Savanna scypher

The greater savanna photoscypher (Photoscyphicus murcural), also known as the savanna scypher, bush scypher, prarie photoscypher, and to extraterrestrials as Atarians, is a species of photoscypher found across the planet of Atar, but originating in the vast savannas of the Murcaus region. They have also spread to other planets beyond their home planet.

Savanna scyphers are the most intelligent species on Atar, and some individuals can have an I.Q. equivilent in excess of 300. As such, they have come to dominate their planet much like humans do on Earth.. Savanna scyphers are one of the most genetically diverse species of scypher.

Etymology
The name "scypher" comes from cipher (to encode), for their antennas, which can emit and detect microwave radiation. It's scientific name, Photoscyphicus murcural, roughly translates to "light-seeing scypher from Murcaus".

Description
The greater savanna photoscypher exhibits a large genetic diversity relative to other scypher species. They range in color and pattern; they can be greyscale, full black or white, striped, brown, tan, yellow, gold with black tips, or a combination of colors, including calico patterns. Their fur ranges from short to long, and from hair-like to thin and fluffy. The tip of the antenna can take on a bewildering assortment of shapes and colors, though black is most common. The muzzle is unusually short for a scypher, and the head is larger in proportion to body size.

Savanna scyphers typically grow to 40-48 in (101-122 cm) in height and weigh 20-75 lbs (9-34 kg), though some can grow to 55 in (140 cm) and weigh up to 100 lbs (45.3 kg). The arms, legs, and tail are all nearly equal in length. The antenna grows to around 8-10 in (20.3-25.4 cm).

The skeletal structure of the bush scypher has unusual mechanisms to cope with a mostly bipedal, and quadrapedal lifestyle. They are transpedal; they prefer natural bipedal movement most of the time, however, in order to run they must assume a fully qaudrapedal posture. In order to fully utilize the benefits of quadrapedal locomotion (increased speed, increased jumping distance, better agility), their pelvic bones are hinged at the center, allowing their hind legs to be positioned directly beneath the pelvis. The base of the skull has a similar adaptation whereas a hinge joint at the skull base permits the spine to sit either below or behind the skull, with the spinal cord entering the skull at a 45° angle.

Savanna scyphers can reach speeds of up to 40 mph (64.4 km/h) and can jump over 10 feet (3 meters).

They tend to exibit a small degree of sexual dimorphism, mostly in the eyes, in which small black tufts under the lower corners are present in females, but absent in males. The claws of females are much straighter than the downward curve of the male's claws. Females also tend to grow fur at a faster rate than males.

Behavior
Wild savanna scyphers are social mammals. They live in clans that can reach 200 members, lead by a single dominant female or breeding pair. Bush scypher clans are usually larger than other scypher species' clans, and may have highly sophisticated social structures. They are primarily diurnal, though nocturnal behavior is not uncommon. They may hunt nocturnal prey at night or watch for predators as the rest of the clan sleeps.

Savanna scyphers live in burrows, creating vast networks of tunnels, chambers, and dens. A single worker scypher can remove about 30 ft³ (0.8 m³) of soil from the den in an hour. They may build their own dens, take dens from other clans, or occupy abandoned dens.

Modernized scyphers have a lifespan of around 80 years and can exceed 100 years. In the wild, they usually live from 40-60 years.

Diet
Savanna scyphers are omnivores, with fruit and insects constituting the majority of their natural diet. They are also known to eat nuts, roots, edible leafy greens, birds, fish, and small reptiles and mammals. Larger prey includes ungulates like puron and garns, aviosaurs (flying reptiles), and smaller scypher species. Some groups have been known to cannibalize members of competing clans, though these are usually isolated occurrences.

Hunting is usually done in the day when the suns are low and the shadows are long. Savanna scyphers hunt in groups of 6 to 14 adults. When hunting puron and other herd animals, a few chasers will quietly surround the group while flankers take positions down a predetermined path. Once the clan assesses the herd for weaknesses, the hunt leader or huntmaster will use its antenna to signal the others surrounding the herd to dash toward them on all sides but one, forcing the herd to panic and run toward the hidden flankers. The flankers will attack puron as they run past in an attempt to trip them. The chasers and other flankers will then quickly overwhelm the injured puron and kill it. Since puron evolved to outrun scyphers, a failed flanking attempt usually results in the huntmaster aborting the hunt, however, the chasers may continue to chase slower calves or an individual slowed by an injury sustained in a flanking attempt. More intuitive hunting methods include tossing nets from trees or simply jumping from them, digging traps as a safer alternative to flanking, netting fish and flying animals, and, most recently, the use of projectile weapons.

Savanna scyphers are one of a few Atarian species known to butcher their kill, and the only one that has been observed to cook and prepare foods. Though scyphers will forage dried fruit from the ground, they rarely, if ever, scavenge dead animals.

Burrows also provide bush scyphers an opportunity to catch subterranean insect and smaller mammals that wander into the burrows.

Reproduction
Savanna scyphers choose their mates and form monogamous pairs, usually for life. Females are fertile year-round, but less so during colder seasons. Scyphers usually give birth to a single offspring, but multiple births up to four have been known to occur. Gestation usually lasts around 25 weeks. Due to a pelvis adapted for transpedal locomotion, birthing is more difficult and dangerous compared to other scypher species. The cubs are born with there eyes fully open. They are fully weaned by 6 months, and after the first year, the cub may emerge from the den. Scyphers practice communal calving, where the entire clan helps to raise the cubs. Though they usually reach sexual maturity around 14 years of age, they remain dependent until about age 17 and are fully developed around the age of 22.

Evolutionary history
Main Article: Photoscyphicus

The Genus Photoscyphicus emerged about 1 Ma ago, with scyphers that evolved a fourth cone cell type in the eyes (tetrachromatic vision) that could see slightly into the near-ultraviolet spectrum. It was though that this helped to detect food sources and possible den sites,  as they can distinguish between far more colors than trichromates such as humans.

DNA reconstruction shows P. ulrai likely gave rise to savannah scyphers, P. robustus, P. thudosis, and P. concitus, while an early population of savanna scyphers gave rise to P. llano. For this reason some biologists consider P. llano to be a subspecies of the greater savanna photoscypher, though there is consesnus within the Atarian scientific community that P. llano warrents a seperat species based on morphology and DNA analysis.

Classification

 * Order Scyphera : living and fossil scyphers, their last common ancestor, and all its descendants
 * Suborder Monoviverus: "single-birthing" scyphers
 * Infraorder Terfilena: modern scyphers
 * Family Euscypheridae: "true" scyphers
 * Tribe Scypherininae: "great" scyphers
 * Genus Photoscyphicus : ultraviolet-seeing photoscyphers
 * Species: P. murcural