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post 663660

Descriptions

e621.net · 6095302

"The Cuban green-crown (Florvenator smaragdus) is a modified descendant of the Cuban emerald (Riccordia ricordii) created by a rich Venezuelan eccentric in the mid-22nd century. Nectar still composes much of its diet, but it has been modified to prey on naturalized western honeybees that are well-established on the island, feeding both on the bees themselves and their honey. The most distinctive adaptation given to the species is its large but thin keratinous shield, which protects the top of the head from stings. This shield was formed from increasingly tightly-packed feathers, which can still be seen around the eyes and in other species created through the project. The next most distinctive feature is the crown of neck and cheek feathers from which the species gets its name. These feathers are used primarily for mating displays but can also be used to warn predators of their poisonous nature (a result of their diet). Lastly, to better tolerate occasional stings and ingestion of bees, their body size has increased to 21 grams at 9 inches in length. This size puts great strain on adults, who spend much of their time in forests and woodlands feeding on flowering epiphytes, vines, and trees, in contrast to freer-flying adolescents."

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