Superb fairywing

A small but eye-catching animal, the superb fairywing is one of the most colorful animals found in Fethil, and possibly Itorah as a whole. Highly dimorphic in appearance, females have understated colors intended to camouflage, whereas males display a wide array of brilliant colors.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Superb fairywings are small animals, with rotund bodies supported by four thin, almost stick-like legs, which connect to the thorax. The abdomen is similar in size, but more elongated, and markedly segmented... not that this is very visible with their body covering. Their wings are typically kept folded, as their dorsal side has a significantly higher coverage of (dull-colored) feathers than their ventral side.
The head is rounded with little decoration, aimed entirely at utility. Their eyes are large and shiny black, and their antennae long and curved. Their small black beaks are sharply pointed, and hide their proboscis-like tongue when it is not needed.
Most characteristic of these animals is, of course, their coloration. Females and young are fairly mundane in color, fawn brown with pale undersides and abdomen, with black beaks and legs. The only truly bright spots of color among them are found on the exposed ventral sides of their wings, where it can easily be hidden from predators, eye-catching flecks of yellow, presumably used for inter-species communication.
Male superb fairywings, on the other hand, are coated in far more colors, and much more visibly so. They are based almost entirely in black, with their abdomen bright yellow and blue. Their crest and cheeks are pale blue, a color also found on the non-feathered parts of their wings, both ventral and dorsal sides. Also found on their wings are yellow and even green, forming intricate patterns. Their throats are deep blue.

Base animals

Cairns birdwing (Ornithoptera euphorion) & superb fairywren (Malurus cyaneus)

Geographic Distribution

• Fethil