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Description
A concept sketch for a novel kaiju that's truly indigenous to South America, part mythology, part Pleistocene megafauna, part cryptozoology. The idea came from the choice to make Behemoth a genuine proboscidean monster connected to the Old World in lore and geography. Everything giant sloth related gained its own separate identity in this beast.

Mapinguary is the mighty protector of the rainforest, peaceful by nature but unrelenting when angered. When not in a resting state in an underground burrow it plows a path through the Amazon to feed from the tops of the very tallest trees. It's anatomy resembles that of a giant sloth but the skin of its back and tail are caiman-like, protected by an armor of impenetrable scutes. the powerful tail of the Mapinguary ends in a spiky club similar to that of the glyptodont Doedicurus. Even the beast's mouth is deadly: despite its herbivorous diet, Mapinguarys first upper and lower teeth grow out into great tusks used as offensive weapons against its enemies.

Besides its bulk, reinforced skin, enormous claws, sharp tusks and spiky tail, Mapinguary has one more weapon in its arsenal: a suffocating gust of hot flammable gas exhaled from its enormous nostrils. Though not a fiery breath by itself, the giant beast is smart and capable enough to be able to light this gas on fire when it desires to, allowing it to use it without risking unintentionally setting its precious rainforest home in flames.

Like in other gigafaunal species, there is usually only one adult supergiant Mapinguary around, but it's possible to come across much smaller and hairier subadults that account for the cryptid sightings.

See also:
Gigaia: Dippel's Behemoth
Gigaia: Titanosaurus, the spinosaurid kaiju

Description
A concept sketch for a novel kaiju that's truly indigenous to South America, part mythology, part Pleistocene megafauna, part cryptozoology. The idea came from the choice to make Behemoth a genuine proboscidean monster connected to the Old World in lore and geography. Everything giant sloth related gained its own separate identity in this beast.

Mapinguary is the mighty protector of the rainforest, peaceful by nature but unrelenting when angered. When not in a resting state in an underground burrow it plows a path through the Amazon to feed from the tops of the very tallest trees. It's anatomy resembles that of a giant sloth but the skin of its back and tail are caiman-like, protected by an armor of impenetrable scutes. the powerful tail of the Mapinguary ends in a spiky club similar to that of the glyptodont Doedicurus. Even the beast's mouth is deadly: despite its herbivorous diet, Mapinguarys first upper and lower teeth grow out into great tusks used as offensive weapons against its enemies.

Besides its bulk, reinforced skin, enormous claws, sharp tusks and spiky tail, Mapinguary has one more weapon in its arsenal: a suffocating gust of hot flammable gas exhaled from its enormous nostrils. Though not a fiery breath by itself, the giant beast is smart and capable enough to be able to light this gas on fire when it desires to, allowing it to use it without risking unintentionally setting its precious rainforest home in flames.

Like in other gigafaunal species, there is usually only one adult supergiant Mapinguary around, but it's possible to come across much smaller and hairier subadults that account for the cryptid sightings.

See also:
Gigaia: Dippel's Behemoth
Gigaia: Titanosaurus, the spinosaurid kaiju