Bugaboo
| Bugaboo | ||
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| (Bugabuus orygops) | ||
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| Information | ||
| Creator | OviraptorFan Other | |
| Week/Generation | 27/167 | |
| Habitat | South Darwin Plains, South Darwin Chaparral, South Darwin Subtropical Woodland, Darwin Temperate Woodland | |
| Size | 1 meter long | |
| Primary Mobility | Unknown | |
| Support | Endoskeleton (Jointed Wood) | |
| Diet | Herbivore (Robust Arid Ferine berries, Scrubland Tubeplage leaves and fruit, Arid Puffgrass, Bristlepile leaves and berries, Tubeplage leaves and fruit, Boreal Tubeplage leaves and fruit, Quilbil, Gecoba Tree fruit, Yuccagave, Fuzzpile leaves and berries, Tropical Gecoba Tree fruit, Supershrooms, Pioneeroots, Larands, Sunstalks, Yanisflora, Wallace Puffgrasses), Photosynthesis | |
| Respiration | Active (Lungs) | |
| Thermoregulation | Endotherm | |
| Reproduction | Sexual (Two Sexes, Live Birth) | |
| Taxonomy | ||
| Domain Superkingdom Kingdom Subkingdom Phylum Class Subclass Superorder Order Suborder Infraorder Superfamily Family Genus Species | Eukaryota Viridisagania Mancerxa Phytozoa (info) Chloropodia (info) Barbellophyta Mystacotheria (info) Ailuriursiporciformes Dentaursiporcinia Ursiungulata Bucinacaudatiformes Ceratoptomancercoidea Cornifaciidae Bugabuus Bugabuus orygops | |
| Ancestor: | Descendants: |
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Being isolated in the relatively open South Darwin Plains, the Wallace population of Giant Hornface had been on the decline due to competition from other species of herbivores such as phlocks and Scrubland Hornfaces. Not only that, but the presence of mostly cursorial/aerial predators such as Stygmoggs, Boschian Paardavogels, and Wallyhawks put even more pressure on this relatively unspecialized species. As such, for this last population, they had to either adapt or die, which in turn eventually led to them evolving into a whole new species. Known as the Bugaboo, this species of bearhog has completely replaced their ancestor on Wallace, being much better equipped for living in more open country.
One noticeable change seen in this species is its more gracile build, with longer legs still supported by three hoof-like toes. While these adaptations are not as extreme as what is seen in other species on the plains, these adaptations do help the species cover more ground while foraging as well as running faster from predators by increasing overall stride length. The species is also no longer a vibrant green, having developed colors that help it better blend in with local flora so it's less easy to spot. This is especially helpful against the Wallyhawk, who like other ornitherians would see the bright green coloration of the Giant Hornface as a bright shining beacon. Meanwhile, the Bugaboo has also developed sharper senses to better sense danger and navigate their environment, with sight and smell being especially important.
While the eyes have simply become larger to better take in visual information, the adaptations for smell seen in the Bugaboo are part of one of the most extreme changes seen in the species compared to its direct ancestor, the specialization of the three pairs of horns. The least changed pair is the top one, which are still immobile horns that the species now mostly uses for intraspecific communication, though they can also help protect the vulnerable neck from rear attacks. The middle pair of horns are still enormous, but the barbels that these horns originated from are now partially expressed as a fleshy base, which in turn grants the horns some mobility even if it's mostly just inward-and-outward movement. This adaptation makes them more effective at combat, since they can be moved outward to better gore something from the side or moved inward to protect the face. The lowermost pair of horns have seen the greatest amount of changes, having almost fully reverted into being barbels and just retaining a small wooden spine at the tip. The barbels have also moved further forward, now sitting firmly in the middle of the lower jaw rather than being at the back of the head. These barbels allow the Bugaboo to smell more efficiently compared to other species of hornfaces, with the wooden tips helping to protect the barbels in a similar fashion to the related Stygmogg. Unlike the Stygmogg, however, these barbels are also used for the purpose of manipulating foliage so it can be brought into the mouth.
Like their ancestors, Bugaboos are relatively social creatures, traveling in groups of eight to ten individuals. Rather than honking like their ancestors, Bugaboos will instead rely on lifting up their pair of leaves above their butt nostril to keep in touch. This is because honking is now only reserved for when an individual detects danger, so the group can immediately flee or get into a defensive position. If the group does the latter, individuals will form a defensive circle around their young with their heads facing outwards, which means any predator that tries to get in will have to deal with multiple sets of defensive horns. More often, however, Bugaboos will prefer to flee and try to head for cover when they can.
For the most part, male and female Bugaboos live in different groups from one another, only coming together during late spring when it becomes mating season. During this time, male Bugaboos will begin to challenge one another for mates, at first using their two pairs of horns as a visual billboard of their condition. If an opponent isn't intimidated by such a display, they two will drop all pretenses and get into a head-on brawl, locking their middle pair of horns together as they push and shove until one is knocked down or backs off. These can sometimes escalate out of control, with it not being uncommon for one male to cripple or outright kill their opponent in such a skirmish. Mating itself with females is a relatively short and simple process, with the resulting young then taking about a month or so to be born. Interestingly, the Bugaboo has convergently evolved with the River Hornface and its descendants since newborn Bugaboo lack horns so they don't tear up their mother's throat. While this makes birth easier, it does leave the young vulnerable to predators, so they are entirely reliant upon the herd until their horns grow in about three months after being born. Female Bugaboos will remain in the group they were born in for their whole lives unless it becomes too big, while males get booted out at around a year old and from then on either travel alone or in bachelor herds.