Russet Kugard

The russet kugard split from kugards that migrated northward into the desert and steppe regions that connected Glicker with Barlowe. They have adapted for these harsh and arid climes, both in physiology and behavior, though their overall form remains much like their ancestors.

One of the most visible developments is fat storage, providing a reserve whenever a long time passes between meals or drinks. The bulk of this goes atop their back, forming something of a hump, but unlike that of Earth's camels, this is spread out more from front to back, thereby keeping their weight more balanced over their limbs, giving the organism a more blobby overall shape. (As a side effect, they have lost their ancestors' high neck mobility.) Additional fat is stored throughout the body, especially around the limbs, which helps cushion them. A well-fed russet kugard (as depicted here) looks substantially different from one that hasn't eaten in a while, as the latter will have a smaller hump, bonier limbs, and more wrinkled skin.

In response to aridity, the skin has become tough and bumpy, closer to Earth's toads rather than frogs. It is also loose and wrinkly in areas, even in a well-fed russet kugard, most notably around the face, especially where the lateral mandibles are rooted, and the transitional area between the main body and the hump.

Furthermore, the fold of skin beneath the neck has expanded into a large pendulous dewlap, which extends over much of the lower jaw. To some extent, they can use it for thermoregulation, but its primary purposes are communication and display. The part growing from the lower jaw extends over the lower nostrils; a membrane (derived from more of the loose skin) can open—letting the nostrils breathe air in and out—or close, letting the nostrils exhale air directly into the dewlap. The dewlap then inflates, forming a formidable display... and, once, the membrane opens again, producing a croaking sound. Males especially use this to attract mates, but all russet kugards use it to signal their presence.

This comes with significant changes in their social lives. To better survive despite spare food, they have increased cooperation instincts. Babies depend on their parents for survival. When born, they are much like baby kugards, aside from coloration and the dewlap; the humps grow only after organs have moved into the anal limb. Parents must frequently feed the babies with regurgitated food. They've developed a subsidiary pouch as part of the digestive system, tucked in the back of the hump, which they use to regurgitate something akin to cud, though used only to feed others, not themselves. Babies stay with their parents for about a year before moving out on their own and will usually live four to six years beyond that. They usually only birth one or two offspring at a time, given their shift toward more parental investment.

Adult russet kugards typically live in mated pairs, along with any infants they're raising. Solitary ones are usually between mates (or keep being rejected), and they sometimes form trios or, rarely, larger groups. Sometimes the pairs are siblings instead of mates. (Paired siblings do not mate with each other.) Mates stick together while raising babies so that babies can be fed by both, but they often split up after the babies leave. They're not really monogamous, either, and are likely to mate with any other russet kugards whom they encounter passing by. Some russet kugards pair up with members of the same sex. These pairs, as well as sibling pairs, will look after any orphaned babies they find. Additionally, these pairs may mate with members of the opposite sex whom they encounter, then jointly raise the resultant offspring—a win for the passing parent, who gets to reproduce without having to expend effort parenting. Most russet kugards have a slight preference for the opposite sex, though some are interested in the opposite sex exclusively, some prefer the same sex, and a few are solely interested in the same sex, which applies to pair-bonding as well as brief encounters. Still, a substantial majority of russet kugards do engage in heterosexual reproduction at some point in their lives, even those who are paired with a member of the same sex or a sibling. These pairings are beneficial evolutionarily: Bonded siblings will end up looking after their own relatives, and even unrelated mated couples result in both member's offspring getting the benefit of two parents. And the few who never mate heterosexually help the overall survival of the species through their "adoption."

Their croaking sounds facilitate these social interactions. Babies, especially, croak to signal their need to feed, and the croaking also allows russet kugards to find each other. Males have an additional signal, as their main anal fingers have grown much longer, and they usually hold them upward (also a characteristic used to attract mates). In addition to mating, russet kugards may also feed each other, as an extension of the instinct to feed babies, which helps keep the population surviving in their harsh environment. In particular, if a well-fed russet kugard sees another who looks malnourished, it will regurgitate some food for it. Adults will usually feed babies too, even if they're not their own.

Russet kugards have slightly increased intelligence. This is mostly specialized in social intelligence and instincts for finding food and water. Their range of behavior remains very limited, even socially, as their default reaction to any other russet kugard is to be friendly, never aggressive. The closest they get to aggression is competing over mates, handled by displays, and they're nearly as likely to diffuse this tension by an exchange of mating and regurgitation between all three. The are adept at handling typical desert problems but not at handling anything new or unexpected.

Another useful extension of their social intelligence is the ability to recognize specific individuals, through a mix of scent and subtle patterns on their mottled skin. This provides a strong genetic advantage, as they can recognize close relatives and are more likely to supply them with regurgitation or to take care of orphaned babies if they're related. It's also been a driving force for the evolution of cooperation, so important in their resource-poor environment because russet kugards can remember when other individuals have been stingy with regurgitation in the past. In effect, they are able to hold a grudge and be unhelpful to those who were unhelpful in the past, making uncooperative individuals less likely to pass on their genes. Even with this ability, however, their range of relationships is fairly limited, largely a matter of recognizing their own children, other close relatives, mates (or bonded siblings), and these grudges, nothing more.

They have more minor adaptations too. The upper eyelids have also expanded significantly to protect the eyes from glare and sand. The toes are spread out more and splayed to better distribute weight when walking on sand.

Although their range overlaps with the wedgenose, they do not compete, as their diet is entirely different.

Aside from the hump and regurgitation pouch, internal anatomy is very close to the original kugard, with major organs within the anal arm. They have similar tympanic ears as well, along with four lungs and blood that uses hemerythrin. The lower lungs can stretch to a larger total volume than before, but they only do this in preparation for making a particularly large bellow, giving them a puffed out appearance when they do so.