Gatomon

Dec 30 2010, 03:55 PM

Chao are something that Tammy goes crazy over.

The end.

• Chao are eukaryotes (Multicellular)
  
• Probably deuterostomes (Anus forms first in embryo, among other features)
  
• Probably triploblastic and ceolomate (three tissue layers with ceolom supporting body cavities)
  
• Bilateral symmetry
  
• Have a central nervous system with ganglion (Spinal cord and brain)
  
• Complete digestive tract
  
• Complex sensory system (Eyes, ears, touch)
  
• Complex muscle system with striated muscle tissue, more-than likely antagonistic.
  
• Also, endoskeleton (Or perhaps a hydrostatic skeleton. Presence of horns and teeth, however, leads me to rule this possibility out, though this isn't a fact I don't think)

Lil Noel

Dec 30 2010, 06:49 PM

Chao: A Real-World Perspective.

There are many factors to consider when analyzing the exact physiology and real-world analogy of Chao. But from a cautious perspective:

• Chao are eukaryotes (Multicellular)
  
• Probably deuterostomes (Anus forms first in embryo, among other features)
  
• Probably triploblastic and ceolomate (three tissue layers with ceolom supporting body cavities)
  
• Bilateral symmetry
  
• Have a central nervous system with ganglion (Spinal cord and brain)
  
• Complete digestive tract
  
• Complex sensory system (Eyes, ears, touch)
  
• Complex muscle system with striated muscle tissue, more-than likely antagonistic.
  
• Also, endoskeleton (Or perhaps a hydrostatic skeleton. Presence of horns and teeth, however, leads me to rule this possibility out, though this isn't a fact I don't think)

... Which makes them pretty far-evolved creatures. Chao are definately chordates, probably vertebrates. They have post-anal tails, which are unique to the chordates.

So chao are some kind of vertebrate. Since insects are invertebrates, and since chao lack a lot of features which define the class (and arthropods in general), I can't in good conscious relegate them to that area of the animal kingdom ^_^;;

Chao repoduce sexually and lay hard-shelled eggs, but, curiously enough, they also seem to metamorphize in a cacoon-like state, which is the one characteristic that is similar to the arthropods. But I believe all other previously-listed features still overpower this one piece.

I'd much rather label Chao as some kind of reptile, or a reptile-mammal. A monotreme maybe, like the platypus. That would satisfy most of the traits listed above.

But the most interesting features about chao are their ability to A) react with Chaos Energy, and B) absorb the traits of other animals. While their affinity to Chaos can be explained by simple evolutionary adaptation to their environment (particularly living close to the Master Emerald. their ability to absorb features of completely different organisms is truly a phenomenon not seen often in nature. In fact, the only real-world organisms proven to absorb and express DNA of other species are some species of bacteria.

So, somehow, chao are not only able to consciously absorb the genotypes of various organisms, they are also able to seamlessly delete and replace specific portions of their own genes with that of the target animal, and rapidly express the new genotype to create a new phenotype.

So what are chao? Well, they're definately chordates, probably vertebrates, and could be egg-laying mammals or mammal-like reptiles. When you factor in their ability to process Chaos energy and relatively high intellegence (such as possessing clear emotions, abstract thought exemplified by creation of art and music, and language), it is easy to recognize chao as a basal, primieval mobian. What a chimpanzee is to humans, chao may be the same to Sonic and his anthro buddies.

But in our world, yes. Chao are probably mammals. I don't think we can narrow down their closest possible relatives, but they are almost definitely somewhere in the phylum mammalia.

[/SCIENCE]