Corpse Weasel

A small to medium sized genus of animals that feed primarily on rotting flesh and fruits.

Description

All members of this genus have long cylindrical bodies and short legs, with feet and claws designed for digging and climbing. Head is typically semi-long and triangular, with large eyes and sharp, cutting teeth. Tail is of variable length, with the more aboral species having semi-prehensile tails. Most are hairless, but a few have scales down their spines. All species have two rows, one on either side of the spine on the back, of spike-like protrusions that end in a small sac full of spores.

Habitat

Marshlands, swamps and forests, all of which give them plenty of place to hide during the day.

Diet

Omnivorous, however, their jaws are too weak to enable them to hunt for themselves, thus they prefer to feed on the dead, hence the name. The reason for this diet is to feed the fungus with into sacs on it's spikes, which it has a symbiotic relationship with.

Behavior

Mostly nocturnal, corpse weasels sleep in burrows or holes in trees until nightfall. Once on the move, they use their keen sense of smell to track down corpses and rotting fruit. Cautious and patient, they will hide and wait for any other scavengers to finish before moving in to eat, happily eating the most putrid of the flesh which many animals will not touch.
If threatened, corpse weasels will flee to the nearest hole. When cornered, they hiss and raise the spikes on their backs before they start shaking said spikes. This act causes the sacs at the top of these spikes collide and release a putrid, horrible smelling spores, which repels most attackers. For the larger species, these sacs constantly emit some of these spores, resulting in them leaving a 'stink trail' where ever they go.
Some blame these creatures for the scourge of Corpse Puffs, however, the fungus the corpse weasel's utilize is of a different species.