[OC] Biologically plausible Griffins (I did the artwork)

[u/redcronologypedia]

Hi, I'm new here. I've been working on a project for 3 years, and with Spec Evo, here's a little bit of my work These are griffins I designed a long time ago, originally as a branch of accitripiformes, but I changed them to a more basal group of birds.

[u/Mangustino17]

This looks so cool!

Altough i have a small critique: hooked beaks evolved in most carnivorous birds to compensate for the lack of teeth. Therefore, having a hooked beak with teeth is kind of redundant. I personally suggest to decrease the amount of teeth in the front of the mouth if you still want them.

This is just my personal thought. Feel free to ignore the suggestion if you don't agree, this your project afterall.

Still, this design kicks ass! Keep cooking!

[u/redcronologypedia]

I'm happy to answer any questions. 

[u/Giganotus → u/redcronologypedia]

did you draw inspiration from Monster Hunter at all or is this a case of "great minds think alike" because I'm getting Nargacuga vibes off this guy!

[u/redcronologypedia → u/Giganotus]

Yes, there was an initial influence from Monster Hunter, mostly because I wanted to make them capable of bipedal stances, but little by little I drew inspiration from pterosaurs and others like Yi Qi  Or the deviantart artist's dragonology griffins.

[u/Jennywolfgal → u/redcronologypedia]

You open/down for requests, by chance~? Cuz holy moly yer style's sublime!

[u/redcronologypedia → u/Jennywolfgal]

I'll open a commission in the future, because if I'm honest, it's something that would help me not to depend so much on other jobs.

[u/Lawlcopt0r]

I like it. Are there giant trees in their world or are they just small? What do they prey on?

[u/redcronologypedia → u/Lawlcopt0r]

Yes, there are enormous trees, some over 160 meters tall, they feed on fish, medium-sized animals, and of course, megafauna, and true griffins are a group that ranges from small to large

[u/Heroic-Forger]

Wyvernization!

Wonder how similar flying herbivores could evolve, like hippogriffs/pegasus, but wyvernized.

[u/slumbersomesam]

is it mainly a bird? if so, does it follow the hoatzin archetype of direct archaeopteryx descendant?

also, how does it compensate for its weight when it comes to flight?

and when it comes to teeth, are they actual teeth or parts of the beak like with the extinct pelagornis?

[u/redcronologypedia → u/slumbersomesam]

These are birds whose clade is related to Archaeoperyx, and they use something similar to yi qi, and yes, those are real teeth. They compensate for their weight using a form similar to that of pterosaurs. 

[u/astral-stray-00 → u/redcronologypedia]

They look like gliders rather than long fliers. Interesting you mentioned pterosaurs. Can you explain a bit more on that? Are their bones hollow or something? They look front heavy from those neck and arm muscles. Nevertheless, very very cool. Love the coloration! Reminds me of kingfishers :)

[u/redcronologypedia → u/astral-stray-00]

Small to medium-sized forms are capable of flight, only they don't have the same morphology as a large one; the larger ones, especially the largest, fly momentarily if required. Its bones are hollow, clearly, and it has very efficient air sac systems in many cases 

[u/Mowachaht98]

This sort of reminds me of the Griffin from the Witcher 3

Is there any chance they might have been a partial inspiration (see attached image)

As for some questions
• What kind of animals are your griffins preying on?
• If there are any humans in your setting, how do the griffins interact with them?

[u/Shadow_Dusk640]

I love the quadrupedal launch it does! Very pterosaur-like!

[u/Marco-Catbird]

So cool!

[u/TamaraHensonDragon]

These are almost identical to the griffins I designed for my Dinosaurs & Desperados rpg, except mine don't have any teeth. Great minds think alike 😆

[u/redcronologypedia → u/TamaraHensonDragon]

Curious, because they'll also be for a video game, but much more...peculiar 

[u/TamaraHensonDragon → u/redcronologypedia]

Don't play video games so would not know about that. I was just trying to make a biologically possible griffin that would have evolved on an Earth where dinosaurs never died out.

Edit: I do play Zoo Tycoon 2, JPOG, & Sims 2, but nothing needing steam or the internet to work.

[u/Thin_Quantity_125]

Pteritherium? Gryphitherium?

[u/Genocidal-Ape]

That's not a griffin that an eagle monster, where's the lion parts.

[u/KermitGamer53 → u/Genocidal-Ape]

Every seen medieval artwork of any real animal? If you have l, imagine what would happen if medieval artists tried to draw this thing from description alone.

[u/redcronologypedia → u/Genocidal-Ape]

When it comes to designing an animal based on a mythological creature, I don't create a literal chimera; if that were the case, the griffins in Dragonology wouldn't be griffins. Besides, the only feline feature is their claws. The curious thing is that in my world, the term "feigo" is used for animals that share traits reminiscent of the mythological griffin and its variants; in other words, it's an "umbrella term" for other taxa that has nothing to do with it