Α q υ ι c α n ι c н s
ah-kwih-cane-icks
__________________________________________________
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.
__________________________________________________
Shark-finned or Common Aquicanich
This is the most common sub-species of Aquicanich, hence the name. Classified as Common.
Biology and Appearence wrote: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.
Habitat wrote:Warm waters. The Common Aquicanich generally inhabits coral reefs, though may occasionally be spotted in warm waters near the coast as well.
Diet wrote:Tropical fish are the favorite meal of a Shark-finned Aquicanich. It will also eat nudibranchs and sea jellies.
Behavior wrote: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.
Tall/Orca-finned Aquicanich
Classified as Uncommon.
Biology and Appearence wrote:Size;; 25 inches at the shoulder, 95 lbs. (size of a German Shepherd Dog)
The Tall-finned Aquicanich is larger than the Common Aquicanich. It's fin stands very straight, and resembles the fin of a male Orca whale. It is known for its tall fin, and also for its coloring. An Orca-finned Aquicanich is only two or three colors, with large and less intricate patterns. Often, the patterns are simply splotches of a lighter color on the dark colored animal. The base color is almost always dark and the patterning color light, though occasionally "inverse" (light base dark pattern) Aquicanichs can be found. Inverse is considered rare.
This Aquicanich is semi-aquatic, with the ability to breath both underwater and on land. It has specialized airways, allowing it to either filter water across its gills or breath air with its lungs. The gills are placed on the sides of its neck, and are hidden by fur. This fur acts as a filter for salt and other particles, and allows the gills to function in both salt and fresh water. The Orca-finned Aquicanich has extensive webbing between its toes, and the toes can spread very far apart, especially the front toes. This makes the Aquicanich a fast long-distance swimmer, though it can be a little clumsy on land if it forgets to keep its toes close together for land travel. The weight of the large dorsal fin can also make land travel for long distances difficult/clumsy/akward.
Habitat wrote: Generally the open ocean. Anywhere you might be able to find Orca whales, you might also find Orca-finned Aquicanichs. They need lots of space.
Diet wrote: Fish, small sharks, small-medium sized mammals (anything from a mouse to a fawn), birds, eggs, etc. depending on whether the Aquicanich is hunting in the ocean or on land.
Behavior wrote: Orca-finned Aquicanichs are very social, amongst anyone whom they consider to be a part of their 'pack.' In the wild, Orca-fins travel, hunt, and live together in family units called packs. They can be aggressive towards those not in their packs, though they may be curious towards different species such as humans. They are high intelligent, and can be very focused when working (hunting, training, etc.) but they can also be playful. Their ability to focus makes them very easy to train.
Small/Whale-finned Aquicanich
Classified as Rare
Biology and Appearence wrote:Size;; 20 inches at the shoulder, 60 lbs. (size of a small Labrador retriever)
The Whale-finned Aquicanich is generally not very colorful. These Aquicanichs come in shades of blue and grey, and usually have speckling (scattered tiny light and/or dark specks). Speckling ranges from minimal to extreme. (See more on speckling in markings section.)
The Small-finned Aquicanich spends much of its time in the water, though it is just as comfortable on land. In fact, if it is near land, it may go up on land to sleep or rest after a long journey. It does not have gills, and must surface every two hours to breath or it will drown. The Small-finned Aquicanich has minimal webbing between its toes, no more than a Newfoundland dog. It is not the fastest swimmer, but it can swim for days without stopping to rest. It can also travel easily on land.
Special Markings wrote:Speckling:
Scattered small specks of color. Speckling comes in three color categories.
-->Salt speckling- light colored specks
-->Pepper speckling- dark colored specks
-->Salt & Pepper speckling- both light and dark specks
The amount of speckling varies depending on the individual Aquicanich, but there is a scale.
-->Minimal- only a few specks, barely noticeable.
-->Dash- some speckling, mainly on body.
-->Average- speckling on body, tail, and possibly face.
-->Extra- speckling on body, tail, face, and legs.
-->Extreme- speckling covers the individual, to the point where the base coat is barely visible. Usually happens only with S&P speckling.
Habitat wrote: Generally the open ocean, though they also reside near the coast. Anywhere you might be able to find whales, or seals, you might also find Whale-finned Aquicanichs.
Diet wrote: Small fish, birds, rodents, etc. depending on whether the Aquicanich is hunting on the land or in the ocean.
Behavior wrote: The Whale-finned Aquicanich tends to be on the shy side, though it is not aggressive. In the wild, these Aquicanichs do not travel in large groups, though they may live in a group of up to four. Generally, they are solitary.
Double/Rhino-finned Aquicanich
The rarest and most elusive sub- species of Aquicanich. Classified as Very Rare.
Biology and Appearence wrote:Size;; 17 inches at the shoulder, 50 lbs.
The Rhino-finned Aquicanich has two dorsal fins, a larger main fin and a smaller scent fin. The scent fin is very sensitive, and serves an interesting purpose. This fin functions as a scent gland (hence the name), secreting a unique oily substance. These Aquicanichs only ever have natural colors, such as browns, greys, and seaweed greens. An Aquicanich generally is only one color, though different shades of this color may be present on the being. The tips (paws, main fin tip, and tail tip) are always either a darker or lighter shade than the rest of the body, and the face/chest area is usually a darker shade. The Double-finned Aquicanich lives only in the water, and therefore has gills. It's toes have minimal webbing, as it does not travel around much, except within its own territory.
Special Markings wrote:Tips:
Coloring on the paws, end of the tail, and tip of the main fin. Comes in two colors, Dark or Light.
Soot:
Dark coloring on the face and chest, a darker shade than the main body color.
Habitat wrote: Caves and darker waters.
Diet wrote: Crustaceans, mollusks, eels.
Behavior wrote: Rhino-finned Aquicanichs are very territorial. They will claim caves and surrounding waters as their territory, and will patrol and defend this territory. An intruder may receive nasty bites to their scent fin. When marking a territory, a Rhino-fined Aquicanich will rub their scent fin up against rocks and plant life, leaving their scent. These Aquicanichs are not very social, living alone and staying away from other Rhino-fins except when it is time to breed.
