Jimothian Snatcher

dum armatus ( "Long armed" )

The role of the crocodile is one that's enduring

Physical Biometrics:

Length: 2.5 feet long body length

5 feet long including chelipeds

Weight / Mass: ~ 16 pounds / 7.26 kg

Distribution and Environment:

Alongside near the banks of freshwater rivers, on the benthic floors. The smaller male phenotype is capable of staying on land and walking on it for around 30 hours at a time. 

Description:

Unlike their ancestors, the males and females' overall morphology has become more similar, in order so that any given individual is capable of catching prey when needed. Their behavioral niche is similar to that of real world Neosuchians, with their bodies staying submerged in the water, with only their claws and antennae sticking out of the water.  As soon as they perceive motion near them, their enormous 2nd chelipeds spring forwards to seize prey. 

A Snatcher however, rather also uses drowning to kill its prey. Their prey items consist of land arthropods incapable of breathing water, they simply use their powerful pereopods to quickly ambulate backwards, dragging the victim until they are submerged before holding them down until they die from hypoxia.

They have a "cephalic" horn that they use for jousting, from their modified rostrum. Strangely, both gender morphotypes possess this feature, and any given individual uses this intraspecific combat to claim territory.

Their is a smaller male morphotype that possesses much more reduced chelipeds and size. These more diminutive individuals are capable of quickly moving around on land for extended periods of time to find other bodies of water and employ "satellite" mating strategies. Oftentimes if they are caught they are killed by larger males, though this  obnoxious strategy has persisted in being successful.

Evolution / Anatomy:

Their carapace and metasoma employ crude countershading, with the green coloring mimicking the appearance of algae or other forms of greenery growing on its back. Their chelipeds sticking out of the water also take on the appearance of dried / dead twigs or reeds carrying greenery.  Their chelipeds spiny structure has taken on a similar appearance to ever other lifeform known to use conical "teeth" to grasp / hold rather then crush and kill, with the Snatcher's chelipeds appearing similar to the chelicerae of giant Eurypterids.

They also often feed on detritus material washing down the river.

They have reduced pleopods as they are not active open water swimmers. They have 6 robust pereopods they use for locomotion, to root themselves in the benthic floors as they wrestle prey into the water. 

They have mediocre vision. 1st pair of antennae sticks out of the water, is long and thin and acts as olfactory chemosensory for prey, while their 2nd pair is bristled for mechanosensory perception of moving organisms in the water.

Jousting rostrum ( cephalic horn ) has a extension to create a forklike structure to hook opponents, with a row of spiny ridges across their head to make it difficult for their opponent to do so.

Known Descendants: 

( N / A, coming soon )