Species Information -- Under the cut is the wikipedia styled information about Flame's current species, Paleonem. It's incomplete, but still contains interesting information. The wikipedia article for the African Lion (Panthera Leo) was used as a base and as reference, as Paleonems are most similar to lions.
Paleonem
Pa-, drawn from "paleo," latin root for "ancient."
-leo-, from Latin "leo," for "lion."
-nem, drawn from Latin "draconem," meaning “huge serpent, dragon.”
pay-lee-o-nem
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Feliformia
Family: Felidae
Subfamily: Pantherinae
Genus: Panthera
Species: P. Ignis
The Paleonem (Panthera Ignis) is large cat of the genus Panthera thought once to be extinct. It is native to remote areas in the tropics, though its wings allow it to travel far from its native lands. It has a broad chested, muscular body, a short, rounded head, and long, pointed ears, and a tuft at the end of the tail matching the color of the mane. It is sexually dimorphic, the males of the species having larger, further reaching manes than the females, and larger wings. Male Paleonems are also larger than the females. It is a social species, forming groups called _ _, consisting of generally equal males and females, including cubs. It is a serial monogamous species, though some individuals have been seen to opt for full monogamy and only mate with one partner throughout their lives. Paleonem has been observed to hunt alone and together for the _ _, preying mostly upon medium and large ungulates. The Paleonem is an apex and keystone predator, though the wounded and weak have been known to scavenge. Multiple attacks on humans by one lone, wingless member of the species has been documented in recent times. Aside from this outlier, the species is not known to actively hunt or interact with humans.
The Paleonem prefers forests, meadows, and jungles despite its large wings, but also inhabits savannahs, mountains, shrublands, deserts, and grasslands. Very few have been seen around manmade cities. It is generally a diurnal species, but can easily adapt to being nocturnal when necessary. During the Neolithic period, this species had a wider population range, but has since been reduced to small pockets wherever they can find sanctuary. It is listed as critically endangered, as an estimated 110 individuals were observed worldwide. It is unknown if the population is rising or declining, as the species has become secretive in the modern era.
Description
The Paleonem is a broad-chested, muscular, cat with a short, rounded head, long, pointed ears, reduced neck, and large wings. Its fur varies in a wide range of colors and patterns, from white, gray, and silver, to light buff, tawny, orange, and liver. It can be patternless, or bear spots, stripes, ticking, and rosettes. The colors of its underside are generally either white or a lighter tone of the base fur color. The only solid-colored Paleonems observed are either albino, leucistic, or melanistic. Piebaldism has been observed, though all these color mutations are extremely rare. Its wings are generally a dark color, matching the skin of the individual. Sometimes, the wings may have stripes, spots, or rosettes on them. Cubs are born with bold spots, white backs, and black rims around the white on their backs that all fade as they grow. These spots can morph into rosettes, ticking, stripes, or completely disappear as the cub reaches adulthood. Though, some of these spots on patternless and striped individuals may still be seen on the legs and underbelly.
Paleonem is one of two Panthera species that displays obvious sexual dimorphism, with the manes of the males of the species reaching further along the belly and tail of the individual, as well as fringe mane on the hind end and the elbows. The wings on males are also larger than females of the species, and often have bolder markings, where females of the species generally have no markings or very faint markings on the wings. The manes of individuals range just as widely as the fur, from white, gray, and silver, to buff, tawny, orange, liver, and black.
The tail of all Paleonems ends in a tuft of fur that matches that of the mane, though an exception to this rule is the infamous Wingless Paleonem. In this Paleonemess, the tail is seen to be the same color as the base fur with the underside highlights at the tip, with a strip of the stripe color going down the top of the tuft. In some Paleonems, the tuft of their tail conceals a "spur" or "spine," formed from the final, fused sections of the tail. Like in lions, the function of this tail spur is unknown. The tuft is absent at birth and develops around 7 1/2 months of age. It is readily identifiable by 1 1/2 years of age.
Of the extant felid species, some members of the Paleonem species are only rivaled in weight, length, and height at the shoulder by the Lion and Tiger. Its skull is very similar to that of a lion, though it is clear by the lower jaw and the robust molars and pre-molars on both upper and lower jaws that Paleonem is built to have a bone-crushing biteforce. This is the easiest and most definitive way to tell the difference between a Lion skull and a Paleonem skull.
The skeletal muscle weight of a Paleonem is 57.9% of its body weight.
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I am obscenely busy here at Paleo Panthera...fixing vehicles, getting sick, getting better, casting pewter, making new designs, catching total eclipses, painting, evacuating friends from hurricanes..I have NEVER in my life have every day full of something. I have 2 friends right here in town I miss terribly & am trying to make time for them. But that busy is paying off for everyone else! PaleoPanthera.com has been updated with 6 beautiful new Britannia necklaces and pendants. I am also always taking species or specimen requests. I am also going to be opening for custom Britannia pewter jewelry in the late fall. This particular pendant is my most successful highly 3dimensional sculpted designs; North America's humble coyote. #coyote #songdog #coyotes #northamericanwildlife #wildlife #animal #animals #wildlifeart #animalart #coyoteart #pewter #britannia #pewtersmith #metalsmith #therian #totem
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