One of the most contentious topics in the entirety of ponydom is what makes a pony a pony. In the early days of Equestria, there were only three races of pony. Now there are eight confirmed pony races and several unconfirmed. The status of these ‘equine morphs’ is up to debate and has divided many scientists in Equestria and the other nations.

Tatzlpony

Tatzlponies are one of the simpler equine-morphs to bring up in this issue. As with many equine-morphs, they came about during the Discordian Era and are one of the oldest of this group. With genetic research making itself known, it’s been readily confirmed that they are a combination of Earth Pony and Tatzlwurm. It has been theorized that they are a product of one of Discord’s experiments/pranks.

Due to Discord’s displacement and the general disdain of pony tribes to each other, the tatzleponies have settled a small country overseas. The small nation earthbound nation is surrounded by far larger and aggressive nations that would happily see it gone from the map. However, the natural resolve of the tatleponies have kept them alive all these eons.

One of the saving graces of the tatzlponies is their ability to dig. Like their tatzlewurm ancestors, tatzlponies are among the greatest diggers on the planet. Their hooves are far more flexible then other tribes, able to grip and scoop dirt in no time at all. This ability is useful in escaping land based/airborne predators and digging away from subterranean predators, such as Diamond Dogs or their own tatzlwurm cousins. Because of this and their ancestry, tatzlponies feel far more comfortable underground. Most of their major cities actually dwell miles beneath the surface in pocket chambers they have excavated, with only the odd town here or there on the surface.

Tatzlponies have a strong connection to the earth, like their Earth cousins. However, they have lost their connection to the druidic life force. Instead, they are the masters of the earth, with some able to create earthquakes or even 'bend' the earth around them. This can be drawn from a combination of their Earth pony genes as well as a dash of Discord's inherit magic.

Tatzlponies are durable, far and above that of earth ponies. Tatzlwurms are known for their tough hides which make great armor. Tatzlponies have inherited this strong skin and muscular build. They can lift weights that would even make an Earth pony green with jealousy. However, they are quite bulky. So they are not nearly as fast as their Earth kin or as nimble, which is why their preferential plan to escape is to dig.

Tatzlponies are strange in a few other manners. All tatzlponies have red, jagged marks underneath their eyes. As well, they have been derogatively called Splitjaws, because how their lower jaw is disjointed. As such, it parts as they speak and eat. They as well have long tails which helps keep their balance when walking on their hindlegs, making them one of the few species of ponies that can walk like that naturally without training. As well, their tails are thick enough to act as weapons themselves, able to break bone. Tatzlponies are strange in that they have a layer of primitive plumage running in a line from their hindquarters to the end of their bushy tail. This is strange, since the plumage has been more recorded to coincide with that of primitive theropods. This could possibly add to the strange dissonance here and there in their DNA due to Discord’s meddling.

Their most striking featuring, besides their jaws, is there tongues. They have three long, tongues that are sturdy enough to pick up heavy objects and delicate enough to handle glass. Tatzlponies often use them to manipulate their environment and get a sense of it as well. Because of their thick hides, tatzlponies can't really 'feel' what they touch. So, they use their tongues to make sense of it. Once they have tasted something, a tatzlpony can perfectly put the taste to an object/being. This can be attributed to how large the sense of taste is important to them and brain studies have concurred this. Although they are descended from Earth Ponies, tatzlponies are in fact omnivorous, happily gorging themselves on bulbs or small burrowing creatures that they come across. Some have even taken their tatzlwurm hunting habits to heart and lie and wait to jump unaware creatures, such as pigs or such.

Mothpony

Mothponies are a secluded race. They do their hardest to keep to themselves, not because they hate everyone else. They are afraid. As it was theorized and later confirmed, mothponies were descended from the ancient Flutterponies (themselves descendants of the pegasi/changeling). The Flutterponies were an open and loving species, until the great war nearly two thousand years prior wiped them out. Since then, the last of them flew to neighboring islands and became what we now know as Mothponies. Currently, they also have taken in the remnants of Chrysalis's original changelings as well as Princess Pinkamena Diane Pie and her (still pony) sister Maud as their rulers. To which they have started to open up their borders, but they are still reluctant of allowing others into their homeland.

Mothponies have frail bodies and aren't known to take blows well. Still, they are great warriors in their own right, preferring hit and run/subterfuge tactics to beat their enemies. (Usually griffins that have tried time and again to finish what they started.) While not nearly as fast as the pegasi or griffins they are much more maneuverable giving them a clear advantage in closed spaces.

Mothponies have superb night vision, which helps with their nocturnal habits. Of course, this gives them poor vision during sunlight hours, to which they keep themselves deep within caves or their castle walls for safety. As well as highly tuned ears on par with their Vamphirine cousins, they have a set of fluffy antenna that work as a second pair of feelers and scent detectors. They are far more attuned to the air around them, thanks to their sensitive fur along their legs and antenna.

Moth ponies can't really eat solid food, since they instead use a long proboscis to drink in their nourishment. This usually takes in the form of nectar as their homeland abounds in giant flowers and tree sap. As well, they are known to drink in the juices of fruits, usually rotten and mushed at the time and grind other nutritious supplements into drinks.

Kelpie

Kelpies are a coastal dwelling species of pony. Another one of Discord's experiments, they are highly strange in the fact that they are literally fluid flesh. Meaning, they can at anytime, become one with the water around them. This gives them clear advantages in their coastal homes as well as a way to escape predators and enemies. However, this comes to a drawback as they need to replenish themselves often, so it is extremely rare for them to leave their coastal waters.

They are a peaceful care free race for the most part. There has never been a recorded case of one attacking someone without provocation. They often will take in wanderers into their home even going so far as to aid sailors lost to storms or those that have been shipwrecked. As well, they can heal most any injury and infection with their 'magical' waters. For these reasons, they are often called the 'Angels of the Sea'. Still, even with all that, they can be quite fierce in combat when they put their minds to it. Kelpies have been known to 'bend' water and use it as means of both offense and defense. They can well enough defend their families and guests from rogue animals that pass their shores with malicious intent.

Naga

Another addition to Discord's rogue species gallery are the naga. Half pony, half snake, they are quick witted creatures. The saying ‘as clever as a naga’ is a common one used in many countries. Nagas don’t really care about it, as it’s usually met with a chuckle. Yes, nagas are known to be clever. The reason for this is their strange magic. While most other species use thought and inner working to cast magic, Nagas use words. They can manipulate the spoken language to cast spells, hexes, and even bind others. It’s often used to frighten others away or even to attract and hypnotize their prey. It has been confirmed, with recent brain scans, that their brains are in fact as complicated if not more so than a unicorns.

Nagas are the strongest sub race of Equine-morphs, able to crush even a tatzlpony and the like with nary a sweat. Of course, one of their preferred methods of attacks, besides hypnotizing gazes and words, is to strike with their poisoned fangs. The poison is slow consuming and agonizing. It isn’t built to kill outright, but to wear the victim down. All the while, the naga slithers in the shadows, whispering sweet nothings to the victims about release until the victim either dies of the poison or gives in to the nagas command. This has garnered the mindset that nagas are cruel beings. They view that as an insult. To them, this isn’t cruel. They say that they are testing their prey to see if it is worthy or not of life. Either way, a naga can live off of a succulent meal for weeks or even months at a time. Even though they are mammals, their metabolism is slower allowing them to survive without food for quite some time.

Succubus and Incubi

To the untrained eye, many mistake them for daemons. While they are daemonic in appearance and have the same type of magic, they are in fact closely related to both Mothponies, Sirens, and Vamphirines. This was due to how close the changeling and pegasi cultures were before the great Equestrian/Changeling War. They are held within the gaze of Seduca, the eldest of Chrysalis’ children and the goddess of lust and desire.

Succubi and incubi are beings of beauty. It has been said that they can capture the gaze of even the most fervent saint with but a glance. This is due to their aura, the life essence they exude. It comes in the form of a specialized magic that causes their victims to feel incredible lust for the succubus. After that, they take their victim back to their lair to feed. Like their changeling ancestors, succubi too can feed on emotions. However, they can only feed on lust. They can ‘eat’ normal food, but it doesn’t give them nearly the same pleasure or fill them as well as their favored ‘food’.

Succubi are not without their own defenses. While their aura usually gets them what they want or gives them enough time to escape, they can be extremely dangerous when cornered. They are nimble on both land and in the air, with their bat like wings allowing them to fly on par with Vamphirines. Their hooves are sharp enough to slash through armor. Around their hooves and lower legs is a thick layer of armor like scales. This allows them to use more power in their strikes without fear of breaking their more fragile bodies. As well, they can use it to block spells and weapons. Their long tails end with a large barb which is used as a slashing and stabbing weapon.

Succubi are masters of subterfuge, enough to make their changeling ancestors proud. They can mask their appearance and aura to appear as beautiful maidens or in the case of the male Incubi, fine gentlemen. Their two dark red goat horns can utilize powerful magic in case of an attack. They are not nearly versatile as unicorns in the art of spellweaving. Instead, they just have simple shield and destructive spells. While they lack in diversity, they make up for in power.

Most nations have a strict leash on sexual freedom due to the appearance of succubi. This is highly noted in Equestria for the succubi and their male kin infiltrated Equestria and shook it to its very core. While succubi and incubi aren’t soldiers in any way shape or form and lacked coordination, the attack was so large and widespread that before their goddess was sealed away in Tartarus, they had torn asunder a large portion of the country.

Siren

Another offshoot of Chrysalis’ lineage, sirens are often mistaken for sea ponies. (Much to sea ponies chargrin) This is due in part to similar body structures and lifestyles. However, there are many key differences.

One of the major ones is their forearms. While sea ponies have entirely lost theirs and use their ‘wings’ as flippers, sirens still carry a powerful set of forelegs. Which Sirens use to grip their prey and pull them in for the kill. The skulls of sirens are far more robust and powerful, akin to spinosaurids. Their teeth can break through bone with ease, which helps as sirens don’t waste a single shred of their prey.

Sirens carry a large dorsal fin. It’s used for signalling their podmates during a hunt as well as attracting mates. As well, they have a pair of antenna at the top of their skulls. This is used to pick up lower based frequencies in the sirens songs that can’t be heard with the average ear.

Sirens are the masters of music. It’s how they communicate with their fellows under the waves and it is also how they hunt. Sirens prefer to use their melodious voices to lure prey in and ambush them. This has been shown to be an effective tactic when used on sailors and has led land dwelling races to fear the waves all the more so. Part of this power lies in the gem each and every siren has embedded in their chest. While it may appear to be any ordinary gem, it is in fact a hardened organ: Soul Gem. Soul Gems are like a secondary heart and brain for the Sirens, allowing them to store information and purify their body in case of wondering into polluted or corrupted waters. It's the source of their powers and are highly sought after by poachers. Without a Soul Gem, sirens would lose most of their powers and become weak. Most would not survive.

Kirin

Kirin are one of the more ‘natural’ equine-morphs. They were not created through magical or otherworldly means. Some would postulate that would have been better, for the kirin are descended from the unicorn pony tribe and dragons. As dragons are a hated enemy of ponies, it has been a big topic of contention on how this could have occurred. While there are many legends abound, it is more wildly accepted that they are descended from the ‘serpent’ dragons of the east. While many of them are violent, more often than not there are calmer individuals. Before this, it was thought they were in fact part deer instead of pony.

Kirin are as magically inclined as their ancestors. However, unlike them, they are also incredibly skilled in druidism as well and share a deep connection with nature. As such, they are capable of spells and magics that most unicorns can never achieve. This also leads them into living secular lives away from the other races as they prefer to be alone. Another advantage of theirs is their telepathy. Kirin can broadcast their thoughts, feelings, and images to others with ease and it's an effective means in combat and other areas. As well, it can also be used as an intimate gesture, brushing a mind against another.

They have cloven hooves that help them live in hardier environments and long tails. Their ‘fur’ is really downy feathers over thick scales. They have the speed and agility of unicorns and the sturdiness of dragons. Kirin can in fact breathe fire and are impervious to any and all fire based spells.

They are an honorable race and are always true to their word. Of course, they are reluctant to give it because of how much they hate to break a promise. For this reason, to garner a favor of a kirin is to mean they have full trust in you.

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the kirin are descended from the unicorn pony tribe and dragons.

Well according to the person who made this stamp, says differently.

5027521 Really?

5030281 Well this person said that Longma are dragon/horse hybrid and kirin are not.

5030281 Could you make a list of all the Gods (or at least the major ones in this 'verse), their domain(s), and or a timeline of major events in this 'verses history? Thank you.

5037714 Once I finish listing out some more of the sapients, I'll see what I can do.

5037926
Could you make a sapients page for the Changelings?