Irinya Tailhopper

The irinya tailhopper split from its ancestor the tailhopping sawclaw. It made its way to the Irinya River and Irinya Swamp. There there was plenty of decomposing fauna and flora to eat. Its tail has grown very long so it can wade in the water, and its "tail-claw" has split into 2 with a web in between to help it step in the mud. Its coloring matches the irinya carnoferns around which it typically lives. However the back plates can still change color and may turn black when around black flora. Like its ancestor, it uses its "ear-nostrils" to both smell food and preform echolocation. This comes in handy in the dark when there is less light. Its jaws and neck muscles are incredibly strong and can bite through bones or tough flora fibers. In order to protect their young they dig their nests in muddy burrows on the riverbanks. They will protect and raise the chicks. 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. They will fight using their teeth and claws. The winner gets the females.