C.O.W. - #005: Symbiotic predators

[Fozzybar]

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/images/cow/cow.jpg


Round #005

Topic:
Symbiotic predators
(Symbiotic: a cooperative relationship between 2 or more).

Deadline:
06.03.2005




- for any questions or help go here:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=37512

note: The deadline won't be EXACTLY after a week...it can last up to 24 hours more, i am human and have to work also, you know ;)

Post your creature for this week!

[Xpose]

What do you mean?

1. symbiotic creatures of the Predators (from the movies)?
2. A creature that uses symbotes as prey?
3. Symbiotes that use other bodies to do it's bidding?

[JeffZNY]

I think you can certainly incorporate schwartzenegger's Predator into your concept if that's what you wanna do, but the topic is referring to an original creature design depicting predatory creatures in a symbiotic relationship. Whether that means a creature that uses symbiotes as prey, or a symbiote doing the other body's bidding, or whatever...that's up to you to decide. The topics of these COWs seem to always be intentionally vague...It's a chance to be creative and for some to not have to take their marching orders from an art director for a change!

[Fozzybar]

Nothing from the movie "Predator" please, forget it!

The topic means two different kind of creatures living symbiotically together...and they are predators, that's all!

[Xpose]

lol ok... I was just making sure! I didn't want to draw anything from that movie.

[REEF]

Isnt that a parasite? just curious :-/ not being a smart ass

[Shamagim]

Hello , this is my firt post, but i have been watching all the activitis in this forum from about a month ^_^, so im glad to be here and etc etc....


Well about symbiosis, well symbiosis means an interaction between two organisms living together ( quite simple really, but moust people undestand symbiosisn from the spider man comics with venom and carnage characters), well symbiosis is much more simple than that, and is much more open than you think as well, theres 3 types of symbiosis

parasitism: when the assosiation is destructive to one of the organisms.

mutualism: the assosiation is good to bouth organisms.

commensalism: when the assositaion is goot to one organism and neutral to the other.

Acording to this, the easyest example of symbiosis is a man and his dog, that intercation can be undestood as all 3 classifications, but it doest count with organims of the same species ^_^.

Well, i hope you find this info ussefull, it would be a shame to make a great drawing and find out it has nothing to do with symbiosis. good luck to you all

[Hamsta]

I think you should all :stfu: part of doing good concepts is learning things, so go read a book!
interpert the subject any way you like, even if it includes the movie predetor.
so yeah!

[H.Evans]

:a?: :a?: :a?: :nohope:

[Fozzybar]

I think you should all :stfu: part of doing good concepts is learning things, so go read a book!
interpert the subject any way you like, even if it includes the movie predetor.
so yeah!

Yes, reading is important, so READ what i wrote a few posts earlier...you can do an entry with a fucking predator from the movie, but it's actually not the topic!!! So it's not recommended to do this...

[Form]

some examples, to clarify:

A creature that lives inside, and is a part of, a tree and uses it to disguise itself to passers by, enabling it to be a silent predator.

Another example may be a tick-like parasite that attaches to a dog or wolf and turns it into a rabid, frenzied killing machine.

Technically, symbiotic implies that the creature is *attached* to its relation. However it seems in the context of this topic, that is not necissary. Its a challenging topic, but once you get the meaning of it there are a variety of ideas. Good luck to you all.

[Nimrod]

So, is it safe to assume that both creatures don't have to be predators? Just so long as the symbiosis is predatory in some nature, right?

[Form]

correct.

it can be a victim-predator symbiote, a predator-predator symbiote or a predator-host symbiote

[Shamagim]

Actually as i already said, a simbiote is not nessesariry attached to the host, actually attached simbiotes are the less numerous amoung all the symbiotes, actually it seems nobody saw what i wrote earlier :( , is incorret to assume that all symbiotes are the same as the venom from spider man, or that all symiotes are like ticks etc, all organism interaction in a constant relationtip in the same place ARE symbiotes, ticks are symbiotes, but also intestinal bacterias, fleas, acares, and humans, and that just for the dog, moust know examples of symbiosis are for example the clown fish and the anemony ( the clown fish hides in the anemony because of the pattern of the scales, and alows the clown fish to ambush smaller fishs, leaving the rest to the anemony, and also protecting it from those small fishs), the moust interesting type of symbiosis is actually the mutualism, casue it works perfect for bouth organisms in that interaction, let imagine ( in this case) that a predator has enought strenght to crush a skull of an animal bigger than he his, but waht happens if his emviroment changes..? lets say his natural pray begins to clim trees, and lets say theres a smaller predator that actually doesnt have his natural pray anymore, but it can climbs trees as well, so this two predators could work toguether to survive, one will handle getting the pray down from the tree, and the other will kill the pray, then bouth will feed from it...


To undestand symbiosis better you may see it as an assosiation with other organisms, in wish one or bouth get what they want, in the case of parasitism only one will get what he wants, and by getting it ill cause harm to the host, but in my opinion that is to boring, is just picking a predator and choose any other animal you want, and make that animal feed or use the other one, is much more interesting to make a symbiosis that works ok for bouth.

[Form]

but for the purpose of this exercise we need to make sure people wont just draw a shaman with a pet, or a monster and a baby or something. They should be somehow physically, genetically or otherwise 'attached' or 'dependant'.... not necissarily attached.... but the symbiosis SHOULD BE CLEAR and the subject of the painting.

Most importantly the symbiosis should be of a predatory nature... not just two predators who also happen to be symbiotes. The symbiosis should form the basis of their predatory nature.

i think we all get it now? yes? no?

2cents

[Jens]

shamigan that was pretty intresting thx :)

[Fozzybar]

Ok, everybody should got it now...the main thing is to keep the concept interesting while sticking to the topic...

[S.C. Watson]

Hey Fozz,

I was looking at the rules up there and thinking about the whole Predator movie thing, and it occured to me that we may want to include a sub-point specifying only *orignal concepts* along with the new art part. This way, everything is fresh, and no rehashes, unless the C.O.W. specifically calls for it (like redesigning an existing creature character).

Cheers,
~Shane

[MoP]

It might also be worth noting that the main rules for C.o.W. indicate no humanlike creatures... I'd like to see you try to incorporate the Predator from the movie without breaking that rule... gonna have a Predator helmet attached to a fish or something? Gimme a break :rolleyes:

And yeah, as Oregano says... original is good.

[Hamsta]

I did read what you wrote Fozzy, and there's a difference between not recommended and absolutely no ;)

And there's way too much text in here, now art!

[arteric]

Can you define the meaning of "is"?

:D :) :}

[S.C. Watson]

here it is (http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=is&x=15&y=18) :D

[Fozzybar]

ah cool, i just saw that davi added a note to the topic...thanx davi!

Hamsta, you're right too much talk in here right now...everybody shut up and begin to concentrate on the symbiosis between you and your graphic tablet... :blahblah:

[Shamagim]

For the love of god forget about the movie "predator", a predator is an animal that hunts and eats other animals, thats it...nothing more

I really think the key words for this one are more than clear ;)

[arteric]

Man, I can't belive you actually took the time to make a link to tell me that definition. I may have to vote for you on this weeks COW just out of thanks now.

Now everyone, get to work! :painting:

-Eric

[brokk]

Technically, symbiotic implies that the creature is *attached* to its relation.

Actually symbiotic implies that the creatures live together. They don't have to be attached at all.

http://www.bumblebee.org/PREDATORS.htm

You guys should take note of what Shamagim wrote, he pretty much wrapped it up.

[Matt Dixon]

So many posts. So little drawing!

Fozzy, can you unleash the fury of the Crit COW on the next person to place a non-art post here, please? I believe she saves the blunt end of her totem for procrastinators. :x :P

[Fozzybar]

Indeed, i will!

I am massaging her udder right now...

[Form]

YEH NO MORE TALKING UNLESS U POST AN IMAGE!! Dont make me post WIPs you really dont want that to happen....

[coondoggle]

http://www.dougbot.com/forum/katySymb.jpg

The gentle natured Plains Jumper lays its eggs in the burrow nests of the aggressive Grey Split-Tailed Weaver Vole. While carnivorous, PJs are unable to kill their prey, they are far too playful. Send a PJ into the savannah alone and you will find him/her playing karate chop fake out or poker with it's would be dinner. By laying eggs in the Weaver Vole burrow nests the PJ parent ensures it's offspring to bond with a surrogate Weaver Vole parent, who becomes a life partner with the surviving PJ young. Weaver Voles attach themselves to their offspring by rolling grasses into ropes which lash one to the other. In the Weaver Vole PJ partnership the PJ provides quick escape for the Weaver Vole as he/she grows. An awkward three legged race of sorts. The PJ also provides the speed necessary to get close to prey easily. The Weaver Vole naturally secretes a sword-like hair on it's third birthday. It jowels this hair to keep it sharp and constanly coated in reconstuctive fluids, which are also slightly toxic. Pouncing from their hiding place the PJ will often use a wide swinging kick to provide power for the Weaver Vole's sword swing. The Weaver Vole aims for the neck or belly of an animal and with luck a quick clean kill provides the two with dinner. Etiquette on the savannah states that whom ever landed the killing blow eats first. This partnership is a pretty sweet deal for the Weaver Vole, who only invested a short period of rearing time to the PJ.

*edit * Got it working! Many thanks to Doug! :)

[Form]

brokexor linkxor

[Form]

hahaha lay off the crack man!! hehe rediculously funny concept :) Its a bit confusing and id say the emphasis wasnt on aesthetic beauty, but i find it hilarious, hehe well done :D

[Dougbot]

That's awesome Coondoggle, you have an insane imagination. No really, you're insane. ;)

[Helzon]

Sorry about the long exposition..but I still hope you all like...:bashful:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/Helzon/Spine-sliver2.jpg
Anatomy: The Deathmask comprised of the:
a) Marshland Dusk Dog and
b) Arboreal Shade Claw
Within the rotted boles of banyan trees the female Spine-sliver Deathmask prepares a cavernous burrow.
The female Marshland Dusk Dog will give birth first to a discreet number of "pups" that coincides with the number within the Arboreal Shade Claw's clutch.
The Shade Claw has the uncanny ability to hold it's eggs intra-uterine to within 24 hours of hatching. The female Shade Claw will climb the inside of the banyan tree and proceed to leave her clutch adhered to the inside wall by way of a mucousal membrane.
After which she will die along with her Dusk Dog counterpart.
Nonetheless the pups still have access to a thick and near pasty milk that is rich in vitamins and immuno suppressive compounds. These compounds are critically important as the symbiote needs to "accept" it's partner without inflaming either immune system and thus causing rejection of tissues and sudden onset death.
After the Shade Claw hatching, the entire brood will descend to the burrow floor.
Coupling:
The Shade Claw hatchling will nestle itself along a channeled ridge that already exists along the back of the pup. Over the next hour the hatchling will secrete a mild form of acid that will "erode" a soft gelatinous membrane, exposing briefly the spinal column of the Dusk dog and allow the coupling to take place.
Once married, the newly formed Deathmasks will feast for upwards of a week upon the remains of their parents. Thereafter, they will migrate from their burrow, eventually venturing to open grassy plains.
Noteworthy aspects:
The jaw. It is a scissoring geometry where grooves in the Shade Claw half bypass the crushing jaws of the Dusk Dog which can result in a five to seven kilo removal of material and any bones are splintered to digestible portions.
Illustrated Example:
a) A long hollowed recurved shaft that acts as a conduit for a ganglian nerve cluster is inserted at a posterior duct of the Dusk dog this gives the adrenal control to the Shade Claw half.
b) The eye itself is thought to have a capability of seeing not only normal visible spectrum but also the "near infrared"....the barbed end is inserted into an anterior duct where an optic nerve fiber taps into the Dusk Dog nervous system.
c) The male scent/reproductive sac. Here it would be noted that the sac emits a greasy, foul smelling liquid that is easily detectible many kilometers off.
Comments: It should be noted that not much has been said here of the attributes of the Dusk Dog...however, a spotted dun colored coat that blends well with it's surroundings, the honed sense of smell that can detect prey hundreds of meters off and the digestive capability of dissolving hooves make the Spine-Sliver Deathmask quite a formidable symbiotic predator.

[Dougbot]

http://www.dougbot.com/forum/COW05.jpg
The Ash Stalker of Oroboros is two predators combined into one. The Astriche attaches itself to the Slendrich at a very young age. Then the tendrils of the Astriche puncture the skin of the Slendrich where it can feed off of the Slendrich's ingested food. The Astriche seems parasitic, but in fact is symbiotic.

The two sunned Oroboros is named for the high altitude storm raging above it. A mixture of ash (the planet is heavily volcanic) and clouds circles most of the center of the planet keeping it in almost constant darkness. The Astiche uses its bio-luminescence to attract creatures to the Slendrich, which then kills and eats its prey. Both Astriche and Slendrich are able to get enough nutrition from a kill to sustain both of them.

Also the Astriche provides protection for the Slendrich due to its tough spiny skin, and poisonous secretions. The agile Slendrich gives the Astriche speed and power that it wouldn't have to both catch prey and escape other predators.

[JoBeSu]

Here is my firs contribution to this thread.
Ok here is my silly litle storry.

The Witherock brute is adicted to the Rootmonkeys howling..like heroin for humans
and the Howling Rootmonkey obvious is protected by the Witherock brute..no Rootmonkey no howling.
The Rootmonkey starts his life upsidedown with his head roots in the ground,The Witherockbrute
finds the Rootmonkey and drags them up from the ground..and they live their Symbiotic friendship rest of thier lifes.

Thanks for the Brute word Helzon..new word for me

sorry for my bad writing & english

http://jobesu.se/ForumPost/SymbioticMonster.jpg

/J

[Helzon]

JoBeSu: First off...cool illustration...love the brush work on this!..and the poses. But...Not to hammer blindly at the obvious with this question......"How do they function together?"...does big brute launch little monkey from his perch and turn him into a flying missle of all out spikey psychotic death to get food that big brute needs to survive on...while big brute protects little spikey ape from other nefarious predators?..there has to be a bit of a backstory even if it's just a couple of lines...and I bet you're cooking up a killer one...
Dougbot:...dude...friggin killer!....insanely awesome work!...beautiful...i've run out of superlatives..

[Banned_User]

Dougbot- I LOVE YOU :bashful:

[SapphirePheonix]

JoBeSu: That's beautiful. i love the soft colors.

[JeffZNY]

Dougbot, awesome!

Helzon, looks cool, but I can't read all that. Please give us a summary or something...I'll never have time for my own entry!

[Arri.]

Ohhhh my goooodness helzon,Dougbot,JoBeSu they are incredibles...Damnit!!! now I don't know what to do...try one or give up. Very good work, you kill me!!!

[vigostar]

Hey, JobeSu- glad to see you posted work here.. Looks awesome... I wish you would have attached a discription though... Hope to see more work from you here on this thread!
DuGboT- Dugbot strikes again.. That rocks dude.. I love your discription.. I remember the 80's revamp cartoon design you did.. That was killer man... You have great colors..
Helzon- Great work here.. You put some serious time into this one and it shows.. Especially on the dsicription.. And I really like the way you laid things out..
Coondoggle- that S**T was so freaking funny!!! If they have a funniest interpretation of a symbiotic predaotr, you would probably win hands down!

[DSillustration]

Great stuff already!
here's my first c.o.w.
i hope it's legible at this res.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v704/DSillustration/pred-final.jpg

[DSillustration]

let's try it again.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v704/DSillustration/pred-final3.jpg

[Helzon]

Coondoggle Dude, ROFL...love the kinetic feeling and the stylized look of the piece..the description is priceless...
JeffZNY thanks for the kind words..I look forward to scoping your entry...and I hope I've cut enough fluff out of mine so that it's readable:bashful:
Arri. dude...you had a killer entry for venomous bird...and i'm sure that it will no less be the same if not better for this one...
vigostar I thank you for your praise..this whole topic was just plain fun to work with....Fozzybar really chose a great one.
DSIllustration dude that is some scary freaky sh!+..great work!

[Matt Dixon]

http://www.vortex.plus.com/COW05.jpg

The Dogscrobbler is a rampant carnivore with such dreadful flatulence that it's prey can smell ( and hear ) their approach over long distances. How fortunate then, that the Pink Snuffler's primary source of nourishment should be warm methane. Young Dogscrobblers take up residence inside the rubbery body of a Pink Snuffler during complicated pairing rituals conducted on rainy Tuesdays in April and begin a relationship that will usually last for many years. The Dogscrobbler is able to hunt effectively with the sounds and odours of it's digestive system contained by the tightly-fitting body of it's symbiotic friend, while the Pink Snuffler is provided with a plentiful supply of nutritious gas to enjoy. Phrrrt.

[Prometheus|ANJ]

The catapult slugs originally fed on cadavers, this because they were too slow to hunt prey, being slugs and all. It's unknown if they formed the symbiotic relationship because of their relatively high intelligence, or if that came later as a product of being predators.

The 'pitcher' has four long eyestalks giving it excellent stereoscopic vision. Although not particulary fast, it makes it up by being silent and stealthy. The eyes are often used as periscope when hiding in vegitation.

The 'muerde' (named by its first unfortunate mexican victim) is carried on the pitcher's tail 'spoon'. Once a prey is selected, the muerde is launced into a surprisingly accurate trajectory. When it lands on the prey it sinks its needle sharp teeth into it and injects a dissolving venom.

Minutes later, the prey is dead and can be digested by the symbiotic predators.

http://itchstudios.com/psg/misc4/catapult.jpg

[Bretton]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v16/bretton/smpred003.jpg

The Death-kiss snake is a quick fangless small mouthed snake who can kill with a single kiss from it's poison lips. It's mouth is so small however, that it cannot ingest what it kills.

The Red-faced Hunch-beast has a large body that is much to heavy for it's thin legs to carry for further then a few yards before falling down. This makes him useless against anything that can move faster than a sloth.

Obviously without the teamwork of these two animals they would both be long extinct by now. The long Death-kiss snake lays in wait inside the Hunch-beasts stomache until the stomache contracts signaling to the snake that prey is near.At the signal the snake quickly springs from the beast's stomache, hopefully managing to plant tulips on their prey. The snake retracts into the stomache and waits for his easy-to-swallow, predigested meal.

[Shamagim]

(OMG my first posted image in this community, it feels like the first day of school)

For a long time, the Thakarah was the moust devastating predator on the planet, his audition is enhanced by the large membranes around his head, with those he can sense irregular vibrations, along with his olfaction he knows where the food is, even if is miles away...Also, this creature as an armored exoeskeleton made of chitin in his vital areas, in other areas he deposit fluids to keep him walking on the vast desert.

Well good thing dont last forever.....over time, the other species that were once the pray for this beast became faster, and, to make it even harder on the Thakarah, he became slower( he started to keep to much fluid betwen his armor, and the need for it didnt diminish)...

Another story is the one of the Caphinian, this creature was know as "the cave lurker", but the intelligent and dominant species started to raid the caves looking for water, pushing the Caphinian feeding grounds away every time, this creature didnt possesed any of the common senses we know ( such as audition, vision, etc) intead it haves a short ranged thermoception, thats because it is an ambush predator. Despite being faster than moust animals, the Caphinian overheated after 30 seconds of maximun speed running, this is because his muscles make 4 times the effort that normal muscles do...

Well this creatures were doomed as they were, so the caphinians started to sneak in the Thakarah´s spinacles ( wish did looked like a cave, and did have enought space and warmt to keep the caphinians comfortable) and then, as theThakara went where the food was, so did the Caphinians( using the Thakarahs as trailer homes :^^: ) from there, everytime they find the pray, the Thakaras would take the caphinian close enought to slay moust of the herd ( from the front to the last row), and then the Thakarah would eat the remainings of the hunt, and in case of a larger pray, the caphinian would slow the praw down, and the thakarah would kill it, and eat moust of it, leaving the remains to the Caphinians........









http://www.sledgehammerproductions.net/image/symbioticcritters.jpg
i hope you like it :^^:

[JeffZNY]

didn't want to miss this week's awesome topic like i missed last weeks, so i whipped this up tonight...unfortunately it's all i have time for. i had a much more serious take on this concept in mind when I started, but somehow once I started painting, the sketch got away from me...I blame my therapist.... Anyway, the Fuzzwunk is a ferocious hunter, however as a practical joke, God created him with a fine set of gums absent of any teeth. Thankfully, the hammerhead pig-snout is a creature equally screwed, gifted with huge teeth and an even larger appetite, but cursed with a scrawny body unable to support its own massive head. Together, the pair are proof positive that natural selction is a farse invented by scientists to sell text books. booya.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/JeffZNY/symbiotesjeffzny.jpg

Helzon: Thanks for catering to my laziness! You put a hell of a lot of thought into that entry, which makes you the early front runner for my vote! I guess it's too late to really respond to critiques, but one thing I would say is that it's a little difficult to distinquish between the two symbiotes. I see it clearly now, but for some reason I was confused when I looked at it earlier. Oh well, nice job!

[stormeffex]

http://stu.aii.edu/~th361/sympredators_fin.jpg

the vapor hound travels the plains of the sulfuric region. It is capable of thriving in such a inhospitable place due to its symbiotic relationship with the sac bug. The sac bug attaches itself to the head of the hound and acts as a gas mask for the hound. By breathing in the sulfuric gas, the sac bug seperates the oxygen particles and releases the toxic stuff through the pores of its dorsal side. Because the sac bug covers the whole head, the bug uses its 16 eyes to navigate the hound around. The hound can travel freely in this region and does most of its hunting on the plains where ample prey awaits. Besides processing oxygen, the sac bug also leeches nutrients from food and disperses it to the hound after its needs are met. Seeing as though its food consumption is relatively low, the hound gets plenty for himself.

2

[Sapphire]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/Sapphire8400/hyacen.jpg

This is the much-feared Hyacen Breather, a creature that locals worship and fear as a demon of the underworld, who lies in wait for prey to pass by, enormous bulk hidden behind outcroppings of rock or behind thick brush. It tends to live in lower altitudes and at the edges of clearings and valleys where the forest ends. It is uncertain when the synthesis was formed, but it was thought that the Breather was once an aquatic creature, and the Hyacen that live in its belly served another, nonpredatory function.

The small, venemous hyacen are expelled from a specialized chamber in the breather's belly, which breeds and insulates the tiny creatures. A special coat of hair and fat keep the chamber safe and at the correct temperature, especially since the breather's belly often drags on the ground during motion. Once pray is sensed with the tiny sensory organs that line the creature's body, a stream of hyacen are released onto the victim, where each individual attaches itself with hollow spines and pumps a one-shot dose of necrotoxin that begins to digest the pray within seconds. The breather then can enjoy its liquified meal, using its four-pronged mouth to suck out the innards. Once the individual hyacin releases its venom, however, it remains clasped to the victim, and due to the temperature change, dies. However, the nutrients from the dead are used to create food for the newly-hatched hyacen in the breather's belly, and the cycle of life continues. They get a place to live and food from the expended individuals, while the breather gets a highly efficient pre-digestive system.

[prostate sunrise]

http://www.kekaikotaki.com/pics/COW.jpg

The HessFeeder of the Terorian Deeps is a strange yet fascinating creature. Large and powerful, due to a quirk in evolution of its kind it is unable to digest but the most diluted of nutrients. In its youth it mainly strains slit on the Deeps floor, sucking out microbs for food. To survive into its full poltential as an adult young HessFeeder's must find a colony of Terrian Worms.

Terrian Worms are mostly known for their ability to ejaculate a very powerful toxin, when used in concert, can effectively destroy most creatures attemping to harm one of their sprawling colonies. Terrian Worms reproduce in an annual mating ritual called "HessMess", named after its discoverer, Ron'vi Hess. A huge clould of egg and sperm are lauch into the surrounding water. This attracts many creatures of the Deeps, but most importantly, HessFeeders.

The young Feeder then gulps down a portion of the cloud. Afterwards, not eating the Worm eggs, it hibernates for 9 months. At this time the Feeder awakens and the Worms have hatched and started to build a colony in the mouth and intestinal tract of the Feeder! the relationship is strange, but the benefits are great. HessFeeders can digest bigger, tougher nutirents, using the Worm toxin(which it somehow gains a immunity to while hibernating) while the Terrian Worms gain a mobile colony capable of finding food, instead of being at the mercy of the currents of the Deeps.

HessFeeder's have been known to live long periods of time and have no limit to size, some so long that it has been recorded Terrian Worms of a foot long! Feeder's that are unable to find Terrian Worms end up as lowly bottom dwellers called SlitFeeders.

[Form]

Well peeps.... this is my first serious attempt at a digital 'painting' as opposed to a digital sketch. I was actually ready to post at the sketchy stage, but i thought, no, screw that, i need to push myself. So I did! And for anyone who is aware of my skill level previous to this... i hope you will agree the improvement is well and truly noticable.

So here goes.

The Shark Mother

In the year 2005, one of the most startling discoveries of all humankind was made off the coast of Sydney, Australia. Marine biologists were investigating a recent surge in the population of white pointer sharks near Australias Great Barrier Reef when a one man submersible happened across this fearful phenomenon.

What the submersible's operator first assumed was a whale began to approach at great speed, and within seconds, it was within a few hundred metres of the craft. What had earlier appeared to be a massive whale was in fact a shark-like creature of immense proportion. Around the stomach and mouth of the creature were gaping holes in the flesh, which were seen to serve as entrances for a teeming multitude of normal sized sharks that swam freely in and around the large shark's toothless mouth.

The operator realised he had come across a truly symbiotic marvel of nature. Seemingly, the large shark, which he termed the shark-mother, was an ancient specimen of shark, long evolved and time worn. In return for its shelter and fast movement, the sharks that lived within its massive mouth cavity would leave the mouth to hunt, and when succesful, would drag their prey back into the mouth where the shark-mother could absorb the nutrients from the hive meal.

Such a beautiful symbiosis was not, however, to be confused with the lethally predatorial nature of the sharks, and as such, on March 6th, 2005, the great natural wonder that was the great barrier reef was declared permanently closed and protected from touristry, fishing, and transit. A costly price to protect one of natures most marvelous creations.

THANKS IF YOU READ THAT!!

The Sharkmother
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/formsketch/Final.jpg



Working res...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/formsketch/workingres.jpg



And process shots...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/formsketch/Prog1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/formsketch/Prog2.jpg
^^I WAS READY TO POST IT AT THIS POINT!!!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/formsketch/Prog3.jpg
Needed color change
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/formsketch/prog4.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/formsketch/prog6.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/formsketch/prog7.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/formsketch/ProgFinal.jpg



Thanks, I hope the longass post isnt too annoying!!!! Im feel really satisfied with the work i put into it, so please crit the hell out of me, because complacency is an artists WORST ENEMY!!

[Form]

wow man, our concepts are similar... same mechanics, diff creature. Trippy ;)

[Hanuka]

awesome illustration form, one of the best ive seen from you so far! strong!

overall beautfiul entries so far. i hope to have some spare time left tomorrow to do mine. i don't want to miss a week ;)

[Form]

thanks man!! i know it may not be perfect, but for me its like a thousand times as good as anything else ive done digitally, i feel its a big step forward. Thanks to fozzy and C.O.W for the push to do it!!

[Sapphire]

Wow, Kekai, ours ended up similar! Maybe mine's the evolved terran form of yours. ;)

[arteric]

The Rue Ox and the Thayllich

The Freelantus Plains are a harsh environment, plentiful in wildlife but also full of vegetation poisonous to most of it's inhabitants. Here, carnivorous predators rule and the Rolankus is near the top of that food chain. A strong, lean and quick predator well suited for it's environment, the Rolankus is a near perfect specimen.

However, a sudden evolutionary offshoot of the Rolankus, known as the Rue Ox, was almost certainly destined to be a genetic dead end. Unlike it's cousin, the mutated Rue Ox was massively sized and covered in heavily armored bony plates. The Rue Ox was a slower, plodding creature and though nearly unstoppable, it could not keep up with the faster mammalian creatures around it. With the addition of poor eyesight as a result of it's rapid genetic changes, certain extinction seemed near.

Then, an unusual relationship formed between the Rue Ox and the Thayllich, a small, bat-like creature with bioluminescent sacs used for attracting a mate. The Thayllich, though quick, had few places to hide and was low on the food chain at the time, that is until it started using the Rue Ox as a home.

The Thayllich began to burrow into the the Rue Ox's enormous back which, having no nerve endings there, seemed hardly aware of it's new neighbors. The Thayllich had stumbled across a mobile, heavily defended dwelling and was now protected from it's attackers. This, however, ended up being as beneficial to the Rue Ox who was suddenly saved by the Thayllich's unique diet.

The Thayllich's saliva contains a neurotoxin that will render it's prey unconscious. The Thayllich drinks fluids out of the spinal column of it's meal, but leaves the creature alive. Several hours later the prey would normally wake up with a massive headache but otherwise unharmed... that is no longer the case. The Rue Ox, able to see the bright bioluminescence of feeding Thayllichs even with it's poor eyesight, now finds ready-made meals lying about the Plains. The Rue Ox protects the Thayllichs, and they in turn prepare meals for the Rue Ox which was not well suited for catching food on it's own.

The Rue Ox and the Thayllich are now the most effective hunting combination on the Freelantus Plains, and both are living quite well.

http://tinypic.com/21d5kg

And here are two close ups showing some of the details in the image.

http://tinypic.com/21d5jp
http://tinypic.com/21d5iq

-Eric

[Dougbot]

Yeah! Nice work in here. Kekai, I'm glad you did a piece. Even more glad that you used the word "ejaculate" in your description. Killer work everyone. I'll comment more on the others later.

[Scarn]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v639/Scarn/COW5.jpg
The Prairie Korj or the Bull of Sev'Era, is a herbivourus predator, easily intimidated by anything larger than itself. It could be found ramming large rocks, or trees simply because it believes them to be a threat, and because of this mistake, many of the Korj have literally rammed their own heads into a bloody mush.

The Turok birds known for their high pitched scream and incredibly short supply of energy, teamed up with the Korj to warn them of possible threats, keeping the animal from impaling itself on a spire, or extending tree branch, and in return the korj kills the possible predator allowing the Turok birds to claim the feast.

[Pantmonger]

http://www.pantmonger.com/concept/lure_frog.jpg

The Scented Lure Frog

This symbiotic relationship starts when the seeds from a lumdas plant falls on the moist top of the a purple backed frog. Here it takes root drawing nutrients from the frog as it grows, until it quickly flowers. It is at this point that the mutually beneficial part of their arrangement commences. The smell and appearance of the flower attracts insect to it with the promise of sweet nectar and the frog can consume its mobile buffet at leisure, drastically increasing the effectiveness of this otherwise lazy predator. As for the plant, well the healthier the frog the richer the ‘ground’ is and the plant flourishes.

Pantmonger

[Ptree3]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v350/ptree303/sym.jpg
My basic concept was a beast type creature that hunts with the aid of some blood sucking leech type creatures which help to weaken the prey. The beast feeds on the meat of the prey and the leeches on the blood, so there is no competition between the two. Great work in here, keep it up!

[N D Hill]

I just did this today.

Sort of inspired by this and the metroid thread... Still looks a little to metroidy for my tastes.

This is a pair of aquatic creatures; male and female. The female's body consists of a hard shell that can displace it's self with jet propulsion much like a squid does. The Male has a soft elastic body that's mostly defenseless except for the strong tentacles which are covered with thousands of nearly microscopic venomous barbs. The two, upon reaching sexual maturity, must merge together in order to feed and reproduce, creating a new organism that was at first believed to be one hermaphroditic creature.

http://ndhill.astahost.com/img/squid.jpg

[Xpose]

I hope the deadline lasts a little longer than sunday.... My truck engine blew up and I've been trying to get it going again and work has been insane. I've got alot of hours in my project for his too. :S

[vigostar]

Hey, guys,, Sorry, Im a bit late.. I was just watching a movie on Dali... anyways.. I have to stay that I wasnt 100% content with the outcome of this one.. I put about 12- 13 hours total.. Completly rendered in pen...
The BULLRHINO-
During WW2 Japanese scientists dicovered a way to combine the genes of two great land animals, the bull and the rhino. Dr.Hirosaka discovered that when combining the genes of both the bull and the rhinoceros it created a sibiotic predator not found in either the bull nor the rhino. This man made creature had all the features of both bull and rhino and carried the characteristics of the animals but, hightened them 100x the aggresiveness and temperment of the bull the sheer brute strength of the rhino with its thick skin now almost impenetrable armor and armed with FOUR horns for offensive purposes. These creatures were bred in order to the be the new strength the Japanese needed in order to win the war. On the final days the program was to be fully completed and armed with over 500 Bullrhinos the Japanese testing facility was hit with the second nuclear bomb. thus, ending the war and the BULLRHINO.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v402/vigostar/bullrhino.jpg

[strych9ine]

Only the second unicorn to ever come into existence, the blood unicorn was born from the flesh of the original slayed creature of myth. The regenerative quality of the blood of the original creature has since been perverted, drawing the life out of the flesh of any lifeform in it's path in order to feed it's insatiable hunger. This unholy patchwork of mythical flesh exists for one purpose only; to become one with all living beings.

The blood has taken on an morbid seperate life of it's own, amalgamating the flesh and bones of the dead with the blood of the living. It continually flows from the earth beneath the blood unicorn's hooves, draining all life in it's path. The skull of the first unicorn forever floats near the hooves of the current incarnation, a constant reminder that the days of purity and good are over.

http://www.codytilson.com/9ine/9ine-COW5.jpg

[coondoggle]

Woot for Strych9ine! Can't wait to see the description!

[0kelvin]

http://www.whereismyeyeball.com/images/CA/COW/COW5.jpg

The Trundling Behemoth is an enormous mountain dwelling creature. Being far too slow and clumsy to hunt prey and far too large to forage, the Trundling Behemoth has developed an interesting method of collecting food. It spends weeks climbing to the highest point of a mountain it can reach and searching for a suitable slope. Once it finds the optimal position (they are known to be very picky and indecisive), it tips itself over and rolls down the hill, cutting a swath through the trees and crushing hundreds of animals (mainly small rodents) in the process. The Behemoth's underdeveloped arms are not suited to feeding itself, which is where the Shovelbeaked Mountain Goose comes in. The Goose uses its uniquely shaped beak to scrape the animal carcasses off the Behemoth's body and drop them into the Behemoth's mouth. There is more than enough food left over for the geese to live off of for some time. The Behemoth will spend the next few months getting back onto his feet, at which time he will begin the process again.


0kelvin

[Jull]

Matagore turtle once had an air sack in its shell hump, for being more time inside the water, but it developed a better respiratory system, so the hump evolved to disappear until a certain point, where the Longinergy electric eel started an symbiotic relation with Matagore, taking advantage of the cavity of its (now empty) hump cavity in order to protect his weak point (a gland in its mouth) since there are some predator fishes that stalk Longinergy, and spite some kind of projectiles directed to its weak point. So, Matagore offers protection, and Longinergy offers an extra impulse for swim, and an easy way to get food with little resistance.... electrocuting their prey.

http://photobucket.com/albums/v162/zafio/forum/cow/jull_cow_005.jpg

[Arri.]

http://img207.exs.cx/img207/3968/mostruo019bc.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

aghhhhh !!!! how I hate this part.

The basic dieta of this symbiotic creatures are the venomus birds.The way they hunt their preys is the same as fhisermans do.The ratarous cegatus is blind and is used by the Acardopterious predatours as bait. The Acardopterious predatoursis hiden under the earth and with his powerful skill for detec other creature hormones is turned up suddenly seizing the prey whit his jaws.If The ratarous cegatus is killed is the end of this cooperation...somethimes the Acardopterious predatours blinded by the hunger has eaten his partner.

[Jokisalo]

Emaquatos: Flower looking predator. Lurkes in water, half of it are under water and half on water. That part what looks like flower is actually his mouth, it's just looking like flower to attract attention of vegetarians. Thats it's way to hunt. Creature can move on water way it wants and symbiot just flows with the creature. Symbiot gets food and place to grow up and Emaquatos can use his symbiot as attraction to enemys and planting his seeds on it and so protect it's sort's future.
Sorry for my bad english :dad: hope you did understand even half of it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/Jokisalo/sketchbook/Symbiotic-predators.jpg

[leckronium]

http://home.comcast.net/~leckronium/onlinestorage/symbiosis3.jpg

This not-so-dynamic-yet-efficient duo is a good example of a companionship that can be found in swamps and wet wildlife habitats. The Venus Flytrap ( Droseraceae Salisb: Dionaea: muscipula) attaches itself to the shell of a slow moving turtle and grows to maturity, producing flowers that attract a wide variety of insects. These insects provide food for both the plant and turtle. Most of the time the turtle is unaware of what is going on but would you complain if something kept dropping food in front of you as payment for a ride? It has also been said that the plant has even figured out how to control the turtle and steer where it wants to go by dangling a meal in front of the turtle's head. Most cases studied of this type of relationship showed very large and healthy turtles that live to very old ages and of course bugless swamps. :^^:

[duddlebug]

Hey COWers!!

Um... i did the sketch for this early in the week and 'coloured it in' on friday. I've not really hit the nail on the head in the imaginitive stakes methinks. But it's my first COW so be easy on me. These guys are still symbiotic predators though... take my word for it... yes siree... wouldn't wanna meet these two on a dark walk through the woods... oooooh no.....

Vernon and Fluff: "Hey Vern... i think we got a stopper"

http://duddlebug.co.uk/cgtalk_images/VernAndFluf.jpg


Vernon is a Bear.

Fluff is a pink rabbit.

Vernon needs fluff to attract passing motorists and little kids on picnics. He likes the way they taste.

Fluff needs Vernon to protect him from the other creatures of the forest who like the taste of bunny, men with big rifles who wanna make some nice pink slippers for their wives, kids who think he looks 'kinda cute' and lady rabbits who like the cut of his jib.

So only Vernon is technically a predator. But he needs Fluff. Who'd stop their car for a fierce lookin' hungry bear with a knife and fork in the middle of the night?? But what driver could resist a lonely lookin' pink rabbit desperately hitchin' a ride in the dark of the night?? Could ya? Huh? HUh?

And Fluff needs Vernon. Or he'd be slippers. Or lunch.

How 'symbiotic' is that?? Um.... er....

[Sapphire]

Duddlebug... I just have to say I think your idea's quite creative! Makes me think of how a kid might get his enormous hulk of a brother to beat somebody up for him... :)

[grimmy]

http://www.trevorgrimshaw.com/uploads/Pwincess.jpg

The murderous and insane deaf dumb and blind “stabber”, and its symbiotic Para sympathetic co-exister the “princess” beast. The Princess yelps excitedly and jumps up and down on the stabbers head when she sees prey. Then the stabber kills everything in front of it.

[Ostrander]

http://rhinohidestudios.com/images/island%20leviathan.jpg
The Findilian Island Leviathan is the oceans largest predator. The symbiotic relationship it shares with the Maggenorial Solar Worm is one of nature’s most highly successful acts of Mutualism.
The Worms themselves are attached to the massive creature through a series of rock-like "bore tubes" in which the worms inject their pincer-like tails into the sea beast’s circulatory system. The shear mass of the leviathan is the result of the Solar Worms ability to absorb the suns rays and create a seemingly constant food supply for the Leviathan. The downside to this is that the worms do not store this energy for themselves, so in order for them to survive the Leviathan feeds on the oceans second largest sea creature, the Blue Whale. The high content of fat that is ingested from eating the whale is then passed on to the worms for survival.

[S.C. Watson]

duddlebug - LOVE IT!

[Xpose]

I didn't get to finish it the way I wanted to but here is what I have.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/xpose/drawings/symproject.jpg

Nature is a very very cruel thing... The Great Painted Ape, named so due to it's colorful skin and fur, is a sweet gentle herbivore that lives deep in the Jungle. The apes favorite plants grow in the swamps of the rain forests. Unfortunately, this is also where the Tiger Sarbs breed. Tiger Sarbs are parasitic creatures. They disguise themselves as just another plant and when The Great Painted Ape walks by to get some it grasps on to it's leg with it's spiny tentacles. Putting a death gripe on it and injecting toxins that knock the ape out. When the ape awakes it feels a horrid pain on it's back and is really confused. It doesn't know that the Tiger Sarb has dug it's way under the skin of it's back and nested. The Tiger Sarb uses it's toxins and tentacles to attack the spinal cord and the brain which turns the gentle creature into a savage blood thirsty beast. The Tiger Sarb sucks the nutrients out of the blood of the ape just leaving him enough to survive. When the life is almost completely gone out of the ape the Tiger Sarb makes it extremely Thirst for water. The Great Ape returns to the waters where it got fooled and the Tiger Sarb rips out of the back leaving whats left of the Great Painted ape to die while it lays eggs and fertilizes others.

Ugh, sorry for it being so long!

[BIG BRUTICUS]

I'm pretty late at posting this week Like Xpose my truck took a dump and I've been dealing with it all week. Anyway no description this week can't think of one I'm too exhausted. Sorry.
http://tinypic.com/21etcn

[Fozzybar]

Go here for voting:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=40004

I have the flu since last week, that's why i couldn't enter this one - sorry!