Lake Ness Project - Tetrapods

 Lake Ness - Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, and Mammals

The Ness Dragon (Cryptobranchidae) is a very large kind of salamander, related to the Hellbender of North America. Reaching about 4.5 meters long, it is an ambush predator that lurks at various depths of the lakebed, though it avoids the deepest parts. It feeds commonly on slow-swimming fish, crustaceans, and other amphibians.

 

In the depths of the lakebed, in the abyss, lurks and even more remarkable amphibian. The Ness Lungless Frog (Ranidae) reaches the size of a large man, and sits motionless on the lakebed in ambush, crustaceans and fish being its main prey. This frog lacks lungs completely and never comes to the surface, breathing entirely by cutaneous respiration through its folded skin.

 

Turtles are a fairly common inhabitant of the shallows, both rather typical terrapins (Emyiade), but also the endemic Ness-snapper (Emyiade). This turtle reaches up to 1.7 meters in carapace length, and is a voracious ambush predator, common in shallower waters. Its diet consists mainly of fish, crustaceans and occasionally waterbirds and snakes.

 

A close relative of the Grass Snake (Colubridae) inhabits the margins of the lake but also areas further upland as well as the marsh. A formidable riverside snake, it can reach up to 3 meters long and commonly hunts in the shallows for fish.

 

The most anachronistic and charismatic of Lake Ness’ inhabitants is Nessie herself (Nessiteras rhombopteryx). This 7-meter long plesiosaur (Elamosauridae) has a somewhat shorter neck than its ancestors, but one which is still of a distinctive length and profile. Sometimes seen spyhopping on calm clear days, it will project its neck a great distance out of the water. It is a predator of open-water fish, commonly hunting in small family groups, though it will also forage for crustaceans and molluscs on the lake bed. It seems that the population at Lake Ness is actually a relict of a time before the ice ages, when both oceanic and lacustrine variants of this species existed, though they may be a single once migratory species that had since become isolated here.

 

The Boobrie (Alcidae) is a great species of Auk, found both in the Lake Ness, and in lochs and sea-lochs further to the south, down to the southern coast. At 1.5 meters tall, it is a formidable, flightless diving bird which feeds mostly on fish at various depths, and can dive fairly deep in search of oilier fish. This bird is very pugnacious and aggressive towards other animals and each other, and they do not breed in large colonies, being rather secretive when breeding. Its call is a half-bray, half-roar somewhere between a bull and an ass.

 

The Ness Fishing Shrike is a unique bird which may have evolved in response to the food provided by the lake. This magpie sized bird has a serrated bill and behaves much like a big kingfisher, snatching fish from the surface or diving into the water a short distance.

 

The Ness Eider (Merginae) is a common species of sea duck which is found both in the lake and the sea lochs and marshes further south. As big as a goose, it has a pear-shaped growth topping its head. As will all eiders, it feeds mainly on clams and mussels in the shallows, but will also feed on crayfish.

 

The margins of the lake, as well as the marshes further south, serve as habitat for the Lavellan (Soricidae), a kind of water shrew the size of a black rat. It dives in the shallows for fish and small crustaceans, subduing them with a venomous bite which is also used for defense.

 

The Wild-haggis (Erinaceinae) is an odd animal which was once found extensively across Albion, but is now restricted to the lowland hills on the shore of Lake Ness. The size of a rabbit, this creature is in fact a spineless hedgehog which instead protects itself with both a venomous bite and pugnacious attitude. They were once commonly hunted in order to make Haggis out of the muscular cowl that allows it to curl into a ball, though this must be a vestige from its smaller, spiny ancestor. More recently, people tend to make Haggis out of sheep stomach instead, as hunting a Wild Haggis has fallen out of fashion, partly from being so dangerous, but also for conservation’s sake.

 

Another odd creature common near Lake Ness is the Earth Hound (Mustelidae). This polecat sized animal almost resembles a miniature badger, being adapted to digging in order to attack rabbit warrens for food. It will also dig out moles and worms, as well as grubs. It has the nasty habit of occasionally scavenging fresh graves, which has given it a nasty reputation.

 

The Albion Otter (Lutrinae) is a very large species of otter, usually restricted to the North Sea shore and various sea lochs, but it is also found in some numbers in Lake Ness. These animals sometimes congregate in the water to form foraging groups, which may be mistaken for larger animals.

 

A common seasonal visitor from the North Sea to Lake Ness is the Halshippus  (Phocidae), a distinctive kind of seal which has an elongate neck and mane. Reaching 4.5 meters long, it is a fair size for a seal, though it feeds entirely on fish and is not a threat to humans. Usually these seals visit the lake in small groups in winter, in order to take advantage of the naturally abundant fish stocks

 

The Cait-Sith or Kellas Cat (Felidae) is a species of wildcat found in many parts of Albion but also near Lake Ness. This wildcat is as large as a big domestic cat, it is almost always black with a white mark on its chest, and is also distinctive for its narrow, projecting face with large ears that to some folk is reminiscent of a rabbit. It is a rather typical cat in its habits, solitary, hunting small and sometimes mid sized vertebrates, it is noted for its elusive, shy nature, and bad temper around humans.

 

The forested areas on the eastern Shore of Lake Ness play host to an unusual species of deer, whose evolutionary history is uncertain, as it almost resembles a camel as much as a deer, having a long neck and no antlers. This graceful animal, the Swan-deer (Cervidae, Longicollinae) is commonly seen coming down from the forest to the lake in order to drink, though it is usually shy. Similar in size and weight to a moose, it nevertheless differs greatly in the specifics of its anatomy. It is adapted mostly to browse forest trees for leaves, but it will sometimes dredge the shallows of the lake for plants.

 

The Tarb-Uisge is a local breed of cattle that dates back to the earliest days of Ox domestication. Bred to work on moors and coasts, it has a thick coat, and does well in wet, marshy conditions, though it has not been used as livestock in centuries and now runs wild. It is most common on the southern lakeshore and the marshes to the Southwest. It reaches a height of about .1.2 meters at the withers, somewhat smallish for a breed of ox, along with its generally white colouring, leading some folk to call them Fairy Cattle.

 

Similarly to the Tarb Usge is the Kelpie (Equus ferus caballus), is a strain of wild horse descended from originally domestic stock. This pony-like animal resembles many other breeds of domestic horse, but combines a large stature with a long coat and robust bone structure. They are notoriously fierce in temperament, and though are tempting to many to wish to tame, almost always resist such efforts. Coat colour is usually either black, white or white with black markings.

 

Albionian Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops, Delphinidae) are a smallish kind of dolphin that inhabits parts of the North Sea and various sea lochs to the south, as well as Lake Ness. These pugnacious animals have a distinctive profile with a humped back, and commonly swim in long lines together. It is small for a bottlenose, never surpassing 1.8 meters long.

I hope you enjoyed this new, Cryptozoologicon-style Project

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