Deadrunner

Deadrunner

kynigos ptomatos ( "Corpse Hunter/Stalker" )

Save for the scavenged.

Physical Biometrics:

Length: ~ 30 in / 70 cm

Weight / Mass: ~1.5 pound / 600 grams / 0.6 kg

Height: can rear up its "tail end" to ~ 15 in / 35 cm or so

Distribution and Environment:

Mostly prefers wide expanses of flat ground, although they can be found just about any location where dead carcasses appear. 

Description:

Fast running and quick, they spend their time covering long distances in search of carcasses. Their tactics convergently align with real life Vultures / Condors, upon reaching a corpse they use their "deimatic" threat displays to intimidate and scare off any existing competition that were present at the carcass. They usually are not active predators, but may occasionally kill and capture prey items when necessary. Deadrunners can also form groups and follow larger predators that have successfully captured prey items, waiting for them to depart in order to feast on the left overs. If these semi - gregarious groups are large enough, they may instead directly confront the predator and forcefully make them flee, leaving the Deadrunners to a fully intact prey item for consumption.

Evolution / Anatomy:

Its tergite plate immediately behind the head, the collum, has been reduced in order to allow better head mobility. It possesses spiked keeled antennae to make its face harder to attack, as well as two large compound eyes that scan its environment for any opportunity.  Its olfactory senses are very finely attuned, being able to detect cadavers from vast distances.

Their legs are much larger for a myriapod, convergently evolved to bear a semblence to that of real life house centipedes, with its legs working like " a wave of oars" to propel the creature forwards. The ends of its forelegs are more clawed so that it can tear through carcasses.

The most striking physical feature is several appendages modified into purely visual display structures, serving as both aposematic coloration and deimatic threat displays. They utilize this intimidation display to scare off other arthropods away from carcasses for it to scavenge.

 Deadrunners are actually poisonous, having sequestered toxins from fermented acids of decaying corpses as well as various poisonous vegetation consumed as juveniles. They also have a "tail end" formed from its rear segments, with the legs on these segments severely reduced and atrophied. The broadside of these ending segments possessing specially repurposed repugnatorial ozopore glands, which they rear up like a Vinegaroon to release its noxious spray, which consists of a mist that stings the eyes and various other parts of the head in its foes.

If all else fails, these hardy scavengers simply flee with their superior speed, searching for the next deceased to feast on.

Known Descendants: 

( N / A, coming soon )