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Description

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Widespread across the grasslands and open woodlands of Serina in the early Ultimocene are many rather similar species of small and very primitive circuagodonts known as smeerps, which both superficially resemble, and fill the ecological roles of, rabbits. Never any bigger than a hare, they are highly important in the ecosystems they inhabit as the primary if not nearly exclusive prey of the repandors and the primary limiting factor in the growth of razorgrass which tends to dominate grassland ecologies to the exclusion of other pasture and detriment of other animal species when they are not present to graze it down. Smeerps are exclusively vegetarian and eat primarily silica-rich grasses and a small percentage of woody plants. Soft herbs, preferred by other grazers, are rarely eaten, and so smeerps help to ensure a biodiverse habitat with abundant food for many other herbivores.

Smeerps closely represent the form that the larger and more specialized circuagodonts evolved from and are morphologically intermediate between these clades and the non-circuagodont poppits, their nearest relatives. Like most circuagodonts they have seasonal fur coats that become thin in summer, revealing camouflaging greenish skin patterns, and insulating in winter with a brown or gray pelage to hide against deciduous trees. Unlike poppits, smeerps don't generally live underground but rather above it; their young are able to walk at birth and are generally hidden in thickets or tall grass, attended by their mother just a few times per day. This is in contrast to the larger circuagodonts whose young evolved to be highly precocial and run with their parent nearly from birth. The survival rate of the young is very low, with predators catching most, but compensated for with a high birth rate, up to six annual litters of up to four kits per year in mild climates. Though any circuagodont has a powerful cutting bite that they will use as a last resort against an enemy, smeerps' primary defense besides fecundity is flight. They are rapid runners that strive to confuse their pursuers by dodging and backtracking, as at a run straight out their predators can outrun them. Despite this, few if any smeerps live to old age.

Sociality in these animals is the least developed in circuagodonts. Female smeerps are social only with their offspring, and males not at all. Bucks fight fiercely for breeding rights and are even aggressive toward females, dominating them with a bite to the neck and a generally larger weight. Females do not resist, as this aggression demonstrates the strength and vigor that will be inherited to her offspring, traits that will increase their odds of survival.

Description

Please consider supporting me on patreon for as little as $2 per month to see WIPS and content up to one month early, or a little more to get your own drawing of your choice every month. www.patreon.com/sheatherius

~~~~

Widespread across the grasslands and open woodlands of Serina in the early Ultimocene are many rather similar species of small and very primitive circuagodonts known as smeerps, which both superficially resemble, and fill the ecological roles of, rabbits. Never any bigger than a hare, they are highly important in the ecosystems they inhabit as the primary if not nearly exclusive prey of the repandors and the primary limiting factor in the growth of razorgrass which tends to dominate grassland ecologies to the exclusion of other pasture and detriment of other animal species when they are not present to graze it down. Smeerps are exclusively vegetarian and eat primarily silica-rich grasses and a small percentage of woody plants. Soft herbs, preferred by other grazers, are rarely eaten, and so smeerps help to ensure a biodiverse habitat with abundant food for many other herbivores.

Smeerps closely represent the form that the larger and more specialized circuagodonts evolved from and are morphologically intermediate between these clades and the non-circuagodont poppits, their nearest relatives. Like most circuagodonts they have seasonal fur coats that become thin in summer, revealing camouflaging greenish skin patterns, and insulating in winter with a brown or gray pelage to hide against deciduous trees. Unlike poppits, smeerps don't generally live underground but rather above it; their young are able to walk at birth and are generally hidden in thickets or tall grass, attended by their mother just a few times per day. This is in contrast to the larger circuagodonts whose young evolved to be highly precocial and run with their parent nearly from birth. The survival rate of the young is very low, with predators catching most, but compensated for with a high birth rate, up to six annual litters of up to four kits per year in mild climates. Though any circuagodont has a powerful cutting bite that they will use as a last resort against an enemy, smeerps' primary defense besides fecundity is flight. They are rapid runners that strive to confuse their pursuers by dodging and backtracking, as at a run straight out their predators can outrun them. Despite this, few if any smeerps live to old age.

Sociality in these animals is the least developed in circuagodonts. Female smeerps are social only with their offspring, and males not at all. Bucks fight fiercely for breeding rights and are even aggressive toward females, dominating them with a bite to the neck and a generally larger weight. Females do not resist, as this aggression demonstrates the strength and vigor that will be inherited to her offspring, traits that will increase their odds of survival.