Retsgnag

The retsgnag (Infrarufus monopus) is a species of large infrarufid esreveriform and the most well known of its order.

Taxonomy:

The retsgnag is the type species of the genus Infrarufus and by extension, the subfamily Infrarufinae and its larger family, Infrarufidae. As an infrarufid, it is considered more derived than esreveriforms in the superfamily Aliumonosauroidea but more basal than species such as the horned suineg.

Anatomy:

Its physical characteristics are similar to most other esreveriforms, with a theropod-like body shape supported by a single, fused leg. Upper size estimates place it at 11 and a half feet, or twice the length of a Siberian tiger. Like other esreveriforms, the retsgnag is blind due to its lack of eyes. To make up for this, its nose is filled to the brim with heat-sensitive and olfactory cells, allowing it to sniff out prey more effectively. Cavities on the side of the retsgnag's skull form heat pits used to enhance their infrared detection, like vipers on Earth. It possesses four arms, the second pair being reduced in size compared to the first, with each one being tipped with a single claw; the claws on the front pair are longer than the back pair. Its body is coated in gray scales and osteoderms on the back that help it camouflage among the rocky peaks of its native habitat. Its long tail is tipped with a club-like sheath that protects the female's ovipositor so that it is not damaged. The retsgnag's skull is adorned with a keratinous covering and filled to the brim with sharp teeth.

Ethology:

Like many other esreveriforms, the retsgnag is highly intelligent and quite social, hunting in small but tightly-knit packs, or "gangs" of between eight and twenty members, from which it gets its backwards name. It is highly aggressive towards other animals, even picking fights with other retsgnags in the same pack to establish dominance; when faced with something much larger than it is, it will try to scare it away by repeatedly barking, emitting a high-pitched sound that has been described as a mixture of a crocodile's bellow and a bat's screech. If two packs of retsgnags meet, they will fight ferociously until the other is killed off or decided to retreat; this behavior is a territorial dispute. Retsgnags take good care of their offspring, feeding them before the other members of their pack to ensure that they have a better chance of survival. However, if the pack exceeds its maximum capacity, retsgnags will oust their older pack-mates to ensure that they don't spread food too thinly.

Ecology:

The retsgnag is native to the expansive Whitlatch Mountains of Verticala and like most esreveriforms, is a carnivore. It is one of the apex predators in its habitat, and as such has very few, if any predators; its only real threat comes from competitiors, like the ziz or sicklehands.