Gnal
Anatomy
Gnals are on average five metres in length, with their tails taking up half of their body length. They aren't a tall species, only growing about a metre and a half tall. Their flat, fragile skeletons are protected by thick, bony protrusions that line their back in a lattice, lined with sharp spines which can pierce the thickest of skin and scales.
Their short legs can only carry them so far, and their sluggish tails trail behind, dragging along the floor. Their tails are lined with the same spines that are found on their backs, which can be flung at predators if their back armour does not help.
Their skin is an aposematic blend of yellows, blues and pinks, to scare away predators by making them think they are poisonous. They are not, and are still preyed upon by the more intelligent species that are able to see through this ruse.
Diet
An entirely herbivorous species, gnals typically graze on short grasses and flowering plants. They are not fussy and are known to demolish large plains, which could have severe effects on ecosystems wherever they go if it wasn't for their faeces. Their faeces is incredibly fertile, and flora grow back much faster around large piles of their it.
Gnals will purposely place their faeces equal distances from each other so that as much grass and flowers grow back as possible. This is so that when they come back to that area after wandering elsewhere, they have food to eat.
Reproduction & Growth
The gestation period for gnals is thirteen months. 3 - 5 babies are given birth to on average, and the mother will guard them with her life for the first couple of minutes until they are able to walk and run. During the pregnancy, the gnals are at risk of predation as they cannot walk as far, as fast, or for as long. Luckily, gnals abide to a breeding season, so for just two months of the year the herds all slow down their pace to give pregnant gnals more of a chance at survival.
While juvenile gnals are growing up, they are guarded by the entire herd. Baby gnals choose a partner for life at a very young age, several years before they reach sexual maturity. The partners bond quickly and said bond is unbreakable.
Habitat
Gnals inhabit vast plains found in most of the larger caverns. Their herds are constantly on the move, ripping apart the wildgrasses as they travel up to a hundred miles every thirty hours. They don't fear predators due to their colouration scaring off most carnivorous animals that could threaten their lives. Nevertheless, each herd has countless watchers to make sure predators don't get too close.
Behaviour
Gnals are a gregarious species, finding comfort in large herds. Their herds reach a capacity of about 500 members, led by a small dominant group of alpha males and females. The alphas are typically three partners, but since homosexuality is commonly seen in gnals, there are sometimes an uneven number of males and females.
They are a talkative species, having formed complex languages of chirps, squawks and shrills. Their well-developed vocal cords are able to produce hundreds of different noises, all with different meanings. Different accents have even been recorded, as gnal populations are mostly separated from others in different cave systems.
Subspecies
It is suspected these two subspecies diverged when the two cave systems drifted farther apart. Several thousand years ago, the two cave systems were connected by a cave bridge, a large tunnel that connected the Boundless Cavern and the Triat Cavern. Scientists assume that the cavern closed over time, thanks to tectonic shifts, and so the different populations gradually adapted to different environments.Jaichan Gnal
The largest of the gnal subspecies, the jaichan gnals are found in the Jaicha Cave System. They grow up to 8 metres in length, and develop longer spines on their backs and tails. They are the only gnal subspcies to have a domesticated population; the Qoatzils of the Boundless Cavern have a small population of jaichan gnals.
Suhuan Gnal
The smallest of the gnal subspecies, the suhuan gnals are more accustomed to a forested environment. They can be seen inhabiting the outskirts of various temperate and subtropical forests in the Suhua Cave System. They have a darker colouration and much smaller tails and spines, to navigate a more dense environment.
Spiky waddle babies! I love them.
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