1

enter image description here

The Qilin or Kirin is commonly depicted as:

  • having a reddish orange mane
  • resembling a horse
  • having a branch like horn
  • have goat hooves
  • are herbivores
  • being a dark seafoam green coloration
  • having a somewhat long tail ending with a horse tail
  • are covered in something which resembles fish scales
  • have have what appears to be a beard and eyebrows
  • will actively try and avoid harming any creatures
  • are solitary
  • are semi-aquatic

Given these characteristics, what species could the Qilin have evolved from, and what evolutionary pressures would lead to such a being?

icewar1908
  • 6,865
  • 1
  • 20
  • 66
  • Behemoth or Qilin? You mention both. Or are they the same? – Harel13 Feb 23 '20 at 19:35
  • 1
    @Harel13 Qilin i just forgot to remove all mentions of the Behemoth which copying and pasting – icewar1908 Feb 23 '20 at 19:45
  • 1
    I.M.H.O. Using Copy/Paste to "ask" a question is both disingenous and diminishes both the OP and The reader. For an example of a Truly Great question, please see: https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/questions/146090/how-soon-can-the-first-stars-form – Joe Feb 24 '20 at 22:06
  • @Joe OK i just thought that this and my Behemoth question were similar enough to where i could Copy/Paste the basic outline without taking away from the question but i understand what you mean – icewar1908 Feb 24 '20 at 22:47
  • 4
    I appreciate that this is a unique, mythical creature. It's a lot more interesting and arguably more on-topic to ask about folklore rather than video game characters when designing a fictional world. That being said, does this question provide new / useful / interesting insights? You've described a multicolor horse with a horn. Plenty of animals on Earth are multicolor, a few have horns, and at least one is even a literal horse. Anatomically Correct questions aren't really helpful imo unless they provide more specific, challenging, and inexplicable attributes. – Zxyrra Feb 26 '20 at 04:45
  • Sexual dimorphism? Some of these could be secondary sexual characteristics that one gender has and the other doesn't? – Spencer Mar 15 '20 at 21:41
  • @Zxyrra most likely not a horse of any kind. A horse is an odd-toed ungulate and the requirement of cloven hooves makes the creature an even-toed ungulate. – Spencer Mar 15 '20 at 21:44
  • @Spencer I think that's a minor detail that doesn't negate the fact that this creature is already plausible and easy to explain. – Zxyrra Mar 15 '20 at 23:38
  • VTC: poor quality, as it's a copy-paste of other questions. Make this about your world or make it of use & interest to others! – elemtilas Apr 18 '20 at 20:15

0 Answers0