The Muricene Epoch
Life takes root on an empty world. Unstable, short-lived ecosystems begin forming, and speciation occurs at an extreme pace. The origins of all the major clades of future eras can be found here.
Estuarine Livebearers of Abeli
Herbivorous Rodents of the Dawn Muricene
The first well-defined biomes emerge. Ordinary grasses are quickly adopting new shapes and sizes. Fish, mammals, and birds all find success as new niches become available.
Gambusia of the High Seas, Part 1: Rainbow Fish
Gambusia of the High Seas, Part 2: The Red Tide
Gambusia of the High Seas, Part 3: Beneath the Biofilm
The Creepiest Crawlies: Desert Troglofauna of Central Abelia
Bouteloua Swamps of the Ailuropian Coast
A Nearly-Comprehensive Guide to Early Muricene Bloodsuckers
Rats of Panapterra, Part 1: The Tropics
Rats of Panapterra, Part 2: The Swamps
Rats of Panapterra, Part 3: The Prairies
Rats of Panapterra, Part 4: The Arctic
Endemic Flora of the Gecko Isles
Oddball Basket-Grasses of the Early Muricene
Scenes From the Early Muricene, Part 1
Complete Phylogeny of Early Muricene Plants
Another wave of diversification occurs across the planet. Unique and derived lifestyles become the norm, and some lineages see their basic body plans change rapidly. Two opposing biotas compete for dominance over the planet's grasslands.
Flora of the Middle Muricene, Part 1
Seawis and Monitor Geckos: Life on the Shoreline
Benthic Isopods of the Inland Seaway
Sapsiphons and Sugarflies: How to Become a Vegan Vampire
Whiplashers and Harpoonjaws: Microraptorial Mosquitoes
Fate of the Semelparous Mosquitoes
Quartzkarst, Part 1: Tepui Mons
Quartzkarst, Part 2: The Pit of Hell
Peragrattus: Rise of the Muridiungulates
Terror Kiwis and Skeeter-Snappers: Life on the Woodlouse-Grassland
Flora of the Middle Muricene, Part 2
Plankton, Polyps, and Predators: Unsung Microfaunal Heroes
The first truly large-bodied animals evolve as the overall complexity of the biosphere increases. Carbon sequestration over thousands of millennia has resulted in long-term global cooling. Some taxa are already on the verge of extinction, but the worst is yet to come.
Seagrass Forests of the Medithalassic Ocean
Flycatchers of the Late Muricene
Diversity of Neotenic Mosquitoes
Tree Mycads and the Barrier Bayou
Rattalopes and other Muridiungulates
Kiwizelles and Raspbirds: Herd-Birds of the Woodlouse-Grassland
Dodecipedes and the Plague: Partners in Pestilence
Dustflies: Apterra's First Pollinators
Shadeblades and the Struggle for Sunshine
Lichens, Liverworts, Mosses, and More: Apterra's other Photosynthesizers
The Arthrocene Epoch
Apterra has had time to recover from its first mass extinction. Though many species are lost forever, the survivors have already reclaimed their world. There are now vast differences between the flora and fauna of various regions, as the continents are less connected than before. The planet is finally capable of remaining stable over long periods, and its stability is reflected in the richness and specialization of its inhabitants.
A Tour of Littoral Biomes, Part 1: The Tideslopes
A Tour of Littoral Biomes, Part 2: Cliffs of Slime
Taxa in Recovery, Part 1: The Rat-Grasses
Taxa in Recovery, Part 2: The Rattalopes
Perching Ratites of Tropical Loxodia
Geckos of the World, Part 1: Monitor and Vampire Geckos
Geckos of the World, Part 2: The Thalassaurs
Megafaunal niches begin to fill up as many clades reach massive sizes for the first time. Warm, wet conditions are the norm, and sea levels have reached new heights. Meanwhile, groups that were previously overlooked are becoming key players. Biomes unique to Apterra are widespread, and increasingly alien-looking organisms are common.
A Tour of Littoral Biomes, Part 3: The Matkelp Coast
The Grab-Basket and the Pitcher Palm: Kiler Plants of East Ailuropia
The Paraglire and the Ailurat: Unintentional Mutualism in the Glirrel Genus
Things were finally starting to settle down after millions of years of near-unhindered adaptive radiation. Now, stable ecosystems are being upended by biotic interchanges and the evolution of new keystone species. This is a time of great change but not necessarily great loss; the disturbances of this age will drive further diversification in the epochs to come.
Muridiungulate Strongholds, Part 1: Choeropican Tropical Woodlands
Muridiungulate Strongholds, Part 2: The Northern Isle
Feeding Guilds of the Jadeplain Commons
Layers of Equatorial Loxodia [coming soon]
The Deepwell Desert [coming soon]
Beneath the Pocketfields [coming soon]
Medithalassic Rookeries and the Last Marine Seawi [coming soon]
Braidwater: Ailuropia's Great Inland Rookery [coming soon]
[coming soon]
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