[thesimplegallifreyan]

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ah-kwih-cane-icks

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Amphicanicthoids, more commonly known as Aquicanichs, are a unique species of aquatic mammals. They appear at a glance to be mostly canine, with the exception of fins on their backs that resemble sharks' fins.The word Amphicanichthoid stems from many root words. "Amphi" (both), "canis" (dog), "ichthy" (fish), and "oid" (resembling). Based on these roots, the word literally means "resembling both dog and fish." The word Aquicanich also includes the root word "aqui" (water), therefore meaning "water fish-dog."

There are several sub-species of Aquicanichs, named for their dorsal fins as well as other features.

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Shark-finned or Common Aquicanich

This is the most common sub-species of Aquicanich, hence the name. Classified as Common.

Size;; 15 inches at the shoulder, 45 lbs.
The Shark-finned Aquicanich is known for its vibrant colors and patterns, matching the reefs it calls home. This species is mostly aquatic, though it does have the ability to survive out of water for up to one hour. Because it spends most of its time in the water, it has adopted to be able to breath underwater. The 'fur' around its neck is actually composed of thousands of tiny gills. These gills are very sensitive, and a Shark-finned Aquicanich should never be petted between the head and the shoulders as doing so could damage the gills. The toes of this species are webbed, making it a pretty fast short-distance swimmer. It can easily maneuver through the obstacle course that is a coral reef, with the ability to turn on a dime, dive, and swim upwards.

Warm waters. The Common Aquicanich generally inhabits coral reefs, though may occasionally be spotted in warm waters near the coast as well.

Tropical fish are the favorite meal of a Shark-finned Aquicanich. It will also eat nudibranchs and sea jellies.

Common Aquicanichs are very social, and will interact with both other Aquicanichs and completely different species. They are very energetic, and competitive. However, they have short attention spans, and this can make them difficult to train. When hunting, they typically work either alone or with one or two other Commons
Common Aquicanichs are not territorial, though they may claim a small space for sleeping.

Last entry! One of the Shark Sub-Species. Based off of a tropical fish. I really like how this one came out. C: