HOME | DD

Description

I…am a weak, weak man… I said…no…pterosaurs…in KR… Rodan was to be the last of the lineage… I told myself…it didn’t matter how awesome a draconic rhamphorhynchoid, or titanic pteranodontid, or twisted azhdarchid would be…I’d have to suck it up…plenty of other flying creatures to pick up… But then I had to go and read Ethan Pettus’ Primitive War…depicting quill-tongued Quetzalcoatlus tearing people limb from limb… And I couldn’t hold out any longer. But this is it! Just this damned thing and Rodan!... And perhaps one more – But then that’s it!... Then maybe just one more…
Anyway, on with today's installment...

--------------------------

Piranha Croc: Lurking through the swamps and rivers of Skull Island, the ravenous Piranha Crocs are some of the better-avoided amphibious hypervores. Usually not very common, they spawn en masse, leaving huge clutches of eggs buried in hidden lairs of radiation pockets. The eggs can remain dormant for many years, waiting for the exact temperatures and radiation levels that suit rapid development. When they finally do hatch, they are absolutely insatiable, growing quickly on a diet of whatever can’t get away fast enough. They retain this swarming behavior as adults, and sufficient meals may lead to secondary spikes in population sizes, resulting in wave after ravenous wave of predators capable of striping most of what they come in contact with to the bone. Such swarm events are thankfully rare and usually swiftly dealt with by other predators and the Piranha Crocs themselves, as cannibalism in common among them. One individual seems to have found a means of breaking free of the cycle for herself. This especially large female, nicknamed “Lizzie”, appears able to temper her metabolism by consuming her smaller brethren, playing an avid role in her own species’ regulation. Her uncanny presence near the origin of many swarm events has led to the speculation that she is in fact the primary source of the Piranha Croc race, and now utilizes them as a means of attaining new energy and mass… Length: 12 to 17 feet (Lizzie: 230 feet).

Skin Bird: These monstrous florafauna are highly evolved descendants of azhdarchid pterosaurs, distantly related to the mighty Rodan. Their tall, slender bodies and bark-like skin lend to perfect camouflage among the sparser forests where they remain motionless for days or weeks at a time. They allow their bodies to become coated with mosses, lichens, and fern-like growths to become even more immersed with the environment. They await bite-sized prey to wander close, then strike out with prehensile tongues covered in sharp quills from whence there is little chance of escape. They have poor vision, relying primarily on vibrations and air pressure to detect prey. They therefore take flight only rarely to migrate to new feeding grounds. Height: 65 to 75 feet.

Cobrex: These enormous serpents can be found in the island’s highland areas where they make their nests in the many volcanic or semi-volcanic caves along the mountainsides. Obtaining most energy from these geothermal sources, they rarely descend to feed, and oftentimes they simply make meals of those fellow kaiju seeking the energy for themselves, provided they can defeat them, of course. Their bodies are extensively armored, forming a tough exoskeleton along their dorsal surface, while their ribs have mutated into many pairs of segmented legs. Their tails end in false heads with secondary hoods which they use to distract enemies or prey as they prepare to strike with very potent venom. Should they be mortally injured, Cobrex can ensure survival in two ways. Firstly, they always carry at least two offspring within themselves, ready to escape should the parental body be defeated. Alternatively, if their heads take too much damage, their tail-ends will detach and slither way, eventually developing into a fully functional new head that regrows its own body. Some Iwi legends say that the most powerful individuals are able to manifest a head on both ends, which display deadly levels of coordination. Length: 150 to 200 feet.

Congalala: While Kong is the most famous and central primate of Skull Island, he is by no means the only simian-derived creature. The Congalala appear to be developed from baboons and are among the more…unsavory of beasts. Whereas most creatures of the hyper-competitive island protect themselves with armor, camouflage, or swiftness, the Congalala’s preferred defensive strategy seems to be by being…simply disgusting. They consume a wide range of decaying pant and fungal matter, which ferments in several chambers within their gut. The constant belching and flatulence generated by a troop releases toxic fumes to mark their territories and drive off other herbivores. Hostility is shown to almost anything that enters their area, and agitated or angered Congalala will use projectile/explosive vomit and defecation tactics. In addition to the foul odor, these fluids are practically made up of colonies of septic bacteria, also found along their tusks and nails. Their favorite source of food is a certain type of highly infectious fungus found in deep, isolated regions of the jungles. Congalala are among the only creatures immune to it, and are a primary force in its regulation. Thus, while not the most pleasant monsters, Congalala are a useful part of the ecology. There seems to be an apex member of the species, though, dubbed an agent of Chaos by the Iwi, which seems to be purposefully slackening this role… Length: 12 to 15 feet.

Carnophagus: Unlike the dreaded Vastatosaurs, the Carnophagus has managed to avoid the pitfall of hypervory. These large tyrannosaurs are equal parts scavengers and predators. Their larger size is useful in both driving away other carnivores from a kill and overpowering small-to-mid-sized prey. Their thick-skinned hides and razor-sharp mane of feathers affords them protection, and they are able to assume a more upright stance than non-kaiju theropods to both intimidate and observe their surroundings. To forage for smaller prey, their tongues are elastic and quite sticky, similar to a frog's. Though often seen alone, they do form mated pairs to raise their young, preferring to nest within the bamboo forests. The rage incurred by killing these creatures’ chicks is enough to dissuade even Mother Longlegs, which instinctively avoid the scent of a nest or young. For this reason, the Iwi sometimes salvage abandoned nests to gather materials such as eggshells and shed feathers to ward off the arachnids’ themselves. As adults, Carnophagus are among the top meat eaters of Skull Island apart from the Gorosaurs. Length: 250 to 330 feet.

Catoblepas: These unusual herbivorous mammals are of disputable ancestry. Though sharing characteristics with proboscideans, they also seem to possess features more common to tapiroideans. They seem to represent yet another example of the extensive genetic drift available to kaijufied creatures of Skull Island. Their tough hides are reinforced with subdermal scutes and an array of quills along their humped backs. Their tails also end in large thagomizers which they can use to great effect. They gather food with their trunks, while their tusks and colorful ears are more for display, though the patterns on their ears are similar to highly poisonous types of endemic butterflies that may serve as an extra deterrent to predators. They are shy, hermit-like animals that are rarely seen, but will always present a challenge if tracked down or cornered. Length: 50 to 60 feet.

---------------------------

Creature Inspirations:
Piranha Croc: Lizzie of Rampage 2018.
Skin Bird: Named after creature in The World of Kong artbook 2005, primarily based on azhdarchid depictions in Primitive War novel by Ethan Pettus 2018.
Cobrex: Based on King Cobra from Godzilla: The Series 1998, and used snake kaiju Garasharp of Gamera franchise.
Congalala: Creature of Monster Hunter franchise, and elements of Chaos of Primal Rage franchise.
Carnophagus: “Meat Eater” theropod depictions of King Kong 1933, Kong: King of Skull Island novel by Joe Devitto 2005, and depictions in Jurassic Park novel by Michael Crichton 1990.
Catoblepas: Creature of Ethiopian folklore, partly inspired by Final Fantasy depiction.
Additional influences via help of Lediblock2. Thanks, as always. 😊

Description

I…am a weak, weak man… I said…no…pterosaurs…in KR… Rodan was to be the last of the lineage… I told myself…it didn’t matter how awesome a draconic rhamphorhynchoid, or titanic pteranodontid, or twisted azhdarchid would be…I’d have to suck it up…plenty of other flying creatures to pick up… But then I had to go and read Ethan Pettus’ Primitive War…depicting quill-tongued Quetzalcoatlus tearing people limb from limb… And I couldn’t hold out any longer. But this is it! Just this damned thing and Rodan!... And perhaps one more – But then that’s it!... Then maybe just one more…
Anyway, on with today's installment...

--------------------------

Piranha Croc: Lurking through the swamps and rivers of Skull Island, the ravenous Piranha Crocs are some of the better-avoided amphibious hypervores. Usually not very common, they spawn en masse, leaving huge clutches of eggs buried in hidden lairs of radiation pockets. The eggs can remain dormant for many years, waiting for the exact temperatures and radiation levels that suit rapid development. When they finally do hatch, they are absolutely insatiable, growing quickly on a diet of whatever can’t get away fast enough. They retain this swarming behavior as adults, and sufficient meals may lead to secondary spikes in population sizes, resulting in wave after ravenous wave of predators capable of striping most of what they come in contact with to the bone. Such swarm events are thankfully rare and usually swiftly dealt with by other predators and the Piranha Crocs themselves, as cannibalism in common among them. One individual seems to have found a means of breaking free of the cycle for herself. This especially large female, nicknamed “Lizzie”, appears able to temper her metabolism by consuming her smaller brethren, playing an avid role in her own species’ regulation. Her uncanny presence near the origin of many swarm events has led to the speculation that she is in fact the primary source of the Piranha Croc race, and now utilizes them as a means of attaining new energy and mass… Length: 12 to 17 feet (Lizzie: 230 feet).

Skin Bird: These monstrous florafauna are highly evolved descendants of azhdarchid pterosaurs, distantly related to the mighty Rodan. Their tall, slender bodies and bark-like skin lend to perfect camouflage among the sparser forests where they remain motionless for days or weeks at a time. They allow their bodies to become coated with mosses, lichens, and fern-like growths to become even more immersed with the environment. They await bite-sized prey to wander close, then strike out with prehensile tongues covered in sharp quills from whence there is little chance of escape. They have poor vision, relying primarily on vibrations and air pressure to detect prey. They therefore take flight only rarely to migrate to new feeding grounds. Height: 65 to 75 feet.

Cobrex: These enormous serpents can be found in the island’s highland areas where they make their nests in the many volcanic or semi-volcanic caves along the mountainsides. Obtaining most energy from these geothermal sources, they rarely descend to feed, and oftentimes they simply make meals of those fellow kaiju seeking the energy for themselves, provided they can defeat them, of course. Their bodies are extensively armored, forming a tough exoskeleton along their dorsal surface, while their ribs have mutated into many pairs of segmented legs. Their tails end in false heads with secondary hoods which they use to distract enemies or prey as they prepare to strike with very potent venom. Should they be mortally injured, Cobrex can ensure survival in two ways. Firstly, they always carry at least two offspring within themselves, ready to escape should the parental body be defeated. Alternatively, if their heads take too much damage, their tail-ends will detach and slither way, eventually developing into a fully functional new head that regrows its own body. Some Iwi legends say that the most powerful individuals are able to manifest a head on both ends, which display deadly levels of coordination. Length: 150 to 200 feet.

Congalala: While Kong is the most famous and central primate of Skull Island, he is by no means the only simian-derived creature. The Congalala appear to be developed from baboons and are among the more…unsavory of beasts. Whereas most creatures of the hyper-competitive island protect themselves with armor, camouflage, or swiftness, the Congalala’s preferred defensive strategy seems to be by being…simply disgusting. They consume a wide range of decaying pant and fungal matter, which ferments in several chambers within their gut. The constant belching and flatulence generated by a troop releases toxic fumes to mark their territories and drive off other herbivores. Hostility is shown to almost anything that enters their area, and agitated or angered Congalala will use projectile/explosive vomit and defecation tactics. In addition to the foul odor, these fluids are practically made up of colonies of septic bacteria, also found along their tusks and nails. Their favorite source of food is a certain type of highly infectious fungus found in deep, isolated regions of the jungles. Congalala are among the only creatures immune to it, and are a primary force in its regulation. Thus, while not the most pleasant monsters, Congalala are a useful part of the ecology. There seems to be an apex member of the species, though, dubbed an agent of Chaos by the Iwi, which seems to be purposefully slackening this role… Length: 12 to 15 feet.

Carnophagus: Unlike the dreaded Vastatosaurs, the Carnophagus has managed to avoid the pitfall of hypervory. These large tyrannosaurs are equal parts scavengers and predators. Their larger size is useful in both driving away other carnivores from a kill and overpowering small-to-mid-sized prey. Their thick-skinned hides and razor-sharp mane of feathers affords them protection, and they are able to assume a more upright stance than non-kaiju theropods to both intimidate and observe their surroundings. To forage for smaller prey, their tongues are elastic and quite sticky, similar to a frog's. Though often seen alone, they do form mated pairs to raise their young, preferring to nest within the bamboo forests. The rage incurred by killing these creatures’ chicks is enough to dissuade even Mother Longlegs, which instinctively avoid the scent of a nest or young. For this reason, the Iwi sometimes salvage abandoned nests to gather materials such as eggshells and shed feathers to ward off the arachnids’ themselves. As adults, Carnophagus are among the top meat eaters of Skull Island apart from the Gorosaurs. Length: 250 to 330 feet.

Catoblepas: These unusual herbivorous mammals are of disputable ancestry. Though sharing characteristics with proboscideans, they also seem to possess features more common to tapiroideans. They seem to represent yet another example of the extensive genetic drift available to kaijufied creatures of Skull Island. Their tough hides are reinforced with subdermal scutes and an array of quills along their humped backs. Their tails also end in large thagomizers which they can use to great effect. They gather food with their trunks, while their tusks and colorful ears are more for display, though the patterns on their ears are similar to highly poisonous types of endemic butterflies that may serve as an extra deterrent to predators. They are shy, hermit-like animals that are rarely seen, but will always present a challenge if tracked down or cornered. Length: 50 to 60 feet.

---------------------------

Creature Inspirations:
Piranha Croc: Lizzie of Rampage 2018.
Skin Bird: Named after creature in The World of Kong artbook 2005, primarily based on azhdarchid depictions in Primitive War novel by Ethan Pettus 2018.
Cobrex: Based on King Cobra from Godzilla: The Series 1998, and used snake kaiju Garasharp of Gamera franchise.
Congalala: Creature of Monster Hunter franchise, and elements of Chaos of Primal Rage franchise.
Carnophagus: “Meat Eater” theropod depictions of King Kong 1933, Kong: King of Skull Island novel by Joe Devitto 2005, and depictions in Jurassic Park novel by Michael Crichton 1990.
Catoblepas: Creature of Ethiopian folklore, partly inspired by Final Fantasy depiction.
Additional influences via help of Lediblock2. Thanks, as always. 😊