Xenomelidae

**Xenomelidae** (meaning "alien badger") also known by their common name "skullfaces", is a family of maiadorsans native to Tenebris. They range in size from the small rabbit-sized lesser dwarf skullface, to the gargantuan polar skullface, which is larger than a polar bear. Common characteristics across the whole family include three pair of limbs, skull-like head, and powerful pseudo-jaws.

## Evolution

Genetic and morphological studies have suggested that Xenomelidae's closest relatives are the maiapeltids. Fossil remains scattered through out Auth indicates that the earliest ancestor of this family was fairly weasel-like in body shape. It has been known that the ancestor of Xenomelidae diverged with the maiapeltids about 53 million years ago. It is hypothesized that the ancestor of the calvaursines swam from Auth to Virtu, however this has still been debated.

## **Xenomelinae**

Perhaps the most well known subfamily of Xenomelidae, the Xenomelinae is also the most basal subfamily in this group. Common characteristics of this subfamily includes the presence of a moderately long neck, short tail, immunity to venom/poison, and a plantigrade locomotion.

### Wallacean Badger

(Xenomeles tenebrinensis) is one of the most well known and possibly the most iconic species of xenomelid. It is also one of the strangest xenomelid due to its dimorphism, with males being 45% larger than the females. They are a meter long and weigh 26 kilograms. Wallacean badgers are carnivores feeding on smaller dispeculates, but they may feed on small polyspeculates. Like earthan scorpions, the tail of a wallacean badger is venomous and is used for defense.

While generally solitary, they come in large groups during the mating season, and males will lift their tails while spinning in circles and making high-pitched sounds. When another male interrupts this "ritual", they will enter a battle and will bite each other and occasionally use their venomous tails. After mating, both parents will dig a burrow approximately 12 meters long and 2 meters tall and lay their eggs in it. The male will leave after the female has laid her eggs.

The female displays a very strong parental care with her young, feeding them quite often and taking care of them until they are 4 years of age when they are adults. Their offspring are well-developed, having quite durable armor and venomous tails from the get-go, however they still need to be protected. Young hatch after 2 months.

### Striped Badger

(Xenomeles clavatus) is another species of xenomeline that is also quite common.

They are also very colorful and have a distinct pattern that is different in each individual badger. Unlike their predatory relatives, the striped badger or the painted skullface is a scavenger, with males roaming in large numbers searching for carcasses. After finding a carcass, they will hiss repeatedly until the "owner" of the carcass runs away.

They are obligate carnivores, feeding on flesh and carrion and having a very strong immune system to cope with the life style of a scavenger. They reach 70 centimeters in length, slightly smaller in size to earthan european badgers, and weighing 18 kilograms. Unlike their relatives, they show little dimorphism, with males being the same size as females. Males have bulkier bodies and larger heads, while females have slim bodies with smaller heads.

Males do very little parental care, only feeding their offspring once in a time and then leaving. Females lay up to 9 eggs, all of which hatch after 3 months. Like *X. tenebrinensis*, the females do all the parental care, feeding their young often and protecting them from predators until their adults. Their offspring are dull in color, but will then attain the color of adults after about 7 months. After developing the vibrant color, the females will teach the offspring on how to hunt.

### Badger Croc

(Carcharumeles crocodylus) or the Badger croc is an ambush predator that waits near the shore for prey to pass by for it to gallop towards it, it uses its strong pseudo-jaws to break the bones of its prey, badger crocs are solitary and only meet others during the mating season, like other xenomelines.

Also like other xenomelines, male badger crocs do extremely little, if not no parental care. They typically leave the nest soon after mating, and let the females take care of their offspring.

## **Osteocephalinae**

Osteocephalinae, commonly known as the dwarf skullfaces, are a subfamily of xenomelids known for their small size. They are also best known for their powerful pseudo-jaws that could deliver a menacing bite. Unlike the previously mentioned xenomelines, osteocephalines are not venomous nor are they immune to venom/poison.

### Greater dwarf skullface

(Osteocephalus longipes) is a large species of osteocephaline that lives in most of North Tenebris. It has large bright greyish purple eyes and distinctly long legs. It also has a modestly-sized neck like other osteocephalines.

This species and the other osteocephalines have a large head with strong muscles allowing them to clamp down with a surprisingly strong bite. This combined with the elongated left and right proboscises are sure to pack an unforgettable punch. This is likely developed due to the greater dwarf skullface being both a predator and a scavenger, allowing the animal to crush bone when it is late for a carcass, and able to easily kill prey.

Females are taller and lighter in weight, while males are longer and more bulkier. They weigh up to 14 kilograms and commonly reach a length of 55 centimeters.

Greater dwarf skullfaces are pack hunters, hunting cooperatively and taking care of their young in groups. They are the most social out of any xenomelid, and are also one of the smartest. When hunting, the young are taken care by two females, with the rest searching for food and bringing it back to the den. They live in medium-sized caves that are up to 6 meters tall and 29 meters long, which they make.

Males are monogamous, having a continuous contact with its female counterpart, which lasts for all of their lives. After the female dies, the males won't search for a new partner.
Females can lay up to 12 eggs in a single clutch, and the eggs will hatch after a month. Both parents will take care of the young until they are atleast 5 years old.

### Lesser dwarf skullface

(Osteocephalus parvoculus) also known as the lesser dwarf skullface, is a smaller relative of the greater dwarf skullface with a less stronger bite force.

The lesser dwarf skullface is the smallest xenomelid, being 30 centimeters in length and weighing 6 kilograms. Unlike their larger relative, the lesser dwarf skullface is a solitary hunter. However while being solitary, the lesser dwarf skullface has a similar parental care to their relative, taking care of their young until they are 6 years old.

While the greater dwarf skullface is a pursuit predator, the lesser dwarf skullface is an ambush predator, lying in wait until a dispeculate comes close. Then, it will launch itself and bite the neck of the dispeculate and stab it using the elongated proboscises. After the prey has collapsed, the skullface will pull it to it's den, bringing food for the entire family. When the eggs have been laid by the female, the male will stack carcasses in the den to feed the offsprings when they hatch.

## **Arbormelinae**

The Arbormelinae is a subfamily of xenomelids that contains three species much like the xenomelines. They are best known for their ability to climb bone trees and other tree-like polyspeculate.

### Simian Skullface

(Arbormeles longicauda) is a primate-like xenomelid found in all forests across Tenebris. It weighs around 20 kilograms and reaches a length of 1.2 meters.

The simian skullface are arboreal dispeculids, they tend to climb trees much like a lemur and they build nests under the canopy, safe from ground predators. The simian skullface has a strong bite force used for hunting, it also uses its claws to make deep wounds and stab the legs of their prey, a pack of simian skullfaces can take down large prey as they slash and bite, they are not apex predators but they are certainly mesopredators.

### Bone Gecko

(Arbormeles parvocauda) is a smaller relative of the simian skullface found in the forests of North Tenebris. It is smaller than the simian skullface, and a tad smaller than the striped badger, reaching a length of 69 centimeters and weighing 9 kilograms, which is surprisingly less heavier than said badger species.

The bone gecko is similar to the simian skullface but there are some characteristics that differentiate both of them, the bone gecko has a smaller snout than the simian skullface and is smaller both in size and body mass. Bone geckos are social but can only be seen with 3 - 4 members in a pack, males fight eachother and sometimes males die because of severe injuries. When an alpha male dies a pack of bone geckos will search for a new alpha.

The bone gecko, like other xenomelids, are carnivorous and primarily eat small ornithosmilians, using their highly elongated proboscises to catch unsuspecting prey. They use their powerful pseudo-jaws to capture their prey, and once they have killed it they will return it to their pack.

### Kurkaru

(Arbormeles venatus) or the Kurkaru is a carnivorous arbormeline that has a distinctive pair of front limbs called the "grabbing arms". They are one of the largest arbormeline species, second to the simian skullface (in length and body mass).

Kurkarus are carnivores that hunt smaller dispeculates, using their knife-like claws to stab their prey, in addition, they can also use their claws for climbing. They have strong pseudo-jaws that could break the exoskeleton of their prey, and are social creatures that hunt in packs, letting their offspring and the weakest individuals of their pack to eat first.

## **Cranivultinae**

Cranivultinae is a subfamily of large xenomelids that contains a single species. Characteristics include a long snout, short legs, and a small eye.

### Giant Skullface

(Cranivultus meles), also known as the giant skullface, is the second largest species of xenomelid known, with the polar skullface being far larger. Weighing a whopping 100 kilograms and reaching 1.6 meters long for males, it is a very large skullface. They hunt in pairs, and will sometimes use their large size to scare off other predators into giving their hard-earned prey, This species can be found nearly all across Tenebris except for Virtu.

When hunting their prey, the female will chase the prey as they are lighter and can run faster, the male will hide in an area the female will drive the prey into, and then the male will escape from the hiding spot and attack the prey. The prey is attacked by both male and female individuals, and after successfuly killing it, they will return it into their nest.

They are monogamous, and mate for life. Unlike xenomelines, the giant skullface males take part in parental care.
Females lay up to 4 eggs, and both parents will feed the offspring and take care of them until their adults.

The giant skullface has one of the largest distribution of any known skullface, being found in nearly all of Tenebris except for Virtu, second only to the polar skullface. However, the fossil record indicates that an extinct species of xenomelid once roamed the entirety of Tenebris, before it became extinct, likely due to the competition.

## **Calvaursinae**

Calvaursinae is a subfamily of xenomelids that contains the largest species ever known on Wallace II. Like many other subfamilies, this subfamily of badgers only has one species.

### Polar Skullface

(Calvaursus arctous), colloquially known as the polar skullface, is the largest species of xenomelid known. They are large animals that can reach 1.7 meters in height and 3.8 meters in length, larger than an earthan polar bear, which is the largest carnivorous land mammal known on that planet. They are also quite heavy, weighing around 550 kilograms.

Polar skullfaces are opportunistic carnivores and will eat anything they could catch. They migrate to warmer areas to breed and have babies. Polar skullfaces have powerful pseudo-jaws that are used to crush bone and have claws that could make deep wounds. They are solitary and only meet others of their species during the mating season.

Like xenomelines, the males of this species do very little parental care, leaving their dens soon after the females have laid their eggs. The mothers will take care of their offspring for 2 years and after that 2 years they will help their mothers hunt. Soon after that they'll become adults and no longer need protection or care from their mothers.

## Gallery

* A drawing of a pack of greater dwarf skullfaces depicted hunting a zebra-cheeked trurox, by the artist known as **Shieldon.BAH** or **The wallatee**.