Sunburnt Biveahog

Artwork

Weight:
260lbs

The **Sunburnt Biveahog** (*Tetracrinis minium*) is an original species created and designed by TheAgent41. The Sunburnt Biveahog inhabits the *The Hole* universe, an original universe created by TheAgent41.

## Appearance and Anatomy

The sunburnt biveahog is a squat, medium-sized dipode. Covered in a thick, orange hide with a rough texture like that of a rhinoceros, the biveahog is a stark contrast to its relative, the willowhead. Named after the awkward, humorous call it emits, the biveahog is one of the stranger dipodes. Its body is supported by two powerful digitigrade legs with thick muscular thighs and calves. Like willowheads, these legs end in thick white hooves that completely encircle the tips of its feet. Its hooves are actually composed primarily of inorganic minerals incorporated into these hooves from certain foods it consumes and the water it drinks rather than keratin like the hooves of Earth ungulates.

Like willowheads, biveahogs have tentacles that encircle their mouths. However, while a willowhead will have between 45 and 50 such tentacles, biveahogs have only four. These tentacles are prehensile and each contains approximately 50,000 separate muscle fascicles, making them extremely strong. However, their dexterity does not compare to that of the willowhead, as biveahogs are much more clumsy than their more advanced relatives are. Like the willowhead, the biveahog is capable of manipulating each tentacle independently, but there is no real evidence to suggest that their tentacles have autonomy. Each tentacle is also covered with sensitive touch and taste receptors.

The biveahog's circular mouth is toothless and is incapable of chewing the flora it consumes. To compensate for this, the stomach has evolved to act like an Earth vertebrate's jaws, similar to the gizzard of a bird. Whereas birds need to swallow small stones to grind up food in their gizzards, the inner walls of the biveahog stomach are covered with small tooth-like projections made of the same material that makes up its hooves. The stomach is constantly expanding and contracting, grinding up all matter consumed by the creature.

Emerging from the biveahog's back is a pair of large fin-like projections. It is believed that these serve to make the organism look larger than it really is when standing up to predators.

It is believed that the sunburnt biveahog is a sort of living fossil. It is thought to closely resemble what was the most basal form of the family Carnefunidae. Although said common ancestor did not exactly match the biveahog's anatomy, it was surprisingly close with willowheads being more derived by comparison.

## Ecology

### Behavior and Intelligence

Like many of their close relatives, sunburnt briveahogs are generally peaceful creatures that live in large herds of up to fifty individuals. Living primarily in flat plains with tall grass-like floravites covering the landscape, briveahogs rarely fight one another except for competitions over mates and even those are harmless bouts of strength.

The same can't be said for members of other herds. If an individual detects another herd approaching, it will become highly territorial and will attempt to scare the intruder off. This is done mainly with the fin-like protrusions emerging from its back, which help it to look larger than it actually is. A similar tactic is used commonly on Earth by organisms such as elephants, frill-necked lizards, and numerous species of birds.

Within their own herd, biveahogs are highly social and affectionate creatures. They can often be observed wrapping their tentacles around one another, an interaction that has been likened to handshakes or hugs between humans. Biveahogs are one of the only Achlysian species that are starting to be domesticated by biologists living in colonies there. Biveahog meat is rich in fat and protein, and its predigested floravite slurry, while quite malodorous, is actually highly nutritious and tastes somewhat like honey mustard. Overall, sunburnt biveahogs have responded well to domestication and are generally docile around humans.

### Diet

Biveahogs are herbivorous creatures practice grazing behaviors much like Earth cattle. The floravites on which biveahogs feed can vary in shape and size, ranging from bush-like species to tall grasses referred to as glowbud stalks due to their glowing bulbs. Because infants don't have strong enough stomach acids to digest floravites, they must consume a predigested nutrient slurry secreted from the adult's cloaca.

### Reproduction

Like many of their relatives, sunburnt biveahogs mate for life. When two biveahogs mate, they will extrude a long tube-shaped spermipositor from a pocket located deep in the esophagus. By connecting them together, as is done by nearly all rigidiscapulids, biveahog mates can exchange sperm with each other, allowing each mate to be pregnant.

The gestation period of a biveahog is approximately eight Earth months. They give live birth and newborn babies are incapable of walking for several hours after being born. Biveahogs practice alloparenting, a series of behaviors in which all members of the herd will cooperate to raise each other's young.

## Trivia

* The scientific name *Tetracrinis minium* loosely translates from Latin as "vermilion four tentacles".

## Gallery

Artwork