Skoragator

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The Skoragator is a large, carnivorous ophidiosk native to the river and marsh regions of Arrathen in the Lone Galaxy.

Physiology

Skoragators reach up to 5 metres long. They are sinuous, with twelve limbs. The first pair end in paedialps like those of a scorpion, pairs two to four end in claws to grip wet rocks under the water, and the remaining pairs have paddle-like ends for swimming. The body itself ends with a large paddle that undulates, allowing them to reach high speeds underwater.

The creature's head is large, around 70cm long and with a very powerful jaw. Bite forces exceed 25,000kPa, just short of those a crocodile might produce. Their teeth are curved and banana-shaped to grip prey, and the Skoragator itself is well-muscled to allow it to pull prey under the surface, drowning them. The predator itself holds its nostrils just above the water line while waiting, and can spend twenty minutes underwater without needing to go up for air if necessary.

Their eyesight, like that of all ophidiosks, is acute. They are excellent judges of distance and time lunges with exquisite precision.

Large, curved osteoderms develop on their backs, set in the chitin of their exoskeleton. They do not have to moult after their first year of life, as their exoskeleton grows constantly from cuticles set on struts under their flesh to fill any spaces.

Diet

These animals mainly eat land-based ophidiosks coming to drink or cool themselves in the water. They may also eat smaller organisms in the water.

Reproduction

Skoragators are sexual animals, and lay eggs in vegetation on the shore. The mother will guard her eggs, only eating prey that approaches, for the three months until they hatch. They are laid in batches of two to four, and are around 40cm long at birth. Few survive to adulthood due to predations by couatli.

Intelligence and behaviour

Skoragators are not particularly intelligent. They are ambush predators, occasionally coming on to land to grab carrion or to lay their eggs, which they bury by the marsh/river bank.

If they see couatli, their instinctual response is to curl up in a ball, and remain still. Young will attempt to hide under vegetation or adults.

Distribution

Skoragators can be found on both equatorial coasts. They are reasonably common.