Tree frixel (SciiFii)

The tree frixel (Amphisapien arbolidae) is a species of frog-like amphibian, most closely related to the Triadobatrachus, that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the subtropical and temperate forests of the Azores archipelago to help boost biodiversity. The tree frixel has one of the more radical shifts in body plan in than most amphibians, with little to compare it to in all other vertebrates. Alternately known as the ‘yoga frog’, the frixel engages in habitual bipedalism, but not in the way one would predict in all other bipedal species. Instead, the front limbs have become the main support structures for bipedalism, the sternum acting as a sort of pelvis, and the hind limbs rotating up and out. The dentition has developed for an omnivorous diet, with a clipping beak evolving at the front of the skull in order to consume both meat and plant matter. The tree frixel may seem implausibly awkward, but, like a pterosaur on land, it’s not until the creature is in its element that it all comes together. The hind limbs are perfectly positioned to brachiate like gibbons from mainland Eurasia and North America, with long fingers and highly developed thumbs providing a perfect pivot for incredible tumbling acrobatics. Like primates, the mental requirements needed for complex three dimensional travel through the trees brings with it a rise in general cognitive ability. The braincase of the creature is relatively large, and frixels have been observed using tools and engaging in complex social activities. The conservation status of the tree frixel is Near Threatened due to some habitat loss and historic poaching, however, thanks to the conservationists, the tree frixels are a protected species and are making a comeback.