Hyenaroach

The hyenaroach split when its ancestor, the catbug, started to deal with competition for prey; some of these catbugs had to resort to feeding on carcasses to acquire the food they need. In order for it to better consume carcasses, the hyenaroach has evolved a stronger and sturdier set of jaws that allow it to crunch through thick exoskeletons and crunch down on the endoskeletons of smaller animals; this allows the hyenaroach to get more food out of carcasses than other scavengers would. While the hyenaroach is primarily a scavenging animal, it still retains its ancestor’s ability to hunt for prey when needed. In fact, hyenaroaches living in the Darwin Tropical Scrub are more predatory than those living in the Darwin Chaparral and the South Darwin Tropical Savanna. Another physical adaptation it has are the dark rims around its eyes that help cut down the sun's glare when it goes out into the open.

The hyenaroach’s preferred prey are hoppoks, sentroks, stinzerstars, and sagmalixes; however, they are able to take down juvenile centauroks and bumblers along with feeding on smaller organisms such as darwinian crestgills and mycostrums if it cannot find suitably large prey or carcasses. In order for it to manage against predators like the Acropard, the hyenaroach has evolved more spines on its body that make it less tempting for predators to feed on.

Along with these physical changes, the hyenaroach has evolved some particular behaviors in comparison to its ancestor; among these, the hyenaroach does exhibit some parental care to a similar extent to Terran crocodiles. The mother guards its young from other predators and lets them live with her in a den. The young will follow their mother for food and in times that they need to travel to a newer territory. It also tolerates its own young feeding off of her kills and parts of carcasses found. This motherhood lasts for about 2 months up until the offspring are able to fend for themselves. Another behavioral adaptation they have is that hyenaroaches will gather around a dying or dead animal and begin tearing it apart similarly to terran Komodo dragons, allowing them to feed on the flesh of larger arthrotheres that they would otherwise avoid when in their prime.