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Willopin (Willoasterus ferox)
Creator: Disgustedorite
Ancestor: Eriken
Habitat: East Darwin Chaparral, Darwin Tropical Savanna, Darwin Monsoon Forest, Darwin Tropical Rainforest, Darwin Subtropical Woodland
Size: 1.6 meters long (Excluding Tail)
Support: Endoskeleton (Bone)
Diet: Carnivore (Pinsyk, Eriken, Azdasnatch, Azderoo, Catbug, Hoppok, Hornsnap, Hyenaroach, Pumbug, Rummagebug, Sagmalix, Sentrok, Pelsoli, weak and juvenile Great Hystin)
Respiration: Active (Lungs)
Thermoregulation: Heterotherm
Reproduction: Sexual (Male and Female, Live Birth)

With the end-Binucleozoic extinction event, the domination of arthrotheres in Darwin was greatly disrupted and all large predatory arthrotheres had become extinct. This left a plethora of open niches, and the willopin was quick to rise up as a new major predator. With hemerythrin as its blood pigment, the Willopin was able to thrive with the lower oxygen levels and grew four times its ancestor’s size. Due to its larger size, to reduce risk of injury, the sliding foreleg-pelvis system of its ancestor has been abandoned and its torso is once again almost completely stiff. Similarly, the last two tibials on each limb are shortened, giving it only three major limb segments which can therefore better support its weight. It is heterothermic, increasing its metabolism and producing body heat when active.

The willopin makes use of long grappling facial arms and a long flexible grasping tail to grapple with prey. The face arms allow it to completely bypass spikes, rendering the defenses of its spiny cousins useless against it. It can also just grab small creatures off the ground around it with its tail. It is a solitary hunter, and outside the context of breeding it will threaten and sometimes fight others of its own kind if they invade its territory. It has large flat scales on its face which protect it from the bites of others of its kind.

The Willopin has two main modes of locomotion: an ambling walk and a faster bounding run. When walking, its tail is held out behind it and swings from side to side, keeping its center of gravity over its lateral limbs. It also walks plantigrade on its heels, splaying its toes to help keep its balance. When running, its tail does not have to be held behind it, though it usually will be anyway. It is digitigrade while running. Like with walking, running is mainly focused on its hind legs. At full speed, it does not use its forelimb at all, hopping entirely bipedally.

The willopin, like its ancestor, chooses mates based on the length of its twin face quills and performs parental care. It does not carry its babies on its back, instead keeping them safe in a hidden den made of leaves, to which it brings food. The parents take turns guarding this den until the juveniles metamorphose into miniature adults. After this, the family parts ways and the juveniles start feeding themselves.

Is this a Willosaur reference

QUOTE (colddigger @ Feb 13 2023, 12:28 AM)

Is this a Willosaur reference

Yes. Convergence on its body form was kinda inevitable

Is there a skeletal model for that front limb?

I'm curious about joints and soft tissue tubing.

The leg structure is surprisingly similar to Alpha saucebacks, though far from identical. I'll probably sketch something up sometime. There's a few much earlier ancestors with skeletals though.

Ooh, I see that, it's pretty nice.

Interesting that the intestine and stomach are unrelated organs.