Different species of Aquatic Ponies, part two

Now continuing on from my last Journal entry, I have decided to highlight the differences between Ocean and Freshwater Sea Ponies. These two species are as opposite as night and day, and I wish to illustrate that, here in my second entry.

The oceangoing sea ponies are much stronger physically than their freshwater counterparts, with more developed muscles from dealing with stronger ocean currents. Their eyes have adapted to the darkness of the deep waters, and see much more clearly down there in the deep than river seaponies, and their arms and front hooves allow for far more flexibility and object manipulation than their smaller cousin's fins. With their larger fins and bodies, they are far more suited to dwelling in the depths than freshwater sea ponies.

The seaponies of Ponyland, however, are much faster and more dexterous than their larger sisters. Their maneuverability and reflexes are better suited to river life, able to outrace the oceangoing seaponies in any pursuit situation. their tails are far more flexible, able to bend, move, twist, contort, and grab objects; almost as if they were an extra arm at the end of their bodies. Just at look how they can move and dance in this musical number, sung to Megan and Applejack;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iakTl9SZTTY

Also on the subject of biology, Ocean Seaponies are a great deal like land-going ponies, biologically behaving as we do, and reproducing in a similar fashion. Foals are live births, and can instinctively swim and move around on their own, staying close to their mothers until they are old enough to talk. The ocean dwellers usually stick to their own kind for romantic partnerships, as relationships with surface dwellers, who cannot live in deep saltwater for prolonged periods of time. Deep water seaponies keep an aloof distance from us land folk, only dealing with us as acquaintances, and only rarely form friendships with us hooved equines.

Seaponies... oh boy these girls are a different matter. We easily make friends with these friendly river dwellers, who spend most of their lives with their heads above water. Freshwater seaponies are fiercely loyal to us land dwellers, and most structures in Ponyland have water tunnels leading in and out of the rivers and pools to accommodate the sea ponies. Sea pony foals, unfortunately, are unable to swim in deep water, and actually need to float in inner tubes when they swim so they don't drown (as seen in the illustration above). It's sad that there is a type of aquatic equine who cannot survive in their own environment as foals.

While oceangoing equines are scaly and slightly creepy to look act, river seaponies look just like normal mares and stallions. This makes intermarriage with land ponies exceptionally rare, but not unheard of. But... there is one down side for any stallion with a sea mare fantasy, and it relates to freshwater sea pony reproduction. Sea pony mares, much like the sea horses they are so similar to... actually get stallions pregnant. In this subspecies the mares don't carry the babies, and this extends to the rare land stallions who decide to enter a relationship with them. Through their race's natural magic, freshwater sea ponies make this possible... and I don't want to even think about how that even works.

Next time, we'll talk about the differences in the two aquatic pony type's cultures. Until then, as the freshwater sea ponies say, 'Happy swimming, and Shooby Doo!"