Taxonomic Moments
Human May Force Reclassification Of Species
Originally printed in Harmony and Nature (1217, Issue 902, p.4)
The discovery of an extinct species of great ape resembling the recently-arrived ‘human’ has forced a radical rethink of the way the great apes are classified, and may prompt the creation of a completely new sub-family.
Recently uncovered at an archaeological dig in southern Impalawi, the new ape species appears morphologically distinct from the extant Panini, except for Pan pediobates, the Zebrican Gracile Plains Ape, with which it shares a number of common features, including a lack of sagittal crest, reduced occipital ridge, pronouncedly neotenous facial features and a relative shortening of the forelimbs.
The presence of items that may be primitive stone tools has also been noted, but archaeologists in the field are not willing to confirm the possibility.
A reclassification of Pan pediobates as Heme pediobates, along with the creation of the genus Heme to encompass both H. pediobates and the new discovery, tentatively named Heme habilis, is currently under consideration. The inclusion and classification of the human as Heme sapiens advena is also a distinct possibility.
Classification of the Pony and Related Species
ORDER PERISSODACTYLA
sub-order Hippomorpha
└Equidae
└Genus Equus
├ Wild Horse Equus ferus
│ ├ Equestrian Wild Horse Equus ferus facies horrida
│ ├ Southern Wild Horse Equus ferus huwinima
│ └ Modern Horse Equus sapiens indeprensa
│
├ Modern Pony Equus nobilis
│ ├ Pegasus Pony Equus nobilis pegasus
│ ├ Earth Pony Equus nobilis lutus
│ ├ Unicorn Equus nobilis optima
│ ┆
│ └ Pseudo-pegacorn Equus nobilis pansimila
│
├ Zebra Equus zebra
│ └ Tribal Zebra Equus zebra sapiens
│
├ Donkey Equus asinus sordida
│
├ True Pegacorn (Alicorn) Equus panoptica
│
├ Northern Pony Equus brevis adipemus
│
└ Sea Pony (postulated) Equus bipes
Descent of the Pony
Whilst fossil evidence is sparse, the modern Pony is thought to have emerged in the Old World some 150,000 to 200,000 years ago. Other sapient equines are thought to have emerged at around the same time; given their close relation to similar non-sapient species, a common sapient ancestor for all sapient equines has been ruled out.
The earliest known ancestor of both E. nobilis and E. panoptica appears to be Equus magus crestatus. Several specimens of E. magus were discovered in the Bittish Isles, in caves near the town of Buckston. In many ways E. magus resembles a modern Earth Pony, with a similarly dense bone structure and robust body, though it has a number of archaisms such as an enlarged muzzle, smaller orbits, and a much smaller cranial capacity.
Close examination of surviving fossils has revealed several structures that appear to be analogous to magic-focussing structures found in modern ponies. The limbs and spine are threaded with numerous magum fossae, as is the dorsal skull and upper forehead, where a primitive horn-like structure can be found on several examples. A number of similar structures are found on the dorsal, forming a dual crest that is dense with fossae, accompanied by a rudimentary limb girdle, (fig a.) which appear to be analogous to vestigial structures found in the midlimbs of E. nobilis pegasus and E. panoptica. Similar vestigial structures occasionally appear in other modern ponies[1], indicating that this is either an ancestor of modern ponies or a very closely related sister of that ancestor.
fig. a: Reconstruction of E. magus crestatus
Following E. magus we find the appearance of Equus munda, the first pony to make use of primitive tools, as attested by the discovery of flint axe-heads in close proximity. E. munda appears to have had some rudimentary magical ability and was apparently able to “hold” small objects in its forehooves, which are riddled with magum fossae, likely indicating the presence of rudimentary structures analogous to those found in all modern ponies, whilst other structures found in E. magus appear to have receded or become entirely vestigial.
E. munda appears to be followed by several related species, all of which are now extinct, and Equus matercula robustus, the so-called Mother of Ponies, who once again bore close resemblance to the modern Earth Pony. E. matercula is taxonomically almost identical to modern ponies, though archaic and larger, with a similar cranial capacity, but still displaying slightly divergent orbits as a final remnant of her prey-species ancestry. A similar divergence occasionallymanifests in modern ponies as Buttermilk’s Divergent Orbital Regression Syndrome.
From E. matercula we find Equus nobilis, all three subspecies of which diverged from E. matercula approximately 0.2 Ma ago, though no intermediate forms of either E. nobilis optima, or E. nobilis pegasus have been found.
Meanwhile, the evolution of the True Pegacorn took place in parallel to the Archaic Earth Pony in a nearly linear descent from E. magus crestatus.
The fossil data available indicates that the crest for which E. magus crestatus is named was soon adapted from its original purpose to serve first as a rudimentary gliding surface and then transformed, through a remarkable process of convergent evolution, into a fully functional analogue of an avian wing.
The limb girdle and wing both appear in a more defined form in Equus magus protopega (fig. b), though the wing is obviously non-functional and seems to act as a manipulatory limb of some sort. The primary spindle has elongated and jointed and a rudimentary grasping claw has appeared on the tip, whilst the other spindles have reduced to almost vestigial spines arrayed around the protoform "shoulder", where a few have extended to form protofeathers. The entire limb is strung with extremely fine magum fossae that appear similar to those found in the Pegasus wing, indicating at least limited ability to manipulate air and electrical phenomena.
fig. b: E. magus protopega with speculative use of midlimbs.
The fully-formed wing appears in Equus pegasus optiforma. At this point the wing seems to be adapted to gliding rather than flying and probably served as a way for E. pegasus optiforma to leap long distances or escape from predators. The claw remains in a reduced form, as it will do in every subsequent species to descend from this one.
As evidenced by the discovery of several intact, if brittle primary feathers at one optiforma site, the near-indestructible nature of the primary feathers is already apparent, a clear sign of the increasingly refined and complex magical use of the limb.
There has been some study on the possibility that E. pegasus optiforma was advanced enough to form a civilisation. Whilst some intriguing evidence has been found, there is little solid proof of the possibility.
Approximately 0.4 to 0.3 Ma B.P. sees the arrival of Equus aliparvus. Apart from its size, E. aliparvus was essentially identical to the modern True Pegacorn, E. panoptica, and presumably capable of very powerful magical manipulation. Studies of modern E. panoptica are, for obvious reasons, extremely limited so only rudimentary comparisons are possible.
Approximate comparison of E. nobilis pegasus, E. aliparvus and E. panoptica in profile.
Genetic studies indicate that the speciation of the modern pony into the three closely related sub-species of E. nobilis was a result of interbreeding between E. matercula and the now extinct E. aliparvus. This late hybridisation and subsequent speciation explains both the relatively sudden appearance of fully-developed wings in E. nobilis pegasus and the horn of E. nobilis optima, the generally more gracile appearance of the species, as well as a number of inter-related syndromes that occur in all sub-species of E. nobilis, most notably Snugglepuff-Alondro syndrome[2].
This syndrome in particular encourages further study of the genetic history of our species. Current studies indicate several possible avenues for further investigation that might reveal a potential cure for the syndrome, and further, more in-depth research will be required.
fig. c The descent of E. nobilis and E. panoptica
[1] Spiniform Wingroot and The Unicorn’s Curse (more accurately known as an Inverse coniformic magum teratoma) are just two possible congenital defects thought to be caused by partial expression of vestigial magical organs. The former usually manifests as harmless nubs or spines behind the scapula, which can be removed with relatively simple surgery, though they can be dangerous to a pegasus in their more extreme form. The Unicorn’s Curse, the growth of a vestigial corniform structure in the forebrain and an associated build-up of magical potential, is invariably fatal.
[2] “The study revealed that around 70% of male fœtuses either miscarry within a few days of fertilisation, or develop into a peculiar form of triploid that first divides into two structures, each containing a stable diploid, one containing the male sex chromosome and one the female, before ejecting the cells containing the male sex chromosome in the second week of the pregnancy.” Snugglepuff, Alondro - High incidences of spontaneous abortion and sterility in male offspring and their likely causes - Harmony and Nature (1176, issue 787, p 21).
The Unicorns Curse is blatantly stolen from The All American Girl side stories.
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1552673 Now you're also a scientist. Well done!
1553647 Definitely contain named parts of a fruiting tree!
1556385 Just as planned... dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Lyra.png
Dat science.
1556380
Have Lero do a chapter. ^_^
Evolutionary biology!
i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee270/Asriel16Asi/My%20Little%20Pony%20Friendship%20is%20Magic/Twilight-clap.gif
One thing to fix in the Linnean nomenclature though, you only capitalize the Genus names, as in Equus nobilis pegasus.
I'll place my attempts at assigning Linnean taxonomy on ponies in here.
Male pregnancies O_o????
1556431 Pregnancies resulting in males. Hmm. Perhaps I should change the wording.
1556444 Oh, yeah I thought for a second there you meant the guys had babies. I was all like, "What has magic done!" Thanks for clearing that up.
I like how you gave alicorn's a scientific explanation, rather than wrote them off as an uncommon anomaly that pony science couldn't explain. Though I guess they are that too... and male alicorn are apparently impossible.
Should Changelings be on that list?
1526237
What exactly was sexist? It strikes me as odd that someone who uses evolutionary terms dismisses the idea of roles created through dimorphism.
Equus Nobilis Optima ? I guess the first scientists must have been unicorns?
By the way, when they find a way to allow Lero's herd to have foals would they also be a different species? Maybe they would be classified as a chimera or something.
Great chapter my head nearly exploded with science :D
images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120621172639/half-life/en/images/thumb/8/88/GLaDOShd_Portal_2.png/250px-GLaDOShd_Portal_2.png
Oh, hello, I sensed some science occurring in the proximity of this fiction and I just had to check it out.
Yes, yeeesss!! More science chapters! Say it with me everyone,
blazeroulette.com/htgb/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Doing-it-for-Science-300x300.png
WooooW! Fantastic chapter! I really loved the taxonomy part :].
MOAR!!!
I... knew the vast majority of the terminology presented before reading this chapter. What is wrong with me?
Huzzah! More history and science!
As a paleo/dinosaur/evolution enthusiast, this is relative AS HELL to my interests. Keep up the good work sir!
I like how you made the naming system similar, but very definitely different, and how Homo Sapiens has a different scientific name under their system.
Though now I'm curious as to how changelings fit into all this.
I think that it's extremely interesting that ponies had tool using limbs but essentially lost them as they evolved/interbred. Magic takes precedence over tools I suppose. Also find it interesting that they were a proto-pegacorn (Unisus?) until various interbreedings splits the race into 'breeds.'
wing hands, the stuff of my nightmares.
1556396
That's if you get the gourmet pies.
If you want the "fruit" pie with honey that's 2b extra, but you don't want to try one without honey.
I like how you separated Equus Nobilis Pansimila and Equus Panoptica, although to be pedantic, the genus should be capitalized, but the species and subspecies shouldn't.
Equus nobilis pansimila
Equus panoptica
etc.
1556452 They must have existed at some point but it does seem like I've written them out of the world, doesn't it?
1556454
1556489 Who else would do science? Sticky mud ponies?
1556524>>1556549 That's the long and the short of it, yep.
1556572>>1556614>>1556626 SCIENCE! dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Twilight_Sparkle_lolface.png
1556699 Genius, that's what.
1556459 1557029 Changelings would probably be a separate family rather than a genus under Equidae. Polymorphidae or something.
1556984 Will do!
1557052>>1557064 Those wing hands are a bit freaky aren't they?
1557133 An that's cuttin' me own throat that is!
1557151 Blame the unicorns. dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Twilight_Sparkle_lolface.png Nah, I'll go back and fix it in a sec. Thanks.
Honestly, making this up gave me a much better idea of how to deal with Cadence. I think I like her this way.
By the way, I had literally never considered the idea of alicorns being a different species because of their comparative rarity. The number of individuals necessary for a genetically viable population is on the order of several thousand, and we've seen either two or three.
On the other hand, it does raise the very interesting analogy to Bdelloid Rotifers, which are animals that reproduce exclusively asexually (via parthogenesis), and are universally female.
1557212
I have an idea bubbling away that I might develop at some point, that involves E. aliparvus becoming, in essence, the pony version of the survivors of Atlantis. They had a relatively advanced civilisation that suddenly collapsed when they began to ascend to some sort of higher level of existence, possibly brought about by a conscious attempt to force their evolution through magic. Most of them just disappeared. A few became E. panoptica and the rest left the ruins of their home to mingle with the ponies. I haven't decided whether the genetic abnormalities would be caused by their experiments or just a result of plain old bad luck, though I'm leaning toward the latter.
But that's all for another day, I think.
I get that everything's been neatly sorted out, and you solved several fridge logic problems, but Snugglepuff? Really?
I know changelings look like ponies, but I'd say they share more qualities with insects and would therefor be a different genus.
1557372 Pony can't help how she's named bra. dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Lyra_dealwithit.png
I'd say changelings are an insect that that has evolved to resemble ponies making it easier to fool them and feed off of them, perhaps being pony kind's natural predator. Or they could have something along the lines of the evolutionary story the wraith from SG: Atlantis have.
How did this all come to be from a single (very interesting and story-driven but nevertheless) clopfic?
P.S. You forgot to classify the proper changelings :P
1556418 Apparently that forum has banned my ISP, or a large set of its IP addresses.
And here I am considering getting a degree in palentology
1557942 Go fer it.
1557383
It only looks like that to you because you're a mammal. Changelings don't actually resemble insects in any real way but how humans stereotypically see insects. Flexible skin(which also means they'd need an internalized skeleton to live on land), only four limbs, lack of spiracles(necessitating that they breathe with lungs), teeth and the like all make them not particularly insect like.
My avatar and I approve of this chapter.
Also, I really like the protoponies. Very cool designs there.
1558411
... Are you a zoologist?
1558516
Technically, I'm studying to be a marine biologist, but I do know quite a bit about land animals as well.
I have a feeling Rainbow Dash is not going to like this book very much
Are you planning a chapter which documents or will give some reference to the history of Equestria's inequality in regards to gender and race? I really want to see if this is going to tie in with certain pony groupings [unicorn, Pegasi, earth pony] or certain cultures inflict on the matter.
1558573
Then I defer to your wisdom. I saw compound eyes and thought "bug".
1558638
Considering the Chrysalis has slitted pupils, and you don't actually see the hexagonal pattern that makes up compound eyes on the "drone" changelings... They might not even be compound eyes(although they're probably meant to be, it brings in all sorts of weird genetics questions when the males and females have an entirely different basic structure for their eyes). They might just happen to have unusual looking eyes that still work basically the same as pony eyes. The whited bits might be their actual pupils and their eye structure is secretly vertebrate-like.
1556887
i can not clean latrinies i have to ship ;0)
1556412
Yes he should who better to comment about humans than a human
1556396 I can haz a science!
You know, I should show you the genetic inheritance mechanism I worked out for the Cake Twins: http://charlesdeleroy.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d4mgvxs
Of course, I'd also have to modify it for the deleterious trans-species hybridization effects in this scenario.
*eerie thought* Discord could offer to correct the genetic problems in exchange for his freedom... oooo... somepony might actually take him up on the offer!
1556444
Of course if sea ponies turn out to be real, maybe their males are the ones who get pregnant like in real sea horses.
1557418
Actually, according to my headcannon, they can. As part of their Cute Ceaneras, this solves the problem of naming your foal, if their cutie mark doesn't mesh well with their given name.
Essentially, foals are named along family lines or whatever weird name their parents want to give them, then when their cutie mark appears, if they feel that their name no longer personifies them, they can change it as part of the ceremony.
ug. too much think. hed hurt from many fancy words.