Acerax Pipent

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Acerax Pipent
(Gelidiunguis acerax)
Artwork of Acerax Pipent
Species is extinct.
21/?, unknown cause
Creator Russ1 Other
Taxonomy
Domain
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Subclass
Order
Suborder
Family
Genus
Species
Eukaryota
Mancerxa
Chloropodia
Phyllauria
Xylodonta
Cetochoera
Ungulopterigia
Ungularemidae
Gelidiunguis
Gelidiunguis acerax
Week/Generation 17/113
Habitat North Polar Coast
Size 80 cm Long
Primary Mobility Unknown
Support Endoskeleton (Jointed Wood)
Diet Omnivore (Gilltail, Arctic Seaflower, Creeping Starflora)
Respiration Active (Lungs)
Thermoregulation Endotherm
Reproduction Sexual, Live birth, Two sexes



The acerax pipent has split from its ancestor and moved into the North Polar Coasts. The main thing that has helped it survive here is its social bonding with others of its kind. the acerax has evolved an interesting behavior of sharing resources with others even when they aren't related. In the harsh environment, these were the only nailfins that survived and thus the behavior continues.

Their ‘nailfins' have become larger and now have many ridges along their surfaces. This enable acerax to pull its large body across snow and ice along the coast. Each ‘flipper' can move independently and in the water this means the acerax is able to change direction in the blink of an eye. This is important, because their main food is now the Gilltail. Acerax must work in their family groups to coral the gilltail into small groups where they can be picked off with more ease. To supplement their diet they will also snack on floating vegetation they happen to find.

When the young are due, they cannot be born straight onto the ice as this would kill them. Instead, when a female is in labor, she will ‘bark'. The other family members will then get into the water and start to break up ice and use their flippers to agitate the water as much as possible. This briefly raises the temperature of the water and the female will slide her back half into the water to birth. The others of the group will also watch out for predators. The baby is now head first, as otherwise it would drawn. To keep it off the ice, the baby uses its fully developed flippers to cling on to its mother's back. Other family members will also share this burden when the mother needs to feed.

They still tickle and laugh, and with the snow all around them, they seem to enjoy making ‘snow-pipents' by dragging their flippers back and forth. This always results in tickling and laughter, strengthening bonds between related and even un-related individuals.

Gallery

Living Relatives (click to show/hide)

These are randomly selected, and organized from lowest to highest shared taxon. (This may correspond to similarity more than actual relation)
  • Feral Tuskent (suborder Ungulopterigia)
  • Scrub Barkback (subclass Xylodonta)
  • Rackettoon (class Phyllauria)