| Capreolatria | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Multicelula |
| Kingdom: | Mutatiozoa |
| Phylum: | Ossinotia |
| Class: | Cancridontia |
| Order: | Capreolatria |
| Families | |
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Capreolatridae | |
Capreolatria is an order of cancridonts specialized for hunting by the means of strangling them with tendril-like neural sheaths; their scientific name capreolatria is derived from the Latin words capreolum (which means tendril) and latro (which means hunter) referring to their way of hunting. Some subterrean species lack eyes and use photoreceptor proteins which can only sense ambient brightness. However due to their inability to cope with very cold temperatures (due to lack of insulation), most species eventually went extinct. They contain only contain one family, two genera and five species, three in the genus Pachydermus and two in the type genus Capreolatrus.
Capreolatridae[]
The members of capreolatria resemble nine-foot long weasels to some extent, however as mentioned before, they possess powerful tendril-like neural sheaths. Once an organism passes by, they use their tendrils to grab their prey (the tendrils strangle them) then push them to their mouths, where their powerful jaw-blades (akin to teeth) crush them unlike they die of blood-loss. As in many species they possess a vemeronasal organ, used to detect pheromones, which carries information about an individual in the same species. Males possess flap-like second pair limbs, which females urinate on, the pheromones distinguish harem mates from intruders. Females usually sing (they have two vocal chords as opposed to one) to attract a harem which consist of males. Every day, the members of the harem will fight to establish who will mate with the female; however despite them mating frequently they have a low sperm count. Another trait that distinguishes them from other cancridonts is the structure of their uterus (which is divided into three instead of two or one), they lack a placenta, and instead they use a yolk-sac to deliver nutrients to the embryo, meaning that capreolatria is related to possibly stem cancridonts.
They are one of the few species that mate not only for reproduction but also to improve social bonds (occasionally even the males copulate via anal sex). Pregnancy lasts only a month in most species, which during the period the male and female will not mate to avoid disturbing the development of embryo. After being carried away by their fathers, females immediately bury themselves (with the exception of their tendrils, genitalia and mouth) and lose their ability to move, whilst males will find a female and live in the females’ elongated, pit-like vagina. This pit like vagina contains five (sometimes six or four) chambers each could fit several males. Males feed on milk, as opposed to the young, which are sent away after they are born.
Taxonomy[]
