Tierracolmillos

As time progressed and new waves of predators appeared on the scene, along with changes in climate and the evolution of other saucebacks such as the jewel-eyed saucebacks, the spotted sauceback populations found within the Javen Temperate Rainforest began to decline. To survive, the population of spotted saucebacks found in the region had to adopt a completely different lifestyle from other spotted sauceback populations, being burrowers. This led to multiple adaptations developing to better suit this new behavior such as very distinct mandibles and a lower posture, adaptations that eventually led to the evolution of the new species known as the tierracolmillos, once this species evolved they would replace their ancestors within the Javen Temperate Rainforest.

Since it spends much of its time underground, its limbs have taken a sprawling posture to better fit through small tunnels while the claws themselves have become more robust to better aid with kicking soil behind it. The face has undergone the most significant changes, however, with the mandibles becoming giant and buck-toothed in shape which makes them ideal for dislodging soil. To deal with the constant wear on the two big teeth from digging, the mandibles constantly grow throughout their lives. When it is digging, smell does not exactly provide much help and so the nostrils are able to be sealed shut to prevent dirt from getting lodged in them, while the ears have reduced in size to also prevent them from getting covered in dirt. With all the debris being kicked up from its daily activities, the tierracolmillos can seal its spiracles shut on the base of its tail to prevent them breathing in the dust. Though it can go so several minutes of intensive digging without taking a single breath, the tierracolmillos does eventually need to stop to take a break.

In the pitch-black darkness of its burrows, eyesight would be pretty useless for the tierracolmillos while its ability to use echolocation proves absolutely vital for navigating both its own tunnels and those made by potential prey. It will also use its sense of smell when not actively digging into the substrate, allowing it to smell potential prey, threats, or competitors crawling about in its home. While the powerful mandibles can crush small prey to then be eaten, it also helps the tierracolmillos with ripping off small bits of flora to eat for itself. Indeed, the tierracolmillos primarily eats vegetation with meat only making up about 30-40% of its diet. The species particularly has a taste for fruit, which is a readily available source of food that it can take advantage of. The one big problem is getting the fruit, which requires the tierracolmillos to leave the safety of its tunnels to wander around on the surface. When above ground, the tierracolmillos is very skittish and will immediately run back to a hole if it senses danger. Echolocating above ground can alert its position to other carnivores, such as the terrorbeak or its close relatives, resulting in the tierracolmillos instead using its sense of smell to navigate above ground(though it will use echolocation when it is running back to a burrow). To avoid predators on the surface, the tierracolmillos heavily relies on camouflage to avoid being spotted, with white or golden morphs existing in areas with either white or golden soil respectively.

While the tierracolmillos do not live in packs like their ancestor and forage for food alone, the species will form pair bonds. Indeed, the pair will interact with one another by rubbing their faces against each other. When it comes to breeding, the eggs are laid in a special chamber dug out in the deeper tunnels. Here, over a hundred little eggs will be deposited and then covered by decaying flora to help keep them warm. Both parents will often return to the chamber to inspect it for potential nest raiders and to make sure the eggs are incubating properly. Once the young hatch, they are small and legless, being totally reliant on the parents to survive. When the adults find the larvae, one will move into the chamber and guard them, while the other will continue foraging for food. After a period of time, the pair will switch places, with this cycle going on for several months until the young develop legs. Once the juveniles are able to move around on their own, the parents will continue to protect them for about half a year, until eventually the young leave the burrow system behind to find their patch of dirt to dig into.



Note

 * The name Tierracolmillos includes the s when singular and does not change in plural form, much like how you still say deer whether it's singular or plural.