The Spotted Squiyena is one of these predators. At first, they look like Qwolves with similar long legs ending in hooved feet but the shape of the head shows there true ancestry.
Squiyena are a family descended from the Linlolligo and are thus a type of Necksnare that converged on the cursorial body plan.
Ancestrally this came about as their ancestors left the trees and started to traverse long distances and their smaller relatives still live a nomadic lifestyle and The Spotted Squiyena itself can travel over 20 kilometers a day.
But while most Squiyena are meso predators, the Spotted Squiyenas are apex predators that hunt a wide range of prey mainly cursorial Cephalopes and Eqsquids.
They're extremely efficient over long distances able to keep a steady pass for miles leaving prey ragged and breathless.
Once prey is caught up it is pulled to the ground by the back legs and the whole group rips into it with their large serrated beak, often while the prey is still alive.
Like other large Neck Snares, their bite is disproportionately strong for their size, able to gnaw into bones and break off chunks of meat for transport.
Also like Qwolves they live in large social groups. Unusual for Necksnares. Like other Stalked Eyed Terra Squid, the females are larger and groups consist of multiple mated pairs led by a dominant female and her mate that have first pick at kills and breeding rights
On the opposite end is the Cave Leosquid an ambush predator and the largest of the Kraken Cats.
At 500 to 600 pounds their most common prey is Cephalopes from Qdeer all the way to large Cross Horns.
Like other Kraken Cats, their four legs give them great agility in a short chase and the bite is extremely powerful with a psi comparable to a Jaguar severing spinal vertebrae or piercing the skull.
As the name implies they are in frequent contact with the many caves that dot the steps.
They often store their kills in caves. Well, they are big animals Saber Squid and Cave Squears are bigger and packs of Qwolves and Squiyenas also give them frequent harassment.
Storing prey in caves still puts them in frequent contact with Cave Squears who use them as dens to shelter from the worst of conditions.
Clashes between the two Stalked Eyed Terra Squid are seldom long with a lot of posturing, vocalization, and bluffing with one usually backing down before a fight.
When fights do break out they can often be to the death with the crushing bite and muscular limbs of the Cave Leosquid pitted against the thick skin and biting face tentacles of the Cave Squear.
Credit Dark Amie for the names.
