Pronghorn Strider

The Pronghorn Strider split from its ancestor on the island of Barlowe. The population of Triplethorn Bounders on Barlowe shrank as most of its habitat was claimed by rising ocean levels. The remaining population lives in the far north of the island, among the shrubbery and grasses of the Barlowe Chaparral. Under pressure some Triplethorn Bounders spread south, into the temperate forests and jungles of Barlowe. In the warmer parts of the island the Triplethorn’s main food, Sunstalks, struggle to thrive. These regions are dominated by larger black fauna like the Obsidian Shrub and Obsidibarrage. The Pronghorn Strider can better access low branches and leaves as its front limbs have grown longer. Food is plentiful in the jungle and forest and the Pronghorn has grown larger as a result. Its coloration is likewise adapted to the forested environment, its rust-red belly and dappled black body perfectly blending in among the groves of Obsiditall.

Along with most of its range the Triplethorn Bounder lost nearly all of its natural predators on Barlowe. The primary exception is the Great Leotam, a large ambush predator and the apex predator of the island. The longer forward limbs of the Pronghorn Strider can be used as a second pair of legs when a Great Leotam is sighted near the herd. The slimmer tail of the Pronghorn strider is also of use as it is more aerodynamic than that of its ancestor and keeps the vulnerable tail nostrils further away from the clawed thumbs of pursuing Great Leotams. The five back nostrils of the Pronghorn Strider have split into five pairs of two and shrunk in size, while the rear-facing nostril has disappeared entirely.

The horns of a Pronghorn Strider are used by males to display their age and health. As they grow older the top horn on males grow longer and gain additional prongs. A young adult pronghorn will have a single prong, while an old and successful male can have as many as seven. Female Pronghorn Striders look for mates that have lived a long life and therefor been successful. On females the top horn is much shorter, lacks prongs and does not grow after adulthood. Another difference between females and males is the shape of their beaks. The female Pronghorn Strider has a triangular beak, while males have a beak that is larger at the end. This larger portion is used by males to ram into competing males during mating season. Young males hoping to compete with older foes that have more prongs will try to chase them off by repeatedly ramming their sides with their beaks. More gentle ramming is done to females during mating seasons to show off the strength of a suitors beak.

Pronghorn Striders are highly social animals and live in herds of up to twenty members. These members communicate with each other by complex patterns of whistles and honks which they create with their tail nostrils. Each herd has its own unique combination which is used as a greeting and to keep the members together when mixed in with multiple other herds. With its powerful ears and noisome nostrils, the Pronghorn Strider is capable of a weak sort of echolocation at night. The organism also makes use of elaborate songs to find and attract mates.

While still capable of traveling in bounding leaps the Pronghorn Strider generally walks on its rear limbs in heavily forested areas and only bounds in more open terrain. This is because its larger size and the thicker vegetation makes such travel less efficient.