Dragonthunders on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/dragonthunders/art/TFiF-Olitbun-654597107Dragonthunders

Deviation Actions

Dragonthunders's avatar

TFiF: Olitbun

Published:
7.6K Views

Description

Right up: Skull of the Olitbun, has evolved in a convergent way to those of the lagomorphs, however, it still conserves the canines
Right below: A family of Olitbuns jump next to a group of Hoggess, far descendants of the geese which survived the cenozoic catastrophe.


The last descendants of the bats, the Icaropterans, had rapidly evolved and taken several of the available ecological niches that groups of birds and some South American invaders failed to achieve during the Haemonova period (145-166 m.y). Although some members of this group managed to become the top predators, some others were just beginning to take niches, which, after all, laid the foundation for the emergence of new lineages after the cenozoic and the lost of the majority of mammal diversity. These key species belong to one of the two family of Icaropterans, the orthodactyls, a well adapted ground lineage which instead of have their posterior limbs inverted, these have a completely normal position in comparison to other mammals, some even developing digitigrade feet. These with a better versatility of movements but with small sizes had been established like small omnivoros, but a particular species began take its place.

The Olitbun (Lepucephalus sp.is a lagomorph–like species which is one of the first specialized herbivorous mammals, with a length of 80 cm and a weigh of 30 kg. Unlike most of their relatives, this species has hypertrophied legs, which make it able to push them to distances of up to 3 meters and reach speeds of up to 65 kilometers per hour, which supports a short rounded body and head. Unlike other types of herbivores around, its teeth and digestive system have been specialized for the digestion of different types of plants being quite flexible. This species is an inhabitant of the forests of Antarctica, although some populations have been able to extend outside the continent by land bridges around South America, extending around the patagonia region.

Olitbuns are gregarious although they tend to gather in small groups in a fairly closed territory of a couple of square kilometers. These groups are made up of a monogamous couple, together with their young which tend to remain together for the rest of their natural life unless one of both male or females find a couple or one of the parents dies. 
Being mostly diurnal animals, these spend part of the time traveling much of their territories, and mainly defending them of any other invasive olitbun groups. They have a life expectancy of around 12 to 15 years.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, some of my last works for this year, I hope that everyone have or had a nice new year :D (Big Grin) 


Image size
1999x999px 1.62 MB
© 2017 - 2024 Dragonthunders
Comments15
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
9Weegee's avatar
...do you know anything about leg anatomy?