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About Anatina

Anatina is a speculative evolution project centered on a seedworld where the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is the sole representative of the Sarcopterygian lineage. In this environment, the platypus is the only tetrapod, placed within a biosphere of diverse invertebrates, aquatic plants, and selected fish species. The project tracks the adaptive radiation of this single ancestor as it moves to fill the ecological voids left by the absence of all other land-dwelling vertebrates. By isolating the unique, basal traits of the platypus—such as its egg-laying biology and specialized sensory apparatus—Anatina explores how this body plan might diverge and specialize over a timeline spanning 500 million years.

Project History and Development

The current iteration, Anatina: The Platypus World, is the successor to an earlier foundational project, Anatina: A Platypus World, which began on April 28, 2025. While the original project served as a vital period of learning and creative experimentation, it eventually diverged from the intended vision due to early foundational errors in design and timeline structure. Rather than discarding that work, the project was finalized to make way for this improvised and more technically sound version. This new chapter "recycles" the strengths of the previous iteration while correcting past mistakes, ensuring that the legacy of the original informs a more cohesive and polished experience.

I got an image of a platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) here.

Objectives and Inspiration

The ultimate goal of Anatina is to push the boundaries of creature design and biological world-building. Heavily inspired by the depth and detail of projects like Serina: A Natural History of the World of Birds, this project serves as a platform to refine artistic techniques and explore the limits of speculative morphology. Beyond the technical challenges of evolving a semi-aquatic generalist into a planet-wide array of clades, the project is driven by a genuine interest in the "what if" of monotreme evolution. It is a dedicated effort to create a wild, unexplored world that is as engaging to document as it is to discover.

Important Notes

Scientific Realism: While the project aims to follow biological principles and biomechanics, it is not an academic paper. The goal is to adhere to realistic evolutionary paths, but creative liberty may be taken where professional expertise is absent.

Collaboration and Suggestions: Anatina is a solo project. While suggestions and feedback from the community are welcome, all final decisions rest with the creator. External ideas will only be implemented if they align with the project’s specific vision and internal logic.

Ownership and Integrity: This project is entirely manmade and reflects original ideas. All content, including text and designs, is protected; nothing may be used, redistributed, or adapted without explicit permission.

Project Continuity: Although the current iteration shares a concept with the previous project (Anatina: A Platypus World), they are separate entities. The events, evolutionary branches, and outcomes of the first project do not dictate or affect the canon of this current version.

Update Frequency: Content will be added at a regular pace when possible. However, the depth of research and art required for larger updates means that some milestones will take longer to complete.

Documentation: Readers are encouraged to thoroughly review the available documentation—specifically the list of introduced organisms—before questioning the presence or origin of specific species within the biosphere.

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