Snow Sprinter

**Common Name:** Snow Sprinter

   **Latin:** *Ferrumdentia cursora*

**Phylum:** Celestivita

**Class:** Dispeculata

**Order:** Gomphiobia

**Family:** Antenovusgomphidae

**Genus:** *Ferrumdentia*

**Species:** *cursora*

**Habitat:** Tundra

**Range:** Polar Latitudes of Terra Septentrionis

**Length:** 3ft to 4ft on average Height: 2ft to 2.5ft on average

## Evolutionary History

*Ferrumdentia cusora* is an member of the family Antenovusgomphidae a primitive off shoot of the terrestrial Gomphiobia line splitting not long after there transition to land. Although initial a wide spread, and highly diverse group ago due to them initially being generalist predators that were highly adaptable. They also initially had a leg up in the regards to locomotion with the furthest back leg having fused into third back leg a trait useful to there early land dwelling ancestors as it allow for back limbs more suited for moving across land. As well they were some of the first to develop a more upright poster with appendages placed more directly underneath there body. They also like other Gomphiobians at the time had developed a lower jaw consisting of one of the low bony plates. The lower jaw bone in Antenovusgomphidae tended to act as a guard for the central proboscis leading to the two other feeding tubes becoming vestigial. However despite being initial quite successful many genera began to go extinct 210 millions years ago. This was due to a number of factors such as over specialization which when paired with a changing climate, and competition with new Gomphiobians led to many of the larger, and more specialized genera to become extinct. However three genera of smaller generalists persisted into the 100 million year range. However increased volcanic activity due to the movement of the tectonic plates around 130 million years lead to a global cooling event due to large ash clouds, and an atmospheric increase in sulphur dioxide. This altered many habitats, and along with competition from more advanced Gomphiobians led to the extinction of two of the three remaining genera. However the very tectonic forces which nearly brought the Antenovusgomphidae to extinction would also save them as the tectonic shift led to the breakup of the supercontinent Tribusororibus (Media Insula, Tenebris, and Terra Septentrionis). While the Antenovusgomphidae genera of south faced climate change, and competition. The remain northern genera Ferrumdentia having occupied regions closer to the northern pole had sustained, and where more specialized to cooler more temperate environments. As well they didn't have to face the same competition from more advanced Gomphiobians as there population that had ventured to the northern latitudes where larger more specialized predators that when Terra Septentrionis separated from Media Insula 100 million years ago the niche of small generalist predator remained unchallenged.

## Description

As Terra Septentrionis moved on a northward trajectory towards the northern pole the climate gradually cooled which meant that animals had to adapt to the cooled over the next 100 million years the genus *Ferrumdentia* would gradually adapt to this colder climates with an excellent example of this transition being the species *Ferrumdentia cursora*. Occupying the snowy tundra of Terra Septentrionis northern most reaches *F. cursora* is an ambush predator using camoflauge in the form of a coat of white pycnofibres-like structures in order to seek up upon its prey. Once close enough its sprints up it prey running up on the side of its prey its uses its bone teeth to strike vertically down usually targeting the head or neck. Once the prey has been dispatched *F. cursora* uses it lower jaw bone to create a second incision from which it feeding proboscis could take nutrients from. The coat If pycnofibre like structures besides acting as camoflauge as acts as insulation to the cold, and is in fact basal to the whole *Ferrumdentia* genus as adaptation to the increasing cool climate it was increasingly selected for within the gene pool. Its also possess wide splayed toes analogous to those of Camels which makes *F. cursora* adept at travelling across the snowy tundra. In regards to its respiratory system it has eight opening on each side for respiration however they are each cover by a flap of skin with slits on either side that closes and keeps cold air out of the respiratory system. As well the inner cavity of the skin flaps are specialized cells that produce mucus in order to keep the lungs moist which warms the breathed air. An essential adaptation in a cold environment. *F. cursora* also has all factory sense pits just behind the lower jaw concealed behind a bone plate which protects them from the outside elements. In regards to reproduction *F. cursora* similiar to all the other Antenovusgomphidae reproduce sexually, and produce eggs with mineralized shells formed out of calcite with around five eggs being produced per female. In regards to social behaviour *F. cursora* is for the most part a solitary hunt vary rarely hunting in groups with rare cases being that of mobbing similar to that seen in Komodo Dragons. They are very fiercely competitive during mating season with male competing for females. With males using there bone teeth to strike the top of the other males upper jaw, and vice-versa. In regards to parental care the breeding pair stay together for about a month following the birth of baby *F. cursora* at which point are taken care of by there month for about year before they are left to fend for themselves.