Chordate Dominance: Remix- Turn 3

[Leo]

1) Increase in size. I know, broken record, but i am not even marmot-sized yet.
2)Longer and stronger limbs, to increase agility and our jumping ability.
3)Longer, thicker fur to compensate for the incresed thermal dispersal from the longer limbs.

[BakedToast]

Alright time for the big one. etc...

I chose methane simply because It seemed like a reasonable option, given it's often seen as a byproduct in digestive tracts etc. However, I could just as well use nitrogen, filtering it from the lungs upon breathing. I'm no chemist or mathematician, and I know this messes up all your calculations. Nitrogen is fairly lighter than methane.

So, I guess, for now, I'll have to develop a larger body size in order to accommodate the volume required for this. It sucks that now people know where I'm going with this, as they can now "pre-develop" some kind of counter measure to this feature.

We'll have a problem with the more energy rich diet, though, since in the Savannah there appears to be only us, insects, and a terrifying cat proto-predator.

I would point out that you also made calculations as if the highest I wanted to achieve was equivalent to my own jump height. This is not the case. I was hoping for a "gas blast" powerful enough to at least get my creature to heights 2-3 times its normal jumping height.

So, here we are:

1. Increase in size to accommodate more bodily volume and increased biomass.

2. Further bolster and strengthen back leg muscles, so that our primary movement system is running in a bipedal fashion , or jumping about like kangaroos. (We still are on all four at rest, as our body can't support continuous bipedal-ism.

3. (If a third vote is allowed) Strengthen spine and back muscles to support longer term bipedal-ism.

[naturegirl1999]

Upgrade hemoglobin to allow us to store more oxygen so we need less surface trips

Upgrade myoglobin to produce/carry more heme for hemoglobin production

Lower metabolic rate so we require less oxygen

this paper compares oxygen consumption rates and diffusion rates of endodermis and ectoderms

Thanks, Prudentia, votes are changed

[Alexcat989]

Revised votes:
- Digitigrade hind legs for better speed (I decided I want to converge with theropods)
- Longer tail for better balance with walking more bipedally
- Shorter intestinal length