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DinosaurBoy65 — Untekhi

#lizard #varanid #saurogea #illyukanids #agialosaur #speculativebiology #speculativezoology
Published: 2020-02-15 04:41:43 +0000 UTC; Views: 743; Favourites: 6; Downloads: 0
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Description Length:15-23 ft
Weight:548-887 lbs
Diet:Carnivore
Habitat:Swamp
Phylogeny:Illyukanidae, Illyukaninae
Description:
   The Untekhi(Diablophoneus gigus) is the largest member of the Illyukanids. They're a group of freshwater or brackish dwelling lizards that possibly have ancestry with the Agialosaurids, a group of lizards ancestral to mosasaurs & in close relations with Varanids. Fossils date back to the Paleocene ~60 mya. Forms similar to the Untekhi appeared around 45 mya. The largest was possibly the rather fragmentary Suchovenator irwini, a large Illyukanid with an estimated length of 25-30 feet. Like their smaller, more docile relatives, the Untekhi is sexually dimorphic. Females are considerably larger than their male counterparts. On the other hand, males are mostly identified by their darker markings on their lips. They have longer front limbs which the use to help haul themselves on land. They are venemous, with it's toxicity comparable to rattlesnake venom. 

Ontogeny: 
   After being pregnant for around 3 months, the female will give birth to around 4 young. They're born tail first & quickly swim to the surface as of being born. The mother will not care for them, as the young are born with teeth & venom. They will spend their first few years in reed-beds. The newborn Untekhi will feed on small fish, crabs, frogs, and tadpoles. Their major threats are crocodiles, pterosaurs, & older Untekhi. They mature in about 7-9 years. mating occurs during the height of the wet season. Several smaller males will usually pursue a single, large female. Only the largest of the males will get to copulate. After copulation occurs, the male quickly flees in fear of being eaten by the females. Females are able to store the male's sperm for later use, & can halt fertilization in times of famine.

Lifestyle:
   Untekhi are extremely territorial, & are known to cannibalize any member of their species that trespasses. They're at their most aggressive during the dry season. They favor large lakes & slow moving rivers, but will also frequent the flooded forests of swamps during the wet season due to access of easy prey. They primarily feed on large fish, water fowl, & any unfortunate animals that come to drink. They avoid competition with the native crocodile species by going after different species of prey. They primarily avoid crocodiles due to their strong bites, & crocodiles avoid them due to their venom. Untekhi are known to beach themselves, using their strong front limbs to haul themselves on land. They do this to gain access to Azhdars, which feed on the parasites that riddle their body. They can't do this for too long, as they are  at risk to predators on land.
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