Bumbler

A population of Centaurok while defending against predators has switched from an overall flight response to a fight response. This group resulted in the Bumbler.

Both the Bumbler’s endoskeleton and exoskeleton have increased in mass. The segments of the feet have fused. To support this, its muscle mass has also drastically increased. In particular, the grasping arms have enlarged disproportionately as they are used to dig up ground plants and to injure predators while in combat. Due to this, the arms have developed more movement range. This makes the Bumbler a very risky target to go after for predators, although also making it rather slow and clumsy. With slower movement, its display fins grow more vertically instead of horizontally to reduce the chances of them being bitten off. The opening of their gonopodium has developed a lid that can be closed during combat. Its neck-torso segment has gained additional articulation in order to acquire food better from the ground.

The Bumbler will spend its days alone foraging for food and resting for the most part. When faced with a threat, it will put its grasping arms in a shoulders down, forearms spread side to side and palms forwards position. At that point, the bumbler will slowly approach the threat and if the threat doesn’t stand down, the bumbler will charge and violently bash and slash with its grasping arms.

They now mate during the wet season. During this time the male’s fins enlarge and deepen in color to impress females and scare males. Males will size each other up and brawl to determine who gets to mate. Afterward, the offspring will be taken care of by the mother.