Mauler Boarshark

Laniotyrannus uncognathus is a Scrofodontine Oniid amphibian from the tropical waters of the Gulf Sea.
The animal lives in the open waters far from the Tropical Reefs of the Gulf Sea but will approach them seasonally to hunt young Chalybomaxillae fulmineus.
L. uncognathus is at the top of the trophic chain in its habitat only fearing other members of its species; the young, however, can become prey to Tartarosomnians like Gulf Sea Limns, Hijerakids such as large Xiphicephalids and pressionatatids like large Vertigololiginids or tropical Raptorotentaculids.
The animal evolved a specialized dentition with few, very large, teeth made to lacerate prey and penetrate deep into it, the jaw can deliver bites strong enough to crush bones and armour, while the lack of any form of dorsal armour, characteristic of the family, gives it improved mobility to shake the head sideways to maximize damage, tearing apart prey and causing concussions and physical traumas.
While to the inexperienced eye it might seem as if the species uses the whole mouth to bite, L. uncognathus in actuality only uses the premaxillary section, meaning only a small fraction of the mouth is used in predation; the teeth starting from the large maxillary onward are for display purposes. While it's not uncommon to see the animal use those as well, they are often more impairment than anything else; these display teeth can be severed by the animal at will and eventually regrow.
Approaching this animal when diving is very risky as its hypercarnivorous nature makes it especially aggressive, with human-sized animals falling in its diet.
Due to the relative difficulty to spot one in nature and the habitat in which it lives, incidents are very few and far apart, most of which happening when it comes close to the reefs to feed on young Chalybomaxillae. A dedicated watch is assigned to fly over the various reefs to spot the animals when they are closing in as to close down the beaches until it leaves.
Fishing boats rarely catch young to subadult specimens; they are cut into large steaks to be sold upon their return.
The animal can be cooked in a pan with a bit of Kelo seed oil and bubble syrup; best accompanied with boiled mineplant root with weeping jack seasoning.

Basic Information

Anatomy

• Head very large compared to the body; snout long with a bony crest running up from the premaxillae to the nasal bone.

• Eye small compared to the head, moved slightly dorsally.

• Serrated Dentition of large teeth; the fourth maxillary tooth much longer than the others.

• Two fleshy barbs under the jaw.

• Upper body very muscular.

• Pectoral fins large and spear shaped; Dorsal I & II subrectangular.

• Anal fin I & II small compared to body size; anal II subrectangular.

• Gill Tail moderately long ending in a long Gill Fan with a smooth caudal drop.

Genetics and Reproduction

Promiscuous species.
L. uncognathus mates in the winter, when they approach the reefs to hunt for young Chalybomaxillae.
During this period, the species will show more interest in hunting than finding a mate; females will passively leave a hormonal trail to signal their presence to passing males.
Males will follow a trail if they encounter it while hunting; once they are approaching the potential mate and the signal becomes stronger, they'll slow down to make sure she's feeding; a female out on the hunt would easily attack and cannibalize the male if she got the opportunity to do so.
If the female is eating or has recently hunted, the male will approach slowly as to not get her attention; it has to be very furtive if he wants to mate with her and escape alive; if he manages to approach her unnoticed, he will proceed to impose itself on her by quickly attaching itself with the hooked parapenis to her and mate while she tries to throw him off and bite him.
After the male finished mating, it will quickly flee the area, leaving his mate behind.
An already fertilized female can have several mates a season, although only the seed of one male is used.
The female will incubate the eggs for seven to twenty days depending on how proficient a hunter she is, with less food she'll slow down egg development to save energies.
The eggs are laid in the buttress zone, in areas protected from water currents; they'll hatch a month later and the spawn will have to fend for themselves.

Growth Rate & Stages

Ontogenesis in the species visible.
Hatchlings lack the display teeth of the adults, having access to the whole mouth to hunt smaller amphibians found around its nursery.
In the early stages of life, during the whole maturation cycle, the animal falls prey to a range of amphibians and territorial animals; Chalybomaxillae have been recorded killing young L. uncognathus on sight, eliminating the predator before it can become a threat.
Loss of natal aculeus one year after birth.

Ecology and Habitats

Epipelagic species found at depths between 5 and 50 m.
Lives in the open seas, away from the rich and shallow reefs of the Gulf Sea; it will come in close to the reefs yearly to hunt and mate.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Hypercarnivorous animal at the top of the local foodchain.
Hunts anything from medium to large sized amphibians; hunts Humans if it gets a chance.

Biological Cycle

Periannial creature with few dips in activity year long.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Lonesome animal that doesn't tolerate conspecifics.
Will cannibalize smaller specimens if given the opportunity.

Domestication

Only ever kept in captivity in Port-du-golfe's Oceanographic Centre.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Of low overall importance economically, the species is sometimes found in fish markets.
Otherwise only attracting tourists of the extreme, wanting to be lowered into its territory in specialized cages, where an attractant for the species is released.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Open waters of the Gulf Sea.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Very good hearing and smell.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

Afflicted by Intestinal Tube Worms and False tooth parasites.
In a commensalistic relationship with small amphibians that attach to its skin that eat scraps of food left behing by the predator.

Scientific Name

Eoichthyia; Armadilloarmatia; Scarabidichthyioidea; Oniidae ; Scrofodentinae; Laniotyrannus; L. uncognathus

Lifespan

40 Years

Conservation Status

Least Concern: No measures underway to protect this species.
Population Trend: DECLINE

Average Weight

700 kg - 3 tons

Average Length

4.5 m (male) , 5.6 m (female)

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Blue to a greyish-azure body, lighter countershading.
Head and back up to midpoint to the dorsal I fin yellow, crest and top of the head red.
Fins and upper body have lighter marks,
Tip of the fins dark grey to black, single band over the fin on the same colour as the former.