Molph (SciiFii)

The molph (Cetofossor limacoides) is a species of fully terrestrial cetacean that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the subtropical and temperate forests of the Azores archipelago to help boost biodiversity. The molph is the smallest living species of whale and one of the smallest mammals, only growing to be about the size of a European mole (Talpa europaea). The molph is an omnivore that is mostly insectivorous, feeding on insects, spiders, worms, snails, slugs, and, occasionally, scorpions, filling the similar ecological niche to the mainland moles, but it can sometimes also feed on fruits, roots, tubers, bulbs, and some man-made food to supplement its diet. Unlike most fully terrestrial whales, the molph does not have the ability to stand on both its front limbs or its "third limb" (which is actually its tail), instead, this blind animal uses its shielded head and thick, armored, clawed front feet to dig its way forward through the soil in a manner similar to moles. Due to being blind, the molph relies on an extremely strong sense of smell and vibration to find its way around in its environment. It is nocturnal due to predation from megasquids, using its wiskers, rather than its melon, which is degenerated due to being a land animal, in order to find its way around in the dark. Unlike several other terrestrial whales and most land mammals in general, the molph has developed a thick, keratin beak to help it feed on tougher foods than most terrestrial whales. Unlike most other mammals, having a tough beak doesn't pose a significant problem for suckling its young, since it retained its aquatic relatives' method of squirting milk directly into the mouths of its calves. It is a solitary animal in most of its life except during breeding seasons, when males try to find females to mate with. The conservation status of the molph is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the molph's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii