Metazoica

I thought Metazoica could use a little more updating. So, I added some. I added a subtitle to the banner on the homepage. I think it looks great!! Yahoo's old program would not let me do that before. And another thing, I also added a donation button to the home page. Though I've managed pretty good on my own, I am giving the viewers of Metazoica again a chance to make donations to the site. Oh I had some fun on the guestbook yesterday! LOL! I didn't know it when I signed up, but I can actually edit peoples' messages!!! LOL!!! I also added a note to those posting. If you have not donated to the site, you have no right to complain. So now, if you are trying to be a dumbass, complaints will cost you. Otherwise, I edit your posts and turn your own words against you. :) Won't that be fun??!! BTW, I know who you are. hehehe! Authentic and legitimate complaints won't be touched. Just those who are trolling. You can find the donation tab on the home page. Anyone with Pa...

Well, I made the updates, and now it is safe to download the new checklist. I still haven't been able to count how many species are listed on my list, must be nearing the 5000 mark by now. Though I am not sure. If I did, it'd be AWESOME!!!! I also updated the names on each species page (where applicable) with the new names I created. I also added the interview with Dougal Dixon onto my site. So that those who do not visit this blog regularly can also read it. I also made an update to the herps page. Metalraptor once told me I should have made the crocodile-like salamander ( Diamacephalus ) native to the northwestern USA. And I thought it was a great idea. So I updated that too. Well either way, hope you all like the updates to the site. If anyone has any suggestions, you can always message me here. Also I am now on MSN messenger. My addy there is timmyfan@live.com . If you'd like to be added, you must tell me who you are. Anonymous inquiries will not be added. Neither will ...

I've been working on my list, seeings I got some new buddies on Facebook (I always like naming species after friends) I added some more species. I haven't counted how many are listed now, but I will as soon as I have a spare moment. Also, some changes have been made. They are as listed: Oreolemur is now Chamenius . Saevitia is now Dryptopithecus . Praegrandis is now Toruus . (no, the double "U"s is not a typo. I latinized it's common name) Hastatus is now Onychopekan . Procheirus is now Paracheirus . Also a new species has been added. A species called Phobadapis . A large, short-tailed Chirosapid lemur of the central European forests (which will erect again in the Metazoic). It somewhat resembles a giant ground sloth, and is about the size of a small elephant. It's large, furry, and has a horse-like mane and the head has very short hair, almost to the bald point. It walks on it's palms like other lemurs, instead of on it's knuckles like the Megala...

Did anyone catch the NatGeo programs about dinosaurs that I mentioned last week? I did. Horner mentioned quite a bit on there. He spoke of dinosaur defenses. Triceratops for example may not have used it's horns for defense. You would think they would have, but being the fact that they had the horns on their heads it would be impossible for them to use the horns for defense. Horner stated the last place you ever want any defensive weapons would be on your head. It makes sense, since it would just give the predator an open invitation to bite you on the back of your neck. Though I don't know, maybe that is why Triceratops and all other ceratopsids had those big frills. Though I have seen some modern mammals with horns use them as a defensive device. For instance, one time I saw a gazelle chase away a cheetah with it's horns. And wild boar often use their tusks for defense as well. So, it's not totally unheard of for an animal to use some of it's head dressing for defe...

Horner, who heads up the palaeontology department at Montana State University, will be on 2 different National Geographic programs airing on October 11, 2009. My sis Anna will be going to MSU in Bozeman next year, and I will be going there on a tour of the college myself to see if there's anything that I can get into. I'd love to join their palaeontology club, for the sake of Metazoica, as well as to learn more about dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasts. I've been an admirer of Horner's for quite a while and this is exciting news! Not that he hasn't been on many programs about dinosaurs before, but this is just exciting news. I will be tuning in, hope you all will be as well. Learning about palaeontology helps a great deal in figuring out what evolution might do in the future. So it's always handy to watch as many of these programs as you can. And Jack Horner is one of the World's foremost authorities on the subject. Horner also lives in Bozeman and also w...

I took down the post linking to this one guy's blog. The only reason I posted it up here in the first place was to return the favor. But since he deleted my link from his journal, I deleted the link to his journal from my blog. No big deal. I guess he couldn't handle criticism. Like I said, no one can handle it like I can!! Sorry, but I HATE anime-style drawings!!! I hate anime PERIOD, with the utmost, intense passion!!!! I can tolerate manga a little better, but there are no words strong enough to describe how much I HATE anime!!!! "Hate" is a very mild descriptive word compared to how much I dislike anime-style drawings and cartoons. Nothing personal in that, it's just my preference. And my own personal drawing style is the old-fashioned ways, like they did with Bugs Bunny, or like Walt Disney's old school style. I was watching Disney's Dumbo today and comparing it with how cartoons are done now, and it's sad that everyone prefers this sucky anime-...

I did it, I took the big leap. And now Metazoica presents their very own interview with the pioneer in speculative evolution himself, Dougal Dixon. He was kind enough to take some time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions I thought everyone would like to know. Just got his responses today through e-mail. And here they are, his own words to me. Enjoy! 1. What got you interested in speculative biology in the first place? Always interested in dinosaurs, since about 5 years old. From there it was a small step to other strange-looking animals. And if the strange-looking animals had some scientific plausibility then that would fit in better with my scientific education. 2. How often have you thought about speculative biology? Frequently. 3. What was your goal with your first speculative biology project? AFTER MAN was a popular level book on evolution. But whereas all popular books on evolution look towards the past, and see what has happened, I wanted to look towards the future ...