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Description
An entry for 's Spec Challenge : a realistic Skullcrawler.
He's going to do this kind of contest occasionally so keep an eye out on his profile if you want to participate. This one's deadline is set for the 27th of March so plenty of time to join in in case you're interested.
I'm happy with him doing these, because it gives me a chance to practise on this kind of stuff because I feel I'm not yet really familiar enough with the concept of speculative evolution.

What we have here is a huge Amphisbaenid with a stupid scientific name ("Gigantic Lizard with a Skull") specially adapted to survive in Skull Island's underground cavities. Some of these formed naturally, but on top of that these reptiles have dug out an enormous network of tunnels closer to the surface. They have powerful arms to dig through the soil and a skull with enlarged scales that offers excellent protection during digging.

Normally they spend their time in their burrows or deeper underground, but when hungry (doesn't happen that often since they're cold blooded) they find themselves a way up to predate on the island's fauna. They detect them by picking up vibrations or to sniff them out with their tongues. Or they wait in line close to the entrance of a burrow, that they cover with dirt, leaves and other material, while lying in ambush directly behind it, or they dig an extra underground passage towards their prey. In case of the latter they sometimes make the passage collapse under the prey's weight so it is trapped for a moment which is all the reptile needs to strike. Their teeth are serated and with a poisonous bite the prey usually doesn't get that far.
"Smaller" prey are simply dragged inside, large animals are allowed to wander off, but are tracked down later because in contrary to small Amphisbaenids these guys aren't shy and dare to leave their burrows. Their front limbs are powerful enough to crawl on land in combination with a coiling motion. They're not fast of course, but that's obviously not necesarry.

As vulnerable they seem to be above the ground, the largest specimens don't need to fear anything since they're apex predators. Young individuals are capable of being a bit faster, but rely on their tails for defense (they also actually tend to hunt more above the ground like snakes). The body of a Skullcrawler is filled with muscle and a full hit by a young animal's tail will cause severe trauma. Imagine what an adult is capable off...
Young animals aren't take care off. Where eggs are laid hasn't been discovered yet, but it obviously will be somewhere in the large underground cavities. Same for mating places. There's a lot of these animals we still know nothing about.

As an extra also a take on the Skerr Buffalo and Kong because if I downsize the Skullcrawler I have to do that too with the other animals.

Description
An entry for 's Spec Challenge : a realistic Skullcrawler.
He's going to do this kind of contest occasionally so keep an eye out on his profile if you want to participate. This one's deadline is set for the 27th of March so plenty of time to join in in case you're interested.
I'm happy with him doing these, because it gives me a chance to practise on this kind of stuff because I feel I'm not yet really familiar enough with the concept of speculative evolution.

What we have here is a huge Amphisbaenid with a stupid scientific name ("Gigantic Lizard with a Skull") specially adapted to survive in Skull Island's underground cavities. Some of these formed naturally, but on top of that these reptiles have dug out an enormous network of tunnels closer to the surface. They have powerful arms to dig through the soil and a skull with enlarged scales that offers excellent protection during digging.

Normally they spend their time in their burrows or deeper underground, but when hungry (doesn't happen that often since they're cold blooded) they find themselves a way up to predate on the island's fauna. They detect them by picking up vibrations or to sniff them out with their tongues. Or they wait in line close to the entrance of a burrow, that they cover with dirt, leaves and other material, while lying in ambush directly behind it, or they dig an extra underground passage towards their prey. In case of the latter they sometimes make the passage collapse under the prey's weight so it is trapped for a moment which is all the reptile needs to strike. Their teeth are serated and with a poisonous bite the prey usually doesn't get that far.
"Smaller" prey are simply dragged inside, large animals are allowed to wander off, but are tracked down later because in contrary to small Amphisbaenids these guys aren't shy and dare to leave their burrows. Their front limbs are powerful enough to crawl on land in combination with a coiling motion. They're not fast of course, but that's obviously not necesarry.

As vulnerable they seem to be above the ground, the largest specimens don't need to fear anything since they're apex predators. Young individuals are capable of being a bit faster, but rely on their tails for defense (they also actually tend to hunt more above the ground like snakes). The body of a Skullcrawler is filled with muscle and a full hit by a young animal's tail will cause severe trauma. Imagine what an adult is capable off...
Young animals aren't take care off. Where eggs are laid hasn't been discovered yet, but it obviously will be somewhere in the large underground cavities. Same for mating places. There's a lot of these animals we still know nothing about.

As an extra also a take on the Skerr Buffalo and Kong because if I downsize the Skullcrawler I have to do that too with the other animals.