Jun-19-2010, 10:55 AM (UTC)
I have made a few posts in other threads about the possible biology of serpent to dragon metamorphosis and the more that I think about it, the stranger it seems.
In general, metamorphosis can be described as hemimetabolous (certain new features are grown from a pre-existing body - usually additional limbs, a new respiratory system and sexual organs) or holometabolous (the whole body is broken down and regrown from scratch). I had assumed that dragons were holometabolous because they metamorphosed inside a cocoon and because the lack of serpent memories in adult dragons suggested that the brain had been broken down and rebuilt. However, the bodies of adult dragons do not appear to be drastically different from those of serpents and some individual serpent features seem to be retained by adult dragons, including traits of colour pattern and personality.
It is particularly interesting to consider the deformities of the hatchlings described in Dragon Haven. Most of these possessed malformed legs and wings but not malformed bodies or heads. Given that there were clearly problems with the process of metamorphosis, this suggests that only the limbs were grown from scratch, not the head or body. Furthermore, as the surviving hatchlings journeyed to Kelsingra, their limb deformities gradually righted themselves, with legs and wings becoming proportionately longer. The ability to regenerate lost or damaged limbs is possessed by amphibians such as salamanders. This is thought to be associated with the partial metamorphosis that these animals undergo. The legs must have the ability to develop independently of the body during metamorphosis and a beneficial side effect of this is that they retain the ability to regenerate if removed later in life.
Do dragons retain the ability to regenerate limbs as adults? If so, this might explain a statement made by Bolt to Wintrow, to the effect that he ought to be able to heal his amputated finger.
In general, metamorphosis can be described as hemimetabolous (certain new features are grown from a pre-existing body - usually additional limbs, a new respiratory system and sexual organs) or holometabolous (the whole body is broken down and regrown from scratch). I had assumed that dragons were holometabolous because they metamorphosed inside a cocoon and because the lack of serpent memories in adult dragons suggested that the brain had been broken down and rebuilt. However, the bodies of adult dragons do not appear to be drastically different from those of serpents and some individual serpent features seem to be retained by adult dragons, including traits of colour pattern and personality.
It is particularly interesting to consider the deformities of the hatchlings described in Dragon Haven. Most of these possessed malformed legs and wings but not malformed bodies or heads. Given that there were clearly problems with the process of metamorphosis, this suggests that only the limbs were grown from scratch, not the head or body. Furthermore, as the surviving hatchlings journeyed to Kelsingra, their limb deformities gradually righted themselves, with legs and wings becoming proportionately longer. The ability to regenerate lost or damaged limbs is possessed by amphibians such as salamanders. This is thought to be associated with the partial metamorphosis that these animals undergo. The legs must have the ability to develop independently of the body during metamorphosis and a beneficial side effect of this is that they retain the ability to regenerate if removed later in life.
Do dragons retain the ability to regenerate limbs as adults? If so, this might explain a statement made by Bolt to Wintrow, to the effect that he ought to be able to heal his amputated finger.
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