Hynar

Hynar are the evolved form of Hyenas in the Iron Lyons universe. They reside in Afriik and are found mostly along it's southern areas during the reign of The Pale Ones.
==Information==
===In Iron Lyons===
The Hynar haven't made a significant appearance in the series yet, however have been mentioned several times. As far as Lyons are concerned, being called or compared to a Hynar is as good as an insult.
The Pale Ones once fought a war with them, winning and forcing them to become a super clan.
===Reality===
====Spotted Hyena====
Spotted Hyenas are the largest and most well known of their kind. They are stockily built creatures with short muzzles, dish-like ears, and a round rump which makes gripping onto that area difficult. Their paws are webbed and they blunt but stout claws. They produce Hyena butter from an anal gland to mark their territories. Females are larger than males, weigh 141 pounds while males only manage 120 pounds. Zambian spotted hyenas are ten pounds heavier than that, as 130 and 151 pounds respectively. 180 and 198 pounds hyenas have deen documented.
Spotteds have short fur and lack the luxurious man of the brown or striped hyena. Their fur also varies greatly and changes with age. These colors range from greyish brown to yellowish grey, and, as per their namesake, spots are littered all over the creatures hide, particularly it's back and flanks.
Arguably the hyenas most bizarre feature is it's genitalia, particularly the females. Her sex organs closely resemble and often dwarf the male's; a scrotum and penis-like clitoris which is capable of erection. The female urinates, mates, and gives birth through this appendage. A testament to it's closer relation to cats despite it's resemblance to a canine, Hyena genitalia is tipped in spines. Spotted hyenas do not form lasting mating pairs. Females usually favor younger males as well as males they have previous positive relationships with. Aggressive males aren't as successful as passive ones. Actual copulation is laborious and the female's anatomy makes rape physically impossible.
Hyenas gestate for little over three months. Birthing is painful and sometimes deadly process for hyena mothers;30% of new mothers and their cubs die in the first attempt. The average litter size is two pups, but three isn't unheard of. It isn't uncommon for hyena cubs to kill each other, especially in same-sex litters. A quarter of all young hyenas are killed by their own siblings. 
Spotted hyenas are highly social animals which can live in clans as large as 80 individuals. Group size depends on the behavior of surrounding prey; whether they migrate (small clans) or are more or less sedentary (large clans). Females utterly dominate male hyenas, with even the lowest ranking female dominating the highest ranking male. Females seldom leave their native clan, but males often do around the age of two. High ranked members retain their ranked through violence, usually in the form of attacking low ranked members. A Matriarch is succeeded by one of her daughters, who are dominant even over adult females subordinate to their mother.
Males take no place in cub rearing, however they will ingratiate themselves to their daughters. In return, their daughters do no act as aggressively towards them as they otherwise might. Hyenas are intelligent and can tell which members of the clan are more reliable and which aren't. They form coalitions and network, and are very similar to some primates. However, usurpation in a hyena clan are very rare thanks to the several matrilineal lines a Matriarch usually has.
Since they occupy the same niche, Hyenas and Lyons are competitors for the top spot in the food chain.
====Striped Hyena====
The striped hyena is native to North and East Africa as well as the Caucus and Middle east It has a short torso, but long legs, however it's hind legs are short giving the creature a sloping back. The have small eyes but massive heads and ears set apart high on the head. Striped hyenas has long fur, and proper manes, the color of their pelts being uniform save the generally darker stripes. There are Barbary, Syrian, Sudanese, Arabian and Indian variations.
Female striped hyenas lack the faux penis and scrotum their much more well known spotted cousins do. They are monogamous animals and males help in rearing the pups. Gestation for a striped hyena is usually around three months.
The average groups of two or even travel alone, though groups of up to seven have been recorded. They are not very territorial and territories will overlap, but they do fight, however these fights tend not to be fatal. Striped hyenas mark their territory using Hyena butter and aren't as vocal as Spotted hyenas.
Striped hyenas can live up to twenty three years, but average half of that in the wild.
====Aardwolf====
Resembling a very thing striped hyena, the Aardwolf was a insectivorous mammal native to South and East Africa. It's name means "earth wolf" and they are shy animals, residing in underground burrows by day. Aardwolves live in monogamous pairs with their young. They are not terribly territorial and up to three pairs may occupy a single territory without either bothering the other much.
Gestating between 89-92 days, with males searching their territories and others for females in heat. A dominant male may intrude on less dominant males' territories, which can cause conflict, however a female may mate with a dominant male to trick him into guarding her cubs, even if their sire is not him. Males will guard a den for six hours a day while their mate gets food.
====Brown Hyena====
Brown hyenas are the rarest type of hyena. They are shaggy with dark brown fur and brown and white striping on their legs. They have a ruff of fur that stands and flattens with their mood. Weighing between 83-89 pounds, there is no weight difference between the sexes. Of the hyenas, they are the second largest.
Brown hyenas behavior more like wolves, with a main breeding pair and their children. Clan hierarchy is maintained by displays and mock fights. Group dispersing is common among both sexes, but seen more in males, who join different groups upon reaching adulthood.
Brown hyenas do not have a mating season and female hyenas prefer nomadic males to native ones. Clan males will assist in raising these cubs, which is done in sandy dunes made dens. Gestation lasts 3 months and generally one litter will be born to a clan every twenty months. Occasionally two females have two litters and they will assist in raising each other's pups, but favor their own.
Brown hyenas are poor hunters, but make up for this by being excellent scavengers.
Category:Species