 | |
| Tidanel | |
|---|---|
| Average Height |
1 m |
| Average Length |
2 m |
The tidanel is a quadrupedal species approximately a meter high and two meters in length. The thick tail is almost as long as the rest of the body and the legs make up about a third of the height. The hind legs of a tidanel are stronger and thicker than the forelegs and allow the tidanel to stand erect for a brief period of time. The forelegs are capable of a wider range of motion and have longer, grasping digits, including a thumb.
The head of a tidanel is located at the front of the body as opposed to above the shoulders. A hard beak shapes the mouth and conceals rows of blunt teeth. Above are a pair of large forward facing eyes. At the back of the head grows a bony frill averaging a foot in length and two inches thick which leans back to protect the neck. The head is one of the few places where hair is located on the tidanel's body, eyelashes around the eyes. Tidanels are mostly hairless, instead being covered by rough leathery skin that comes in a variety of colors, with the underbelly being a different color from the rest of the body.
Tidanels are endothermic and active throughout the day. Their herbivorous nature requires them to consume large quantities of vegetation on a regular basis. Their poor night vision limits activity from sunset till dawn, but despite their bulk they can maintain a steady pace to keep ahead of danger. Female tidanels are monotreme; they lay eggs, as many as three at a time, instead of giving birth.
Tidanels are one of the three species in the Triple Alliance.