Kekenomanu

The Callupilluits of the Ariducene have adapted well to a far colder ocean. The higher amount of oxygen in the water have increased the amount of fish around the poles. In response to the amount of fish, Callupilluit populations boomed and many of them migrated down to the southern hemisphere to follow their prey. Their descendants, the kekenomanu (anasphocaformes) come in a variety of sizes and shapes. The name kekenomanu comes the maori words meaning sea duck. The average kekenomanu is about 6.5 feet in length with a 2.5 foot long neck. They usually come in muted colors, mostly monochrome or brown.

In order to not freeze in the colder oceans, kekenomanu have developed a thick blubber layer. They have also retained their watertight coat. Their flight feathers that were considered attractive during breeding season have hardened, looking like flattened pins. They reduce drag slightly, but are purely vestigial. Their legs are almost nonexistant, there are only flippers left that aid in steering.

The flippers also aid in another purpose, holding eggs. Females never let the egg touch the cold ground and instead hold it in their flippers right up to their down feathers, not swimming again until it hatches. Males will tend to the females during this period and gift them fish in hopes that the females will be more open to their advances next breeding season. When the next breeding season arrives, the males and females will bounce and roll onto the shore and brawl with each other. The males engage in beak duels where blindness and facial injuries are common, then will attempt to bully the females into mating with them. To prevent beak damage, the males and to an extent, the females, have developed padding covering their beaks.