Tridentigerivenator rex

### Geographic distribution

Terra Septentrionis, Micha, Media Insula, eastern Media Insulan islands and Auth

### Canonicity

Canon

The Tridentigerivenator rex (Venator) is a species of the family Tridentigeridae, part of a clade that split from gomphiobians almost 200 million years ago (mya). They can reach 3 meters tall and up to 6 meters long, and have very long powerful legs that, with help of the lower gravity of Wallace II, allow these creatures to run up to speeds of 70 Km/h on short distances and 50 Km/h on long distances.
Anatomy: Venators have a distinct cephalon were most of their senses are located, long legs that end in articulated bony talons, and a long tail. They have an exoskeleton, comprised of bony plates and cartilaginous veins, but also an endoskeleton, disposed in tubes and rings surrounded by fibers, cartilage and fluids; together, both skeletons provide support and flexibility. Their body-plan, however, isn’t as one may expect because the main part of the body is at the front, fused with the back of the cephalon and with the rear legs, which are projected slightly to the sides; this explains why the tail starts at the “back” of the venator. The portion that includes the spiracles is also a fusion with the rear legs. The spiracle openings are big and have a retractable membrane to control airflow. Their cloaca is located on the lower part of the body that, because of the strange body-plan, is between the front legs.
The most characteristic trait is the three “mandibles” that give this family its name, which are, in fact, the three mouths. These structures are used to “bite” onto a prey and hold it to kill it, or to rip off parts and then eat while holding them; they’re able to move independently of each other (up to a point). The mouth openings are retractable and are loaded with dozens of rows of teeth that can move to slice and help move the food into the digestive track, which also has teeth; at each corner of the mouths there’s a hook-like tooth for griping to the meat. Each mouth has different types of teeth, but it doesn’t seem like there’s specialization involved.
Another interesting characteristic is the exoskeleton structure that gives venators a sort of armored look. On it, there’re many joints and the forms and position of the plates and veins allow for great articulation of the entire body, in particular the cephalon region. Here we find two long eyes, with photoreceptive cells that detect light on the visible and infrared range and a pupil similar to that of Earth’s cephalopods. Behind them, there’re 8 openings for chemoreception (olfaction) disposed looking slightly forwards and are not connected to the respiratory system. They lack proper auditory organs but can use the ring structures inside their legs to detect vibrations in a range that includes infrasound and audible sound; ultrasound waves are detected by special plates on the column before the hind legs.
The legs, possessing the aforementioned ring structure (a part of which is visible on the sides), are also very strong yet flexible, allowing for a big range of movements. The hind legs have an extra support structure running along their side and front, which is key on locomotion as it allows for long hops while sprinting.
Finally, they possess four structures at the top of the tail that have a role in display, being smaller on “female” individuals. A second function has been proposed, as it has been shown a strong correlation between these structures’ movements and coloration and the humidity level of the ambient, suggesting a role on water detection-probably a remnant of their ancestors who lived in rocky mountains and semi-arid plains.
Diet: Venators are carnivorous, although they eat polyspeculates if given the chance to complement their nutrient requirements. Gene analysis has shown that there’s a possibility for a liquivorous diet, but such genes do not express in T. rex.
Habitat: Tridentigerivenator rex is the most widespread species of the genus, living in forests and temperate regions of Media Insula, Terra Septentrionis, Tenebris and islands of Vadum Mare and Mare Orientalem. They prefer dense forests to open plains, even though they’re made for hunting on the latter. Some groups, specially around islands, live near coastal regions and spend most of their time in water.
Behavior: The venators are highly social, forming family packs lead by a pair of adults, usually the parents. They’re intelligent (for such creatures) and curious, brave and resilient; they’re hostile against other family packs inside their territories, but can come together in times of need and are very friendly around “common spots”, where males and females of different families can interact and reproduce, forming their own packs. In Tenebris, however, they tend to act more hostile the closer they’re to the tundra and ice regions.
All groups of the species have a fascination with water, and it seems like they swim just for the fun of it-specially around islands, where they spend most of their time in water.
These creatures are mainly diurnal, but sometimes they hunt at night. Their range of vision is useful on these cases, but also in dense forests.
They communicate through a combination of low rumbles and high pitching gutural sounds, as well as through distinct movements of their exoskeletal plates and the structures on their tails.
Hunting is carried out by adults and juveniles, where the latter provide speed and the others strength.
Reproduction: Venators only reproduce through sexual reproduction and are oviparous, as males produce a cocoon where females deposit the fertilized zygotes.