Class notes of a student focusing on comparative biology:
Factors Affecting Life
The kind of life on any given planet depends on that planet's conditions. Important factors are:
1. How much water
2. How much carbon
3. How much nitrogen
4. How much phosphorus
5. How much sulfur
6. How much oxygen
7. Temperature
8. Atmosphere thickness (relative to planet size)
9. Land and water
10. Tectonic plates
11. Number of stars
12. Gravity
Water- water effects how fast life can grow and where it can grow
1. In environments with high humidity, single celled organisms can live in the air
2. Environments with lots of water are more likely to have inland bodies of water, which increases the genetic diversity of aquatic organisms
3. On planets with low water, life evolves slowly. Many places have no life
4. Intelligence arises faster when organisms must problem solve to get water
Carbon- Specifically, how much is in the atmosphere and oceans
1. All planets have lots of carbon because it's common
2. Planets with more carbon have reserves of graphite and hydrocarbons, and may have more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
3. Carbon in the atmosphere leads to higher acidity, so organisms in high carbon planets are adapted to acidity but organisms in low carbon planets are not. Carbon dioxide forms carbonic acid when dissolved
Nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur- all three work together to allow more or less life
1. One is generally the limiting factor in any system
2. Planets with less sulfur have organisms with less protein
3. Planets with less phosphorus have bigger cells because that means lower surface area to volume ratios, which means less phospholipids needed. It also means less DNA per organism.
4. If a planet is low in nitrogen, organisms tend to be better at fixing it into organic molecules.
Oxygen- effects how much cardiovascular development is needed for high energy tasks
1. Planets with low atmospheric oxygen generally won't develop sentience until organism evolves a system that can harness the oxygen required for neurological processing
2. Planets with high oxygen tend to have higher rates of disease, but organisms don't need complex organs to harness oxygen
3. Planets with low oxygen generally do not have massive organisms, intelligent non-mammals, or large flying organisms
4. Planets with high oxygen generally do not have mammals or birds
5. Birds usually only develop or planets with medium oxygen, but sometimes small birds will evolve in low oxygen environments
Temperature- dependent on atmosphere and proximity to sun
1. High temperature variation slows organisms
2. Temperature stability leads to rapid evolution
3. High temperature allows for higher populations of single celled organisms
4. Low temperature tends to increase the mass of organisms.
5. Temperature varies on each individual planet
Atmosphere thickness- controls how much light hits the planet surface.
1. Planets with thin atmospheres have more colorfully pigmented organisms
2. Planets with thick atmospheres have taller plants with darker leaves.
Land, water, and tectonic plates- affects geographical diversity
1. Planets with an even mix of land and water tend to have greater genetic diversity
2. Planets with more land or more water tend to have less genetic diversity
3. Planets with more active tectonic plates tend to have greater genetic diversity
4. Geographical isolation allows for speciation. These factors all influence the likelihood of organisms being separated from their own species
Numbers of stars- affects sleep cycles, weather, and seasons
1. Planets with more stars have more complicated sleep, less predictable weather, and more seasons
2. Planets with multiple stars tend to be more colorful, and some organisms might switch between two or more colors depending on the time of day.
Gravity- controls strength and bone density
Categories of Animal
Various animal types evolved with convergence on several planets. These include:
1. Mollusks
2. Fish
3. Amphibians
4. Reptiles
5. Birds
6. Mammals
7. Insects
They have varying limb structure
Features required for sentience include fine motor skills and enough oxygen
Mollusks- blobs of flesh
1. No skeletal structure
2. Multiple hearts
3. Gills
Fish- simple swimmers
1. Simple skeleton
2. Two chamber heart
3. Gills
Amphibians- first endoskeleton land dwellers
1. Skeleton with limbs
2. Three chamber heart
3. Gills or lungs
4. Premature birth
Reptiles- landed amphibians
1. Skeleton with limbs
2. Three chambered heart
3. Lungs
4. Usually mature birth
Birds- skin developed into feathers
1. Lightweight skeleton with wings
2. Four chambered heart
3. Lungs
Mammals- temperature regulators
1. Skeleton with limbs
2. Four chambered heart
3. Lungs
Insects- shelled animals
1. Exoskeleton
2. Multiple hearts
3. Pores
Limb structure- common limb use and placement
1. Even numbers because symmetry is adaptive
2. This list does not include tails
3. Two limbs:
a. fins
b. wings
c. bipedal
4. Four limbs:
a. fins
b. four wings
c. bipedal with wings
d. bipedal with two arms (common error- bipeds with two arms are only primates if they are mammal)
e. quadruped
5. Six limbs:
a. fins
b. six wings
c. bipedal with four wings
d. hexapod (may use any limb as an arm)
e. quadruped with two arms
6. Eight limbs:
a. arachnid (all limbs are feet)
b. octopod (may use any limb as an arm)
7. Any more limbs than this, and they are all feet.
8. Only structures common to many planets are listed
Sentient Species Profile
Each species in the GCS has adapted to the planet they evolved on.
Dercasians of Dercas:
Water: low
Carbon: medium
Nitrogen: low
Phosphorus: high
Sulfur: high
Oxygen: low
Average temperature: 18°C
Atmosphere thickness: medium
Land and water: oceans at poles, scattered smaller bodies of water
Tectonic activity: low
System code: YM1-8-2
Planet mass: 4.3 SM (Sarteck Mass)
Species description: Dercasians are primates with an average height of 0.9 meters. To survive the deserts of their planet, they retain water by almost never opening any orifice. This means that their eyes are covered by transparent skin, and that they can recycle almost all of their wastes. They release any waste through small pores on their belly. They communicate through hand signs, rather than through speech, to avoid losing moisture through the mouth. To protect against heat, their skin is reflective scales. They have five fingers on each hand.
Gaspids of Trillitus
Water: High
Carbon: High
Nitrogen: Low
Phosphorus: Medium
Sulfur: Medium
Oxygen: Medium
Average temperature: 16°C
Atmosphere thickness: High
Land and water: Large scattered islands
Tectonic activity: High
System code: YM1-10-1
Planet mass: 3.7 SM
Species description: Gaspids have symbiotic bacteria in their lungs that fix nitrogen. As a result, these bipedal four winged birds must fly quickly for about an hour each day to breathe enough nitrogen. By standing on one foot and using the hind wings for support, Gaspids can use the fine motor skills in their four fingered talons. When in this position, they average a height of 1.5 meters.
Individs of Kondoria
Water: Medium
Carbon: High
Nitrogen: High
Phosphorus: High
Sulfur: High
Oxygen: High
Average temperature: 15°C
Atmosphere thickness: Medium
Land and water: Continents and oceans
Tectonic activity: Medium
System code: YM1-2-105
Planet mass: 1.5 SM
Species description: The planet description above is a historic description. Those were the conditions the Individs evolved in. Since that time, the Individs completely mechanized their planet and modified their genetics. They are the only surviving species of Kondoria, and they have only a set number of identical genetic codes. Males and females are identical in almost every way, except that females have egg laying organs. They no longer reproduce naturally; all birthing females are artificially inseminated. It is beyond current technology to remove gender entirely. Individs are bipedal reptiles with varying anatomy, depending on their genetically determined purpose in society.
Krogs of Kapkurkonkus
(all five planets are very similar)
Water: High
Carbon: High
Nitrogen: Medium
Phosphorus: Medium
Sulfur: Medium
Oxygen: Low
Average temperature: 17°C
Atmosphere thickness: High
Land and water: Kkruk has continents and oceans, the rest have large landlocked seas
Tectonic activity: Medium
System code: YM1-5-43
Planet mass: Average of 1.6 SM
Species description: Krogs evolved on Kkruk and eventually spread to the other four planets in the system. They are extremely muscular three eyed primates about 2 meters tall. They are pale and covered in thin white fuzz. They have long necks that can turn 190° in either direction, which helps when caring for the long white hair that covers their back. Their anatomy is adaptive to keeping watch for predators and to distinguish between their main food source, a kind of shrub, and a nearly identical poison.
Nomenites of Av
Water: High
Carbon: Low
Nitrogen: Low
Phosphorus: Low
Sulfur: High
Oxygen: Low
Average temperature: 13°C
Atmosphere thickness: High
Land and water: Striped by bands of land and water running parallel to the equator
Tectonic activity: Low
System code: YS2-4-3
Planet mass: 1.2 SM
Species description: Averaging about 1.7 meters tall, these amphibious primates are good swimmers and even better runners. By running across the strip of land closest to the equator, and occasionally jumping into the water to cool off, one Nomenite can chase one of the stars around the planet. Their legs take up about 80% of their height. Their skin is devoid of hair, fur, feathers, or scales. They are green with a purple dorsal fin. Their anatomy is adaptive to chasing prey and navigating a planet made of bands.
Pathrons of Sarteck
Water: High
Carbon: Low
Nitrogen: Low
Phosphorus: Low
Sulfur: Low
Oxygen: Low
Average temperature: 19°C
Atmosphere thickness: High
Land and water: The planet is mostly a swamp with a few mountains and a few small seas
Tectonic activity: Medium
System code: BM1-8S-1-1
Planet mass: 3.7*10^18 gigagrams
Species description: Pathrons are solid black primates that average about 2 meters in height. They have very skinny limbs and a thin but long torso. They have three fingers and one massive eye with two pupils. Their tiny mouth eats only a tiny tree dwelling insect common throughout Sarteck. Their anatomy is adaptive to standing above the water's surface and reaching for their prey in the trees.
Phrugs of Phrugosphere of Yog
Water: High
Carbon: High
Nitrogen: Medium
Phosphorus: Medium
Sulfur: High
Oxygen: Medium
Average temperature:18°C
Atmosphere thickness: Low
Land and water: Two opposing super-mountains, separated by ocean
Tectonic activity: Medium
System code: SR2-2-19
Planet mass: 3.0 SM
Species description: These reptilian hexapods exist in two varieties, distinguishable by color. One variant is red and blue, depending on the time of day. The other is always green. They were separated when some of the species ventured across the ocean to the other island mountain. They only united as a common species after encountering the Yax. Each Phrug has three lines of symmetry. Each has three mouths, six eyes, one smelling hole at the top, and six legs. One face is usually dominant. All six legs have four fingers each with fine motor skills, but usually motor skills are most highly developed in two particular hands. Their anatomy is adaptive to the rocky lowland where they evolved. Six legs and three faces help to overcome difficult terrain.
Trins of Trins Voghusht
Water: High
Carbon: High
Nitrogen: High
Phosphorus: Low
Sulfur: Low
Oxygen: Medium
Average temperature: 14°C
Atmosphere thickness: Low
Land and water: Entirely oceanic, with a mountainous ocean floor
Tectonic activity: High
System code: BL1-6-3
Planet mass: 4.1 SM
Species description: Trins are aquatic octopods with one finger at the end of each arm. They can swim by waving their body, but usually they crawl across the ground. Their anatomy is adaptive to climbing underwater mountains to retreat from other bottom dwellers, and adaptive to feeling for food. As a result, they are also adapted to a wide range of pressures, which is convenient when adjusting pressure in spacecraft.
Venelix of Venelius
(first planet they evolved on, Siktapair)
Water: High
Carbon: Low
Nitrogen: High
Phosphorus: High
Sulfur: Low
Oxygen: High
Average temperature: 18°C
Atmosphere thickness: Medium
Land and water: Mountains and water filled valleys
Tectonic activity: High
System code: YL1-18-3
Planet mass: 1.4 SM
Species description: These bipedal insects have a vestigial third pair of limbs within their exoskeleton. Their planet's oxygen levels are uncommonly high, which allowed a being with an open circulatory system to develop intelligence. They can retreat their limbs into their shell, and they have fine motor skills in their antennae. This is adaptive to fashioning weapons to be used by their macro motor skilled forelegs to kill small, fast, and mobile rodents. The age old battle between the rodents and the Venelix is basically swarm tactics versus intelligence. Venelix average a height of .7 meters.
Yax of Yaxosphere of Yog
Water: High
Carbon: High
Nitrogen: Low
Phosphorus: Low
Sulfur: High
Oxygen: Low
Average temperature: 16°C
Atmosphere thickness: Medium
Land and water: Wide rivers across the entire planet
Tectonic activity: High
System code: SR2-2-19
Planet mass: 2 SM
Species description: Yax are mammalian quadrupeds, averaging 2.1 meters in height, with fine motor skills in their tail and tongue. This is adaptive to setting traps against the many animals that would make them prey. They are striped by two shades of the same color, and this color varies depending on the temperature in the womb at pregnancy. Their face is on their torso; they have no head or neck.