Cialimac Kamptoceros

## Species

Microceros cialimaci

The **Cialimac kamptoceros** (*Microceros cialimaci*), also known as the **small-horned kamptoceros**, is a species of kamptoceros native to northern Cialimac and Indofingxiao.

## Etymology

The name microceros is derived from the Zafuk words *micros* and *ceros*, meaning "small" and "horn" respectively. The species name *cialimaci* refers to the subcontinent\country of Cialimac which is where the species was most commonly found.

## Characteristics

The Cialimac kamptoceros is a small kamptoceros species with thick, rough, brown skin. It's snout is typically darker in color compared to the rest of the body, similar in color to mud. The Cialimac kamptoceros possess a small nasal horn, much smaller than that of the nasal horn of kamptoceros. The nasal horn is typically around 15 cm (6 inches) in length, being broader at the base and thinning towards the tip. Unlike the related kamptoceros, the Cialimac kamptoceros only possesses one horn, rather than three, a feature which differentiates the two species.

It is the smallest living kamptoceros, standing at around 0.8 - 1.2 m (2.6 - 4.9 ft) tall at the shoulder, with a head-to-body length of around 2.3 - 2.8 m (7.5 - 9.1 ft), with a tail that is around 13 cm (5.1 inches) in length. Their weight ranges from 435 - 890 kg (959 - 1962.1 lbs) with an average of 540 - 580 kg (1190.4 - 1278.6 lbs) in weight.

Unlike the kamptoceros, the Cialimac kamptoceros is covered in a light coat of reddish hairs. The hairs are darker and thicker at the tip of the tail, eyelashes, as well as the ears. Their stomachs are mostly devoid of hair completely.

## Distribution

The modern range of the Cialimac kamptoceros is fragmented, similar to the related kamptoceros in Ontura. It is found almost exclusively in the tropical rainforests of Cialimac, however there is a small population still present in western Marama in Indofingxiao.

The historical range of the Cialimac kamptoceros stretched from southern Larikhstan into eastern Marama, being found throughout Cialimac, with exception to the Zamfa plateau and mountain ranges, as well as much of tropical Indofingxiao.

## Threates

The Cialimac kamptoceros' largest threats were initially poaching and overhunting for the keratin in their horns. Today, the Cialimac kamptoceros is protected in both Cialimac and Marama where it is still found, and its only threat is habitat destruction.

### Adaptation to poaching

Surprisingly, most populations of Cialimac kamptoceros have much smaller horns then historically documented individuals. The modern length of their horn is around 15 cm (6 in), however, documented individuals from the early to late 1600s, as well as horns used as decorations dating from before the 1000s have average lengths of 24 cm (9.4 in). The decreased horn size in modern individuals is likely a direct result of poaching, as individuals with larger horns were killed for their keratin, leaving the individuals with smaller horns to reproduce. This ongoing process which likely took a few hundred years and a few generations have left majority short-horned individuals, as they were less likely to be poached and killed.