Dirtloaf
| Dirtloaf | ||
|---|---|---|
| (Lutumpanum fodiens) | ||
 | ||
 | ||
 | ||
| Information | ||
| Creator | Disgustedorite Other | |
| Week/Generation | 27/167 | |
| Habitat | Drake Prairie, Drake Steppe, Drake Lowboreal, Drake Temperate Woodland, Drake Bush, Drake Rocky, Drake Highvelt | |
| Size | 40 cm long | |
| Primary Mobility | Unknown | |
| Support | Endoskeleton (Chitin) | |
| Diet | Carnivore (Desert Gossalizard, Switchfang, Okagouti, Dwarf Pinyuk, Taserflame, Teacup Saucebacks, Hopping Ketter, Plowskunik, Festive Uktank, Ukrith, Plains Uktank, Steppe Lizalope, Lizalagarto, Ikasaru, Loafpick, Turquoise-Helmed Lizalope, Feral Tuskent, Scarlet Phlyer, Azure Phlyer, Tree Pinyuk, Marmokerd, Blowtongue, Cotton Candy Phlyer, Scalescooter, Creab Walker, Secretive Lizarduiker, Inzcrek, Golden Phlyer, Uklunk, Green Uktank, Wutuu, Fuzzcoat, Tuskcoat), Scavenger | |
| Respiration | Active (Microlungs) | |
| Thermoregulation | Endotherm (Feathers) | |
| Reproduction | Sexual (Male and Female, Ovoviviparous) | |
| Taxonomy | ||
| Domain Kingdom Subkingdom Phylum Clade Subphylum Superclass Class Clade Subclass Order Family Genus Species | Eukaryota Binucleozoa Symbiovermes (info) Thoracocephalia Coluripoda Vermitheria (info) Cephalischia (info) Dromeodonta Eudromeodonta Neodromeodonta Panemverma Panivermidae Lutumpanum Lutumpanum fodiens | |
| Ancestor: | Descendants: |
|---|---|
The dirtloaf split from its ancestor. It is more stout and has more extensive armor to protect it from predators. It is a creature of the dirt, scraping at soil with its feet to access burrowing prey, as well as to create places for it to hide waiting for non-burrowing prey to pass by. It is venomous and will feast on prey as much as twice its size. It is a solitary hunter, but if it kills something large outside of breeding season, it will let out a screech with its microlungs which attract other dirtloaves to feast. Despite its stout and rotund form and heavy armor, the dirtloaf has remarkable speed and endurance. It has the strongest bite force in proportion to its size of any loafshell yet, thanks to its large head and muscular neck, which in turn aids it in envenomating large armored prey such as gossalizards. The unusual coloration of its fangs and claws is a consequence of high sclerotin content, which greatly strengthens them in certain areas. It has a thicker winter coat, allowing it to be active year-round.
The dirtloaf breeds in the early spring, and males will fight viciously over mates using their spurs. Pregnant females will prepare larders to give birth to their offspring in; this is when the largest prey kills often occur, though larders can also consist of many smaller kills if a female cannot defend larger ones from other females. If there is not enough food in the larder, the juveniles will eat one another until just one remains. Larvae can curl tightly into armored balls to defend themselves from predation, and will continue to do so as stubby-legged juveniles until their bodies outgrow their shells.