Bipedal Uktank

The bipedal uktank split from their ancestor. They have migrated up the Slarti river and into the desert regions of Drake. The most noticeable adaptation is in their locomotion. Their back leg has begun to atrophy, and is used as a rudder to help the uktank stay balanced while running. These legs are highly vascularized and have a more riginf internal frame for them to utilize, allowing them to reach speeds of 16 kph. Their trunk is now more reminiscent of their distant ancestors, regaining their second claw to better shear the plants. Their ear plates have modified, fusing with the main plate and pointed outward more.

To survive in the colder climates they have had to develop a number of adaptations to their skin and internal metabolism. Their skin has developed an extra dermal layer, providing further means of water retention, as well as some protection against frostbite. During winter time, their skin turns a dark shade of red, allowing for better absorption of sunlight while they bask.Their shells have adapted to contain water more readily, losing many of their pores. Their shells have become so well adapted to land that when fully grown an adult won't need to submerge themselves. They replenish the moisture in their shells by excreting the water that they drink from the tissues internal to their shell. If they become dehydrated they will still instinctively submerge themselves in the nearest body of water and replenish their shells.

While they spend much of their adult lives out of water, they still must return to shallow water to lay their eggs. They will lay their eggs directly into the water, where the young stay until they are large enough to survive on land. Eggs that have frozen over have developed internal mechanisms that allow for limited protection from the cold. The developing embryos will slow their development until more favorable conditions allow for further progression. They will lay them at the early spring, hatching within 10-14 days. The young grow rapidly, reaching 20 cm tall in 2 months and leave the protection of the water. They reach full size by 6 months and live for about 6-10 years.