Terra Nova is a Speculative Biology project by Sundown 89
Terra Nova is set in a sub-continent that split off of the western coast of South America during the Pliocene Period, prior to the Great American Interchange of Biodiversity. This split allowed the megafauna of South America to persist and diversify into new species. Due to the hostility of the sub-continent human habitation is temporary protecting some of the species more likely to be hunted to extinction.Terra Nova is currently located on Comic Vine, with the main library page located here
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Big Creepy-Crawlies: While not as large as arthropods in the Carboniferous Period, Terra Nova has a few oversized arthropods;
- The deathly tyrant shrimp, one of the neoeuyrpterids, a group of amphipods that have adopted a generalist aquatic predator niche, is labelled as the largest member of its family. While the exact size is not recorded, the greater scorpion amphipod, another member of the family, reaches up to 3ft, which suggests the former species is at least of equal. If not greater size.
- Giant centipedes from the genus Dracolipede that are double the size of existing centipedes present in mainland South America. Like its mainland relatives, the Dracolipede centipedes are highly carnivorous, feeding on small mammals, birds and reptiles, as well as other invertebrates.
- The hairy funnel tarantulas get to a leg-span of 70cm, double the leg-span of the largest extant spider, the Goliath bird eater. While superficially tarantula like, the funnel tarantulas are more similar to the Sydney funnel web spider in regard to the toxicity of its venom.
Devious Dolphin: While not a dolphin perse, the nasty shark dolphin is a small-toothed whale that feeds on other cetaceans, marine sloths, sharks and other large marine animals. Humans in the water are also considered suitable prey, as noted anecdotally in regards to Operation Savage during the United States Navy's landings in 1942.
Feathered Fiend: While the terror birds that were present in Cenozoic South America, this clade does not appear to have become established within Terra Nova.
- Giant flightless storks have moved into the niche that the terror birds have vacated, and act as a pursuit predator for medium to small prey species. Despite their predatory prowess, these 'terror storks' are mesopredators, unable to compete for large prey with terrestrial crocodiles, sparassadonts and carnivorous armadillos.
Never Smile at a Crocodile: Played with as Terra Nova appears to be the 'Land of Crocodiles, with multiple species present on the sub-continent;
- The largest predator of the savannah and flood plains of Terra Nova is a sebecosuchian Iraesuchus that reaches a length of 6m, and a weight of 600kg. The juveniles of this species fill a mesopredator niche is the dry woodlands and are more active predators then the more heavyset adults.
- A smaller alpine species Olegosuchus is an endothermic crocodilian meaning it is more voracious in its search for prey. Like Iraesuchus this species is a sebecosuchian, and are terrestrial predators.
- The monstrous surf alligator is the same size as an American alligator and is a marine benthic habitat. While more likely to feed on hard shelled prey, the surf alligator is large enough to be dangerous to humans.
- Averted with the snub-snouted crocodile, a predominantly herbivorous crocodilian that doesn't even reach a meter in length.
