Proto-Stenza
"Proto-Stenza" is a somewhat fuzzy category surrounding the quadrupedal creatures that once stalked the terrain of the Frozen Wastes and would gradually evolve into Stenza as they are currently recognized. The term commonly refers to the latest distinct species preceding the Stenza properly, although this usage often infuriates biologists of all stripes.
Proto-Stenza show evidence of a range of behaviors that would carry over into their modern descendants, as well as genetic evidence indicating some early religiosity and other traits of recognizably modern Stenza. These include genetic markers for the development of the Collective Knowledge, as well as evidence of Proto-Stenza young dying at extremely early ages due to mutations in these genetic markers (coinciding with an absence of markers for genes that allow modern Stenza to disconnect, indicating that the ability to disconnect is crucial to survival into adulthood). There are also possible behavior indicators such as most Proto-Stenza specimens being found in caves, even in cases where it is known that was probably not where they died, suggesting a practice very akin to funerary rites and the Caves of the Dead.
There is even a theory among folklorists that the concept of Jeshra/the Snow Warrior is, potentially, as old as the Collective Knowledge.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Unlike their modern counterparts, Proto-Stenza were quadrupedal all through their lives, with longer faces and a more expansive sinus cavity. Adult males tended to be closer in size to adult females than they are in modern Stenza, and it is well known that pups have remained relatively anatomically unchanged from the days of the Proto-Stenza.
Genetics and Reproduction
The current theory is that Proto-Stenza reproduced in a very similar way to modern Stenza, including their reliance on the Ice Flats for the latter stages of natal development.
Dietary Needs and Habits
As with early modern Stenza before the invention of food preservation, Proto-Stenza roamed the Frozen Wastes and hunted frequently. Although their precise habits are lost to time, there is a theory that the practice of feeding the pups first originated with the Proto-Stenza themselves. (Interestingly, there is a school of thought that posits that this practice is a key factor in why the Snow Pups are pup-shaped, with pup-like characteristics.)
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