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Description

scientific name: Cannonitheros Chrysocephalia
common name: golden-headed cannon mouth, (Dougaalese) cannon mouth
average weight: 1,800 lbs
average height: ~5 ft

The Cannonitheros Chrysocephalia (golden-headed cannon-beast) is a species of the Cannonitherium genus, which is a genus of the Cannonitheridae family, which is one of the families of the Oplopoda order (gun-foot). The Cannonitheros is the first Dougaalese organism discussed, and it is quite a fitting critter to represent the continent. While the morphologies of Concordian animal biota tend to be relatively conservative in their distinctions and appearances, Dougaalese animal biota morphologies can vary wildly, with the contrast between the two being quite overwhelming at first. We assume the cause of this to be a biotic interchange. Dougaal was, at one point, two sperate landmasses, with then-North Dougaal being connected to Concordia through two land bridges, while then-South Dougaal was a lonely island continent. The Oplopods inahbbited this southern landmass, and as then-North Dougaal broke off from Concordia, it merged with the shifting southern Dougaal, leading to a biotic interchange between the two continents. The interchange caused many animals to go extinct, as better-equipped creatures emerged to take their niche. The Orthiopods, specifically the Stiletocarpids, came into direct competition with the Oplopods, who were the apex predators on then-South Dougaal. But extinction was not the only option. Instead, the Stiletocarpids, with their centaurism and efficient locomotion, were able to hold on to their cursorial, pursuit-hutning ways so defining of the gorup. In additon, the Stiletocarpids adapted to be generalists, with some species hunting both large and smaller prey, with others evolving to be scavengers. On the other hand, the Cannonitheres were able to adapt to an ambush-based style of hunting, of which the targets consist of the Panoplitheres. Through this, the Stiletocarpids and Oplopods could now exist in peace with one another, avoiding extinction.

But moving on, the C. Chrysocephalia is a social creature, often traveling in packs of four, hardly ever joining in more groups. While packs prefer to keep their distance, they don’t really have a problem, we observed, if another pack encroaches on their territory, so long as they get out as quickly as possible. These brutes prefer to live in the frag-forests of Dougaal, where they have enough space to use their gun effectively while also leading their ambush-based lifestyles.

Whereas on Concordia, the Orthiopods rely mostly on their centaurism to catch prey, and in the case of the Leptodons, their jawed trunks, on Dougaal, the predatory Oplopods rely on their biological “gun.” The “gun” is a highly specialized organ in the Oplopods that is exactly what its name describes it as—a biological firearm. The gun itself is not powered on an explosion to propel the projectile, but rather relies on a combination of gas and muscle constructions. When the C. Chrysocephalia hunts its prey, one of the pack-members will run ahead and hide while the other one or two chase it to the kill-zone. Once in the kill-zone, the hiding C. Chrysocephalia will jump out of its hiding spot. The gun, which is a highly derived and specialized extension of the mouth, will fire at the prey. Before a hunt, a process occurs whereby excess fecal matter will be super-compressed in a small extension of the main gut, compressed so fine and hard that it becomes impossible to break unless it is fired out. The fecal-bullet also has a hard shell glossed over it, which helps to keep it as compacted as possible. The process of making the fecal-bullet, which is about the size of a baseball, takes about two minutes, and after it has been made, it will be slid into the “chamber,” which is an offshoot of the throat, ready to be fired at a moment's notice. When ready to be fired, the gun mouth will stiffen with specialized chambers meant to bring blood in, making the gun stiff and steady. When properly stiffened, two lung-like sacks will fill up with as much air as they can hold, and a small organ connecting both of them will quickly turn the air, in a matter of seconds, into a super-pressured, super-condensed gas. The gas will then be combusted and blown out in a sudden burst of energy, and this, coupled with quick muscle contractions, shoots out the fecal-bullet at 400-440 feet per-second, which rockets out and blasts right through the prey. Upon impact, the fecal-bullet will tear apart the skin around the impact-zone, tear through flesh and fat, completely annihilate the bone underneath, and will mash the organs around it like a mortar and pestle. The impact of the bullet and its destructive power kills the animal instantly, leaving no room to escape.
After having shot the fecal-bullet, the pack will quickly descend on the prey and rip it to shreds. Because their gun is so long, it has taken up the role of eating, with the trunk being useless, and so having shrunk, used only in reproduction. To help them rip off chunks of flesh, they make use of their sharp claws to cut and stab prey. To keep their claws sharp, they have evolved to knuckle walk.
While the gun of the Cannonitheros can blast out a projectile at such pulverizing speed, it is only effective at short to medium range (20-30 feet). If the target is any farther, the fecal-bullet quickly loses its killing capability. But this is only for the Cannonitherium. Other Oplostome guns are more akin to sniper-rifles, the fecal-bullet able to kill from over one hundred feet away, which, although pretty short for a gun, is a super menacing weapon to other stithopods who are caught in the crosshair. Others are more akin to shotguns, which can cause an equal amount of damage at close range as the Cannonitheros’ cannon.

Description

scientific name: Cannonitheros Chrysocephalia
common name: golden-headed cannon mouth, (Dougaalese) cannon mouth
average weight: 1,800 lbs
average height: ~5 ft

The Cannonitheros Chrysocephalia (golden-headed cannon-beast) is a species of the Cannonitherium genus, which is a genus of the Cannonitheridae family, which is one of the families of the Oplopoda order (gun-foot). The Cannonitheros is the first Dougaalese organism discussed, and it is quite a fitting critter to represent the continent. While the morphologies of Concordian animal biota tend to be relatively conservative in their distinctions and appearances, Dougaalese animal biota morphologies can vary wildly, with the contrast between the two being quite overwhelming at first. We assume the cause of this to be a biotic interchange. Dougaal was, at one point, two sperate landmasses, with then-North Dougaal being connected to Concordia through two land bridges, while then-South Dougaal was a lonely island continent. The Oplopods inahbbited this southern landmass, and as then-North Dougaal broke off from Concordia, it merged with the shifting southern Dougaal, leading to a biotic interchange between the two continents. The interchange caused many animals to go extinct, as better-equipped creatures emerged to take their niche. The Orthiopods, specifically the Stiletocarpids, came into direct competition with the Oplopods, who were the apex predators on then-South Dougaal. But extinction was not the only option. Instead, the Stiletocarpids, with their centaurism and efficient locomotion, were able to hold on to their cursorial, pursuit-hutning ways so defining of the gorup. In additon, the Stiletocarpids adapted to be generalists, with some species hunting both large and smaller prey, with others evolving to be scavengers. On the other hand, the Cannonitheres were able to adapt to an ambush-based style of hunting, of which the targets consist of the Panoplitheres. Through this, the Stiletocarpids and Oplopods could now exist in peace with one another, avoiding extinction.

But moving on, the C. Chrysocephalia is a social creature, often traveling in packs of four, hardly ever joining in more groups. While packs prefer to keep their distance, they don’t really have a problem, we observed, if another pack encroaches on their territory, so long as they get out as quickly as possible. These brutes prefer to live in the frag-forests of Dougaal, where they have enough space to use their gun effectively while also leading their ambush-based lifestyles.

Whereas on Concordia, the Orthiopods rely mostly on their centaurism to catch prey, and in the case of the Leptodons, their jawed trunks, on Dougaal, the predatory Oplopods rely on their biological “gun.” The “gun” is a highly specialized organ in the Oplopods that is exactly what its name describes it as—a biological firearm. The gun itself is not powered on an explosion to propel the projectile, but rather relies on a combination of gas and muscle constructions. When the C. Chrysocephalia hunts its prey, one of the pack-members will run ahead and hide while the other one or two chase it to the kill-zone. Once in the kill-zone, the hiding C. Chrysocephalia will jump out of its hiding spot. The gun, which is a highly derived and specialized extension of the mouth, will fire at the prey. Before a hunt, a process occurs whereby excess fecal matter will be super-compressed in a small extension of the main gut, compressed so fine and hard that it becomes impossible to break unless it is fired out. The fecal-bullet also has a hard shell glossed over it, which helps to keep it as compacted as possible. The process of making the fecal-bullet, which is about the size of a baseball, takes about two minutes, and after it has been made, it will be slid into the “chamber,” which is an offshoot of the throat, ready to be fired at a moment's notice. When ready to be fired, the gun mouth will stiffen with specialized chambers meant to bring blood in, making the gun stiff and steady. When properly stiffened, two lung-like sacks will fill up with as much air as they can hold, and a small organ connecting both of them will quickly turn the air, in a matter of seconds, into a super-pressured, super-condensed gas. The gas will then be combusted and blown out in a sudden burst of energy, and this, coupled with quick muscle contractions, shoots out the fecal-bullet at 400-440 feet per-second, which rockets out and blasts right through the prey. Upon impact, the fecal-bullet will tear apart the skin around the impact-zone, tear through flesh and fat, completely annihilate the bone underneath, and will mash the organs around it like a mortar and pestle. The impact of the bullet and its destructive power kills the animal instantly, leaving no room to escape.
After having shot the fecal-bullet, the pack will quickly descend on the prey and rip it to shreds. Because their gun is so long, it has taken up the role of eating, with the trunk being useless, and so having shrunk, used only in reproduction. To help them rip off chunks of flesh, they make use of their sharp claws to cut and stab prey. To keep their claws sharp, they have evolved to knuckle walk.
While the gun of the Cannonitheros can blast out a projectile at such pulverizing speed, it is only effective at short to medium range (20-30 feet). If the target is any farther, the fecal-bullet quickly loses its killing capability. But this is only for the Cannonitherium. Other Oplostome guns are more akin to sniper-rifles, the fecal-bullet able to kill from over one hundred feet away, which, although pretty short for a gun, is a super menacing weapon to other stithopods who are caught in the crosshair. Others are more akin to shotguns, which can cause an equal amount of damage at close range as the Cannonitheros’ cannon.