Thanic Chaser

Thanic Chaser
Base Information
Classification	Carnivore/chaser
Terrain	{{{terrain}}}
Locomotion	Walker
Size	Small
Speed	3
Strength	standard
Social Structure	2-12
Weapons	teeth and claws, thrasher and stinger
Armor	{{{armor}}}
Body Structure
Symmetry	Bilateral
Head/Torso	two heads and one body
Limbs & Manipulators	just two legs
Tail	Yes
Skeleton	bony endoskeleton
Internal Fluids	protein bound iron based blood
Skin	cellular integument
Natural Weapons	teeth and claws, thrasher and stinger
Body Shape
Size	Small
Stance	Horizontal
Length/Height	2m
Body Profile	Thin
Weight	25kg
Details
Edibility	Yes
Training Difficulty	No
Source
Homeworld	Thane (De 1319) (world)
Multi-world	No
Canon	No
Extinct	No
Reference	Ronald B. Kline, Jr.
{{{footnote}}}

The Thanic Chaser is a non-sentient, bilaterally symmetrical, homeothermic, heterotrophic consumer.

Physiology & Ecology

Because of their two heads they have two esophaguses and two stomachs in their abdomen. They have four distinct trachea and four sets of lungs, matched with two three chambered hearts in their thorax which allows extreme volume for efficient circulation and gas exchange. This in turn resulting in increased endurance for running prey to exhaustion. They can even mimic the calls of certain prey animals to confuse herds of their favorite prey items. Surprisingly, there are no true vocal chords used in this arrangement. They are aerobic oxygen breathers who carry out cellular respiration and exhale carbon dioxide. They use subcutaneous fat deposits to insulate their bodies and help maintain their body temperature. They can selectively shiver muscle fibers to generate extra heat as needed in colder climates. Their outer cellular integumentary layers secrete an oily lipid based substance to protect them from pathogens and parasites.

They have a light, strong endoskeleton structure based on interlocking hexagonal rings of connective tissue fortified with calcium phosphate, elastic collagens, metallic iron and potassium salts. Because of the amount of iron in their blood, bones, dorsal spines and teeth they can be detected with a well calibrated magnetic compass. Their own sensors webs allow them to perceive their planet’s magnetic field for seasonal migration and detect magnetic anomalies generated by larger prey items with similar biochemistries. Each head has a protected array of six retractable sensor antennae. These are kept in muscle lined recesses, hidden in deep set bone alcoves. They are extended to fix the location and direction of prey items while running. The heads sweep back and forth and up and down to focus the array. The antennae are flexible and tough. They are extremely motile and can extend 33cm at full length. They are coated in optical sensors sensitive from infrared through ultraviolet. They have embedded olfactory and gustatory chemical sensors to sample, air, water and food items so that they can avoid toxins and zero in on food and water sources.

They have two long anterior necks ending in thick ridged skulls armed with bony mouth parts lined with dagger like teeth. They measure 0.8m tall at the hips when full grown. Their tails are 1m long on average. The whole body is about 2m long from end to end. They run with their body oriented parallel to the ground, ventral side down and dorsal side up. They are very lean for their size. The plated skulls are fringed and surmounted with symmetrical horned crests which serve to protect their cranial sensor arrays. These are also used to settle territorial disputes between competing females and are not used for killing prey. They have a long muscular tail which provide balance, allows fat storage and provides rear area defense against competitive predators. It allows them to steer and change direction quickly when running at top speed. The muscular tail has a dorsal row of spines and terminates in a thick bony club for bashing. These spines serve a dual function. They run in rows down the top of each neck, merge on the dorsal surface of the body and continue all the way to near the end of the tail. They shield the spinal nerves running the length of the body and tie into rings of six tiny vibration sensitive membranes. Each bony spine protects six acoustically sensitive radially arrayed ears. The tail has a terminal spine modified into jack knife like stinger to inject weak venom into battered foes. They can detect the calls of prey, they listen for sounds of herds and can detect each member of the group. Each hunting adult has their own distinct call which the other members of the group recognize.

They are quick bipeds and run atop a pair of long muscular legs. These end in digitigrade feet with six grasping toes fitted with retractable claws. They step on prey to hold them down and proceed to tear them to pieces with their two mouths. Their teeth are specialized for ripping and tearing and are ill suited for bone crushing and chewing. They tear off chunks of softer flesh, which are swallowed whole. This gulping feeding leads them into a stupor like state. They must rest, cool down from the exertion of the hunt and chase before their body will effectively digest. Their oily secretions and heavy breathing help them vent excess heat. They gorge and feast and then they rest and “sleep” for several hours before becoming active again. Their grasping claws prevent escape and inflict bloody wounds. Despite their formidable weapons package, they are actually rather inefficient killers. Their exhausted prey is ripped apart by the group while still technically alive. They often mimic the death screams of their prey items, in what Vilani xenobiologists first described as a feasting celebration. These are actually the calls to alert waiting, hungry females.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

There are oviparous with two genders. The species travel in family groups composed of members who have hatched together. Eggs are laid in communal mounds of decaying vegetation for incubation warmth. These nests are protected by territorial females who patrol and duel with rival females. They often make visual threat displays and “sing songs” to dissuade rivals and predators with their intimidating calls. Some of their calls mimic the threatening vocalizations of larger predatory killer species. The females during mating seasons develop vivid aposematic coloration to warn off rival females. This coloration selectively reflects photons across the EMS from infrared to UV frequencies. Their faces and crests and flicking antennae warn predators and rivals to beware and their clubbing tails and poison stingers deliver the message for aggressors too stubborn to pay attention. Both genders have tail clubs and stingers. Nesting females release hormones that stimulate the seasonal production of a more powerful hemolytic venom. The camouflaged males have more subdued coloration to facilitate stalking.

Diet & Trophics

They are native of Thane and they fit in a carnivorous chaser ecological niche. They are clever, cooperative 25kg pack hunters.

History & Background (Dossier)

There are extremely vocal and their hooting and trumpeting calls can be used to communicate a variety of information. Females use these calls for attracting males for mating. They are used to coordinate male hunting behaviors and to signal the group of danger. Their instruments are the six breathing nostrils along the lower lateral aspects of each neck. The collective twelve apertures can be selectively opened and closed to produce a highly variable array of sounds across a broad frequency/pitch range.

Once prey is detected the hunting males use their high frequency whistling signals to coordinate running and harassment. This is to ensure the frightened and confused prey items are run into exhaustion. They must be certain that prey are nearly powerless to resist once they close in for the feeding frenzy. The males travel in packs relentlessly searching for prey. Kills are shared within the group. Once the males have made a kill, they signal the group. Relays of nesting females travel out to the kill, to feed. The males protect the kill while the females feed and then the group retreats to the nesting site to rest and digest. The group is careful to coordinate the numbers so that neither the kill site nor the nests are left undefended. If challenged by hijackers the group will surrender kills after quickly feeding to prioritize defending the nesting mounds. The egg clutches of a small group of dominate mature females become the focus of the group. All reproductive energy goes into protecting that generation. Once they hatch after a few weeks, swarms of dozens of 1kg young emerge from each female’s nest. These new hatchlings escort the group, which abandon the nesting sites, and migrate to newer hunting ranges as seasons change. This is done to avoid predation and competition. The groups don’t return until the young have matured and reached young adult size (at least 12kg). Once the offspring are sexually mature their pheromones and seasonal signals trigger the return. After the seasonal migration large family groups subdivide. Adult females duel to determine who is dominate that year. They select a group of healthy males and mate with all of them to ensure maximum egg production with the greatest genetic diversity. Females will cooperate and form teams to gather up an effective hunting male group during this draft stage. Once mating is finished, the groups divide up available nesting and hunting territories. The weaker rival females are driven off into smaller bands with the weakest, least fit hunting males. They are forced to the edges of the habitat ranges. Most members of the species die from predators, especially the young and older individuals too weak to compete for mates and effectively hunt. Adults can reach peak size and strength after five years of explosive growth if hunting is good.

Travellers' Aid Society Advisory

Hunting packs can pose a threat to sophonts. Well armed groups, who are aware of their surroundings, can drive them off. Some reports describe lone travellers being stalked for days, kept awake by their calls, driven crazy by mimicked human voices, run to ground and torn apart.

References & Contributors (Sources)

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• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis), Captain, and Lead Naval Architect Ronald B. Kline, Jr. of the Imperial Navy