Doriteverse/Mobini/Chao

Within the Doriteverse, Chao (Chaois paradoxis) are small frugivorous false gryphons in the family Chaoidae. They are unique among mobini in that while their mobian counterpart has been extinct for thousands of years, they show no sign of declining.
== Description ==
Chao are small-bodied feathered creatures. They have large eyes and small toothed beaks. Their forelimbs are like tiny fluffy talons, while their hind limbs are paw-like. While they have slender frames and small heads, all of this is hidden by an unfathomably fluffy coat of feathers which gives them a round, baby-like appearance. They have a long head feather resembling one from a peacock's tail, which is used for communication. Wild varieties have broad fluttering wings and long tails. Various domesticated forms exist as well, with diverse appearance.
== Behavior ==
Chao are generally calm and flutter about fruit-bearing plants. Although they can fly, their wings are not especially strong and they will instead walk between feeding sites.
== Biology ==
=== Evolutionary Relationships ===
Chao are the only species in the genus Chaois. Their closest relatives are the Nara and the Dayi, which were previously also placed in Chaois but are now known to not be that closely related to Chao.
The Chao's closest living non-Chaoid relative is the Persian gryphon, and together they form Pseudogryphia, or the false gryphons.
== Survival ==
Normally, when a mobian species goes extinct, its mobini counterpart goes extinct soon after. However, this did not happen with Chao. One common theory is that there is a small undiscovered population of mobian Chao somewhere in the world, but recent studies of chaos energy bleed shows that the chaos energy Chao need to survive is being kept from bleeding out by a force completely unlike that observed from the presence of a mobian counterpart in any other species. The origin of this force is apparently untraceable with current technology.
== As pets ==
Chao have been domesticated. While they generally require a lot of space to roam, many are happy with just following their owners and sitting on their head or shoulders.
It used to be common for pet chao to have their claws amputated for owner convenience, but this is now illegal in most parts of the world, as it is cruel and prevents the Chao from doing many of their natural behaviors, and it can result in high aggression.
Category:Doriteverse Species
Category:Species
Category:Chao
Category:Animals
Category:Sub-pages