Tromobrachids

This group bears yet another set of extraordinary adaptations
that elicit the popular phrase, “it could only happen in Thalassia.”
Fusing their second heads with their “sternums” and front limbs,
Tromobrachids have evolved the strongest jaw-equivalents in all of Snaiad;
stronger even than the hydraulic bites of the Kahydroniformes, with the
advantage of being able to bite, chew and swallow from the same “mouth”. Not
involved with feeding anymore, their first heads have become thin,
periscope-like organs useful only for observation, grooming and breeding. Fast,
large and powerful, the only thing stopping the Tromobrachids’ complete takeover
of predatory niches on Snaiad has been the isolated location of Thalassia.
Despite these advantages, their evolutionary confinement in the island continent
has led to a very low species count for this group, not more than seven
according to the latest data. Unusual aquatic Tromobrachids are known from the
fossil record.

Species: Seismopus kurash
Common Name: See Rex
Size: 9
meters long.
Habitat: All across Thalassia.

Weighing well over a ton, this giant is easily one of the
biggest predators in all of Snaiad. It regularly hunts large Titans and
herbivorous Monoanticherans, and has even been observed killing (but not
eating,) predatory Volugnaths almost as large as itself.

Beneath its fame as the largest predator on Thalassia,
Seismopus is a pretty ordinary Tromobrachid, with its arms melded
together into muscular, crushing jaws. Although quite sturdy, its arm-jaws still
retain limited sideways movement and can open up to “embrace” large prey items.
Two nostrils on each side of its arms give the disquieting illusion of eyes, and
are also responsible for Seismopus’ famous, sonorous stereo roar. The
first head bears a well-developed throat pouch that females use to carry their
hard-shelled, boxy eggs around. In males, a huge, flag-like genital folds up
into the same space.

Species: Ammodromeus hesperus
Common Name:
Sandrunner.
Size: 3-6 meters long.
Habitat: Interior regions of
Thalassia.

This smaller Tromobrachid prowls the hot interior of Thalassia,
feeding on Pistonopodid Bounderjaws and snake-eating Mikados.
Ammodromeus is a pursuit predator and relentlessly runs after its prey,
eventually exhausting it. Although individuals have been observed grouping
together to chase down larger prey, this behavior is a simple result of
intersecting interests rather than any genuine pack behavior.

These animals have a number of unusual characteristics that
make them stand out among Tromobrachids. These include a shaggy coat of enlarged
“hair,” a very short neck, hyper-extended chest keels and moveable claw “teeth”
in their arm-jaws. They have the anomalous habit of swallowing their prey in a
single bite, “walking” the dead body into their cavernous mouths with their
claw-teeth. After eating, they usually rest for several days before getting up
to run again. “Vomit piles” containing the indigestible hard parts of their prey
are a common sign of Ammodromeus in the Thalassian interior. There are
two species of Ammodromeus, one of which is smaller and brighter
colored than the other.

Species: Osteophagus macrodirus
Common Names: Graboid,
Stinkfowl.
Size: Up to 3 meters long.
Habitat: Thalassian plains and
forests.

While some Tromobrachids like Ammodromeus have mobile
and extensible arm-jaws, this species has its arms fused into solid, bone-like
jaws. Furthermore, the hydraulic muscles that close their arms are buttressed
straight against the ventral skid, using the whole body’s support for extra
power. Not surprisingly, Osteophagus has the strongest “bite” (or in
the Tromobrachids’ case, hug,) in all of Snaiad, easily enough to crack open and
consume bones. These animals spend most of their lives as scavengers, using
their long, periscope-like first heads to spot kill sites and rotting carcasses
on the Thalassian plains. They have also been observed accompanying larger
Tromobrachids on hunts, waiting patiently for them to finish eating and then
moving in to feast on the leftovers. Another favorite food source is
Ammodromeus “vomit piles”, which are eaten with a special relish.
However, scavenging alone is not enough to support these animals and they
frequently supplement their diet with small Bounderjaw species or thick-shelled
Thalassiochelid Cannonballs, which they crack open like nuts.

Their fetid diet gives Osteocephalus’ a deadly array of
contagious microorganisms breeding around their arm-jaws, which they practically
use like venom for hunting or defense. Sometimes, however, even they catch
infections and fall sick. Such individuals have been observed crunching
Erythrophyte wood, perhaps for its medicinal properties.

Species: Psittacocephalus precursor
Common Name:
None.
Size: 2-4 meters long.
Habitat: Ur-thalassia.

A hint to how this amazing group evolved can be found on the
island of Ur-thalassia, which lies right next to the Thalassian mainland.
Extremely rare and its population concentrated in a precious few valleys,
Psittacocephalus feeds on small animals it captures by smothering them
into its chest-based second-head mouth, which is surrounded by small, teeth-like
projections and a primitive version of the upper jaw keel that is so prominent
in more “advanced” Tromobrachids. While it has no proper arm-jaws,
Psittacocephalus can still use its free-swinging arms like jaws by
pressing them against its chest area.

Despite its archaic characteristics, this animal also bears a
number of unique adaptations that mark it off as a sideline rather than an
ancestor. Its head bears a very large, brightly colored beak that males knock
together in competitions of sexual prowess. The legs and feet, while
superficially similar to those of other Tromobrachids, nevertheless have a
unique construction. For these reasons, Psittacocephalus is classified
all by itself in the Protobrachid clade; a sister group to all other
Tromobrachids.

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