Blowtongue
| Blowtongue | ||
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| (Envelolinguis phractiglosus) | ||
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| Information | ||
| Creator | Jarlaxle Other | |
| Week/Generation | 26/165 | |
| Habitat | Bumpy Polar Coast, Drake Polar Beach, Drake Polar Scrub | |
| Size | 80cm Long | |
| Primary Mobility | Unknown | |
| Support | Endoskeleton (Jointed Wood) | |
| Diet | Carnivore (Vermees, Frabukis, Krugg, Leafcutter Krugg, Egg Krugg, Drake Uktank (young), Pudgy Ketter, Rolling Flune, Drakescooter) | |
| Respiration | Active (Lungs) | |
| Thermoregulation | Endotherm (Cotton) | |
| Reproduction | Sexual (Live Birth, Two Sexes) | |
| Taxonomy | ||
| Domain Superkingdom Kingdom Subkingdom Phylum Class Subclass Superorder Order Family Genus Species | Eukaryota Viridisagania Mancerxa Phytozoa (info) Chloropodia (info) Barbellophyta Glossophores (info) Euglossophores Gossypiopelta Envelolinguidae Envelolinguis Envelolinguis phractiglosus | |
| Ancestor: | Descendants: |
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Replacing their ancestors wherever their respective territories overlapped, the Blowtongue has begun to spread further inland upon the continent of Drake. Having evolved to specialize in hunting and capturing small prey, their tongues have further specialized to aid them in this task. They are capable of both expanding and contracting the end of the cuticle-covered tongue into a caved-in inversion that ends over a hollowed up hydrostatic muscle at the edge of the muscular appendage. Once a prey item is secured within this tongue-trap, it is then smashed and bashed about until it is reduced to little more than a fine, meaty pulp prime for consumption.
The evolution of its tongue trap has affected reproductive behavior, rather than transferring gametes mouth to mouth as their ancestors did, males will catch a tasty treat in their tongue-traps, roll in their tongues to cover it with gametes and offer it to the female as a nuptial gift. Within a banquet of blowtongues, sometimes comprising dozens of individuals, females might have many male pursuers offering such nuptial gifts and trying to increase the chance that her brood will be theirs, while successful males will pursue many females to increase their chances. Males will mostly compete by trying to get better nuptial gifts, but when that doesn't work they will also try to compete directly. Rather than head bashing, conflicts between competing males will be resolved by bashing each other tongue to tongue, trying to inflict a strong enough hit to get the competition to release the nuptial gift from their rivals grip.
As skullcaps are no longer a significant part of the competition for mates, they have flattened and decreased in size. In spring time, as coats are shed and the brooding period starts, no one is particularly certain who's the father, with successful females sharing the bounty of many males and males splitting their support between the females that accepted their mating gifts. Males during this time will have a peaceful and cooperative demeanor with the other males in the banquet, as it's safe to assume that at least some of the other potential fathers around are helping to feed their own brood.
The fangs, no longer taking part of the killing or biting, have specialized in cleaning their tongue. Shortening and facing towards each other over the tongue to help pull chunks stuck between the cuticles, collecting leftovers and helping prevent future infections from rotten food that can potentially damage the nuptial gifts health or lead to rejection.
Their hearing has evolved to accommodate their specialized diet, splitting their tympanic membrane into a medium frequency lower section used to hear each other and navigate the environment in the larger scale, and a low pitch high frequency upper section used to hear the sounds and movements of animals much smaller than itself. The area around the ears has curved inwards to focus that sound, not unlike the owl of another time and place.