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Description
My entry for the contest! Heres a little info about my favorite pet.
The Red Crested Wyrm belongs to the genus Draco and is found in mountainous habitats around the globe. A hypercarnivore, the Red crested Wyem diet consists almost exclusively on meat, but researches have found that they do supplement their diets occasionally with berries and fruit. While it looks like the wyrm has 2 pairs of eyes, it infact only has 1. The second set of eyes are not in fact eyes, but infrared sensors that at first glance resemble eyes. They have very keen eyesight, able to spot prey from hundreds of feet in the air while flying. They have a keen sense of smell and very good hearing. These animals are unique in that they are functional hexapods with 3 pairs of limbs. Researches still don’t know how this happened or why. Fossil evidence indicates that the genus Draco evolved 260-250 million years ago during the Triassic from archosaur ancestors. These early fossils are quadrupeds but they have bony fins along the back whose function is unknown. But as dinosaurs took control of land fossil evidence indicates that they receded into lakes and freshwater. The wings evolved from fins, the wing bones look very similar to arm bones, the fin bones evolving into rough forms of a ‘scapula’, ‘humerus’, ‘ulna’, and ‘radius’. Also with ‘metacarpal’ and ‘phalangeal’ bones. The wings didn’t evolve until after the dinosaurs went extinct. There used to me many different species in various habitats after the dinosaur extinction, but mammals outcompeted them in most niches and many went extinct. The evolved to exploit the mountainous habitats in North America during the paleogene. During this time their fins became more wing like, massive muscles attaching to these new bones. During the miocene the genus spread outwards inhabiting every mountain range on the globe.
They have been tamed as flying mounts for centuries and were once used for military conquest. Certain species, like the Red Crested Wyrm, have been domesticated to become riding mounts and are very popular now a days for those who can afford their care. Very loyal and tame mounts they make surprisingly good pets.
Very territorial, they occupy wide ranges and leave scent and visual markers, such as scratches and pheromones, to establish their territories. They are generally not very social creatures and need the vat territories for hunting grounds. Curiously, in the genus Draco the females are larger and more brightly colored than the males and the females engage in polyandry, taking on multiple male mates.
This is because the females take no part in offspring care. During the mating season, early fall, the animals all gather together on large plateaus or basins and the males begin making nests. The females develop bright red coloring in the face. Females also have large crests and flanges while the males posses more moderate sized crests. Females display to the males with "strutting", vocalizations and ariel displays. Females often fight for unmated males resulting in nasty wounds. Once paired the female will lay 5-8 eggs in the males nest and depart searching for another mate. Females who are desperate enough or can't find a mate will destroy the eggs of an already mated male to get him to fertilize her eggs. This lasts for about 3 weeks where then the females depart leaving the males to rear their offspring for the nest 8-10 years. During the incubation period males become more sociable but don't form any lasting bonds with each other. Once the eggs hatch in early spring they are fed and nourished until they can fly where the male and his offspring return with him. They will stay with their father until they mature where they will then find territories of their own. Females mature later than males.
The biography is still pretty rough. My favorite pet would be a dragon-ish creature that I could ride. That would be so cool! Figuring out how a six limbed creature could evolve from a 4 limbed creature was a difficult mental challenge. I might revise it. :3
I do not know latin...I tried my best. It supposed to mean, "red crest". If certain things seem incongruent or dubious in my description, tell me so I can revise it. It's very rough and I am not an expert. This was so much fun! Really enjoyed this!
(c) Denece the sylcoe
6 hours

Description
My entry for the contest! Heres a little info about my favorite pet.
The Red Crested Wyrm belongs to the genus Draco and is found in mountainous habitats around the globe. A hypercarnivore, the Red crested Wyem diet consists almost exclusively on meat, but researches have found that they do supplement their diets occasionally with berries and fruit. While it looks like the wyrm has 2 pairs of eyes, it infact only has 1. The second set of eyes are not in fact eyes, but infrared sensors that at first glance resemble eyes. They have very keen eyesight, able to spot prey from hundreds of feet in the air while flying. They have a keen sense of smell and very good hearing. These animals are unique in that they are functional hexapods with 3 pairs of limbs. Researches still don’t know how this happened or why. Fossil evidence indicates that the genus Draco evolved 260-250 million years ago during the Triassic from archosaur ancestors. These early fossils are quadrupeds but they have bony fins along the back whose function is unknown. But as dinosaurs took control of land fossil evidence indicates that they receded into lakes and freshwater. The wings evolved from fins, the wing bones look very similar to arm bones, the fin bones evolving into rough forms of a ‘scapula’, ‘humerus’, ‘ulna’, and ‘radius’. Also with ‘metacarpal’ and ‘phalangeal’ bones. The wings didn’t evolve until after the dinosaurs went extinct. There used to me many different species in various habitats after the dinosaur extinction, but mammals outcompeted them in most niches and many went extinct. The evolved to exploit the mountainous habitats in North America during the paleogene. During this time their fins became more wing like, massive muscles attaching to these new bones. During the miocene the genus spread outwards inhabiting every mountain range on the globe.
They have been tamed as flying mounts for centuries and were once used for military conquest. Certain species, like the Red Crested Wyrm, have been domesticated to become riding mounts and are very popular now a days for those who can afford their care. Very loyal and tame mounts they make surprisingly good pets.
Very territorial, they occupy wide ranges and leave scent and visual markers, such as scratches and pheromones, to establish their territories. They are generally not very social creatures and need the vat territories for hunting grounds. Curiously, in the genus Draco the females are larger and more brightly colored than the males and the females engage in polyandry, taking on multiple male mates.
This is because the females take no part in offspring care. During the mating season, early fall, the animals all gather together on large plateaus or basins and the males begin making nests. The females develop bright red coloring in the face. Females also have large crests and flanges while the males posses more moderate sized crests. Females display to the males with "strutting", vocalizations and ariel displays. Females often fight for unmated males resulting in nasty wounds. Once paired the female will lay 5-8 eggs in the males nest and depart searching for another mate. Females who are desperate enough or can't find a mate will destroy the eggs of an already mated male to get him to fertilize her eggs. This lasts for about 3 weeks where then the females depart leaving the males to rear their offspring for the nest 8-10 years. During the incubation period males become more sociable but don't form any lasting bonds with each other. Once the eggs hatch in early spring they are fed and nourished until they can fly where the male and his offspring return with him. They will stay with their father until they mature where they will then find territories of their own. Females mature later than males.
The biography is still pretty rough. My favorite pet would be a dragon-ish creature that I could ride. That would be so cool! Figuring out how a six limbed creature could evolve from a 4 limbed creature was a difficult mental challenge. I might revise it. :3
I do not know latin...I tried my best. It supposed to mean, "red crest". If certain things seem incongruent or dubious in my description, tell me so I can revise it. It's very rough and I am not an expert. This was so much fun! Really enjoyed this!
(c) Denece the sylcoe
6 hours