Ebolfeltheria

Ebolfeltheria cladogram

### Description

Ebolfeltheria, which roughly translates to 'tainted ivory beast', are highly derived synapsids found primarily on the Permian Islands. Eborfeltherians are distinguished by having external ears, an unusual trait for nonmammal therapsids, although the ears are positioned in the basal region along the lower jaw rather than where mammals have them higher on the skull. They also possess venom glands, rapid metabolisms, and highly neuron-dense brains that allow for high intelligence without compromising their massive jaw musculature.

### Phylogeny

Ebolfeltherians are a type of therocephalian synapsid, with presumed closest relations to Earth's venomous Euchambersia. There are two lineages of Eborfeltherians on the Permian islands, both of which have predators and herbivores in their clade.

#### Ceratotheres

Although ceratotheres retain the venom of their ancestors, it is mild and usually used by males when competing for mates. Most of this lineage are the plodding herbivorous Palatheres, largest of which is the excavator boar, which can reach three tons. Palatheres are bulk feeders, breaking down grass, leaves, roots, and even woody branches in their powerful jaws. Thick hide affords them protection, especially when they encounter bear crocs in their southern range.

A group of cat-like ceratotheres make up the predators of this lineage. Biggest of these is an ambush hunter called the horned lion. Horned lions are most common in Septenia’s highlands, but they have also island hopped to Meridia, where they are a common predator in the central mountains. Their venom is mild, typical of ceratotheres, and they mostly use their powerful jaws and long fangs to make a kill.

overview of ceratotheres- Keenan Taylor
#### Paramacropodes

*Paramacropodes*, or the fanged hares, are a highly successful infraorder/superfamily of eborfeltherians in the Paramacropod suborder. There are predators, omnivores, and herbivores in their midst. Most common is the nominative member of the clade, the fanged hares themselves. These little omnivores mostly feed on grass, but dabble in other foliage, insects, and roots. Their burrow colonies are found throughout the entire island chain, but the prairies of Meridia and Septenia are where they are most common.

Overview of Paramacropodes- Keenan Taylor
#### Draconiiformes

The infraorder Draconiiformes is named after the dragons which are the top predators of the islands, but the clade itself is quite diverse. Their most basal members are the spitting monkeys: tiny omnivores which used projectile venom to ward off arboreal cynodonts during the Tyrant Dynasty. As the cynodonts died off, this trait could then be repurposed for predation as well as defense from horned lions, birds of prey, and pterosaurs. The fact that many animals in the canopies now had venom prompted an arms race in diversity, range, and potency of venom, along with different forms of mobility. In the more open forests where the palatheres roamed, gliders proved quite successful and are still very common today. To add stability in their wings, members of the family draconoidea developed a pair of carpal bones which grew long as support struts. Some invested in powered flight, opening their range dramatically. Some competed with aneurognathids and newly-arrived bats for the bounty of insects, but the most successful were those who went after the tiny pterosaurs and mammals themselves, such as the fox dragon. When the Dynastic Extinction cleared out the large pterosaurs, these tiny dragons swiftly became massive.

Overview of Draconiiformes- Keenan Taylor
### Human Relations

Due to higher neuron dense brains causing increased intelligence and sociability, some Ebolfeltherians have been domesticated by indigenous peoples of the islands, primarily sabre tooth jackals and dragons.