Varant

The varant replaced its ancestor in the Dixon-Darwin High Grassland. It has evolved into a more predatory role not only by becoming larger than its ancestor, but also feeding on prey more. Its former beak-like incisors have evolved to act as saber teeth that can puncture into flesh easily. To further enhance its bite, its teeth are much stronger and have some capabilities of cracking shells, which comes in handy for feeding on eggs, fraboos, and herbillies. Despite it eating more fauna and being more predatory than its ancestor, it is actually more of an opportunistic omnivore because of how it also feeds on all kinds of fruit, supershrooms, and marbleflora. While the varant is capable of eating tasermanes, spinemanders, neoshrews, thorny toadtugas, and the high grassland ukback, it heavily prefers to eat herbillies, leafshells, spineless toadtugas, vermees, minikruggs, and serpmanders due to them being easier to kill.

The varant's backwards-facing toes are now more arranged for being able to partly climb on branches and moving around flat terrain when needed. Along with that, the varant is capable of some swimming, and its snorkel-nostril has extended slightly to allow it to get air more quickly while in the water. Its coloration has changed to yellow and light yellow as the beginning of countershading, making it somewhat harder for prey to see it. The varant's wooden spines have evolved into more of plates of armor that provide it protection, similar to osteoderms on Earth's crocodiles. Plus, the varant's tail is longer and thicker than its ancestor, which it uses to whip at predators trying to eat it.

The varant is a monogamous species that stay together for life and raise 5-7 offspring for 4 weeks. They are relatively intelligent and do have some social engagement and bonding for a period of time. The varant prefers to live in a burrow, especially if already dug by another fauna. The varant will defend its territory from other fauna including stranger varants by clawing, biting, and whipping their tails.