Terra Squid Diversity of the Îledecene

Terra Squids (Terrateuthiformes) are a highly derived group of cephalopods descendant from the Reef Squid (Genus Sepioteuthis) from the time of man that first appeared 120 million years hence to fill in niches following the extinction of Tetrapods.

All Terra Squids share certain characteristic all have 10 legs nostrils and lungs on there shoulder derived from the squids siphon a powerful beak and interconnected muscle filled tentacles.

However there most notable trait is the segmentation of there cuttlebone giving them a sort of pseudo skeleton. This trait appeared very early in Terra Squid as far back as 120 MYH as as small brittle structures formed primitive shoulder girdles connected by ligaments to the cuttlebone forming the base of a primitive skeleton allowing early Terra Squids to hold there body's up instead of dragging themselves across the ground. Over time the Cuttlebone would also segment into multipool connected pieces forming a structure similar to a spine. As such Terra Squids are far closer to actual vertebrates in anatomy then they are to other squids with there Cuttlebone segmentation reaching as far down as there tentacles giving the Terra Squids more support to stand on.

Terra Squids can be suppurated into two different groups stalk eyed Terra Squids and tentacle eyed Terra Squids separated by most notably the fact that stalk eyed terra squid's eyes are located on muscular eye stalks were Tentacled eyed Terra Squids have their eyes on their front tentacles. However internally the two groups have another major difference despite evolving later stalk-eyed Terra Squid's have a more brittle ancestral cuttlebone were as tentacle eyed Terra Squids have a more ridged spine like cuttlebone allowing them to grow fare larger than there stalked eyed relatives.

Now lets met these extraordinary cephalopods starting with stalk eyed Terra Squids.

1 Squibbon:

One of the least derived looking Terra Squids the Squibbon are an arboreal species that lives in the northern rainforest they are highly intelligent do to there unique coil shaped brain the wraps around it's esophagus it's intelligence is on comparable to Homo Erectus.

2 Squrbatorius:

One of the basil living members of the group the Squrbatorius is a small herbivores climber similar to modern day Squirrels it can be found anywhere there are trees

3 Sqemur:

A Smaller less intelligent relative of the Squibbon Sqemur's live in small family unites they are frugivores that predominately eat the fruit of Lichen Tree's.

4: Vice Mouth:

Living across most of Pangea 2 the Vice mouth belongs to a group of Stalk Eyed Terra Squid that split of from the Squbbion's ancestor's 170 million years hence the Vice Mouth is notable for revolving the squids hooked suction cups on its first to pairs of tentacles that it uses to hunt prey. Living in packs they fill a niche similar to that of modern wolves.

5: Neck Snare:

A relative of the Vice Mouth that can lives on the grasslands the Neck snare is a pursuit predator that mainly hunt Grassland hoppers. Unlike the Vice Mouth which kills prey using there suction cup teeth the Neck Snare holds its prey in its mouth tentacles well it uses its powerful beak to sever it's preys artery's.

6: Arboreal Neck Snare:

A smaller Neck Snare species living in the northern rainforest the Arboreal Neck Snare drops down on it's prey from tall tree branches.

7: Crushthroat:

The largest Stalk Eyed Terra Squid about the size of a short faced bear the Crushthroat is an omnivore that protometal feeds on grasses or scavenging carcasses when it dose hunt it kills its prey by crushing it throat with it's powerful mouth tentacles.

Forest Crushthroat:

8: Living in the northern rainforest the Forest Crushthroat eats significantly more plants then it's grassland dwelling relative very lazy it very rarely hunts.

Now for the Tentacle Eyed Terra Squid

1 Mega Squid:

The largest terrestrial Terra Squid and largest terrestrial animal 220 million years hence it slowly lumbers through the northern forest eating anything it wants its untouchably as an adult although its young are hunted by the Arboreal Neck Snare.

2 Tusk Grazer:

A group that split of from the Megasquid's 180 million years hence the Tusk Grazer in large herds across the grasslands the it's most notable feature is it's front tentacles have curved upwards into a pair of tusk like protrusions that it uses to uproot grasses root's and all.

3 Squid Rat:

The most basal group of Terra Squids the Squid Rat is a small omnivore found across the continent about the same size as a modern day ferret.

4 Squid Mouse:

A relative to the Squid Rat the Squid Mouse is the most primitive living Terra Squid virtually unchanged from the small spider like scuttles that all Terra Squids descend from.

5 Grasper Squid:

A grassland dwelling relative to the Mega Squid the Grasper's arms have become extremally long allowing the Grasper Squid to reach a wide range of grass without wasting much energy lives in herd and is much more social then the Mega squid.

6 Tentacle Horn:

In the same order as the Tusk Grazer it's front Tentacles have atrophied into a pair of antler like appendages allowing them to full down tree branches of the trees of the northern forest without losing mobility like the Mega Squid.

7 Split Mouth Sea Grazer:

A offshoot of the Mega Squid order The Split Mouth Sea Grazer is the first Terra Squid that has returned to it's ancestral roots in the water 6 of it's tentacles have atrophied into fins well it's first to pairs of tentacles have fused into a mouth that it uses to graze on sea grass similar to a manatee.

8 Squidtaceans:

A diverse group of Split Mouth Sea Grazer descendants Squidtaceans can be found across the global ocean filling many modern whales some baleen feeders can grow up to 65 feet long rivaling the Rainbow Squid in size.