Weochetu'ka

Disclaimer: The Weochetu'ka is a fictional animal from Keenan Taylor's Tales of Kaimere.

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Earth Ancestor: Noasaurinae sp.

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Dinosauria

Order: Ceratosauria

Family: Noasauridae

Genus: Mustelachampsus

Species: M. terrasqualus

### Description

Weochetu'ka are a mid-sized noasaur most notable for their crocodilian esque appearance and lack of arms. They mainly hunt sloths and thescelosaurs, which they have adapted to by losing their arms to get into burrows, developing elasmosaur like teeth to grapple and exhaust prey, and thick armor allowing them to take a beating while taking on powerful prey. Strangely, Weochetu'ka seemingly attack Indrakai on sight, despite having little to no niche overlap, this could be due to particular individuals being nest raiders of Indrakai or vice versa. From a naturalist perspective, they are much more appropriately the rival of Oritaku, yet the great spirit of them and Indrakai are among the most famous of rivals in Pakardiant folklore.

https://www.deviantart.com/illustratedmenagerie/art/Duel-in-the-Highland-Forest-982169563Indrakai and Weochetu'ka locked in battle- Keenan Taylor

### Phylogeny

Weochetu'ka are a species of derived noasaur in the genus Mustelachampsus. their Earth Ancestor likely came from the Late Cretaceous harvests 68mya.

### Ontogeny

Weochetu'ka, up until sexual maturity, have shortened and more robust snouts than adults.

### Sexual Dimorphism

Males, also known as Rahrak, are typically smaller than females, and sport more vibrant eye coloration alongside a vestigial claw on each "arm". Weochetu'ka also play different roles on hunts based on sex, as due to the size difference, Rahrak will latch onto prey causing it to eventually tire out, after which the female makes the killing blow, a bite to the neck.

### Human Relations

In Pakardiant folklore, Weochetu'ka are often depicted as the rivals of the Indrakai, while this is not ecologically backed, the rivalry makes literary sense: Indrakai are fast, agile, clever, and arboreal. Weochetu’ka are powerful, clumsy, dull, and incapable of climbing. Indrakai will dance around them, and they can kill the larger theropod if they position their claws or bite properly, but the ceratosaur is much better built for a brawl.   According to legend, the Weochetu’ka once had the strongest arms of any beast. The arms were taken due to losing a test of strength to Indrakai, and the arm strength was given to mankind so archers could shoot bows. It is why Weochetu’ka rip off human arms before swallowing whole. The truth is our broad shoulders prevent them from swallowing, but the dramatic and brutal preparation coupled with their lack of arms, which is an adaptation for chasing burrowing prey, certainly warrants an equally dramatic mythical origin. Olikedeu or Bokushai is sometimes depicted in Pakardiant folklore with the head of a Weochetu'ka.

### Redesigns

The Weochetu'ka has had 6 redesigns. Originally depicted as a standard small abelisaur known as the Rahrak (now the name of males of the species), the second design retained the name but the animal was now depicted much larger and with a large sail on the hip. The third design went for a simpler look having the animal much more like the original design, but with just a single vestigial claw and osteoderms. The animal then became a derived island hopping abelisaur with abundant osteoderms and fin-like tail, a drastic redesign. After this design iteration was a design which was only shown once or twice of the Weochetu'ka as a far more derived abelisaur, with more ornate crests, longer face, as well as a tail fluke. The idea of Weochetu'ka as an abelisaur was eventually scrapped in favor of a noasaurid dinosaur with dense body armor and a far more monotone coloration.

1st design for the Rahrak2nd design for Rahrak3rd design for Rahrak4th Design for Weochetu'ka5th Weochetu'ka designCurrent design