Arluq Ecology

This page lists all ecological information about Arluq from every Monster Hunter fangame it has appeared in as well as outside information.

## In-Game Information

A fanged beast as great as a ship, it's name is spoken of with reverence, fear, disdain and pride. Many a tale has been told by sailors about the Arluq, from hunters seeking to fell the mighty titan in both success and ruin, to measly feeble vessels standing little chance against the awe-inspiring strength of the whale, it is wise to however keep a distance if need be.

## Taxonomy

* Order: Artiodactyla
* Suborder: Flipper
* Family: Arluq
* Species: Arluq

A titanic marine mammal the likes of which are feared of throughout most oceans. Arluqs witnessed out in the field for hunters are typically male, distancing themselves from their home pods in search of mates. They are incredibly larger than their relatives, the Arfeq.

## Habitat Range

Arluqs live their lives in aquatic saltwater environments, mainly the Great Sea. They are more common however in the colder northern hemisphere, in places like the Polar Sea, Glacial Valley, Frozen Seaway and Frost Islands.

## Ecological Niche

Arluqs hold a fierce reputation as a top dog of the ocean, rushing down Pokara, Epioth and their stronger forms with deadly charges for the sake of an easy meal, and younger whales making due with fish. But most notably is the relationship they hold with their close relatives, the Arfeq. Arluqs are seemingly special in how regularly they hunt the smaller whales, to the point that the consistent predation have instilled a fear within their prey so irrational they leave areas for months before ever returning at the slightest hint of an Arluq's pressence. But being a top-order carnivore, it puts the aggressive whales in competition with a large number of other undersea predators. Running ahead are elder dragons & leviathans, such as the fearsome Lagiacrus & even more titanic Ceadeus, there have been innumerable tales of these beasts duelling Nakarkos in the deep, and tangling with yet fiercer opponents. In many cases however, these confrontations do more damage than can sustained, and thus many whales that do get into these conflicts tend to either die or be mortally wounded in some way. It is for this reason there are a substantially lower number of adult males than females.

They have no known regular predators when they become adults, but young Arluqs can become victims to many predators that would otherwise have little interest in fighting them.

## Biological Adaptations

Arluqs, due in part to their gigantic forms, are incredibly lousy swimmers, unable to perform quick manoeuvring or exceptionally wide turns in a short amount of time, unlike many of the competitors they share the ocean with. But where they lack in manoeuvring, they make up for with their powerful thrust. Despite their size, an Arluq is misleadingly fast, able to go at 20 mph at a usual pace, but when bursts of speed are required (such as in hunting), they can go more than double that. The strong muscles in their tail give them these awe-inspiring strokes of speed, flexing with ease to propel them forward.

When they're not ramming opponents, they're biting with their huge jaws, large enough to engulf a hunter in its maw and inflict powerful chomps. But even though they possess such large mouths, and while they can bite through bone, that strength is used rather for defense than offense, unlike their ramming behavior. As most of their prey is comparably soft bodied, that bite is utilized is more on enemies with shells that can add more protection against the blunt force of their charge.

Beyond their bodies, they are also capable of taking in large quantities of water and blowing it back out, either through their blowholes or their mouth. The suction is consistently stronger, able to pull in smaller objects and/or creatures, but rarely is such an ability needed, and thus they don't often use it.

## Behavior

Arluqs are highly aggressive apex predators, especially the males of the species, who spend more of their lives solitary than the rest of their origin family groups. Being highly aggressive, they hold that standard up to any and all creatures large enough to be noticed by the titans. Being a zenith of the oceanic food web, they prefer larger vertebrates as their prey. All together, the beasts have garnered a reputation amongst seafaring civilizations & settlements as ship wreckers, often coming into conflict with humans as a result. Although the family groups Arluqs typically form don't attack humans or their boats unless desperate, the very much hostile males will attack human vessels if given the chance.

## Turf Wars

### **Wins**

* **Vs. Pokaradon -** The Arluq charges forward, Pokaradon dodging swiftly and attempting to attack from behind, but is thwarted when the whale's tail comes slamming from below. Smacking the leviathan upside the head, stunned & trying to get its bearings, the Arluq circles around and successfully rams into the Pokaradon, launching it forward at toppling the monster. Turf war causes a head break for Pokaradon.

* **Vs. Zamtrios -** The Zamtrios blows up like a balloon as the Arluq prepares a coiled charge, amphibian roaring upward before the fanged beast proceeds to charge straight ahead, catching the monster with its mouth open. The force knocks the Zamtrios back to its neutral form, toppling it. Turf war causes a head break for Zamtrios.

### **Ties**

* **Vs. Gobul -** The Arluq charges forward, Gobul narrowly escaping its ram attack, and counterattacking with a jab of its back spikes. Puncturing the beast's underbelly, the attack brings the monster to thrash, knocking the Gobul down and away. The Arluq & leviathan come back around to face each other head on, whale charging again, only this time the giant cetacean manages a bite on the angler's tail, thrashing it away. Turf war causes the Arluq to become poisoned.

### **Loses**

* **Vs. Lagiacrus -** The Arluq charges down the leviathan, only for the Lagiacrus to easily weave out of the way. In retaliation, the leviathan whirls around, biting down on its tail as the whale spins around. Backing off momentarily, the Arluq comes back around for another charge, only this time the Lagiacrus latches onto its back. In one swift movement, the leviathan unleashes a wave of electricity into the water, stunning the whale. Detaching, all it takes is a ram of its own to topple the fanged beast.
* **Vs. Ivory Lagiacrus -** The Arluq charges down the leviathan, only for the Lagiacrus to easily weave out of the way. In retaliation, the leviathan whirls around, biting down on its tail as the whale spins around. Backing off momentarily, the Arluq comes back around for another charge, only this time the Lagiacrus latches onto its back. In one swift movement, the leviathan unleashes a wave of electricity into the water, stunning the whale. Detaching, all it takes is a ram of its own to topple the fanged beast.
* **Vs. Abyssal Lagiacrus -** The Arluq charges down the leviathan, only for the Lagiacrus to easily weave out of the way. In retaliation, the leviathan whirls around, biting down on its tail as the whale spins around. Backing off momentarily, the Arluq comes back around for another charge, only this time the Lagiacrus latches onto its back. In one swift movement, the leviathan unleashes a wave of electricity into the water, stunning the whale. Detaching, all it takes is a ram of its own to topple the fanged beast.