Scyphera

"Scypher" redirects here.

''This article is about the order of Atarian mammaliforms. For the species called "Atarians", see Savanna scypher''

​Scyphers​ are Atarian mammaliforms bearing a specialized organ, the scyphic apparatus, in the order Scyphera. The order is estimated to be at least 88 million years old with the emergence of Prociphera erticalis from lower Mercaus. Scyphera contains 137 described extant species in three families, although the vast majority remain undescribed. The study of scyphers by Atarians is the scientific discipline of encodology.

Description
Scyphers are terrestrial mamma-like animals native to Planet Atar. They are easily distinguished from other Atarian animals by the presence of an antenna-like appendage, the scyphic apparatus. The scyphic apparatus can emit and detect microwave radiation through the process of chemical bioluminescence, though it has become mostly vestigial in some larger Urscypher species. They are further characterized by thick fur cover, retractable claws, and a long, fur covered tail. Most species have posteriorly positioned ears and, like all extant Atarian mammaliforms, posses a special opening, the olfactoauditory canal, that carries sounds from the nostrils to the inner ears.

Scyphers are generally diurnal, and there eyes lack a reflective tapetum lucidum.

Scyphers range in size from the least jungle scypher (Pauloscyphicus exiguus) at 10" in length and 6 lbs. in weight, to Megaschyphicus grandis  at 60" at the shoulder and over 2,000 lbs.

Scyphers inhabit a wide range of ecosystems and ecological niches, including jungles, deciduous forests, grasslands, semi-arid and arid deserts, and montaine woodlands.

Taxonomy
Scyphera is a clade (monophyletic group), containing the modern living scyphers (suborder Monoparada) and extinct litter-birthing scyphers (suborder Multiparada), their last common ancestor, and all descendants of that ancestor. All living scyphers belong to the infraorder Terfilena. Scyphers are grouped together with the darrels in the mirorder Scypheramorpha.

There are three families of living scyphers. These are:
 * Family Parascypherinidae: The large, bear-like urscyphers
 * Family Myumaudae: The fox-like myumauds
 * Family Euscyphidae: The cat-like euscyphids

Parascypherinidae
Parascypherinidae is the family containing bear-like scyphers, the urscyphers. Urscyphers are distinguishable by their great size and robustness;  Megaschyphicus grandis is around as large as a domesticated cattle. The vast majority of species are carnivorous, and have broad shoulders and large heads with a powerful bite. Most are apex predators. All are quadrupedal.

Parascypherinidae contains 21 living species in 5 genera, divided into two subfamilies:

Subfamily Urscypherinae

-Tribe Megasyphini -Tribe Urscyphini Subfamily Icthicominae
 * Formidibesta, with 5 species
 * Megaschyphicus, with 2 species
 * Aqursi with, 4 species
 * Parvursus with, 7 species
 * Icthicomidentus with, 3 species

Myumaudae
Myumaudae contains the fox like myumauds. They are grouped together with euscyphids in the superfamily Scypheridea. They are quadrupedal carnivorous forms that adapted to life in arid environments. Living myumauds are found in central Feva and Berba, down to southern Aal. They range from rabbit- to red fox-sized. Myumauds have significantly longer ears than either true scyphers or urscyphers. Fur is reduced in most species, especially on the tail, although some mountainous Phroaschyphicus species retain thick fur. In some species, fur reduction is extreme, to the point that they resemble short-hair domestic dogs.

Myumaudae contains 32 known living species in five genera,divided into two subfamilies.

Subfamily Myumaudinae Subfamily Tuinae
 * Myumaudus, with 8 species
 * Aalinis, with 3 species
 * Phroamaudus, with 11 species
 * Esperantamaudus, with 4 species
 * Tus, with 6 species.

Euscyphidae
Euscyphidea contains cat-like scyphers, the euscyphids or "true" scyphers. they are grouped together with the myumauds in the superfamily Scypheridea. Euscyphids are smaller and more gracile than their urscypher relatives. They range in size from the least mouse jungle scypher, about the size of a Norwegian rat, to the lowland scypher, the size of a greyhound. Diet is varied, from the fully herbivorous giant western Thudo jungle scypher, the omnivorous mouse scyphers and photoscyphs, to the fully carnivorous lowland hunting scypher, though most are omnivores. Some are apex predators. Most are quadrupedal, though some are quasi-bipedal to various extent.

Euscyphidae is by far the largest family, and many species remain unknown or undescribed. It includes 84 described living species in 8 genera, divided into two subfamilies:

Subfamily Scypherinae (the great scyphers)
-Tribe Venatini -Tribe Scypherinini
 * Venatiscyph, with 4 species
 * Sicariolus, with 5 species


 * Photoscyphicus, with 1 species

Subfamily Sylvestroscyphinae (the jungle scyphers)
-
 * Fruktilyudoyus, with 14 species
 * Sylvestroscyphicus, with 33 species
 * Ludoscyphicus, with 11 species
 * Pauloscyphicus, with 5 species

Evolution
The scyphers emerged about 88 Mya (million years ago) in the eastern Atarinia (Mercaus). The first known scyphoid mammal to exhibit bioluminescence is an extinct tropical cave darreloid Carfila mustelasus, which lived 110 Mya to around 90 Mya. It resembled a cross between a bobcat and a weasel. A patch on their head contained glands secreting bioluminescent chemicals into the transparent patch, and associated photoreceptive cells. It is thought that they used bioluminescence to locate each other in dark caves and perhaps to hunt or attract prey. Eventually these creatures developed a primitive scyphic apparatus as protruding patches that produced ever lower frequencies down to microwave and more photoreceptive nerve endings that could detect the radiation reflected off objects.

The earliest known scypher is Prociphera ertacala, which lived from 88 Mya to about 85 Mya in caves on the eastern Atarinian continent at a time before the collision between Atarinia and Berba. P. ertacala exhibited traits similar to modern scyphers: a short, photoreceptive scyphic apparatus, retractable claws, and a long, flowing tail. Their eyes also possessed a tapetum lucidum, a trait lost in subsequent generations. They possessed more primitive pelvises, and a long skull attached at the back to the neck. They were comparatively small, about the size of a prairie dog. P. ertacala, or a close relative, may represent the last common ancestor of all scyphers, both extant and extinct.

Around 85 Mya, two groups diversified, the Multiparada, which bore litters, and the Monoparada, which bare a single offspring. Since the closest living relatives of the scyphers, the darrels, also bear litters, it is likely that the first scyphers bore litters as well, and that the monoparads evolved single-birthing in response to selective pressures in a world when Atarinia was assembling itself and becoming warmer and drier.

Around 80 Mya, A population of a Monoparada species crossed the seaway that existed between Atarinia and Berba. This lineage that became the infraorder Berbalena. Although once widespread and diverse on the then-island-continent, they left no living descendants. The other lineage led to Terfilena, which continues to thrive and diversify to the present, including on the now-peninsular Berbaquin landmass.

The euscyphid lineage diverged from the urscypher lineage around 78 Mya, and from the myumaud lineage 70 Mya.