Ophan Skeggox

Ophan Skeggox
(Rotaferrum securis)
Information
Creator	Jarlaxle Other
Week/Generation	27/166
Habitat	Raptor Chaparral, Raptor Veldt, Raptor Volcanic, Raptor Highvelt, Raptor Badlands (Uncommon), Raptor Plains, Wallace Desert (Uncommon), West Wallace Veldt, Verserus Highvelt, Verserus Rocky (Uncommon), Wallace Chaparral, Wallace Bush, Wallace Volcanic, Central Wallace Veldt, Wallace Plains, South Darwin Highvelt, Darwin Temperate Desert (Uncommon), South Darwin Rocky (Uncommon), South Darwin Chaparral, South Darwin Plains
Size	2.5 m Long
Primary Mobility	Unknown
Support	Endoskeleton (Chitin)
Diet	Scavenger, Kleptoparasites & Oppertunisitic Carnivore (Argeiphlock, Barkback, Binsnoo, Cragagon, Dardiwundi, Desert Tilecorn, Desert Ukjaw, Disasterxata, Dualtrunk, Dundigger, Dungshell Fraboo, Eggslurping Sorite, Grassland Lizatokage, Gryphler, Guangu, Gulperskunik, Handlicker Dundi, Hedgimal, High Grassland Ukback, Interbiat, Kehaida, Nectarsnapper, Mouse Gryphler, Neoshrew, Opportunity Shrew, Ouranocorn, Phouka, Pickaxe Tamow, Pink Scrambler, Plehexapod, Rainforest Buttpiper, Ramchin, Rosybeak Phlyer, Sabulyn, Scrub Barkback, Shroom Herder, Sitting Dundi, Snoofloo, Snoronk, Stink Shrew, Stride Sauceback, Striped Phlock, Stygmogg, Tasermane, Thornmole, Tigmadar, Treedundi, Undergroundi, Velocitoon, Xatagolin, Xatakpa, Xatazelle)
Respiration	Active (Microlungs)
Thermoregulation	Endotherm (Feathers)
Reproduction	Sexual (Male and Female, Hard-Shelled Eggs)
Taxonomy
Domain Kingdom Subkingdom Phylum Subphylum Superclass Class Clade Subclass Order Suborder Family Genus Species	Eukaryota Binucleozoa Symbiovermes Thoracocephalia Vermitheria Cephalischia Dromeodonta Eudromeodonta Neodromeodonta Placopulmonates Spectatonasalia Rotaferridae Rotaferrum Rotaferrum securis

Ancestor:	Descendants:
Ophan Scimitar

Replacing its ancestor in its range, the Ophan Skeggox has further specialized to make the most out of the Kleptoparasitic and scavenging lifestyle it has inherited from its Ophan Scimitar ancestor. A large thick necked brute, it will lazily approach a dead carrion and claim it for itself, initimidating other scavengers as well as the predators that made the kill. It's backplates have increased in size and now grown into each other, bringing together their mass and thick neck muscles and culminating in a large front horn, giving it the bearded battleaxe shape that is the skeggox's namesake, using the horn claim the territory around the carcass, fight rivals, and aids in cracking bone and armor pieces while it eats.

Like its ancestor, it uses the rocking motion while feeding and visible spots on its tail to create the illusion of an Argusraptor's face running towards the observer, with different breeds of Skeggox mimicking the colors of the local Argusraptor's breeds, often amplified with dark lines that broadcast the illusion from larger viewing distances, taking a form that coincidentally tends to mimic Terran Haida line art.

With a preference for open plains and a lifestyle demanding vast territories and young that require a lot of mutual investment, once they find a good mate there is no reassurance of reliably finding another one, so they settle into lifelong bonded Ophan pairs called Bikes. They judge each other by a vivid and animated mating display in which an outercoat of feathers switches places with an undercoat of feathers of a contrasting color using the small hydrostatic muscles at the base of the feather, resulting in an animated display of moving stripes across their plumage in all but the thin bristle feathers covering their lower half. They will take turns protecting the nest, brooding the eggs, feeding their young regurgitated food, and eventually start bringing the older juveniles with them to learn how to find and secure food. The juvenile's backplates do not yet grow into each other, providing a spikey defensive measure, and their tail feathers delay the growth of barbs, allowing them to function as quills and making the juveniles a difficult meal to eat without injury.