Clusterback

As the tilebacks were being restricted to cold climates, being ectothermic proved to be disadvantageous as they struggled to survive the winter months. Thus, in order to survive, the tilebacks of Vivus began to enter a state of torpor and sleep in tightly-knit groups during the winter months. These behavioral adaptations, among some physical changes, would lead to these Vivus populations evolving into a new species.

Clusterbacks are very generalistic herbivores, eating almost any kind of vegetation they can reach within their environment, using their keratinized nose spikes to help grab and pull off chunks of flora which are then chewed up a little bit by their toothed jaws into bits small enough to be swallowed. Two smaller nose spikes have developed along the sides of the main one, allowing the clusterback to apply multiple points of pressure on crystal flora and glass flora to break them open. The clusterback has become more robust than its ancestor, with large claws that help them with digging up roots and tubers for them to also feed on. The clusterbacks have also become more heavily armored to give them some minor protection against local predators such as bubbleskins. They also have patterns to help blend in with the soil of the areas they inhabit, which means predators may sometimes not notice them.

While the clusterbacks live in groups to protect themselves from predators, they also have started using them to protect them from the elements. In the winter months in places like the Vivus Boreal biome, clusterbacks will dig out large communal burrows that they will then share with several dozen individuals. By sharing body warmth, the clusterbacks are able to be more active during the winter months compared to other ectotherms in the area and thus forage for food more efficiently. In the colder parts of their range such as the Vivus Polar Scrub or Colddigger Polar Beach, on the other hand, huddling together is not enough to survive the long and bitterly cold winter months. While their ability to huddle together to share body warmth allows them to be active much longer than other ectotherms in the area, the clusterbacks have to rely on other adaptations once it becomes too cold for them to remain active at all. Once this happens, the clusterbacks separate and rest inside of individual burrows where they will then lower their metabolisms, effectively going into a state of torpor. In this state, the clusterbacks rely on anti-freezing proteins within their cells to prevent ice crystals of fatal size forming. Once the winter passes by and the environment begins to warm up, the clusterbacks will leave their state of torpor and leave the burrow to go back to foraging.

Unlike their ancestors, who simply laid their spawn within the ocean coast, the clusterbacks will retain their frog-like eggs within their own bodies. After males attract females with their colorful dewlaps(which are still used for communication between both sexes), they will employ a cloacal kiss to internally fertilize the eggs. The eggs take longer to develop compared to their ancestor, and so have a larger egg yolk to last them through their development. When the youngsters hatch from their eggs and are then born, they look like smaller versions of the adults except with slightly underdeveloped armor and legs.

While the clusterback uses their keratinized spines to crack open the shells of crystal flora and glass flora, their molar teeth do not have the same crushing capabilities and so are mostly used to help process softer foods into chunks that are easier to swallow. Because of this, the seeds and spores of many flora species are able to safely pass through their guts and get deposited elsewhere through their dung. As a direct result, the cluster back has spread several different species of flora to new biomes.

Species Spread

 * Cryocanon is spread into the Vivus Polar Woodland and Vivus Polar Scrub biomes


 * Stoutplage is spread into the Vivus Polar Woodland, Vivus Boreal, and Vivus Volcanic biomes


 * Snow Windbulb is spread into the Vivus Polar Scrub biome via indirectly ingesting spores


 * Mountain Pagoda Crystal is spread into the Vivus Rocky and Polar Scrub biomes via indirectly ingesting spores


 * Pagoda Crystal is spread into the Vivus Rocky biome via indirectly ingesting spores


 * Kory Claw is spread into the Vivus Rocky biome via indirectly ingesting spores