| abstract
| - Two barrelfish float serenly in the warm waters of the Carribean, and so forth. Earth's coat of liquid water, more than any other feature, separates this planet from the other rocky bodies of the Solar System. Earth's oceans cover two thirds of the planet's surface, and are home to by far the greatest majority of the planet's biodiversity. In most respects, the deepsea fauna of the Specworld is little different from that of our own - the abyssal environment is almost completely unaffected by events at the surface, and even in Arel was only locally affected by the K-T impact. However, it is susceptible to its own mysterious mass extinctions, perhaps global deepsea oxygen starvation related to current changes at the surface, and the marine biologists of the expedition speculate that it is these that resulted in the few significant differences in deep-sea fauna so far recorded. Sitting thousands of miles from the coast of North America, Hawaii is easily one of the most remote island chains on Earth. Due to it's isolation, the fauna and flora have radiated into a number of unique forms since their ancestors arrived on the islands. In HE, the islands were dominated by a wild diversity of avifauna, ranging from the nectar-sucking honeycreepers to the large herbivorous geese and ducks. In Spec, this strangeness in local wildlife is amplified by the presence of clades endemic to Spec. The surrounding tropical waters of Hawaii are home to many familiar faces, such as triggerfish, stingrays, etc. And where there's an abundant food source, there's always something to hunt it. Jetting through the water are Dwarf Seaguins (Calcitrornis minor) and Hina (Pelaganserus tropicalis). Hina are one of a handful of equatorial walducks which have survived in the presence of predators such as mosarks, etc. Closer to the shoreline, Hawaiian Smoochers (Labiophoca hawaiiensis) and Lei Turtles (Bensenochelys floris) feed on therichfields of molluscs. These species are common prey for the Mano Kohola (Kronorhinoides swainstoni hawaiiensis). Reef Kronos are thinlydistributed throughout the pacific, restricted to coral islands and atolls, free from competition with the related King Krono. The shorelines are as rich in life as the adjacent sea. Numerous crustaceans and arthropods scuttle along the surf-blasted rocks and beaches, while ebergs and tubenoses ride the air currents above. An interesting sight one would find on the beach are colonycrabs (Civilicancer hawaiiensis), social crustaceans which build large tunnel systems underground. This is but only one of many species of Colonycrab, a genus of fiddlercrab distributed across the pacific islands and northern Aotearoa. Building large tunnel systems up to 5 feet underground, populations can number up to 500 individuals. Like their distant ant and wasp relatives, colonycrabs have a similar dimorphic caste system: the large, small-clawed queen is nurtured by serfs, which also maintain the tunnels and feed the soldier crabs, which can't feed themselves with their two large claws. This species has three subspecies, each adapted to different environments: C. h. ora inhabitats coastal habitats; C. h. flumen lives along the rivers and lakes; and H. h. paludis, which dwells resides in the Alakai Swamp on Kauai. Walking through the lowland forests, one would witness the beauty and oddity of this isolated environment. The forest sings with many sorts of sounds, from tweets and screams, to belches and gurggles. The local wildlife is fittingly as vibrant and colorful as the forests, an example being the Hawaiian Gonzo (Allodirostris jimhensoni). The type species of Gonzo, the Hawaiian Gonzo can be found throughout the lowland forests of the main islands, using it's beak to probe for wood-boring insects. Mating usually takes place during May-July, with both males and females watching over a clutch of 2-4 eggs for two months. The genders of individual gonzos can easily be told apart, with males' heads having deep-blue feathers, while the females are more of a sky-blue. Another bizzare forest inhabitant of the forest is the Tuki-Tuki (Megafructivora bartsimpsoni), a turkey-sized allocolumbiforme. One of Hawaii's most recognizable species, the Tuki-Tuki is quite an oddity among oddities. For example, is it's bizzare coloring: The head, wings (or what little is left of them), and the legs are yellow; Most of the torso is orange; The eyes are black with a ring of white surrounding the eye itself; It's underside is sky-blue from the tail to the lower torso. The feature that makes the Tuki-Tuki so well known to specornithologists is it's mating call, which it's name is derived from. The many witnesses of it's mating call describe it as "E-E! A-A! Tukki-Tukki!", then followed by a series of high and low-pitched trillings (Tuki-Tuki-Tuki!!!). Most of the witnesses agree that it has be one most annoying noises in all of Spec. No matter how annoying the call is to humans, to the females, it's music to their ears. Shortly after mating, they turke-sized birds lay 2-3 orange-sized eggs, which both parents look after. The Tuki-Tuki plays an important role in Spec-Hawaii's ecosystem.Along the omnivorous Menehune (Chthonopteryx wiki), the Tuki-Tuki is one of the islands' most important fruit-eaters. In fact, some species of tree need the Tuki-Tuki to digest their seeds in order for them to germinate. Unlike HE Hawaii, Spec Hawaii is not without large predators. Filling the role of top predator is the 'Io Loa (Megaquilla terribilis), a 3-4 foot tall avisaur. Avisaurs have been top predators in Hawaii for at least 4 million years. A close relative of the 'Io Loa is the nocturnal Nightmarcher (Brontostrix nocturna). The main prey of these predators are the large anserids which reside in the light forests, lava fields, and grasslands. The largest of these is the Romper-Stomper (Brontobranta maximus). At up to 7 feet tall, it's Hawaii's largest terrestrial inhabitant. Just how Hawaii's anserids got so large is a puzzle for specpaleontologists, but it is theorized that like their Aotearoan gigaduck relatives, they increased in size as a defensive adpatation, making themselves less vulnerable to predators. The islands' most unusual predator lives within the Maui cave systems. The Moehewa O Ana (Monstrurachne caverna). This large sunspider preys upon the Manu Ana (Cavernornis mauiensis) which nests on the cavern walls like HE swifts. The Moehewa O Ana has a nasty hunting behavior: when Manu Ana eggs hatch, the sunspider picks up the scent of the egg fluid, and follows it to the nest to prey on the helpless balaclavid chicks. Another predator is the Speopede (Turpiscolopendra reclusiva). A secretive species, most of what is known about it comes from prederved specimens and a few firsthand observations. The speopede buries itself under leaf litter. It senses when prey is near by picking up vibrations through it's antenna. When an unwary victim comes in range, the 5-8 inch long insect lunges out to deliver a nasty bite. Upon reaching the higher mountain areas, a different cast of players are seen, including Spec's Hawaiian Honeycreepers. Balaclavids fill the nectivore niche in Spec Hawaii, as well as other niches. The best known of these is the 'a'o (Bellusornis montanus). A more remote gonzo species, the Cherry-top (Allodirostris rufucephalus) is endemic to the higher forests. It gets it's name from the blood-red spot on top of it's head which is found in both sexes. Predatory Hotheads (Pyrocephalornis hawaiiensis) scan the tree canopy from above. While found throughout the main islands, these avisaurs only nest in these mountain forests. Numbering around only 400-500, the rarest of the Gonzos is the Baby Blue (Allodirostris mauiensis), which is endemic to the Haleakala Crater in Maui. In this dry wasteland, it gets all the moisture it needs from the many flying insects which make up it's diet. It's rarity is thought to be connected with the lifecycle of the Silverswords (p-Argyroxiphium sp.), which dot the crater. Silverswords are long-living plants, and thus flower rarely. When they do bloom, they provide a grand feast of insects for the Spadaviformes, but shortly after flowering, the plants die. In response to this, insect number drastically, so the Gonzos decrease in number as well. Freshwater environments, a relatively scarce habitat in Hawaii, is still home to some interesting creatures. Swamp Singers (Vocalornis alakaiensis) swoop along the riverbank, picking mosquitoes and dragonflies out of the air, while Daffy Ducks (p-Anas atra hawaiiensis) calmly stroll through the water. These, along with gobys and eels are the staple food source for the Mano Wai (Edacopteron vorax). The only coelacanth in the region, it is the unchallenged king of the rivers, lakes, and ponds, eating anything that can fit in it's mouth. During the initial exploration of the islands, it wasn't uncommon for a spexplorer to suddenly be yanked underwater by one of the voracious fish. Exploration Of The Spec Mid-Atlantic Ridge: The following is a series of notes written down for an unpublished paper of the fauna the inhabit the Mid-Atlantic region of Spec's oceans. ...But the shrimps down here did not seem to be blinded by the low setting that my submersible was opperating at. In fact, the shrimps that exist down here were actually trying to head towards my sub...were they somehow thinking that I could protect them? What down here would have given them that impression? Denizens of the Deep Miscellanea on Spec's Abyss -Emile M.
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