Arctic Bloodstrider

Artwork

Weight:
255lbs

The **Arctic Bloodstrider** (*Mortestruthus frigidus*) is an original species created and designed by TheAgent41. The Arctic Bloodstrider inhabits the *The Hole* universe, an original universe created by TheAgent41.

## Appearance and Anatomy

The Arctic bloodstrider is an endothermic solitary predator with a vaguely theropod-like body shape. Arctic bloodstriders are large creatures capable of reaching just under six and a half feet in length and weighing over 250 pounds. The extra weight compared to the desert bloodstrider is due to the large stores of blubber contained in the torso to help survive in the cold climate. Their bodies are covered in a thick, white, leathery hide similar in texture to that of a rhinoceros. Like many of its relatives, the Arctic bloodstrider is classified under the phylum "Rigidiscapulae", meaning that its internal body is supported by a strong cartilaginous rod analogous to a vertebral column in Earth vertebrates.

The Arctic bloodstrider supports its body with long, powerful, digitigrade legs. These legs end in sauropod-like feet, each ending in five keratinous toenails. These long black nails are essentially ungulate-like hooves and are much bigger and thicker than those of their relatives. The second digit on each foot is tipped with an exceptionally large hoof, similar to the killing foot claws on dromaeosaurs. Above each foot, just above the hooves, is a clump of thick gray and white pycnofibers that droop down over the hooves, insulating the bloodstrider's feet when walking through deep snow.

Like its desert-dwelling relative, the Arctic bloodstrider's head is noticeably curved like the bill of an ibis and functions like an organic syringe, injecting digestive juices into its prey's body and liquifying its internal structures such as organs and muscle tissues. The Arctic bloodstrider locates its prey by detecting its body heat using the ten thermal pits on its head. After a victim's innards have been dissolved (a process that takes up to a minute), the Arctic bloodstrider will absorb the liquified creatures with a sponge-like organ called a "spongops". This spongops is attached to the end of a long prehensile tendril on the Arctic bloodstrider's chest. When not feeding, the spongops is generally kept tucked up underneath the head. Having the feeding apparatus separate from the main head allows the Arctic bloodstrider to keep a lookout while feeding. Similar to their hooves, there is a large clump of flexible pycnofibers covering the neck of the Arctic bloodstrider like the mane of a lion. This helps to protect the vulnerable spongops from chilling windstorms.

## Ecology

### Behavior and Intelligence

Unlike the desert bloodstrider, the Arctic bloodstrider doesn't hunt in packs, possibly due to the need for more resources per individual to maintain a high internal temperature. The population density of the Arctic bloodstrider is thus more sparse with as few as four to six individuals every six square miles.

These bloodstriders have numerous adaptations to allow them to thrive in these colder Arctic environments. Their stores of blubber in their torso, tail, and legs, as well as their insulating pycnofibers, help to keep them warm during times with especially cold windchill, their wider padded feet help to silence their footsteps in the snow, and their large hoof claws help to give them better traction on icy terrain. However, because there is much greater contrast between the body temperature of most prey creatures and the temperature of the surrounding environment, their heat-sensing abilities need not be as sensitive as those of the desert bloodstrider. This, unfortunately, means that Arctic bloodstrider would be at a great disadvantage in a hotter, more arid environment because they would likely be unable to differentiate between their prey and their surroundings.

Arctic bloodstriders generally employ more ambush hunting tactics than their cousins. On Earth, a white coloration would greatly benefit an Arctic predator, like a polar bear or Arctic fox, by camouflaging them against their environment, but because visual sight doesn't really exist in Achlys, the reason for the bloodstrider's white coloration is unknown and may be a coincidence. Arctic bloodstriders hunt much like tigers, slowly sneaking up on their prey while making as little noise as possible (assisted by the footstep-muffling pads on their feet) before jumping and pouncing, using their hoof claws to dig into their prey's flesh.

### Diet

The Arctic Bloodstrider is a solitary carnivore that, as stated above, feeds exclusively on liquified organs and muscle tissues from its victims. Bloodstriders are opportunistic predators; this means that they will attack and consume anything they can get their proboscises into. Because Arctic bloodstriders don't hunt in large packs as desert bloodstriders do, individuals need more killing power to make up for their lack of numbers, hence the larger hoof claws.

Arctic bloodstriders have evolved a much lower metabolism than their cousins, allowing them to use as little energy as possible whenever they aren't actively running or killing something. This allows them to preserve as much fat as possible in times when food supplies are low.

### Reproduction

The only time Arctic bloodstriders commune is during the mating season. During the mating season, adult bloodstriders release special pheromones from glands near their cloacas. These pheromones can be detected by other bloodstriders from miles around, drawing all Arctic bloodstriders in a 15-mile radius toward each other. When these bloodstriders converge on one location, their next action is to seek out a suitable glacier. The suitability of a glacier is usually determined by its length and if it has a sufficient flat wall surface. When an ice wall is found that is deemed suitable, each Arctic bloodstrider will use its large tearing hoof claws and its proboscis to chip away at the ice and carve out a small den. These dens are, on average, five feet in height, seven feet in width, and five feet in depth. Dens can be carved in as little as one month, especially since multiple individuals will display unusual levels of cooperation and assist each other on each den.

When each individual's den is carved into the ice wall, the mating process begins. The most desirable mates are determined by a variety of factors, such as which has the most stored blubber, which has the thickest clumps of pycnofibers, and which did the most work in the carving of dens. If two individuals conflict over the same mate, they will engage in battles in which they will attempt to draw blood from each other using their hoof claws. The first to successfully draw blood gains the ability to mate with the desired individual.

Once mating is complete, each now-impregnated bloodstrider will retreat to its personal den and hibernate for a period of three months. The infant bloodstriders will finish gestating by the end of this hibernation period. When the adult wakes up, it will almost immediately give birth to its offspring through a cloaca located under its tail and near its pheromone glands. The newborn is much better at walking at birth than a newborn desert bloodstrider and is capable of standing and walking within a few minutes.

## Trivia

* The scientific name *Mortestruthus frigidus* loosely translates from Latin as "Arctic death ostrich."

## Gallery

Artwork