Mudskipper

For other articles of the same name, see Mudskipper {Disambiguation}.

Mudskippers are large reptiles from Four, a moon orbiting Echos in the Sao Solar System. Mudskippers are apex predators, capable of climbing trees, swimming, running, and even gliding, making prey an easy target.

Anatomy

Mudskippers have the typical anatomy of an arboreal lizard, only much larger. With large, outstretched legs, they can grip onto surfaces with ease thanks to sticky pads on their toes. This allows them to scale large trees with ease, as well as run along the ground at speeds of up to 20 miles an hour. Their mud-brown scales are interspersed with bright orange, which helps them be noticed by others of their kind, yet camouflaged with the environment.

Mudskippers have long, streamlined heads, with several rows of teeth lining their jaws that are instantly replaced whenever one falls out. Small horns line their necks to protect them from environmental dangers, such as broken branches, as their necks are the most vulnerable part of their bodies. Mudskippers eyes protrude from the tops of their heads and are independent, giving them 360 vision of their surroundings.

To glide, mudskippers are able to flatten their bodies. Their ribs flatten out and expand, creating small "wings" that help them softly glide to the ground whenever they leap from trees. Their tails help with stability and balance, and are seen as attractive to other mudskippers.

Diet

As apex predators, mudskippers are at the top of the food web. They have been seen consuming almost every single major animal species on the moon. They are not afraid to uproot entire burrow systems once they sniff out a wiggler, or tear up the tree roots of the queen's mangrove in search of small mammals, reptiles, birds and amphibians that may be hiding underneath. Relentless animals, they will not stop until they eat whatever they catch scent of. When they're hungry, that is.

Some male mudskippers have even been seen consuming their own children, or children of other mudskippers. This appears to only be a last resort, as those that have been caught eating babies were extremely malnourished.

Reproduction

Male mudskippers will impress females during mating season, by flaunting their fancy tails. During mating season, male mudskipper tails change colour to a bright blue. When a male finds a female he is interested in, he will get her attention by sticking his tail directly in the air and wiggling it about.

Females will dig out large craters in the mud and lay up to 40 eggs at a single time. When they hatch, the babies will stick by their mothers for the first year, while the male gathers food for his partner and children.

Lifespan

20 years

Average Height

1 metre

Average Length

8 metres

Geographic Distribution

Four

Habitat

Mudskippers are found across the entire moon, as the swamplands are present globally. They hop from one body of water to another in search of food, sometimes climbing large trees and gliding down for a better view with their independent eyes.