Aktakythos

The section(s) Turf Wars, Infraspecific Actions, Notable Attacks & Abilities, Equipment, Carves is/are still missing fully or partially.

Aktakythos is a large species of Wingdrakes which have a large breeding flock in [CARIBBEAN] in Monster Hunter: Secret Science, although it has a cosmopolitan range across the Dragon Seas.

## **Physiology**

Aktakythos is overall a well acquainted marine Wingdrake. It is a mid to large sized wingdrake similar in size to Yian Garuga and Yian Kut-Ku in similarity. It has a slightly large head with large bulbous eyes like gulls on Earth, long surfboard shaped wings, plumage along the head to the thorax for needed insulation, and bunch of spited ridges whenever flustered or truly in danger. It holds a broad, bill like beak with toothy serrations along the jawline until it reaches the sharpened slightly curved tip with a clear narrow yet straight silhouette. The top of the beak has been known to grow unusual lumps, bumps, and warts made of keratin throughout their breeding season which may not also be a side affect from certain parasites within the beak itself. Coloration is much different than other seagoing flying reptiles, possessing a bright colorful scheme. The head is adorned with an smooth mash of light and darker grey outlining the overall cool white from its underside, while the beak is overall a jet black with a slight iridescent indigo or deep purple around the cheek and nasal section for display to females and dominate over other competing males. Its leathery wings are a darker blue grey mashup on the top with a faded sky blue & white along the underside. Their tails are flattened and compressed laterally like a plesiosaur or early mosasaur with no large fluke shape present. Their webbed talons are now disconnected from the patagium to aid in perching and swooping prey from the surface, and allowing some manueverability when submerged.

## **General Behavior**

They are very persistent wingdrakes with a curious appetite to match. Able to overwhelm opponents with their scalding water gust and slightly attack patterns, Aktakythos is not to be sleeping on during hunts. Most hunters try to take it out of the air via staggering them, and they also can be baited out of the water when using actual sizable fish to lure them out. These monsters however, when enraged, will begin to raise their spines and heat their water to inflict Fatigue and even Saly statuses from the brine concentration to badly hinder hunter defending themselves. Most experienced hunters and recently field researchers have started to use scented painballs to get rid of these annoying wingdrakes away from certain areas when analyzing local fisheries and fish populations along the coastlines or estauries of various continents and islands that the Commission or Guild have been able to study. Also it's very wise to never smell like the fish they eat, or else there is near instant mobbing which can be fatal.

## **Ecology**

### Tracks

* **Shedded Fuzz:** Patches of shedded whiteish fuzz commonly fallen off periodically from scars or ongoing growth.
* **Brine Residue:** Splatters of brinewater produced from its unique water sac mixed with the salt glands. Mostly used when conflict was afoot.
* **Footprints:** Distinct tracks of an Aktakythos. Showing both their small clawed wings and their large webbed hindfoot treading along the ground.

### Habitat Range

Aktakythos can be found anywhere between the two Dragon Seas bordering the continents, but the largest breeding flock is found within the [CARIBBEAN].

### Placement In Food Chain

Aktakythos are usually in the **High** tier level of the Food Chain in open oceans due to their more frail bodies exploited by larger seagoing predators like Lagiacrus, , but in smaller cramped areas like some small islands they can be considered inside the **Apex** tier level if no stronger contemporaries aren't present.

### Ecological Niche

Aktakythos are some of the last few remnants of an era where wingdrakes were at their most dominant. Way before flying wyverns ever diversify or evolved, Wingdrakes were probably the very first successful group of flying monsters ever to appear. Aktakythos in particular was from the more recent radiations of wingdrake evolution, where they develop huge species to take over from the last mass extinction event. Even then, they are rather a basal offshoot from the same family containing both Noios & Mernos, which all possess specialized beaks and birdlike postures while Aktakythos kept many of the more archaic features such as quadrupedalism, moderately complex filamentous integument, and more usage of their 1st & sometimes their 2nd digits. With all this in mind, they hold a particular niche as a megafaunal adaptive feeder of the open oceans, which so far not even most flying wyverns can exploit properly and bird wyverns tend to stay smaller or stand to the shores. Aktakythos can eat and obtain a whole array of prey and food throughout the oceans, from whetfish to squirtshells to even small sized sharqs, juvenile carapaceons like Hermitaur, seals, eels and eggs of various monsters.

### Biological Adaptations

Aktakythos has seemingly obtain and sacrificed many traits unlike any Wingdrake documented by the Guild or Commission. Unlike much of the wingdrake family, they are a rather large species adapted to exclusively live upon the open ocean which are rather rare in modern times. Although much bigger than the likes of Mernos or Noios, they are still relatively lightweight unlike most wyverns to be able to traverse in water and in the air. They have evolved a myriad of adaptations for ocean life. This includes a broad strong bill for piercing and crushing prey, waterproof filament layer along the head & thorax for insulation within colder water, and an assortment of elongated ridges with keratinized spines on top of the head and spine for needed intimidation in the open ocean when hunting. They also have huge, thickened throat pouches for extra intake of food for leftover during their long restless flights through day and night. They even configure their once rigid long wingdrake tails into partially flexible, laterally compressed tail flukes for added propulsion when submerged. They sacrificed their coloration for bright ranges of blue, lemon, grey, black, white, and bits of indigo unlike most volant predators. Because of this, they develop a unique defensive strategy against other monsters and threats. While possessing a water sac, they modified their exocrine, or salt, glands rooted in the nasal region of the skull to bind with their sacs alongside special heating receptors lining them respectively, which produces a scalding jet of hot brine saltwater expelled from their large grey-tone throats.

### Natural Behavior

Aktakythos are naturally social creatures, so they tend to stick in numbers just like most other wingdrakes. In the [CARIBBEAN] is where the largest colony is found and recognized as an important population indicator for Aktakythos. During their breeding season, they can amassed in thousands of individuals courting, singing, squawking, and nipping each other for the right of a mate. When not breeding, they stick to either large flocks or small mobs of individuals of varying ages, usually the largest being the "leader" of the group. Younger & smaller male Aktakythos often get bullied by their larger brethren, but is their way of life as pirating piscivores. Females, however, spend more time often near shorelines and coasts of many lands, sometimes even visiting the Ancient Forest and Deserted Island in random intervals during their migrations towards different food resources across the vast ocean. Feasting on the abundant fish & carapaceon diversity, they full their near unnoticable leathery & sturdy throat pouches full of food to carry throughout their long soaring flights.

### Special Behaviors

These water bound wingdrakes will commonly preen themselves of parasites and hitchhikers along their wings, chest, tail, and much of their plumage. Barnacles, marine leechfish, and brine beetles are always found on their bodies from their endless flights across the seas. Aktakythos also will, for some unknown reason, playing around with their broad beaks in hot pools of boiling water, bubbling and gurgling inside. It's unsure if the monster is filter-feeding for chemotrophs or obtaining extra salt deposits, it's still up in the air as to what purpose. This rare behavior is only seen when one is alone around random geysers near the active volcano in [CARIBBEAN].

### Behavior Towards Other Monsters

Although Aktakythos tend to flee from larger monsters able to overwhelm their size, it will tackle on many other smaller or same sized competitors nearby if confrontation cannot be avoided.

### Specific Locale Interactions

Aktakythos is always flocking around the huge cracked bluffs of the [CARIBBEAN], cackling and screaming each other nearby roosting. Some are also seen diving into the shallow water, snapping up fish, tiny carapaceons, and other aquatic fodder. By the shoreline, certain Aktakythos can be seen beachcombing during low tide, snatching up unlucky morsels in the tidepools. While out in the great ocean expanse, researchers and hunters alike can occasionally encounter a small flock of the marine wingdrakes during a bait ball, where many other creatures gain access to multitudes of easy pickings.

### Taxonomy

**Order:** *Pteradrakea*

**Suborder:** *N/A*

**Family:** *N/A*

**Genus:** *Aktikyvernis*

**Species:** *A. kuruzialas*

## **Carves**

* High Rank
* Master/G-Rank

<tabber>

## **Notes**

* This monster was originally created for the Tropical Wave contest hosted by Nin
* ***Aktakythos*** is a combination of different roots. "Akta-" is from ακτή/"aktí" which is coast in Greek, and "-kythos" is a shortening of κυβερνήτης/"kyvernítis" , Greek for "ruler".