as Scrofanoks and birds such as Windriders.
* Common Phoenix-- This average sized raptor is derived from the Red Tailed Hawk and can be found in forests, mountains, and cities all over Mars mostly feeding on rodents and smaller birds. These birds sport a wingspan of 1.5 meters and bright Red-orange and golden plumage.
* Mariner Wyvern- Approximately 5-meters in length, this species was one of the later predators introduced into the Martian biosphere. Modified primarily from the gliding lizard *Draco volans*, the Mariner Wyverns feature a set of wings created from the fusion of forelimbs and the abdominal patagium, permitting powered flight.
* Scrofanok-- A type of slender, deer-like wild boar that has been modified to cope with the thin air and scarce vegetation of the Martian highlands. One of the most common large mammals on the planet, so much so that they are hunted for sport in limited numbers.
* Sunmantle Butterfly- One of Mars's most iconic insects, derived from the sunbeam butterfly of Earth. Sporting a wingspan of nearly 10 cm, with gold, black, and orange markings, they are powerful flyers and efficient gliders, making them ideal for the steep canyons of Mariner Valley. Their bright orange caterpillars, which can grow up to 8 cm long, feed on the leaves of trees such as black maple and Arean poplar.
* Dire Wolf-- Not to be confused with the fictional Dire Wolves in George R. R. Martin's *Game of Thrones*  novels, these are descendants of an de-extinct species from Earth. Due to Mars' low gravity in comparison to Earth, Dire Wolves have been known to grow to the size of a Black Bear, though they are not as massive.
* Martian Unicorn-- A genetic chimera of horses and rhinoceroses, with a horn made out of keratin. The species has no natural predators, but a mare only produces one foal every two years, keeping the population in check. Unicorns were created to serve an essential roll in distributing concentrated amounts of normally toxic compounds extracted from the Martian lithosphere or deposited in air drops over forests and fields. Unicorns are the only species designed to actively seek out these compounds and consume them, using their digestive system to deposit the raw compounds as droppings that can more easily reach the wider biosphere. However, this process has become less essential in recent years, and the species is expected to go extinct in less than a century without genetic intervention.

### Australe Plateau and Tharsis Bulge

* Olympic Razorback - Often considered the most impressive of the Martain dragons due to the combination of their large size (in fact, with a wingspan of up to 13 meters it is the largest of the dragons) and the jagged black scales on their backs. Like the Oxai Drake they're modified largely from Armadillo girdled lizards. They are noted for their their ability to spit a highly acidic venom over 4 meters in self-defense, an ability dubbed "fire-breathing" due to the burning sensation it causes. They are surprisingly lightweight, weighing only about 400 kg--a necessity for flight at such a large size, even in low Martian gravity.
* Martian Jackalope - A modification of the antelope jackrabbit, with the addition of short, sharp "horns" atop its head, above its eyes. A small herbivore that feeds primarily on low-growing vegetation and a frequent prey animal for larger carnivores.

### Hellas

* Giant Hellenic Octopus-- A variation on the giant Pacific octopus (*Enteroctopus dofleini*) of Earth, the Hellenic variety reaches 10 meters in length (and up to 20 meters in diameter) and rivals Porpids for intelligence. Unlike terran octopuses, they are capable of breeding more than once, and hence can live for several decades, allowing them to reach great sizes.

* Giant Spotted Porpid-- At 20 meters in length, the Giant Porpid is the largest animal on Mars, living in the deep waters of the Hellenic Sea and surviving on krill that feed on the sea's great algae blooms. It is descended from the Atlantic Spotted Dolphin.

* Hellenic eagle-ray-- Measuring up to 9 meters across, this is the second-largest fish on Mars after the Isonade. It is a variant of the Spotted eagle-ray of Earth, and like its relative, it preys actively on bottom-crawling mollusks. Like all eagle-rays, it possesses a venomous spine at the base of its tail, but is harmless to humans--in fact, divers often swim with them.

### Boreal Ocean

* Harbour porpid-- Modified from the Harbour porpoise of Earth, the Harbour porpid is 5 meters long and feeds on plankton common to the northern coasts of Tharsis and Araby which were engineered to control the population of water cleaning algae.
* White porpid-- Modified from the common dolphin and at 10 meters in length, the White porpid roams near the Martian north pole feeding on krill in the Great Black Reef.
* Martian isopod-- Modiifed from Giant isopod and common lobster DNA, the Martian isopod survives on Porpid falls and other bio-debris near the bottom of the Boreal Ocean. They are considered a delicacy on Earth, and were a cheap source of protein on Mars during early terraforming.
* Great Boreal Salmon -- Modified Terran silver salmon that can grow up to 2 meters long, known for its nearly black back and silver body. It is a staple protein for much of Mars.
* Isonade-- A very large shark modified from the Snaggletooth shark. They were named after a shark-like sea monster from Japanese mythology, and can grow up to 9 meters long. As the top predators in Mars's oceans, they will even prey on juvenile Porpids.
* Wani: A genetic descendent of the Saltwater Crocodile. They're named after a type of dragon found in Japanese Mythology and can grow to 8 meters in length, which makes them a challenge for adult Isonade, as they are both comparable in size to each other. Despite this, they normally feed on smaller porpids, Boreal Salmon, coelacanths, sea birds, and juvenile Martian Sea Cows. They are fully marine, only coming ashore to lay eggs.
* Martian Sea Cow: Modified from Stellar's Sea Cows, and at a size comparable to White Porpids, these giant grazers roam near Northern Tempe, feeding on sea kelp, and other marine plant-life.

## Plant Life

* Martian Thistle: One of the first macro-scale plants introduced to the surface. The Martian Thistle, AKA the Martian Tumbleweed, was one of the most successful terraforming organisms ever created, using a common terran tumbleweed as its base to spread and propagate itself across the surface. This plant was developed primarily to improve soil health and was extremely adaptable to the Martian climate.
* Ironwood - With an average height of 100 meters and an estimated maximum height of 300 tons, the Martian Sequoia, better known as the Ironwood Tree, was engineered to serve as a wind breaking forests along rivers and glacial reservoirs. Their name comes from their ability to absorb the iron rich soil of Mars into its flesh and bark, the effect of which is an extremely sturdy conifer that can grow to tremendous heights under low gravity.
* Black Maple - A special variant on the Japanese maple tree, the Black Maple is named for its extremely dark leafs which serve to compensate for the lack of Martian sunlight and guard against radiation.
* Arean Poplar - With the exception of its height, the Arean Poplar is nearly identical to its terran cousin. Created to serve as a faster growing, low mass alternative to the Ironwoods, Poplars line high embankments, rivers and lakes across the Martian equator, protecting terrain from wind damage.
* Red Cactus - An unintended consequence of this variant of the cousin of the Pitaya was a distinctly red skin. Its fruit, a tangier, somewhat less seedy version of the Terran Dragon Fruit, is a favorite treat among the local populace. Red Cacti are common across the deserts of Noachis, and is cultivated for mass consumption.
* Longan - A variant of the terran tree of the same name, Longans were cultivated by Chinese settlers in the 2080s.
* Blood Apple - An engineered variant of the Terran Fuji Apple, the blood apple is named for its deep red skin.
* Fire pear - A strain of Asian pear with an inserted gene to boost production of cinnamaldehyde, the fruit of this tree is both sweet, refreshing, and spicy. Like most fruit trees on Mars, its trees are extremely broad and darker than its terran counterparts.
* Red Wheat - Cultivated from various strains of Earth grains, Red Wheat shifts to a dusty red when its ready to be harvested. The effect tends to be bleached out by most mills.
* Giant sundew- A carnivorous plant growing up to six feet tall, with sticky leaves that trap and digest insects and small vertebrates such as rodents and songbirds. Found primarily in the equatorial lowlands.
* Nightweed - Strain of common edible seaweed bred to grow hundreds of meters in length in the deeper waters of the Boreal Ocean. By day it is responsible for a sizable amount of black body radiation, but by night it plays host to a bio-luminescent light show due to the bacteria that inhabit it.
* Mediplants - First produced at Bradbury Base, Mediplants were once the dominant plant life on Mars. Engineered to produce biomedical compounds in huge quantities on the pre-terraformed surface of Mars, these plants created the economic incentive that ultimately led to Martian terraforming and long term colonization.

### Pioneer Organisms

This list includes all surviving pioneer plants on Mars used in the early days of terraforming to build humus, increase the surface temperature, and mine the pre-terraformed soil for valuable chemicals for either soil or atmospheric improvements. All of the Martian pioneer organisms are halophytic extremophytes, defined by jet black skin, and a high tolerance to low air pressure and cold temperatures. All were engineered to grow, spread, and die quickly to build up humus on the surface.

* Black Sea Pickle - A nearly extinct pioneer organism that once hugged the early and expanding coasts of what would become the boreal ocean. Black Sea Pickle shares its genetic lineage with all other forms of Salicornia that are quite common on Mars to this day.
* Drywater Cress - One of the first terraforming organisms intorduced to what would become the Boreal Ocean, this modified species of Thellungiella salsugineum was often used as a source for genetic code for other pioneer plants, due to its ability to recover and grow after being frozen solid.
* Basalt Cactus - One of the first large organisms introduced to Mars, the Basalt Cactus is modified from the lava cactus endemic to the Galápagos Islands.
* Black Saxifraga - A modified relative of its purple terran counterpart, Black Saxifraga was originally found all over the Martian lowlands during the beginning of terraforming, but now can only be found on the slopes of the Tharsian mountains, and across the southern polar regions.
* Martian Eremogone - Derived from Eremogone bryophylla, this plant was more successful as a genetic source organism for other pioneer plants, than it was on its own, and is now only found in the Tharsian mountains.