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Description
NU:AMAM - Neofauna Taxon Classing Guide - www.deviantart.com/djaymasi/ar…

Order - Crocodilia
Suborder - Lindorm form
Infraorder - Leviathan
Family - Ryu
Species - Crocodylus wergaia
————
Height - 2.13 m (7ft)
Length - 23m (77ft)
Weight - 8,400kg (8.4Ton)

Sound concept - youtu.be/Ej4S2U5pKt8?si=fdRaEw…

One of the most powerful & most dangerous creatures to have crawled from the murky swamps of the Savage lands, the Bunyip. Armoured in plated scales, its teeth like swords & an insatiable hunger this Leviathan is renown to be cold blooded killer. It had been said that this water serpent can call upon raging torrents upon its enemies, sending them to an early watery grave.

— Grimoire passage from the Tapster

HABITAT RANGE

When the Horseman I tampered with runic inscriptions within frozen ruins located underneath the centre of Antarctica, particularly the Rune Fehu. Using the last few strands of his mysticism as a means to survive the Boltic desert Famine tapped into the Runes dormant potency, however what he didn’t expect was an unstable & indeterminable revelation that blew out of proportion.
As the Rune of abundance & prosperity in combination to his mysticism Famine warped the centre of this once frozen desert into a warm tropical jungle supercharged with raw unrefined mana. And with this new transformation Neofauna of an older clade sprung from its suspended animation known as the Ryu, a taxonomical tribe that classifies Neofauna that evolved from a prehistoric ancestry dating back as far as the Mesozoic epoch.

Bunyips have debuted to have sprung from these mystically charged lands in which they inhabit the brackish states of Pellucidars waterways, commonly found thriving within the mangrove swamps, deltas as well as multiple freshwater river systems that network the interior to outer rims. However Bunyips specimens have been found outside of the mystically tropical conditions of Pellucidar in which a large number have been found & distributed within the regions of the Australian river systems as well as adjacent billabongs & creeks. Their range extends from the remnants of Broome, Western Australia & almost the entirety of the Northern Territories coast.

ECOLOGICAL NICHE

Like most species in the Leviathan clade as well as crocodilian family they had descended forth, Bunyips are not fastidious in their choice of food, and readily vary their prey selection according to its availability.
Due to their minuscule size Hatchlings are restricted to feeding on small animals particularly fish, amphibians & water dwelling invertebrates, however upon obtaining a suitable growth in length their choice in significant prey changes ranging into Akrid crustaceans, waterfowl & mammalian Diremorphs like Direbuffalo, Razorbacks, Raptors, Direquolls & Wargs.
Fully grown adults have the untapped power to target larger & more formidable prey. In Under Bunyips have a record of ambushing large Neofauna both predator & prey alike that would come to quench their thirst by the waters edge. They would target Neofauna such as the Yowie, Hooroo, Garague, Tiddaliks & Dirawongs, all of which would fight to see another day. This strength & ambush tactics stem from their Pellucidarian origins where these Leviathans would use the same techniques on unwary Ryu Neofauna.

Male Bunyips reach sexual maturity at the age of sixteen whereas females mature ages twelve to fifteen. Bunyips undergo seasonal courtships within the months of September & late October, the very periods of the wet seasons when water levels are at their highest. During the months of November & March would lay eggs & exhibit nesting behaviour. It is possible that the wet & rising humid temperatures provoke reproductive behaviour in these Leviathan species.
Female Bunyips select the nesting site however both parents will defend the nesting territory, which is typically a stretch of shore along tidal rivers or freshwater areas, especially swamps. The nests are often found in a surprisingly exposed location, often in mud with little to no vegetation around, and thus limited protection from the sun and wind. The nest is a mound of mud & vegetation where female Bunyips usually scratches a layer of leaves as well as other debris around the nest entrance, this covering is reported to produce a viable amount of warmth for the eggs. Female Bunyips normally lay a clutch ranging from 40-60 eggs although the largest clutch recorded was a total of 90.
Despite the many not many survive the first 52 days as the loss of eggs are often due to flash flooding & ovivorous predators, where in Pellucidar Snallygasters would be lucky snatch third of the Leviathans clutch when relieved on their watch & in Under Dirawongs would often challenge a single brooding parent while the other is relieved of their duties, visibly weakened by exhaustion & hunger.

Of all the Lindorm Leviathan species alongside the Siryn, the Hag & the Kelpie the Bunyip have the strongest tendencies to treat humans as potential prey. Bunyips have the longest history of attacking human settlers who venture unknowingly into their territories, as a result of its power, size & speed, survival of a direct predatory attack is unlikely if the Leviathan is able to make direct contact. The only recommended policy for dealing with Bunyips is to completely avoid their habitat whenever possible, as they are exceedingly aggressive when encroached upon.
However due to fatalities of their attacks several years in a row Paladin interventions are usually summoned to relocate or even slay the beast, if left to become accustomed Bunyips would eventually have the potential to become Anthrophagic class organisms (ACOs) or maneaters. This was displayed in the case of a male specimen named Murray in Darwin where the Leviathan grew bold to target Under Settlers, killing 20-30 settlers within a year. Eventually Murray was terminated Year 5 post Resurgence.
In Pellucidar the native indigenous revered the Bunyip as guardians of the waterways in which many would throw offerings of livestock & meat to appease the Leviathans, granting a safer passage whenever they travel by canoe. The Delta prime clan highly revere the Bunyip & are major contributors to this sacrilegious tributing as their entire village rests within the major channels of the Pellucidar waterways.

BIOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS

Because Bunyips contain salt glands much like certain crocodilian species it has been shown that these Leviathans are able to occupy both fresh & saltwater, a trait uncommon in most Leviathan species under close examination. It is due to these salt glands a Bunyip is able to venture out into open ocean to extend their range of hunting & relocation, a highly plausible approach to answer the speculated theory of how the Leviathan migrated from Pellucidar to the confines of Under. During their journeys Bunyips use oceanic currents to travel long distances in which some tagged specimens ventured alongside the Vale barriers of Queenslands coast estimating that they had traveled 590km (370mi) for 25 nights without rest. Without having the necessity move around much, often simply floating, the current riding behaviour allows the Leviathan a massive conservation of energy.

The jaws of the Bunyip exhibit the strongest bite force of all the Leviathan species, measuring a laboratory grade estimation of 3,695 psi (25,476 n/si). The secret behind this extraordinary bite force lies within the Leviathans anatomy.
The space for the jaw muscles in the Bunyips skull is fairly large in which is visibly shown as two bulges on the sides of its head behind its eyes. The nature of these said muscles are extremely stiff in which are almost as hard as bone, such in a way that it appears to be a continuation of the Leviathans skull. Another trait is that a majority of the muscles in a Bunyips jaw is arranged for clamping down.
Unlike most crocodilian species the teeth of the Bunyip is a set of enlarged caniniforms that are sharp-edged & relatively straight rather than fluted, subconical, recurved teeth. Because of the retroarticular process of the lower jaw is slightly longer than the upper mandible it is assumed that the Leviathan is able to open its jaws rather quickly at a moments notice, with a large gape the jaws allow the opposing caniniforms to clear one another. With the nasal bones fused together they are thought to have provided reinforcement for the jaws against compression associated with a powerful bite.

The Bunyip possesses the bizarre ability to produce, manipulate & absorb water, the means of how does this appears to be mind over matter however a biological process is involved & in actuality is hypothesised to more simple than supernatural. The water manipulated by the Bunyip doesn’t appear to be pure water alone rather mixed with a specialised enzymatic secretion the Leviathan produces through salivary & epidermal glands located in its underbelly, this mixes & adheres to the water that surrounds the Leviathan creating a slime like fluid. This enzyme is externally manipulated by the Bunyip with such ease that the motions of its tail & forearms guide the flow of water through whim, from creating torrents to overwhelm prey to engulfing its target completely in an attempt to drown them. The Bunyip can also cause water to be reabsorbed & adhere to its body like an outer coat, this is merely a form of retaining hydration whenever the Leviathan faces drought or retention during the means of relocating elsewhere without the fear of drying out.

BEHAVIOUR

Bunyips pose an extreme danger towards human settlers as they seem to seldom in restraint when it comes to a potential meal, as these Leviathans cause more human fatalities than any other Leviathan species. Their extremely aggressive territoriality is met with intense cautionary warning towards travellers.

Description
NU:AMAM - Neofauna Taxon Classing Guide - www.deviantart.com/djaymasi/ar…

Order - Crocodilia
Suborder - Lindorm form
Infraorder - Leviathan
Family - Ryu
Species - Crocodylus wergaia
————
Height - 2.13 m (7ft)
Length - 23m (77ft)
Weight - 8,400kg (8.4Ton)

Sound concept - youtu.be/Ej4S2U5pKt8?si=fdRaEw…

One of the most powerful & most dangerous creatures to have crawled from the murky swamps of the Savage lands, the Bunyip. Armoured in plated scales, its teeth like swords & an insatiable hunger this Leviathan is renown to be cold blooded killer. It had been said that this water serpent can call upon raging torrents upon its enemies, sending them to an early watery grave.

— Grimoire passage from the Tapster

HABITAT RANGE

When the Horseman I tampered with runic inscriptions within frozen ruins located underneath the centre of Antarctica, particularly the Rune Fehu. Using the last few strands of his mysticism as a means to survive the Boltic desert Famine tapped into the Runes dormant potency, however what he didn’t expect was an unstable & indeterminable revelation that blew out of proportion.
As the Rune of abundance & prosperity in combination to his mysticism Famine warped the centre of this once frozen desert into a warm tropical jungle supercharged with raw unrefined mana. And with this new transformation Neofauna of an older clade sprung from its suspended animation known as the Ryu, a taxonomical tribe that classifies Neofauna that evolved from a prehistoric ancestry dating back as far as the Mesozoic epoch.

Bunyips have debuted to have sprung from these mystically charged lands in which they inhabit the brackish states of Pellucidars waterways, commonly found thriving within the mangrove swamps, deltas as well as multiple freshwater river systems that network the interior to outer rims. However Bunyips specimens have been found outside of the mystically tropical conditions of Pellucidar in which a large number have been found & distributed within the regions of the Australian river systems as well as adjacent billabongs & creeks. Their range extends from the remnants of Broome, Western Australia & almost the entirety of the Northern Territories coast.

ECOLOGICAL NICHE

Like most species in the Leviathan clade as well as crocodilian family they had descended forth, Bunyips are not fastidious in their choice of food, and readily vary their prey selection according to its availability.
Due to their minuscule size Hatchlings are restricted to feeding on small animals particularly fish, amphibians & water dwelling invertebrates, however upon obtaining a suitable growth in length their choice in significant prey changes ranging into Akrid crustaceans, waterfowl & mammalian Diremorphs like Direbuffalo, Razorbacks, Raptors, Direquolls & Wargs.
Fully grown adults have the untapped power to target larger & more formidable prey. In Under Bunyips have a record of ambushing large Neofauna both predator & prey alike that would come to quench their thirst by the waters edge. They would target Neofauna such as the Yowie, Hooroo, Garague, Tiddaliks & Dirawongs, all of which would fight to see another day. This strength & ambush tactics stem from their Pellucidarian origins where these Leviathans would use the same techniques on unwary Ryu Neofauna.

Male Bunyips reach sexual maturity at the age of sixteen whereas females mature ages twelve to fifteen. Bunyips undergo seasonal courtships within the months of September & late October, the very periods of the wet seasons when water levels are at their highest. During the months of November & March would lay eggs & exhibit nesting behaviour. It is possible that the wet & rising humid temperatures provoke reproductive behaviour in these Leviathan species.
Female Bunyips select the nesting site however both parents will defend the nesting territory, which is typically a stretch of shore along tidal rivers or freshwater areas, especially swamps. The nests are often found in a surprisingly exposed location, often in mud with little to no vegetation around, and thus limited protection from the sun and wind. The nest is a mound of mud & vegetation where female Bunyips usually scratches a layer of leaves as well as other debris around the nest entrance, this covering is reported to produce a viable amount of warmth for the eggs. Female Bunyips normally lay a clutch ranging from 40-60 eggs although the largest clutch recorded was a total of 90.
Despite the many not many survive the first 52 days as the loss of eggs are often due to flash flooding & ovivorous predators, where in Pellucidar Snallygasters would be lucky snatch third of the Leviathans clutch when relieved on their watch & in Under Dirawongs would often challenge a single brooding parent while the other is relieved of their duties, visibly weakened by exhaustion & hunger.

Of all the Lindorm Leviathan species alongside the Siryn, the Hag & the Kelpie the Bunyip have the strongest tendencies to treat humans as potential prey. Bunyips have the longest history of attacking human settlers who venture unknowingly into their territories, as a result of its power, size & speed, survival of a direct predatory attack is unlikely if the Leviathan is able to make direct contact. The only recommended policy for dealing with Bunyips is to completely avoid their habitat whenever possible, as they are exceedingly aggressive when encroached upon.
However due to fatalities of their attacks several years in a row Paladin interventions are usually summoned to relocate or even slay the beast, if left to become accustomed Bunyips would eventually have the potential to become Anthrophagic class organisms (ACOs) or maneaters. This was displayed in the case of a male specimen named Murray in Darwin where the Leviathan grew bold to target Under Settlers, killing 20-30 settlers within a year. Eventually Murray was terminated Year 5 post Resurgence.
In Pellucidar the native indigenous revered the Bunyip as guardians of the waterways in which many would throw offerings of livestock & meat to appease the Leviathans, granting a safer passage whenever they travel by canoe. The Delta prime clan highly revere the Bunyip & are major contributors to this sacrilegious tributing as their entire village rests within the major channels of the Pellucidar waterways.

BIOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS

Because Bunyips contain salt glands much like certain crocodilian species it has been shown that these Leviathans are able to occupy both fresh & saltwater, a trait uncommon in most Leviathan species under close examination. It is due to these salt glands a Bunyip is able to venture out into open ocean to extend their range of hunting & relocation, a highly plausible approach to answer the speculated theory of how the Leviathan migrated from Pellucidar to the confines of Under. During their journeys Bunyips use oceanic currents to travel long distances in which some tagged specimens ventured alongside the Vale barriers of Queenslands coast estimating that they had traveled 590km (370mi) for 25 nights without rest. Without having the necessity move around much, often simply floating, the current riding behaviour allows the Leviathan a massive conservation of energy.

The jaws of the Bunyip exhibit the strongest bite force of all the Leviathan species, measuring a laboratory grade estimation of 3,695 psi (25,476 n/si). The secret behind this extraordinary bite force lies within the Leviathans anatomy.
The space for the jaw muscles in the Bunyips skull is fairly large in which is visibly shown as two bulges on the sides of its head behind its eyes. The nature of these said muscles are extremely stiff in which are almost as hard as bone, such in a way that it appears to be a continuation of the Leviathans skull. Another trait is that a majority of the muscles in a Bunyips jaw is arranged for clamping down.
Unlike most crocodilian species the teeth of the Bunyip is a set of enlarged caniniforms that are sharp-edged & relatively straight rather than fluted, subconical, recurved teeth. Because of the retroarticular process of the lower jaw is slightly longer than the upper mandible it is assumed that the Leviathan is able to open its jaws rather quickly at a moments notice, with a large gape the jaws allow the opposing caniniforms to clear one another. With the nasal bones fused together they are thought to have provided reinforcement for the jaws against compression associated with a powerful bite.

The Bunyip possesses the bizarre ability to produce, manipulate & absorb water, the means of how does this appears to be mind over matter however a biological process is involved & in actuality is hypothesised to more simple than supernatural. The water manipulated by the Bunyip doesn’t appear to be pure water alone rather mixed with a specialised enzymatic secretion the Leviathan produces through salivary & epidermal glands located in its underbelly, this mixes & adheres to the water that surrounds the Leviathan creating a slime like fluid. This enzyme is externally manipulated by the Bunyip with such ease that the motions of its tail & forearms guide the flow of water through whim, from creating torrents to overwhelm prey to engulfing its target completely in an attempt to drown them. The Bunyip can also cause water to be reabsorbed & adhere to its body like an outer coat, this is merely a form of retaining hydration whenever the Leviathan faces drought or retention during the means of relocating elsewhere without the fear of drying out.

BEHAVIOUR

Bunyips pose an extreme danger towards human settlers as they seem to seldom in restraint when it comes to a potential meal, as these Leviathans cause more human fatalities than any other Leviathan species. Their extremely aggressive territoriality is met with intense cautionary warning towards travellers.