Near Shore Sea and Coast
The shallow seas around the coasts of Teratopia are teeming with animal and plant life. As most of Teratopia lays across the equator, much of the shallow sea is tropical and teeming with its own kind of reefs and seaweed beds.
The shallow seas around the coasts of Teratopia are teeming with animal and plant life. As most of Teratopia lays across the equator, much of the shallow sea is tropical and teeming with its own kind of reefs and seaweed beds.
Eozoon is the main reef builder in the Teratopian tropics, a giant Foraminiferan, and a "living fossil” from the dawn of animal life. It builds successive reefs on hard surfaces in coastal waters, and grazes mainly on phytoplankton. It can vary in shape from a low, folded mound, to a branching stout column, like a sponge. As far as foraminifera go, they are enormous, individual tests can reach about 12 to 14 inches across, and up to 7 inches tall. These giant single cells secrete various minerals to create a skeletal shell, with many branching chambers inside. Through copious holes in the outer wall, they reach out with their softer parts and snag phytoplankton such as Cyanobacteria. Accumulations of Eozoon can create large reefs, which tend to be low and spreading; they do not reach the prodigious, island building height of Coral reefs.
Grazing on the encrusting organisms and algae that often cover larger Eozoon reefs, as well as on near shore seaweed meadows, is the enormous Dinocochlea, a snail without equal anywhere. With a shell 3 meters long or more, this gastropod seems even bigger due to its large muscular foot. It is fully able to withdraw its body into the shell, to avoid the attentions of predators, which cannot penetrate its thick shell. Such a huge snail would be immobile on land, because of such a heavy shell, and indeed, Dinocochlea always prefers water a few meters deep at least.
Antiarchi are a mid-sized kind of flat-topped tunicate, which adhere to rocky reefs around the coasts of Teratopia. These creatures possess a primitive bony armour to protect their soft bodies, as they regularly filter the water for plankton and other nutrients. They usually spawn in the most fertile part of the year.
Conodonta Worms are commonly found on and beneath the sandy sea-bed in near shore waters all over Teratopia. Being predators of small invertebrates, these 25 centimetre long worms possess fairly sizeable, calcified “teeth” which give them their name.
Margaretia is a small kind of frond-like seaweed, reaching up to 10 centimetres long. The fronds are flat and ribbon-like, perforated with numerous holes; the purpose of which may be to aid the passive absorption of nutrients. These plants occur in small clumps, and thus do not attract the grazing attention of such huge bulk feeders as Therizinosaurus, but Dinocochlea are known to eat it, as well as some fish.
Chondrites are thin-stalked, branching brown algae that grow in large thick clumps, no more than 200 meters from shore. These clumps form thick tangles that often harbour smaller invertebrates sheltering inside, and will also attract herbivorous sea denizens like Therizinosaurus, which browse indiscriminately on all forms of seaweed.
Cruziana is a medium-sized kind of kelp that commonly grows in large groves around some Teratopian shores, out to a depth of about 70 meters, generally in sheltered bays that are not too close to the equator. These groves can be quite dense and often serve as shelter for amphibious marine creatures which are wandering in search of food.
Halymenites is a very common from of red algae which is ubiquitous around Teratopian shorelines of all climates, out to a considerable depth. It grows patchily and does not form large consistent groves or clumps. The base of the stem is usually quite coarse and fibrous and attaches to rocks or other dense substrates.
Turrilepas is a common kind of barnacle around the coasts of Teratopia, they prefer to encrust rocky reefs and outcroppings in near shore waters, usually in patches that are bare of seaweed or other competitors. Their scaled, turret like bodies attach by the underside of their lower half and each one grows to about as long as a person’s fingernail.
Encrinurus (top) is a common type of small bivalve mollusc that inhabits coastal sea-beds along the Teratopian coasts. It generally sits partially buried in the sand, with the pointed base wedged into the sea-bed.
Calymene (bottom) is a very common kind of sea urchin, which crawls in small clusters across the sea-bed. It possesses, fine hair-like spines and fairly short tube-feet. They generally graze on encrusting algae and bryzoans.
Calymene (bottom) is a very common kind of sea urchin, which crawls in small clusters across the sea-bed. It possesses, fine hair-like spines and fairly short tube-feet. They generally graze on encrusting algae and bryzoans.
In the abundant near shore reefs around Teratopia, we see Placodus, a giant Pycnodont fish with an extremely robust dentition. Measuring up to 2.2 meters long, this large solitary reef fish feeds mainly on encrusting organisms such as coral, bivalves and large barnacles, as well as crabs and shelled gastropods. Though it is quite robust, it is sometimes preyed upon by marine reptiles.
Coastal waters are also teeming with a variety of smaller invertebrates.
Anomalocaris is a shrimp-like primitive crustacean as long as your finger, which is a generalist predator and scavenger of other invertebrates, and often serves as prey for mid-sized fish.
The Peytoia is a small jellyfish that moves by contracting and relaxing its body. It feeds on zooplankton by passing water through the centre of its ring-shaped body, which is lined with stinging cells.
Laggania is a fairly large sea sponge (30 to 40 cm tall) that often can be found clustering in aggregations near Eozoon reefs. Possessing many branching lobes, it has increased surface area with which to filter the water for edible particles and micro-plankton.
Anomalocaris is a shrimp-like primitive crustacean as long as your finger, which is a generalist predator and scavenger of other invertebrates, and often serves as prey for mid-sized fish.
The Peytoia is a small jellyfish that moves by contracting and relaxing its body. It feeds on zooplankton by passing water through the centre of its ring-shaped body, which is lined with stinging cells.
Laggania is a fairly large sea sponge (30 to 40 cm tall) that often can be found clustering in aggregations near Eozoon reefs. Possessing many branching lobes, it has increased surface area with which to filter the water for edible particles and micro-plankton.
Spriggina are small sea-pen like creatures that commonly grow in aggregations on the seabed, along the Teratopian south coast. Generally they prefer to take root on soft substrate, and leaf-shaped feeding lobes tend to catch small pieces of nutritious detritus, as well as tiny planktonic creatures such as crab or shrimp larvae. Their bodies contain nematocysts that can give a mild sting, and they taste rather bitter, so most marine creatures prefer not to feed on them.
Hallucigenia is a small, but very strange, worm-like marine invertebrate no longer than 4 centimetres. It has a bulbous eyeless head at one end, a vertically oriented tube-like anus at the other, tentacles along its back and stilt-like spines serving as legs. The leg-spines have muscular bases, allowing the creature to crawl along much like a caterpillar, its tentacled back eagerly groping for small morsels to snatch from the water and pass to the mouth. One reason it has such formidable spiny legs is for traction in the current, these worms tend to live in shallow near-shore water ranging between 2 and 10 meters deep, so in strong currents, it embeds its stilts in the sediment to avoid being swept away. Breeding consists simply of releasing gametes into the water at spawning time, after fertilisation, the larvae settle on the seafloor and spend the early part of their life buried about a centimetre under the sediment feeding, before beginning the crawl about as a small adult.
The Common Trilobite is an oddly constructed marine arthropod found commonly on the sea-bed around Teratopian coasts. Having a large carapace as well as a head-shield, it can curl its vulnerable tail under itself when faced with a predator. About as large as a bigger beetle, they crawl around in search of smaller invertebrates and carrion, which makes up their diet, worms in particular are a common food item. In the summer, females brood a cluster of eggs under their tail, which the male has fertilized, their larvae are commonly cannibalized by others of their species.
Tommotia is a species of tiny mollusc which is common on the sea floor in many shallow seas around Teratopia. Its shell ranges from 2 to 3.5 millimetres long, and it crawls over and amongst the sediment of the sea floor in search of larval crustaceans and roe, its preferred food. Some kinds of crustacean and fish will prey upon it, along with various other small sea-floor organisms. Tommotia shares features in common with both Gastropods and Cephalopods.
Near-shore waters around Teratopia’s coast provide abundant amounts of shellfish, such as crabs, clams, mussels and sea snails. Feeding on this resource is the Desmostylus, an egg-laying platypus-like mammal as large as a big pig. They paddle along on the seabed, using their rubbery snouts and projecting tusks to uproot shellfish which they pulverize with their pillar-like teeth. The teeth are very tough and unusual in structure, to deal with the constant wear from chewing up shells, and the sandy grit that they inevitably ingest. Mostly solitary or occasionally gathering in small groups near deposits of shellfish, the breeding season involves them amassing in seal-like colonies. Here, males will compete for females, and mothers will raise their eggs until the young are large enough to take to the water. Desmostylus puggles are fed on extremely rich milk which seeps through the skin on the mother’s underside, as a result, within a month or two they are as large as a lamb, and can accompany their mothers as they swim around.
Unicornum verum is an odd kind of rhinoceros-like pachyderm, which has a shape similar to a dugong, but possesses a very long cranial horn. They feel most comfortable in water no deeper than 30 meters, and mostly inhabit meadows of seagrass or other marine plants, which form the bulk of their diet. Small families of up to 4 will commonly travel together, usually a mated pair and grown offspring, gestation is up to 8 months and a single hornless calf is born live. Males possess the longest horn, and most often it is used either as defence against predators, or a passive display to intruding males.
Gnathosaurus is a small marine crocodile which generally grows no larger than 2 meters long. Frequenting near-shore waters out to a depth of about 100 meters, it feeds mostly by snatching mouthfuls of small baitfish or shrimp with its long curved teeth. They sometimes will rest on the seashore when not feeding, or during rough weather. Its body is rather typical for a crocodile or gharial, with a long serrated tail and small strong legs. Generally solitary, they usually do not make many sounds, but when agitated they can make an exhalant hiss. Females will come ashore to bury a clutch of 40 to 50 eggs in the sand, generally in the summer.
A constant presence along the shore and in shallow water is the turkey-sized Compsognathus. This small dinosaur is amphibious, able to run around on land, and to use its flipper-like arms to swim and dive for food. It preys mainly on fish and crustaceans when it hunts in the water, but it is also an adept beachcomber, able to walk for miles in search of carrion that has washed up on shore. In order to avoid the larger marine predators, it tends to stay away from deeper water, and will usually not stray beyond a depth of 4 metres.
Colonosaurus is the smallest of Mosasaurs, reaching only 30cm in length. It mostly inhabits near shore tangles of seaweed or kelp, where it hunts for small fish and shrimp. They will occasionally form small groups for mutual protection, and mating occurs in the summer, usually large twins are born live.
Rhamphorhynchus are scaly pterosaurs that grow no larger than a crow or raven. They are most frequently found along the southern coastlines of Teratopia, where they feed on fish and squid they snatch from the waves, as well as the occasional insect. When not flying about over the water in search of food, they will sit on the shore on all fours, or cling to rocks and crevices further from the surf. Their footprints can commonly be seen in wet sand, complete with a dragging mark from the tail. When they fly, their wing stroke is relatively quick and powerful, but they lack the manoeuvrability of a sea bird such as a gull. Vocalisations are limited to caws and screams, usually uttered in aggression when fighting over food or resting space.
One common shallow-water fish that is often prey to Compsognathus and other marine predators is the Trilobite-fish. Possessing a flattened body up to 25cm long with a rather odd-looking face, it is unique in being dorsally flattened in shape, with a body that appears to have three lobes, corresponding to the ribcage and vertebral column. It is a fairly weak swimmer, and usually sits camouflaged on the seabed sitting in wait for its preferred prey, smaller fish and crustaceans, which it eats by suction.
Delphinopsis is a kind of primitive dolphin, distinctive in being covered by a chainmail-like pavement of small bony nodules. This armour serves to protect it, should it come under attack from large marine predators, or from scraping against submerged rocks. It also serves as a kind of ballast, allowing this cetacean to remain submerged and dive with relative ease. Being a generalist, it mainly feeds on fish and squid, but will also descend to the sea-bed to grub in the sand for clams and urchins. Populations are concentrated around bays and reefs, as well as seaweed meadows, but groups will sometimes venture further out to sea. Delphinopsis are able to echo-locate, but not to the extent of modern dolphins, they are moderately social and produce clicking and grunting calls to stay in contact as a group.
Plesiosaurus is a wide ranging coastal animal that feeds mostly on fish and squid, which it catches with snatching movements of its serpentine neck and head. Growing to 3.5 meters long, they are powerful swimmers which constantly chase large shoals in waters out to a depth of about 200 meters. As they near a shoal of fish, they will coil their neck like a snake, and lunge at their prey, snatching one or two from the group. Plesiosaurus can also sometimes be seen swimming with their necks projecting, swan-like above the surface; they usually do this to scan the horizon for other members of their species, or to warm their bodies in the sun. They will sometimes come ashore to rest, and this is where they mate and bury their large clutches of eggs. They are mostly silent, but can produce a gurgling grunt underwater when they come across one another.
The shoals of more typical fish in the water column are prey to the graceful Elasmosaurus. With a long-ribbon-like tail, flipper-like forelimbs, and no hind limbs, this creature is able to ambush shoals of fish with a burst of speed. Elasmosaurus is probably the longest creature to inhabit coastal waters, growing to about 14 metres long. The neck of this reptile is short and powerful, allowing it to make a quick thrust in order to catch a fish, the jaws are filled with very long, impaling teeth. Unlike most reptiles, Elasmosaurus gives live birth in the water, not coming ashore to lay eggs.
Hawkin’s Icthyosaurs are large predators common in coastal waters throughout Teratopia, they swim very well but will also haul out onto beaches or rocks to rest. Usually found in small groups, they feed mainly on fish and squid, but larger individuals can be cannibals. Often feeding at night, their large bony eyes provide acute night vision. Some 3 months after mating on the beach, the female will give birth to 2 or 3 well-developed babies.
The vast seaweed meadows of Teratopia’s coastal waters generally cover the sandy parts of the seabed and are host to some of their own unique creatures. The dense fields of waving seaweed are a mixture of brown algae and green algae, and grow so thickly as to provide a haven for smaller creatures. These masses of underwater foliage support one large creature however, the turtle Therizinosaurus. This turtle is very large indeed, being around 4.5 metres long, and having a huge, wide flipper span. These hulking reptiles move methodically along underwater, pushing themselves forward with their flippers, and using their metre-long claws to harvest seaweed like scythes. The denuded feeding trails left by these turtles prevent the seaweed beds from becoming overgrown, and allow new growth to appear. Therizinosaurus will bask on the shoreline to warm up if they have become too cool underwater; basking also aids digestion when they have eaten their fill. Females emerge to lay several clutches of eggs in the breeding season, each containing about 100 eggs.
The apex predator along the Teratopian shoreline, out to a depth of 200 meters or so, is the Cetiosaurus. This huge, 19 meter long crocodile mostly preys upon large fish and other marine vertebrates, though they will occasionally hunt shoals of smaller fish. As with most crocodiles they swim by sculling their powerful tail, steering is done with the back feet. When not hunting, they are commonly seen basking on the surface, or hauled out on remote stretches of beach. Despite being mostly aquatic, they retain strong fore and hind limbs, allowing them to clamber ashore to feed on carrion, or in the case of females, to find a nesting site. The nest is usually built some way inland, generally among dunes or vegetation, up to 70 eggs are laid in a deep hole, and covered over to incubate in the sun. Unusually for a crocodile, there is no parental care after the eggs are laid and buried.
The Marine Pterodactyl is a penguin-like flightless swimmer common around the coasts of Teratopia. Having long narrow flippers, it is able to swim quickly after various fish, squid or octopi in coastal waters, much like shag. The body is about 30 centimetres long, and the flippers reach 70 centimetres across, the jaws are long and narrow, filled with pointed teeth for snatching prey. When not feeding, they commonly haul out onto rocks to sun themselves, flippers spread wide in the sunshine. Their eyesight is keen underwater and on land, but hearing is only acute above the water, their call is a loud cawing. Large nesting rookeries occur on bare ground a few hundred meters from the beach, males will mate with several females, but only the female sits on the single egg and raises the chick.
A 4 metre long predator of near-shore waters up to a depth of 20 or so metres, Helicoprion feeds mainly on fish and squid in the water column. Having a large whorl of sharp teeth projecting from its upper jaw, being its main weapon for killing prey; there are also smaller conical teeth inside its mouth. It swims rapidly into shoals of fish or squid and violently thrashes the saw-like nose about, stunning and injuring a number of fish which are then eaten. The body has a streamlined shape, with large narrow fins, allowing them to swim quickly or cruise at a slower speed. Like most sharks, they practise internal fertilisation when mating, and 3 or 4 large egg cases are laid on the sea bed.
Palaeoapterodytes is very unusual, a penguin that is unable to swim, with flippers so tiny and stubby as to be useless. These 70 centimetres tall birds are solely inhabitants of the seashore and rocky outcroppings on the southern coasts, especially at low tide. This bird wanders and hops among the rocks and piles of seaweed when the tide is out, catching and eating gastropods, stranded fish, crabs, digging worms and bivalves from their sandy holes with its clawed feet. Though not able to swim well, these pugnacious little birds can run and hop about quite quickly as they must be alert to not get swept into the water. If they do get cast into the water by a rogue wave, they float like a cork and will paddle crudely to steer back toward shore atop the next wave. Males bray loudly in the breeding season, trying to attract a mate; the female raises a single egg in a scrape nest a considerable distance from shore among vegetation or dunes.
The southernmost shores of Teratopia play host to the Petersdactyl, a member of the pterosaur lineage that has given up flight in order to feed on the ground. This pterosaur feeds by probing in the sand and shallows for worms and crustaceans, and is usually able to scramble about quite quickly to avoid the waves crashing in. They mostly congregate in small family groups of up to 10, though these scatter in the breeding season in order to increase breeding success. Females lay two large eggs in sand dunes a good deal away from the surf, and the young can follow their mother immediately. Their calls vary from a loud caw of alarm to a guttural hiss when annoyed.
The more fertile shoreline waters of southern Teratopia often play host to the lovecraftian-looking Atopodentatus. They feed mainly by engulfing swarms of zooplankton and sieving them through their very fine mesh of teeth. At 3 meters long and somewhat lizard-like in shape, they have relatively few defences from predators, thus they are fairly secretive and elusive. Mating occurs sporadically throughout the year, almost whenever males and females meet, a single young is born live.
The Pester Exemplar is a species of shrimp about 12 centimetres from head to tail. These crustaceans commonly form shoals in coastal waters, being poorly equipped to survive in the open ocean. They form a common part of the marine food chain in Teratopian waters, partly because they breed in such large numbers. They feed mainly on smaller kinds of plankton and crustaceans, as well as jellyfish.
Pakicetus is a primitive Archeocete whale which commonly hunts in equatorial Teratopian waters, from relatively near the shore, out to about 100 meters depth. Swimming much like a large otter, its flippers are still partway like feet, so it can clamber out onto land when giving birth, or when exhausted. Its ears allow it to hear underwater, but it does not possess the ability to echolocate, indeed it is only able to make grunting and barking calls like a seal. Pakicetus feed mostly on fish and squid, but will also pick up shellfish and crabs off the seafloor, unlike most whales it is able to chew. Mating occurs underwater, usually during the middle of the year, and females haul out onto land in order to give birth to a single calf.
The rich coastal waters of eastern Teratopia are the domain of many marine predators, including Owen’s Scelidosaurus. Being aquatic like a seal, it sculls along with its powerful webbed feet and broad, crocodile-like tail. They feed mostly on fish and crustaceans, out to a depth of about 70 meters, and are able to chase all but the fastest shoals. When not feeding, these dinosaurs haul out in large groups, rather like sea lions, sitting or laying in the sun as they digest their meals. Breeding season is somewhat less subdued; males congregate in leks to win the right to mate, rearing up on their hind legs and wrestling in feats of strength. Females lay clutches of up to 30 large eggs, which are deposited in communal rookeries where some individuals stay behind to oversee the hatching, after which the babies scramble to the sea to live an independent life until the reach a larger size. Vocalisations are a grating gurgle in the case of agitation, or a sharp cough when disturbed, they are silent underwater.