Bob

One of Populus' first primitive animals to adapt to life on land was the Dranion. Dranions originally fed by clinging on to rocks and sucking small organic organisms off of the rock's surface. As competition among the Dranions and other organisms increased, some Dranions began to use their feeler arms and tails to wiggle out of the water and onto exposed rocks. This practice continued for thousands and thousands of years, and eventually the Dranion's feeler arms began to change. The Dranions with strong feeler arms would survive, in times of hardship, better than the Dranions with weak feeler arms. Changes also began to occur in how long the Dranion could stay out of water. As you could imagine, it was a great advantage to be able to stay out of the water for a long period of time.

Eventually, the changes in the Dranion led to the evolution of the Blue Bellied Skink. This small but efficient organism spent nearly all of its life on land (Skinks still hatched in the water). The Skink had four legs, each with three small but strong fingers, that it could use to hold on to rocks in the surf. It also developed a primitive form of lungs that allowed it to obtain its oxygen from the air rather than the water. Skinks had a diet that was different from that of the Dranion. Skinks could eat small plants, as well as tiny "insect like" organisms that began to appear on Populus. As we shall soon see, Skinks developed into a wide variety of creatures, each using a special skill in order to survive in a new environment. Some became fast, some smart, and some thorny, but they all owe their existence to the humble little Skink. Blue Bellied Skinks grew to a length of about 3 inches, they were cold-blooded, reproduced sexually, and hatched from eggs laid in the water.

The Skinks that moved into the deserts of Populus had to develop thick, tough and thorny skin in order to survive in their new environment. Their thick skin helps to ward off the intense sun of the deserts and it also helps to prevent moisture from escaping from their bodies. The Spiked Skink developed its trademark spikes in order to ward off other predators. The Spiked Skink relies on the fact that it does not appear to be a tasty meal to its predators. Spiked Skinks are omnivores, their complex stomachs are able to digest both plant and animal matter effectively. They usually survive on a combination of desert vegetation and carrion. Spiked Skinks are warm-blooded, they reproduce sexually, and hatch from eggs. They grow to a length of about 11 inches.

One of the most highly advanced organisms on Populus is the Howling Prax. The Howling Prax developed over millions of years in the very competitive environment of the tropical rainforests. In this environment, it wasn't enough that an animal was fast or strong, they also needed to be smart in order to survive. Despite its rather timid appearance, the Prax is actually a highly intelligent, aggressive omnivore. Praxes hunt in large groups and have been known to bring down animals over twice their size. They are also able to use primitive stone tools to both strike and butcher their prey. To adapt to a hunting lifestyle, the Howling Prax developed eyes that look forward, so that they are able to focus on their prey. They developed an extra finger that helps them to grasp tools and tree branches, and they also developed a thick layer of fur to help regulate their body temperature. Praxes are extremely adept at moving through the forest canopy and they are capable of making tremendous leaps from one tree to another. Although the Prax's diet consists mostly of meat, they will also eat fruit or other plant materials in order to supplement their diet. They are usually about 5 feet tall when standing straight up. Praxes are warm blooded, reproduce sexually, and their offspring are produced through live births. Praxes have developed a social means to control the number of births that occur each year. Only the dominant male and female in a group of Praxes will reproduce. This means that the overall number of Praxes in an area usually remains fairly stable.

The closest living relative to the Blue Bellied Skink is the Giant Skink. This large amphibian lives close to the many ponds, rivers, and lakes of the Temperate Forests. The Giant Skink's most important adaptation is its ability to change its skin color to blend in with its environment. In fact, Giant Skinks are very hard to observe in the wild because they are literally so hard to see. Giant Skinks are omnivores, their diet usually consisting of streamside vegetation or any carrion that they can locate. The cold-blooded Giant Skink grows to a length of about 2 and a half feet long. They reproduce sexually and hatch from eggs laid beneath the surface of the ground.

The abundance of vegetation and the wide-open spaces of the grasslands led to the evolution of one of Populus' fastest animals. The Sprite is a lightning fast herbivore that lives its entire life on the open grasslands. Sprites spend most of their lives on the move, constantly migrating to areas where the grass is green and abundant. They migrate in small groups of about 20 to 30 animals. During the mating season, they come together in large herds so that they can give birth to their young in the relative safety that great numbers provide. Female Sprites usually give birth to one offspring per year. As you can see, Sprites developed a light coat of fur to help them to regulate their body heat. Warm-blooded Sprites usually grow to about three and a half feet tall at the shoulder.

Animal	Weight	Kilocalories Needed/ Day	Kilocalories if Eaten
Blue-Bellied Skink	3 Ounces	3 Kcal.	150 Kcal.
Spiked Skink	4 Pounds	180 Kcal.	2000 Kcal.
Howling Prax	200 Pounds	3000 Kcal.	100,000 Kcal.
Giant Skink	10 Pounds	400 Kcal.	5,000 Kcal.
Sprite	100 Pounds	1500 Kcal.	50,000 Kcal.

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