Fluganta Rato

Fluganta Ratos are a pigeon-like species with leathery wings inspired by bats and azhdarchid pterosaurs. They are commonly found in the Cupboard and can be purchased from the Genome Splicer.

Fluganta Ratos are one of the first creatures a player receives. They are awarded to the player during the tutorial.

## Growth

### Young

"Soft chirps are the only sounds this small juvenile makes. If left alone for too long, it becomes lethargic and will refuse to eat. Regular socialization with other members of its species is therefore important. It also needs plenty of room to move around in, as its wide, leathery wings are fully functional and it prefers to fly rather than walk from perch to perch."

### Adult

"Extremely social, Fluganta Ratos fly and roost in large flocks, called aeries, comprised of multiple family groups. Within the looser structure of the aerie, families work together to find food, raise young, and chase off would-be predators. An alpha male and alpha female lead each family. However, the social dynamics of an aerie itself can be quite complex, and more research in that area is still necessary. Fluganta Ratos are a welcome sight around the outpost, as their favorite insects include bloodsucking gnats and garbage flies. They also feed on berries and nuts, sometimes raiding the homes of Stranga Sciuros for a quick meal. The shape of their vocal cords allows them to produce gentle cooing sounds as well as shrill screeches too high-pitched for the human ear. Coos are more often used for interfamily communication, while screeches are used between families or aeries. Male Fluganta Ratos are larger than females, and they have a thicker layer of down on their chests. This down is plucked and used to line their nests during mating season. The soft, thick feathers provide extra warmth for developing eggs. The more down they pluck, the slimmer their appearance and the higher chance they will attract a mate."

## Variations

### Body

The chart below shows each body color on a Rato with no tint (Aabb), a tail that matches the body color (Aabb), and a white neck (AAbb).

### Neck

The chart below shows each neck color on a Rato with body color white (Aabb), a tail that matches the body color (Aabb), and no tint (Aabb). (The white neck is shown on body color black (AaBB) for visibility.)

### Tail

The chart below shows each tail color on a Rato with body color white (Aabb), neck color white (AAbb), and no tint (Aabb).

### Tint

The gene associated with tint determines a Fluganta Rato's wing color. A Fluganta Rato's wing color initially matches its body color; if present, the tint gene applies a semi-transparent hue over the wing. As a result, tint colors appear differently depending on the initial body color. For example, the purple tint (aaBB) will look lighter when paired with the white body color (Aabb), and darker when paired with the dark purple body color (aaBB):

The table below shows each tint on a Rato with body color white (Aabb), neck color white (AAbb), and a tail that matches the body color (Aabb).

\*The wing color will match the body color.

## Trivia

* TFO uses Esperanto as a basis for creature names (although it's not always exact--accents are ignored and spellings occasionally shift). “Fluganta Rato” means “Flying Rodent.”

* The artwork for the sprites was redone. The original sprites can be seen below.

On August 29th, 2020, the capsules art was changed to match the 23x23 dimensions of the rest of the capsules. The old capsule art can be seen below.

## Acknowledgments

Art by: Corteo, Malcorium. Descriptions by: Shark.