Jyuratodus Ecology

Taxonomy

 * Close Relatives: Lavasioth, Lavasioth Subspecies, Goruganosu, Aruganosu, and Beotodus

Jyuratodus is a mud-swimming Piscine Wyvern that was discovered in the New World by the commission.

History
Not much is known about Jyuratodus's discovery.

Missing Link
Much about the evolution of Piscine Wyverns is unknown, but that might've changed with the discovery of Jyuratodus. Jyuratodus shares many similarities with ancient Piscine Wyverns, and it's considered likely that it might've eventually evolved into Lavasioth. Despite this being possible, it's unclear whether it originates from the Old World or New World. Did Jyuratodus evolve into Lavasioth before spreading into the Old World, or did it move to the Old World, become Lavasioth, and return to the New World? So far, no Jyuratodus have been reported in the Old World, but its discovery could lead to researchers finding the ancestor of all Piscine Wyverns. Interestingly, Jyuratodus has a large number of fins on its body compared to fish seen today.

Habitat Range
Jyuratodus are native to the muddy swamps of the Wildspire Waste.

Ecological Niche
Jyuratodus is in the middle of the food chain, preying upon Apceros that come to drink from the marsh. It has also been seen dragging the corpses of other monsters into its territory for later consumption. Jyuratodus doesn't eat much, only once a day at most, but it has to compete with other monsters like Rathian, Pink Rathian, Anjanath, and Tigrex for food. However, its true rival is Barroth.

Biological Adaptations

 * Length: 1508.7cm
 * Height: 554.6cm
 * Foot Measurements: 192cm

Jyuratodus's scales are vulnerable to extreme heat, becoming brittle and weak when left to dry. If Jyratodus becomes too hot, it'll have a hard time breathing through its skin as well. To stay moist and keep cool, Jyuraydous is always covering its body in mud to protect itself from the harsh sun, which is the main reason why it lives in swampy environments. Adorning its body are many fins that are primarily used for balance. Although these appendages assist it as it swims, Jyuratodus will turn and adjust them while walking on land, aiding it as it moves over the uneven ground. Inside of its mouth are bone-crunching teeth used for crushing and tearing into prey. Once it has slain its victim, it'll feed the internal organs of its quarry. While swimming, Jyuratodus will swallow some mud and combine it with water from its water sac, making thick globs of mud that restrict the movements of predators and prey alike.

Behavior
Jyuratodus is highly territorial, attacking all monsters that invade its turf. It spends most of its time hidden away in its swamp, soaking in mud to stay moist, before hunting later in the day. While in its territory, it'll leave behind tracks in the water and on rocks as a warning to intruders, as well as kick up mud to scare off rivals. Barroth will unintentionally destroy these perimeters as it moves through the marsh, causing Jyuratodus to attack the Brute Wyvern because it sees that as a challenge for its turf.

Breeding Habits
Jyuratodus only ever breed during the wet season in the Wildspire Waste. Males and females will gather together in the swamps to spawn, but only a handful of their eggs will hatch. By the time the wet season is over, most of the water will have evaporated in the swamp, drying out the eggs. Once the young hatch, they'll search for a large monster and enter into the body of the organism by swimming into an opening (Wound, nostrils, mouth, etc.) before attaching their spine-like gills to its insides. The young Jyuratodus will sneak into the bodies of larger creatures and feed on their insides until they get older. Interestingly, it has been raining less frequently in the Wildspire Waste, meaning no Jyuratodus have been breeding recently.