The Serpents
These creatures are part of a personal project of mine. They are all based on beasts originally from medieval bestiaries that I have taken and turned into more scientifically plausible animals. They are derived members of Dinosauria and have a wide range of designs and niches.
aspis has four species in its genus, each with different types of venom
skeleton view of Aspis. most serpents share a similar skeleton.
jaculus is one of the basalmost serpents and retains powered flight.
amphisbaena is named so because of the patterns on its tail, which looks like a second, menacing head with watching eyes and big teeth
cockatrice is the largest and most dangerous serpent. it has powerful limbs and a strong jaw.
seps is a small derived serpent that can be found near the sea.
natrix is tiny and brightly colored to warn predators of its venom. it has a small horn on its nose that it uses to dig up insects and roots in the dirt.
cornutis is a medium-sized serpent with two long horns on its head. these are used to spar with other cornuti or to defend from predators
naderos is one of the "transitional" forms of the serpents. it retains vestigial wings and its more derived descendants lose their wings entirely in favor of longer legs for running.
siren is a basal serpent with large wings and is incredibly agile.
chelydros is found in tundra environments and cleverly hunts its relative cecula.
cecula can be found in caves in the tundra, where it stays its entire life. they can be tricked into running outside of the cave by chelydros, where they are swiftly caught.
berus is considered one of the most dangerous serpents, second only to cockatrice. it has incredibly potent venom and strong legs, so it can chase down and kill prey that is larger than itself
centris uses mimicry to its advantage since its coat is patterned after its contemporary berus
ophites lives in the rocky desert, hiding in the sand until prey comes close enough to jump out and snatch it up
similar to its relative ophites, dipsa hunts by hiding under the sand and waiting for prey.
tysus uses its big feet and blunt snout to dig under snow and make burrows.
hydrus is a parasite of crocodiles, crawling into their mouths and eating them from the inside out.
the phylogenic tree of the Serpent order.
size comparison of all of the serpents