Post by TiJiL on Jun 1, 2003 20:14:46 GMT -5
Choeroed Anatomy
Nervous System:
First of all, Choeroed brains are rather small, and shaped in a more primitive manner than most sentient races. The olfactory and optical lobes are tremendous, while the actual processing areas are very small. While this grants them incredible vision, it does not make them stupid. While the thinking and processing lobes are very small, they are amazingly efficient. Choeroed doctors did a study, finding that Choeroeds use approximately 95% of their brain tissue, as opposed to most other races. Also prominent on the Choeroed brain is the well-developed instinctual, reflexive zone. As you might expect, this makes Choeroeds very good at quickly reacting to their surroundings, but poses a problem to them, as well. While it makes them difficult to surprise, it makes them very vulnerable when their instinct kicks in. Choeroed instincts are so powerful and quick, that at the first sign of danger, a Choeroed may be fully incapable of sentient thought for a brief period. This is often dangerous, when faced with intelligent, unorthodox foes. Choeroed nerves, too, are specially designed. They carry messages in an amazingly fast manner, due to their efficient design. Rather than single nerves branching out in a myriad of ways, Choeroed nerves are collected in bundles, with very few branches. Also, the cells that make up these chords are actually connected, resulting in minutely faster signal transfer. These nerves, coupled with the incredible instinctual properties of the Choeroed brain, allow them to move and react with incredible speed. Finally, the Choeroed spinal cord is distinct, in that it frays out in multiple directions, then comes back together to accommodate the Choeroed dorsal lung.
Respiratory System:
Choeroed respiratory systems are, as you may guess, astoundingly efficient. The Choeroed diaphragm is connected to the quadriceps on the legs in such a manner that the faster the legs move, the faster the lungs can function. This allows Choeroeds to move at incredible speeds, for long periods, without resting. In fact, it is easier for a Choeroed to sprint than it is for it to walk. Choeroeds, like many species, have two lungs. However, unlike many species, they are positioned in front of one another, with a large ventral lung handling the oxygen requirements, and a smaller dorsal lung dealing only with the acquisition and production of Scritos. Scritos is a hydrogen-based molecule, with similar properties to water, (except for the fact that it is a gas at room temperature). Scritos aids Choeroeds in oxygen diffusion, in much the same way that Hemoglobin does for most creatures. Luckily for the Choeroeds, Choeroea’s atmosphere is plentiful in Scritos, and in environments where Scritos cannot be found in adequate amounts, the dorsal lung can produce enough to sustain the Choeroed, though it will be significantly affected by the loss of oxygen.
Circulatory System:
Another system that is amazingly efficient. The Choeroed heart, despite its being very small, is powerful and fast. To accommodate the Choeroed’s respiratory system, it must pump all of the blood in the body through both lungs in an extremely small amount of time. To aid the heart in this immense task, every vein and artery in the Choeroed’s body has contractile walls, making the entire circulatory system essentially one big heart. This has bad ramifications, however. Due to this method of circulations, Choeroeds have amazingly high blood pressure, and run the risk of internal hemorrhaging if they over-exert.
Digestive System
The Choeroed digestive system is not anything of particular singularity. While Choeroeds are very active, and therefore require a lot of energy, they have an adaptation which allows them to be more efficient about their eating habits. In warm weather, Choeroeds can switch from endothermic to ectothermic properties, basically halving their energy requirements, and letting the environment keep them at a reasonable temperature. Considering the fact that Choeroeds live on a very tropical planet, they often resort to Ectothermia during the day, then switch back at night. The only other notable feature of the Choeroed digestive system is the antitoxins applied during digestion. (See Endocrine system) While this isn't really so much related to the Digestive system, Choeroeds also possess long, retractable tounges that they can use to snatch food from a distance.
Endocrine and Immune Systems
The Choeroeds are amazingly resistant to toxins, poisons, and diseases. Choeroed doctors attribute this to byproducts of Scritos synthesis. Whatever the cause of this chemical, it is amazingly good at viciously destroying foreign substances. This chemical alone has basically replaced the Choeroed endocrine and immune systems, as it runs through the blood. This water-tight defense system makes Choeroeds incredibly difficult to destroy using poisons, venoms, toxins, viruses, or bacterial disease. However, the chemical will also attack any medicines that are applied to the Choeroed, so the rare diseases that can penetrate Choeroed immune systems are incurable, as any medicinal attempts to quell the disease are wiped out by the Choeroed’s body. (As a side note, the chemical running through the various body fluids of the Choeroed allows them to be great last-resort healers. A Choeroed bite on a poisoned area is a reliable, if not comfortable remedy.)
Reproductive System
Like all saurians, Choeroeds utilize amniotic eggs and internal fertilization to reproduce. At approximately 5 twassecc years of age (slightly more for females) a Choeroed is sexually mature. The males show off for females with their brightly colored skin and crests, and females pick the strongest, most healthy individuals. After conception, both parents stay together until the hatchlings are completely raised. After a gestation period of about 6 days, the female will lay 1-4 eggs. The eggs incubation period is approximately a series, at which small (incredibly cute), huge-eyed Choeroeds will emerge. The baby Choeroeds can usually do a backflip within a few days of birth, so they develop quite fast. After about 4 twassecc years, the hatchlings are considered adult enough to leave, if they so choose, and the parents are no longer instinctually bounded to stay with one another. However, often the parents do stay together, as they have developed more permanent affection. (A note on incubation: While Choeroeds have invented machine incubators, only in very rare cases are they utilized. Choeroed females seem to be instinctually driven to sit on their eggs, and Choeroed instincts are very hard to suppress.)
Skeletal and Muscle Systems:
Choeroed skeletons are designed to be very light, yet strong enough to sustain the Choeroed. They achieve this by being hollow, but being lined with cross-braces. An entire Choeroed skeleton weighs little over 4 pounds, but is as strong as a similar structure weighing about 40. The major notable feature of a Choeroed skeleton is the head crest. Made of very light, air-filled bone, the crest protrudes about 20 inches behind the head. While some theorize that it had use as a weapon, further analysis reveals that their extremely light structure makes them very fragile. Choeroed muscles, also very light, line the entire skeleton. While some of the muscles, such as those in the upper leg, are immensely strong, generally Choeroeds are fairly lacking in the strength department. This, again, allows them to move fast and remain light.
Sensory Systems:
The foremost sense for Choeroeds is vision. They have tremendous, color-vision eyes, comprised fully of one giant pupil. While this makes them susceptible to bright light damage, it allows them to see great distances and distinguish special relationships with amazing precision. Choeroeds also base much of their senses on smell. Their well developed olfactory lobe allows them to smell creatures from hundreds of yards away, and function efficiently even underwater. Choeroed hearing, while not amazing, is still above that of most species. Sense of touch is significantly reduced, being that their scaly skin has very few exposed nerve endings.
Skin:
One final observation on Choeroed anatomy is their amazing skin. Covered in chromatoforms, it can change colors on a very basic level. Generally, however, the thin-scaled skin is a bright green. Depending on mood and practice, Choeroeds can attain varying shades of browns, greens, blues, and yellows.
Anatomical Statistics:
Average height: 1.1 meters
Average weight: 67 pounds
Top speed: 68 mpe (About 45 mph)
Sexual Maturity: 5 twassecc years (About 20 human years)
Lifespan: 25 twassecc years (About 100 human years)
Nervous System:
First of all, Choeroed brains are rather small, and shaped in a more primitive manner than most sentient races. The olfactory and optical lobes are tremendous, while the actual processing areas are very small. While this grants them incredible vision, it does not make them stupid. While the thinking and processing lobes are very small, they are amazingly efficient. Choeroed doctors did a study, finding that Choeroeds use approximately 95% of their brain tissue, as opposed to most other races. Also prominent on the Choeroed brain is the well-developed instinctual, reflexive zone. As you might expect, this makes Choeroeds very good at quickly reacting to their surroundings, but poses a problem to them, as well. While it makes them difficult to surprise, it makes them very vulnerable when their instinct kicks in. Choeroed instincts are so powerful and quick, that at the first sign of danger, a Choeroed may be fully incapable of sentient thought for a brief period. This is often dangerous, when faced with intelligent, unorthodox foes. Choeroed nerves, too, are specially designed. They carry messages in an amazingly fast manner, due to their efficient design. Rather than single nerves branching out in a myriad of ways, Choeroed nerves are collected in bundles, with very few branches. Also, the cells that make up these chords are actually connected, resulting in minutely faster signal transfer. These nerves, coupled with the incredible instinctual properties of the Choeroed brain, allow them to move and react with incredible speed. Finally, the Choeroed spinal cord is distinct, in that it frays out in multiple directions, then comes back together to accommodate the Choeroed dorsal lung.
Respiratory System:
Choeroed respiratory systems are, as you may guess, astoundingly efficient. The Choeroed diaphragm is connected to the quadriceps on the legs in such a manner that the faster the legs move, the faster the lungs can function. This allows Choeroeds to move at incredible speeds, for long periods, without resting. In fact, it is easier for a Choeroed to sprint than it is for it to walk. Choeroeds, like many species, have two lungs. However, unlike many species, they are positioned in front of one another, with a large ventral lung handling the oxygen requirements, and a smaller dorsal lung dealing only with the acquisition and production of Scritos. Scritos is a hydrogen-based molecule, with similar properties to water, (except for the fact that it is a gas at room temperature). Scritos aids Choeroeds in oxygen diffusion, in much the same way that Hemoglobin does for most creatures. Luckily for the Choeroeds, Choeroea’s atmosphere is plentiful in Scritos, and in environments where Scritos cannot be found in adequate amounts, the dorsal lung can produce enough to sustain the Choeroed, though it will be significantly affected by the loss of oxygen.
Circulatory System:
Another system that is amazingly efficient. The Choeroed heart, despite its being very small, is powerful and fast. To accommodate the Choeroed’s respiratory system, it must pump all of the blood in the body through both lungs in an extremely small amount of time. To aid the heart in this immense task, every vein and artery in the Choeroed’s body has contractile walls, making the entire circulatory system essentially one big heart. This has bad ramifications, however. Due to this method of circulations, Choeroeds have amazingly high blood pressure, and run the risk of internal hemorrhaging if they over-exert.
Digestive System
The Choeroed digestive system is not anything of particular singularity. While Choeroeds are very active, and therefore require a lot of energy, they have an adaptation which allows them to be more efficient about their eating habits. In warm weather, Choeroeds can switch from endothermic to ectothermic properties, basically halving their energy requirements, and letting the environment keep them at a reasonable temperature. Considering the fact that Choeroeds live on a very tropical planet, they often resort to Ectothermia during the day, then switch back at night. The only other notable feature of the Choeroed digestive system is the antitoxins applied during digestion. (See Endocrine system) While this isn't really so much related to the Digestive system, Choeroeds also possess long, retractable tounges that they can use to snatch food from a distance.
Endocrine and Immune Systems
The Choeroeds are amazingly resistant to toxins, poisons, and diseases. Choeroed doctors attribute this to byproducts of Scritos synthesis. Whatever the cause of this chemical, it is amazingly good at viciously destroying foreign substances. This chemical alone has basically replaced the Choeroed endocrine and immune systems, as it runs through the blood. This water-tight defense system makes Choeroeds incredibly difficult to destroy using poisons, venoms, toxins, viruses, or bacterial disease. However, the chemical will also attack any medicines that are applied to the Choeroed, so the rare diseases that can penetrate Choeroed immune systems are incurable, as any medicinal attempts to quell the disease are wiped out by the Choeroed’s body. (As a side note, the chemical running through the various body fluids of the Choeroed allows them to be great last-resort healers. A Choeroed bite on a poisoned area is a reliable, if not comfortable remedy.)
Reproductive System
Like all saurians, Choeroeds utilize amniotic eggs and internal fertilization to reproduce. At approximately 5 twassecc years of age (slightly more for females) a Choeroed is sexually mature. The males show off for females with their brightly colored skin and crests, and females pick the strongest, most healthy individuals. After conception, both parents stay together until the hatchlings are completely raised. After a gestation period of about 6 days, the female will lay 1-4 eggs. The eggs incubation period is approximately a series, at which small (incredibly cute), huge-eyed Choeroeds will emerge. The baby Choeroeds can usually do a backflip within a few days of birth, so they develop quite fast. After about 4 twassecc years, the hatchlings are considered adult enough to leave, if they so choose, and the parents are no longer instinctually bounded to stay with one another. However, often the parents do stay together, as they have developed more permanent affection. (A note on incubation: While Choeroeds have invented machine incubators, only in very rare cases are they utilized. Choeroed females seem to be instinctually driven to sit on their eggs, and Choeroed instincts are very hard to suppress.)
Skeletal and Muscle Systems:
Choeroed skeletons are designed to be very light, yet strong enough to sustain the Choeroed. They achieve this by being hollow, but being lined with cross-braces. An entire Choeroed skeleton weighs little over 4 pounds, but is as strong as a similar structure weighing about 40. The major notable feature of a Choeroed skeleton is the head crest. Made of very light, air-filled bone, the crest protrudes about 20 inches behind the head. While some theorize that it had use as a weapon, further analysis reveals that their extremely light structure makes them very fragile. Choeroed muscles, also very light, line the entire skeleton. While some of the muscles, such as those in the upper leg, are immensely strong, generally Choeroeds are fairly lacking in the strength department. This, again, allows them to move fast and remain light.
Sensory Systems:
The foremost sense for Choeroeds is vision. They have tremendous, color-vision eyes, comprised fully of one giant pupil. While this makes them susceptible to bright light damage, it allows them to see great distances and distinguish special relationships with amazing precision. Choeroeds also base much of their senses on smell. Their well developed olfactory lobe allows them to smell creatures from hundreds of yards away, and function efficiently even underwater. Choeroed hearing, while not amazing, is still above that of most species. Sense of touch is significantly reduced, being that their scaly skin has very few exposed nerve endings.
Skin:
One final observation on Choeroed anatomy is their amazing skin. Covered in chromatoforms, it can change colors on a very basic level. Generally, however, the thin-scaled skin is a bright green. Depending on mood and practice, Choeroeds can attain varying shades of browns, greens, blues, and yellows.
Anatomical Statistics:
Average height: 1.1 meters
Average weight: 67 pounds
Top speed: 68 mpe (About 45 mph)
Sexual Maturity: 5 twassecc years (About 20 human years)
Lifespan: 25 twassecc years (About 100 human years)
