Hexacattle are a group of 6-legged, terrestrial herbivores that evolved on Aora sometime after the Moonfall Extinction, their ancestors leaving the subterranean caves and adapting to life in the open spaces.
Anatomy[]
Overall, Hexacattle appear like fleshy beetles: they are large sturdy animals, averaging between the size of cattle and larger ungulates such as hippos and rhinos. Exact anatomical similarities very between species, though the basic look one would think of is a 6-limbed herbivore with short, stubby legs, with a small, rounded head and a robust, arching back. Many of these details were trademarks of their ancestors.
As speciation goes, Hexacattle have developed widely over millions of years, adapting to fill in the common niches of grazing animals. Some sub-families though are currently extinct: the "Boviracnids" for example adapted to survive the second ice age, but quickly became extinct once the planet warmed up again.
Domesticated Species:[]
In modern times, they've essentially became Aora's form of hoofed cattle, some species becoming domesticated by the Aira in a main term known as "Bullbeetles". Some evidence does suggest though that the previous race, the Mamopi, had also done this with unique domestic species, though these are all extinct alongside the Mamopi race, and their skeletons are found worldwide.
- Mamopi People:
- Whiskered Bullbeetle (farmed by the Mamopi for their wool and Whiskers)
- Amphibious Bullbeetle (Used as furstock)
- Aira People:
- Sow Bullbeetle (used like Dairy cows - farmed for their milk and occasionally their meat)
- Offagi Bullbeetle (wool-covered Hexacattle - farmed like sheep and kept for their wool)
- Multch Bullbeetle (Larger Hexacattle - strictly meatstock)
- Asterian Bullbeetle (most commonly known Hexacattle - worldwide, used as foodstock and for trade)