A Closer Look: Vertebrates Chordates

A flow chart representing the speculative taxonomy of Minecraft chordates.

First order of business, turns out coelacanths are not vertebrates, which are what I’ve been basing my hexapodal polypodes (Sniffers, Bees) off of. So, to cover this group we’re switching from vertibrata to chordata (at least for this post, vertebrates still exist)!

The Chordata clade can be split into 3 main groups: neomammalia (new mammals) and brachipteryxus (wing-armed) - the vertebrates; as well as polypodus (many-footed) - their distant six-legged cousins.

A semi-realistic illustration of an ocelot from Minecraft according to its odd evolutionary history. It has a slightly wolfish appearance.

A semi-realistic illustration of a strider from Minecraft according to its odd evolutionary history. It looks like a featherless, long-legged bird.

A semi-realistic illustration of a bee from Minecraft according to its odd evolutionary history. It is very fluffy and cute - and vaguely reminiscent of a flying six-legged hamster.

Examples of chordates: Dolichocerca leo, the ocelot (neomammalia); Lepidoscelus igneamantis, the strider (brachipteryxus); and Neopolypodus flavitta, the bee (polypodus).

Neomammalia and brachipteryxus are both notable survivors of Primordial Death, the mass-extinction event that eliminated the majority of life in the realms prior to the players’ entry. Neomammalia in particular had many surviving members, and has since continued to diversify.

An illustration of a Minecraft sheep and chicken in a semi-realistic style. The sheep is standing and looking to the side while chewing on some grass. The chicken is perched on the sheep’s back. Both are white.

A chicken (Myriapinna polynativas) and a sheep (Lanatumorphus myriachroma), both survivors of Primordial Death.

Polypodus is considered a lazarus taxon - a group of organisms that was considered extinct, but reappeared later. Bees were discovered first - long after the players’ emergence - and defined the previously unknown polypodus taxon. It was believed they were the only extant polypod, until ancient sniffer eggs were discovered - and miraculously hatched.

A silly, simple illustration of a snifflet from Minecraft hatching. The snifflet is sitting placidly in the bottom half of its eggshell, while the top half dramatically explodes upward. The snifflet is framed by a literal bright, glowing explosion.

A snifflet (juvenile Anchipolypodus aeternovis).

Return to full tree.

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