Squishoof
Taxonomy
| ||
Ancestors and Descendants
|
Creator: Bufforpington
Ancestor: Squishstrider
Habitat: The Tropical, Eastern beaches of South Gemstar and Skwidbox
Size: 40 cm Long
Diet: Herbivore (Cardleaf, Diamondleaf, fallen Cocopralm leaves)
Reproduction: Hermaphrodite, Eggs buried underground
The Squishoof split from its ancestor and has adapted to become a brower. Thriving on the beaches of Skwidbox and South Datura, they have become herbivores. They primarily feed on shrub-like plants, but they also feed on the fresh, fallen leaves of pralms. When the tide goes out, they venture into the intertidal zone to feast on diamondleaves. They use their mandibles to tear leaves off of plants, and then use their radula to slowly but surely consume said leaf. With the appearance of predators like the wanderjaw, they squishoof has become an adept runner, allowing them to flee from their much slower predators, assuming they can escape the initial ambush. In order to keep their fleshy feet from being damaged while running at high speeds, they have developed chitinous, hoof-like pads on the bottoms of their feet. However, individuals with narrow hooves fared poorly on the sandy beaches, as they were impeded by the sand. Thus, those with wider hooves fared better, even though they are slower than those with narrower hooves. Their leg musculature and skeletal structure is convergent to that of an ungulate. They have developed a more advanced respiratory system complete with four nostrils and a very efficient set of lungs, ensuring that they will never be out of breath when fleeing from a predator.