Sailback Flunejaw

The sailback flunejaw split from its ancestor, the rainforest flunejaw, and moved into the boreal areas surrounding Darwin Temperate Rainforest. With the introduction of new, larger prey animals, such as the emerald ketter and bloodback, the rainforest flunejaw could grow. With its new size came new advantages that aided it in hunting: for one, its jaw became stronger, capable of crushing the tough carapaces of its prey. Its entire build became stouter and more muscular, although its legs lengthened to provide it with greater running speed. Its three eyes spread out along its snout, providing a wider range of vision.

With its increased size, its back spines no longer functioned efficiently to disguise it among the grovecrystals. Instead, they developed into plate-like structures with blood vessels laced through them, making for more efficient temperature control. This advantage allowed it to spread from the temperate rainforest into the nearby Russ, Sparks and Darwin Boreal areas. Here it found both a wider range of prey and little to no competition for it, and so flourished.

Its ancestor was not replaced by it for two reasons: firstly, its smaller size and effective use of camouflage meant that it could evade its larger descendant; secondly, it was entirely confined to the rainforest, unlike its relative, which would roam about and so be able to take advantage of different prey.