Beakmander
Beakmander
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Ancestors and Descendants
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Creator: Bufforpington
Habitat: East Peninsular Scrubland, The eastern, tropical beaches of Middle Datura
Size: 60 cm Long
Diet: Insectivore (Isobeak, Pillbeak, Pillstrider, Beach Pillbeak, Stiltstrider)
Reproduction: Sexual, Eggs laid into the ocean
The beakmander split from its ancestor and has adapted to feed on a largely untapped source of prey, the arthrobeaks. Their mouths have been fully converted into powerful beaks that can even crush the toughest of arthrobeak exoskeletons. While the majority of them live in the scrubland, some now spend their entire lives on the beaches. Because they have grown too large for the slythdigger burrows that they once resided in, they now must rest on the surface. This makes them vulnerable to the scrubland's apex predator, the dragaterror. In response, their color has turned brown in order to blend in with the soil. Those that live on the beach have taken on a lighter color in order to blend in with the sand, allowing it to avoid being spotted by crawlungs. This led to the creation of two subspecies. Like their ancestors, beakmanders living in the scrubland will migrate to the beach during the mating season. in order to protect themselves during the day, these migrants will employ their ancestor's method of defense by sleeping in large groups, with a few staying awake for a while, keeping watch for predators. These individuals will eventually go back to sleep, with others taking their place. Those that live on the beach don't have to deal with this problem, as they already blend in with the sand. It isn't uncommon for the two subspecies to interbreed, which lead to individuals that are lighter than the inland subspecies, and darker than the beach subspecies. These hybrids are uncommon, as predators can easily spot them.