Integument

There are many different organisms on Sagan IV which have different kinds of integument, or body-covering. This page serves to compile which organisms have what kind of body-covering.

Skin

This section refers to the skin of the organism itself. Most organisms have skin.

Permeable Skin

Permeable skin is typically moist (either by nature of the organism's environment or through secretion of fluid onto the skin) and may be capable of directly absorbing oxygen and nutrients from the surrounding water or air. Some real-world examples include salamanders and earthworms.

Examples: Beakworms, ukbacks, swarmers, newborn shrews

Glandular Skin

Glandular skin is generally dryer than permeable skin and may contain keratin or chitin for the purpose of reducing water loss, but glands are still present which might secrete oils, sweat, milk, or waste. Some real-world examples include humans and frogs.

Examples: Ambulatory plents, basal and furry shrews

Dry Skin

Dry skin has few or no glands and is very resistant to desiccation, making it ideal for organisms living in arid conditions. Some real-world examples include birds and reptiles.

Examples:

Cell Wall

Some organisms, primarily microbes and sessile multicellular organisms, have cell walls for their exterior, which doubles as support. This is usually made of cellulose or chitin, depending on the organism. Some real-world examples include plants and fungi.

A few faunal organisms on Sagan 4 have a mix of walled and unwalled cells.

Examples: Crystal flora, purple flora, black flora

Plates

This refers to integument on top of the skin which serves a protective function and usually has a plate-like structure, such as scales and armor.

Bony/Mineralized Scales

Bony scales are those which contain mineralized components within the structure of the scale itself, such as the scales of fish. They differ from osteoderms, which usually have a covering of keratin over them.

Examples: None

Epidermal Scales

Scales are relatively thin and flexible plates made of keratin, chitin, or cellulose which usually cover an organism's entire body. A real-world example is lizards.

Examples: Snappers, limblesses, basal caudopods, blood shrews

Scutes

A scute is a thick plate made of a material such as keratin or chitin which acts as a shield. Osteoderms can fall under the definition of scute in real life, but on Sagan 4 they are defined separately for the sake of having a distinction. Some real-world organisms which have scutes include turtles, ticks, and birds.

Examples: Some turtsnappers, tams, some saucebacks

Osteoderms

Osteoderms are plates which have a mineralized core, which is more protective than a purely keratinous scute but also significantly heavier. Some real-world examples include armadillos, various pseudosuchians, and stegosaurs.

Examples: Shrogs, turtsnappers, Crested King Limbless

Bubble Scales

Bubble scales are a structure unique to Sagan IV which are currently only found in a specialized subgroup of shrews. They are effectively scales filled with air and they are used for insulation.

Examples: Bubbleskins

Bark

Bark is usually made of lignified cellulose and may contain some calcium. The "scales" or "armor" of many plents is made of bark. In real life, bark is primarily found on woody plants.

Examples: Purple trees, some black trees, many plents, barkbacks

Sclerites

Sclerites refer specifically to chitinous plates which are hardened to form an exoskeleton or similar. Arthropods and their close relatives have these.

Examples: Wingworms, scuttlecrabs, lizardworms, krakowpedes, murkworms, crystal flora

Shell

A shell is a large, usually mineralized, and sometimes paired structure which protects an organism's entire body. Some real-world examples include molluscs and brachiopods.

Examples: Shelled urchips, bubblehorns

Filaments

Filamentous integument usually serves to insulate an endothermic organism against extreme heat or cold.

Hair/Fur

On Sagan IV, hair or fur refers to any monofilament (unbranching fiber) made of keratin or chitin. Some real-world examples are mammals and many arthropods.

Examples: Furry shrews, azelaks, many binucleid worms

Feathers

On Sagan IV, feathers refer to any branching filament made of keratin or chitin. Some real-world examples include birds, pterosaurs, and some spiders.

Examples: Saucebacks, pinyuks, skysnappers

Quills

Quills are usually modified filaments which are stiff and sharp. They are typically used for defense. Some real-world examples include porcupines and hedgehogs.

Examples: Quilltails, Lotan

Plent Cotton

Plent cotton is a type of monofilament fiber made of cellulose which is found in some gulpers.

Examples: Cottoncoats

Trichomes

Trichomes are fibers formed from cell walls present around specialized elongated skin cells. They are usually made of cellulose, but chitinous trichomes are not out of the question. They can be branching or monofilament and can easily switch between the two evolutionarily speaking. In real life, they can be found on many "hairy" plants.

Examples: Downfeathered Noleap, Gryphler, uncountably numerous flora