Shiksis (/ʒɪksɪs/)
A man-made hybrid bred from domesticated shikrrah and (semi-)domesticated sis'rah, shiksises are large predatory animals used for a variety of purposes. Descending specifically from a male shikrrah and a female sis'rah, shiksises don't occur in nature, their parent species too divergent in size and behavior. Despite this, they are genetically close enough to not only produce hybrid offspring, but to produce viable offspring: shiksises are fully capable of reproducing with other shiksises, or with either parent species.
Sis'rah are highly valued animals among the native lih'rah, but incredibly rare, as they are only semi-domesticated, and even their longest running bloodlines descend from the wild only recently, and may produce animals that can't be considered tame in any way. Which is troublesome in some animals, but especially so with the sis'rah, predatory animals with a head as long as a lih'rah's torso, and who would regularly target prey that size or bigger.
Unlike the sis'rah, shikrrah are a common sight among the lih'rah, and their domestication dates back about as far as the lih'rah as a species do. Much smaller in size, they only reach a lih'rah's hip, and they are seen among all lih'rah cultures.
While crossing the shikrrah with an animal so much larger and more powerful than it might have been foolish, it worked out brilliantly. Shiksises are smaller than sis'rah, but still almost as tall as lih'rah in the shoulders, and taller if measured from the head. As such, they lend themselves to much the same tasks that sis'rah were domesticated for: as mounts, and as beast of burden. Additionally, their speed and maneuverability makes them excellent hunting companions as well, much like their shikrrah parents.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Shiksises, as a hybrid species, bear strong resemblance to both parent species. They have long, flexible bodies, with a long neck and a tail longer than the rest of the body added up together. Their six legs (set in three pairs) are relatively short, and count four toes on each paw (with a dewclaw on the front two pairs).
Their heads are fairly triangular, seen from the side, with a long narrow muzzle but strong jaw muscles, large cheeks, and big eyes. They lack the hard bony crest of a sis'rah, as well as the mandible-like external fangs. They still have fangs, however, long slim things attached to the roof of the mouth, separate from the regular dentition. Like with shikrrah, who also have internal fangs, they are typically collapsed, lying flat against the roof of the mouth, but can be swung down to use.
Like both parent species, shiksises have no visible pupil, with their large eyes appearing as a solid color. They have an extensive dewlap, extending down most of their throat.
Shiksises have hard armored plating along their spine, like sis'rah, but unlike them, lack the plating on their limbs and tail. They also have the same biolumiscent patches as a shikrrah, bordering their spine plates on either side of the body, but also found on the cheeks and tail. This glowing liquid is also stored in the claws, making them glow dully, and can be expelled by flexing the claws just right, a trait used by shikrrah to claim territory.
Finally, shiksises have a large array of ihlah, sensory organs bearing some similarity to antennae, thin flexible things with a thicker, glowing end. They have a crest of them on the head, running from the tip of the nose to about halfway down the neck, splitting at the back of the head to run on either side of the spine plates, attaching between them. They also have three rows running down their throat, attached to the dewlap: the center row being moderately long, with the two outer rows being shorter and attaching further up the dewlap, closer to the throat.
They also have a crest of ihlah on the hips, running in a line from one side to the other, with the outermost ihlah attaching at the base of the back legs. Finally, they have four rows of ihlahs on the tail, with a longer row on the inside/downside of either side of the tail, and a shorter row on the sides of the tail.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Shiksises have moderately good vision, but poor hearing, and an almost non-existent sense of taste. Their sense of smell and touch, however, are excellent, powered by their ihlah. They see well in the dark, but are easily blinded by bright lights, owing to their subterranean homes. Their hearing is also extremely limited in range, with only moderately low sounds registering, though deeper sounds can be sensed as vibrations in their ihlah (but not understood as hearing).
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