River Tailhopper

The river tailhopper split from its ancestor the tailhopping sawclaw. It now lives an amphibious lifestyle in Flisch River, Flisch Lakes and Flisch Marsh. It scavenges for food along the river banks. It will eat anything dead or decomposing. Its protective plates have become more segmented for easier movement and blue in color to blend in with the blue palms. Its front limbs now have a webbing between them that they used like pectoral fins when swimming. Its tail even grew 2 more pseudo-toes which are webbed so it can use its tail like a fluke when swimming. While on land it hops around only on its tail-foot. Like its ancestor it has developed the ability to hear though its nostrils. These "ear-nostrils" pick up not only sounds but is used like a bat's echolocation. It can make small clicks and see in the dark of night. Their ancestors jaws and neck muscles are incredibly strong. This helps when biting bones or tough flora fibers. They dig their burrows in the muddy riverbanks. There they sleep and lay their eggs. They will protect and raise the chicks until they are adults. Females stay with the herd while feeding but aside from the alpha male the males will go off and live a solitary life. Each spring males challenge the alpha male for his "harem" of females on the banks of the river. They will fight using their teeth and claws; this can sometimes be fatal since their claws and teeth are so sharp. The winner gets the females. Males are typically larger and have larger claws and teeth for fighting. But they both have the same colorings.