#domestic breeds can be bred to have interesting “antlers” or none at all

[ssstardust3001]

Developing a species. :> As a treat, I'm calling them sarduict(s). (Literally just put a lot of letters together bros.)

Info under read more

They are desert-dwelling beings that are warm-blooded endurance hunters able to easily cool themselves off with a complex internal system so they could keep running effectively rather than waste water by sweating. They are omnivorous though and can rely on roots and other plants when the hunting is bad. They are also known to sit in the rare rain showers or fog to absorb water through their skin.

Adults of either sex have "antlers" that are for display. The antlers are just modified feathers that serve no defense purposes. They have cyan blood that glows in the dark and are able to change color like octopuses to blend into their environment.

They have a dog-like intelligence (which is disputed, their true level of intelligence isn't fully known) and are a pack species that lives family groups. They are also shown to care for their elder and disabled members, often adopting orphans of their species. They communicate through a kind of telepathy to coordinate their actions while hunting and they can detect the minds of other species which makes them difficult to catch unaware. They communicate through a sort of code over longer distances through their bioluminescent tails which can blink on and off. They can be domesticated and trained to do tasks such as hunting.

They are very good parents and hold their eggs within pouches which both males and females possess. Their young then hatch and are able to use their prehensile tails to hang onto their pack mates's tails for transport if their parents cannot carry all of them in their arms. However, they usually only lay 1 or 2 eggs at a time.

They are able to open their jaws to 90 degrees at the widest and possess venomous fangs containing a neurotoxin to paralyze their prey. These fangs are on their second set of jaws which also aid in holding onto prey and guide food into their throats. They can control if they want to envenomate their target or not.

They have five fingers on human-like hands and five toes. Their toes possess hooves at the tips much like tapirs. Their fingers are quite dexterous. They can use simple tools and weave nests. The male actually initiates courtship with a female by first weaving her a nest.

They smell through nostrils like dogs, however they can also smell much like snakes do with forked tongues and a Jacobson's organ. Their nostrils can close to prevent breathing in dust, and they have nictitating membranes that protect their eyes from sand and the suns of their world. They can hold their breath for an hour if they are motionless during sandstorms and always have a sense where up is as well as the general directions of north, south, east, and west.

They can make rather throaty, yet musical vocalizations to communicate over long distances and even sometimes sing just for the hell of it or to even help calm their young who communicate through chirps. Females can be seen initiating courtship through song, and the male would try to copy. However, they can also mimic humanoid speech much like ravens of Earth.

Their ears are rather long, but are pressed against their body, blending in. It is not fully known why they sometimes hide their ears even if they aren't threatened, however it is suspected that they are incredibly sensitive to sound.

Young are covered in feathers which insulate them against cold desert nights when they are too large to remain in their parents' pouches. They lose them when they reach full maturity.

They are immune to the poison of the le-matya among other venomous and poisonous species, and their blood can be used as a general antitoxin in a pinch.

They are known to come to the aid of humanoids stranded in the desert, and an attack from one is almost unheard of unless it is alone due to being sick. When sick with a general disease, an individual will tend to isolate themselves, but remain in the pack and under its care. However, if it is life threatening, it will use the last of its strength to abandon its pack and wander into the desert to die alone.

They mourn their dead as well using complex songs while burying them in sand. Each family unit has a specific mourning song as well as specific greeting songs. When meeting another family group there is usually little to no conflict and they use that opportunity for adult members to court members from the other group. Males usually join the female's family group.

They tend to be rather illusive and shy creatures in general, but they are drawn to music.

They can also stand completely upright in order to view things easier with their sharp eyes that can see in multiple wavelengths and in more colors than humans. Males are a little smaller. On average though, when fully upright, they are around 7 feet tall.

It is speculated that they could possibly eventually evolve into an intelligent space-fairing species in the future.

Honestly they're like dinosaurs mixed with dogs and ravens that have hooves and pouches. They aren't mammals though since they don't produce milk.

Their facial markings are also different between individuals.