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Description

(redone) the third and hopefully last iteration of the baropod xylefsis

(edit: added beaked trunk)

scientific name: baropod xylefsis - (bɛɹʌpʰɑːd/bæɹʌpʰɑːd zaɪlefsɪs)
common name: brown beetle-cow, beetle-cow
average weight: 2,500-2,800 lbs
average height: ~6 ft

The Baropod Xylefsis (lit. lumbering heavy-foot) is a member of the baropoda genus. The creature inhabits the inner steppe-plains of the west coast of Concordia, where they are treated to a vast wealth of lampaphytes, which fuel their massive weights.

The B. Xylefsis is a very social creature, living in herd-oriented groups numbering anywhere from 30 to 50 members, with about 5-7% of the herd considered “calfs,” and so they are protected by the rest of the herd, although some calves fall victim to predation. Regardless, the herd is very docile when unprovoked, and many B. Xylefsis’ form close relationships with certain individuals, though the level of their emotional intelligence is still uncertain.

Diet for the B. Xylefsis consists mainly of lampaphytes and low-height synnefophytes, which are bush-like plants. When grazing and feeding, B. Xylefsis will utilize its long muscular trunk to grab onto the stems of lampaphytes. Their trunk is tipped with a small, grabbing beak, which aids in grasping and holding onto the stems. They will then proceed to shove the contents of the lampaphytes into their mouth, where rasping teeth-like grooves will masticate and process the food. Once mastication has completed, the contents of the leaves and sliced bulbs are processed in their foregut, which resides in their thorax. Here, a similar mechanism of rasping and grinding protrusions of teeth-like material will grind up the tough contents before passing it into the main gut in the abdomen.

Common predators of the B. Xylefsis include the S. Dolofonikos (coming soon), which are more of a pest than they are an actual threat, as well as the Theronychus Tyrannos (also coming soon), which is a ruthless hypercarnivore and the apex predator of the Concordian west coast. In response to this threat, the B. Xylefsis has evolved a few key defenses, those namely being the muscular and dense trunk, which they will often use as a type of club to beat things with, as well as their great size offers some deterrence, as well as the fatty-pads lining the back of their abdomen, which form a thick protective barrier. However, they are vulnerable from their underside, and the two most common causes of death due to predation include either their head and “neck” being butchered and torn apart or being tipped onto their side or back and then having their abdomen bored into.

B. Xylefsis reaches sexual maturity about a year after it is born, and, similar to the X. Kalpazontas, hermaphrodites will often battle each other out, once again using their trunk as a weapon. An actual blow from this trunk has enough power to completely pulverize a human ribcage, yet to the B. Xylefsis, it would be more akin to a hard punch. Typically, a dominant hermaphrodite can be told apart from the vibrant patterns on their fat pads, but this does not necessarily convey actual brute strength, although this often is the case.
B. Xylefsis spores are a little heavier, and because of this, they have evolved a simple set of blade-like “propellers,” which are able to carry and disperse the spores far. The spores themselves are still very tiny, but they are a bit larger than other spores of different creatures.

the 3rd (and hopefully last) iteration of the Baropod Xylefsis

Description

(redone) the third and hopefully last iteration of the baropod xylefsis

(edit: added beaked trunk)

scientific name: baropod xylefsis - (bɛɹʌpʰɑːd/bæɹʌpʰɑːd zaɪlefsɪs)
common name: brown beetle-cow, beetle-cow
average weight: 2,500-2,800 lbs
average height: ~6 ft

The Baropod Xylefsis (lit. lumbering heavy-foot) is a member of the baropoda genus. The creature inhabits the inner steppe-plains of the west coast of Concordia, where they are treated to a vast wealth of lampaphytes, which fuel their massive weights.

The B. Xylefsis is a very social creature, living in herd-oriented groups numbering anywhere from 30 to 50 members, with about 5-7% of the herd considered “calfs,” and so they are protected by the rest of the herd, although some calves fall victim to predation. Regardless, the herd is very docile when unprovoked, and many B. Xylefsis’ form close relationships with certain individuals, though the level of their emotional intelligence is still uncertain.

Diet for the B. Xylefsis consists mainly of lampaphytes and low-height synnefophytes, which are bush-like plants. When grazing and feeding, B. Xylefsis will utilize its long muscular trunk to grab onto the stems of lampaphytes. Their trunk is tipped with a small, grabbing beak, which aids in grasping and holding onto the stems. They will then proceed to shove the contents of the lampaphytes into their mouth, where rasping teeth-like grooves will masticate and process the food. Once mastication has completed, the contents of the leaves and sliced bulbs are processed in their foregut, which resides in their thorax. Here, a similar mechanism of rasping and grinding protrusions of teeth-like material will grind up the tough contents before passing it into the main gut in the abdomen.

Common predators of the B. Xylefsis include the S. Dolofonikos (coming soon), which are more of a pest than they are an actual threat, as well as the Theronychus Tyrannos (also coming soon), which is a ruthless hypercarnivore and the apex predator of the Concordian west coast. In response to this threat, the B. Xylefsis has evolved a few key defenses, those namely being the muscular and dense trunk, which they will often use as a type of club to beat things with, as well as their great size offers some deterrence, as well as the fatty-pads lining the back of their abdomen, which form a thick protective barrier. However, they are vulnerable from their underside, and the two most common causes of death due to predation include either their head and “neck” being butchered and torn apart or being tipped onto their side or back and then having their abdomen bored into.

B. Xylefsis reaches sexual maturity about a year after it is born, and, similar to the X. Kalpazontas, hermaphrodites will often battle each other out, once again using their trunk as a weapon. An actual blow from this trunk has enough power to completely pulverize a human ribcage, yet to the B. Xylefsis, it would be more akin to a hard punch. Typically, a dominant hermaphrodite can be told apart from the vibrant patterns on their fat pads, but this does not necessarily convey actual brute strength, although this often is the case.
B. Xylefsis spores are a little heavier, and because of this, they have evolved a simple set of blade-like “propellers,” which are able to carry and disperse the spores far. The spores themselves are still very tiny, but they are a bit larger than other spores of different creatures.

the 3rd (and hopefully last) iteration of the Baropod Xylefsis