Ziz

The Ziz is the largest flying vertebrate on all of Elonios, having a wingspan of 22 meters. A cosmopolitan species, it can be found all over the moon. A group of ziz is called an airport.

Ecology & Ethology: Ziz can fly halfway across Elonios without needing to land, because they can be found in every landmass, their ecology varies depending on the native wildlife. Ziz have been reported to fly at altitudes up to 10km, although they usually fly at 50m-2km high. They're usually scavengers, however they are known and have been seen killing live prey, usually epipleozoans smaller than it. Their presence attracts the attention of smaller flyers like follower bentians, which have a communalistic relationship by feeding off of the meals from the ziz as well as being protected from predators due to the ziz's large size. Ziz and the symbiotic bentians have been seen cleaning balloonbacks by eating dead skin and parasites. Interspecific relationships varies, usually they'll ignore each other or act peaceful, sometimes they'll intimidate & rarely, they fight. Ziz and jet skewers have an interesting relationship, both hunt each other, however ziz only kill the young and then just leave the bodies, not eating them, as if the ziz have a hatred for jet skewers. Although not recorded, it's hypothesized these animals feel grief and this could be the reason why they kill jet skewer young for seemingly no reason.

Biology: Ziz are a very genetically diverse species due to their cosmopolitan distribution, you can tell the difference between genetically distinct ziz by their stripe patterns, beak shape, wing shape, shade of color & eye color. Unlike all other species of pinnasaurs which have horizontal tail fans, the ziz's tail fan is vertical which helps it to steer when flying. Strangely, Ziz is the only genus in the Megalofalcitaxidae family that is capable of powered flight.

Reproduction: Ziz mate for life, they go to mountains to nest and lay eggs but the biggest & most well known nesting colony can be found in the Barlowe Mountains of Aliuloco, they usually lay 3-5 eggs, newborns called concordlets are covered in fuzz to keep themselves warm. The males often leave to get food while the females stay to take care of the offspring which ziz are very defensive of. Other than their reproductive organs, the males & females are identical in appearance.