Re: Defining biological taxa with GURPS
I go by the Aristotlean taxonomy in my fantasy setting, plus an addition:
Sponges - soft very primitive and generally immobile invertebrates, such as sponges and anemones; also includes jellyfish
Slugs - most molluscs and other soft generally mobile invertebrates that lack limbs, such as slugs, snails, leeches, earthworms, tapeworms, etc.
Cephelopodes - invertebrates that possess limbs and lack skeletons, exo- or endo-; includes squids, octopuses, and cuttlefish
Arthropods - all legged invertebrates with a hard exoskeleton
Fish - cold-blooded vertebrates that breathe water, includes sharks
Reptiles - cold-blooded vertebrate air-breathers with skin or scales; amphibians, lizards, crocodillians, and snakes
Birds - warm-blooded vertebrate air-breathers with feathers
Mammals - warm-blooded vertebrate air-breathers with skin, fur, or scales that give birth to live young (note: platypuses and spiny echidnas are unknown in the world)
My addition:
Dinosaurs - warm-blooded vertebrate air-breathers with skin or scales that lay eggs
I also have Hybrids for things that are clearly "a (bored) wizard or sorcerer did it": pegasi, pegadactyls, gryphons, hippogriffs, etc.
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"Life ... is an Oreo cookie." - J'onn J'onzz, 1991
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The GURPS Marvel Universe Reboot Project A-G, H-R, and S-Z, and its not-a-wiki-really web adaptation.
Ranoc, a Muskets-and-Magery Renaissance Fantasy Setting
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