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Hammerhead Titanothere

The Hammerhead Titanothere (Na'vi name: Angtsìk) is approximately eleven meters long, which is almost twice the size of an elephant, and is essentially a six-legged, monstrous version of Earth's extinct group of animals called Titanotheres, hence the name.

This massive, grazing creature travels in moderately large herds or packs of 10-20 animals. It is moderately social, but also extremely territorial and hierarchical. Constant threat displays, both visible and audible, are very common during the hammerhead titanothere's day. When angered (which happens easily and very often), a Titanothere will lower its head and charge at the perceived threat. The sheer momentum and ferocity of this display is usually enough to send any Pandoran creature running for cover, including mountain banshees and even viperwolf packs.

In the juvenile animal, the imposing hammerhead structure is formed of cartilage rather than bone. It can also bend to allow the animal to pass through the restricted spaces which an inexperienced young hammerhead might encounter. As it matures, the structure ossifies, and becomes solid bone. Fighting males will attempt to injure their opponents' eyes with the knobs at the ends of their hammers. The titanothere is highly territorial. Alpha males use their considerable momentum to spread their scent by smashing trees, thus warning other animals (including other Titanothere bulls) to steer clear.

The Hammerhead Titanothere has poor distance vision, but makes up for this with acute hearing and an excellent sense of smell. Although massive, its six limbs allow it to pivot rapidly when it detects a threat from the side or rear. The animal's overlapping body plates and large, boney shoulder and back offer protection during battles with other Titanotheres or large creatures such as the Leonopteryx or Thanator.

Hammerhead Titanotheres group together when attacked by a Thanator or Leonopteryx, which are their only known predators. Many Titanotheres charging at a percieved threat is even more intimidating than a single angry Titanothere. The Titanothere is a food source for the Na'vi.

Hexapede

A hexapede (from the greek word έξι exi meaning six and the latin word pedis meaning foot) (Na'vi name: Yerik) land herbivore's habitat is ubiquitous in various biomes of Pandora, including rainforests, savanna, subarctic tundra, and mountainous regions.

Hexapedes are of the most beautiful and fragile creatures of Pandora. Although a prime target for any land or aerial predator, the rapid pace of their breeding is the only thing keeping them from extinction. The hexapede is a food source for the Na'vi. It is one of the prime targets for Na'vi hunters.



Hexapedes resemble six-legged deer. They are dark blue herbivores, with white and yellow stripes

Small, sloped skull is topped by a retractable, light-colored fan structure. This fan has an eye pattern on it similar to those found in Terrian insects (such as the Luna Moth) that it will use as a defence mechanism, flashing it to predators in an attempt to seem bigger and intimidating. Its eyes are wide-spaced and large. Has a longish snout that ends in a small bifurcating jaw and bifurcated lip that can be retracted. Twin horn structures that sheathe a thin, patterned membrane. Skin membrane 'beard' hangs under jaw and runs length of neck.

Twin lines of dark hairlike bristles run down its back. Long, thin neck and legs ending in round, beveled hooves. Body is dark blue with white-yellow stripes. Size ranges up to 1.5 meters long, 2 meters in height.



The hexapede appears in the film avatar and in the avatar game. In both it is a non threatening fauna that simply roams the jungles.

Mountain Banshee

Jake: "How do I know if he chooses me?"

Neytiri: "He will try to kill you."

Jake: "Outstanding."

- Jake Sully and Neytiri during Jake's bonding as an Ikran Makto


Banshees (Na'vi name : Ikran) are large flying animals native to Pandora.



Bonding with a banshee and becoming an Ikran Makto is a dangerous and required rite of passage for Na'vi warriors in some clans, including the Omaticaya. Like the direhorse, a Na'vi can connect to a banshee through a neural interface that allows animal and rider to move with apparent effortlessness through the skies. Unlike the direhorse, however, the banshee will only bond with one Na'vi in its lifetime.

The mountain banshee rookery is high in the Hallelujah Mountains. The largest rookery, which features the biggest specimens (and therefore the best to tame for riding), is in grottoes and outcrops on a sheer cliff face of Mons Veritatis, one of the largest of the floating mountains. It is here that the Na'vi come to select (and be selected by) a banshee for domestication. The bonded mountain banshees nest in the highest branches of Hometree, where they can be close at hand for their Na'vi rider.

The mountain banshee (like its smaller cousin, the forest banshee) is highly adapted for flight. Specially developed muscles attached to the breastbone allow for the powerful strokes needed to achieve lift. Xenobiologists continue to study the aerodynamics of the banshee. It is believed that all of Pandora's flying animals take advantage of gravity that is lower than Earth's and the increased air density, (which requires more force to displace with the downward/rearward stroke of their wings, and thus gives the animal's body more impetus with each flap). The downside is that the denser air is harder to move through, and requires highly-efficient streamlining to achieve high flight speeds.



Though reptilian in appearance, the banshee has a metabolism that is bird-like, and generates tremendous heat. The banshee has a complex cooling system to keep it from overheating during strenuous flying. The breathing system is central to this cooling. The air inlets, or spiracles, face forward at the front of the chest cavity, like the engine intakes of a jet fighter. Induction of air is controlled by a cartilaginous operculum, or flap-valve. The banshee lung is a bellows like structure, inflated by rib movement, but unlike the lungs of terrestrial animals, it has unidirectional flow, venting aft through gill-like slits.

The banshee has two primary eyes which see in full color in roughly the same spectrum as human vision. Aft of the primary eyes are smaller secondary eyes, which can move independently or together with the primaries. They see in near infrared, for night hunting. They also are highly sensitive to motion, and act as an early warning system against attack from the rear. All four eyes are protected by lids and by transparent nictating membranes. Forward of the primary eyes are lines of sensor pits. These are thought to provide airflow information in flight, like a pitot tube on an airplane. Another hypothesis is that they are sensitive to sound, and have an echolocation role, by sensing the reflected sound of the banshee shrieks.

Like many of Pandora's creatures, the banshee also has a remarkably strong cell structure. This structure, which is a biologically produced carbon-fiber, makes their bones much lighter and stronger than any organic Terran equivalent. This in turn allows them to generate more power and lift with every flap. The biochemistry of their muscle tissue allows them to generate nearly twice the force per pound of muscle as terrestrial flying animals such as bats and birds. This, again, generates tremendous metabolic heat. The hollow bones are connected to the bellows-like lung, and cooling air moves through the long bones of the fore and aft wings.

They have only vestigial legs (unlike their cousin the Great Leonopteryx) which might suggest a life mainly in flight,only landing to feed their young. It also suggests that prey will be smaller airborne creatures or possibly creatures perched high in the trees as they could not grab on to something while in flight as seen in the Earthly eagles for instance.

The wings have a claw or finger that is used to cling on to cliffs and to "walk" on flat ground,possibly by dragging the body forward or more likely maintaining center gravity over the wings. All and all,they do not seem near as agile on the ground as in the air.

The Banshee and all flying creatures of Pandora are though to have evolved from sea creatures due to the fact that they have fish-like jaw structures.



Each large fore-wing has three Primary Vanes at its tips. These form like the wings of a dragon fly, by the extrusion of a resin into the veins of a flexible membrane, which unfurls then cures in the sun into a rigid transparent vane. These vanes are replaced through molting. The purpose of the vanes is to generate lift and to provide fine control in flight. They are also quite robust structures designed to fold inward if the wingtips hit tree limbs or other obstacles.

The banshee also has a deep flight keel protruding from the chest between the fore-wings. This keel acts as both a stabilizer, by virtue of its mass, and as an anchor allowing the flight muscles to generate additional leverage by anchoring them further from the tip.

The smaller hind wing, or horizontal stabilizers, play a dual role in Banshee flight. In level flight, when large amounts of power are not required, the creature propels itself with the fore-wing and uses the "stabs" as a tail-plane, for altitude control. When more lift is needed, for take-off and climbing, or escape from an aerial predator such as the leonopteryx, the "stabs" becomes additional wings, flapping to provide propulsion. The stabs are capable of coordinated and uncoordinated operations. This provides both elevation and roll control to the creature just like 21st century fighter aircraft. The stabs are also likely the remnants of legs--due to their almost entirely airborne life, the rear limbs have evolved to a more useful role.

The steering vane under the banshee’s lower jaw and the feather-like fan at the tip of the tail provide additional turning authority for high performance aerobatics. The banshee is highly maneuverable and can dive at speeds close to 140 knots.




The banshees are social animals, and communicate frequently, generating quite a din at rookeries and other communal areas.

Banshees were so named because of their piercing signature cry. This is only one of the banshee’s many vocalizations, and is thought to be a distant call defining territory.

Other vocalizations include a warning hiss, which is part of an overall threat display posture, and a short sharp shriek which denotes stress or fear. There are also warning sounds, and other stress vocalizations, as well as more guttural vocalizations associated with social grooming and contentment.

The banshee emits sound from its head, using the open mouth to focus the direction. However, it does not have a trachea in its neck, since it breathes directly into the chest cavity. It has instead, a tube running from the lungs up into the head which pumps air through the vocal organ, the syrinx. Chambers in the head amplify the sound before it is emitted into the mouth cavity for directional aiming. Some banshee vocalizations are emitted directly from the resonating cavity, when the mouth is closed.

Sturmbeest

The sturmbeest is one of the main sources of animal products for the Na'vi. As such, Sturmbeest are a primary organizing force in the clan culture. A number of different clans extol the virture of the animal in textiles, music, song, dance, and art.

Sturmbeest are herd animals. They are extremely social and highly protective of their young. They are also territorial and will mass for attack against any would be predator. When the predator is too large or in too great a number, the will stampede, often breaking off into smaller packs for evasion.

The male is about 15 percent larger than the female and has a bigger ridge bone on its back. The mate also has a dramatic top horn that is used for defense and contest and other bulls.

Their brain-mass-to-body ratio is low and the creatures are slow to react and slow to stop reacting. The young, old, and lame are prey only to the largest or fiercest predators, such as viperwolf packs, the thanator, and occasionally a large Great Leonopteryx



Massive buffalo like heard east with six legs and indigo and orange coloring. Its skull features a single large bony hornlike extrusion above the eyes. Extrusions are reddish or orange, with striated slashes of blue



Land animals that feed on grass, shrubs, and various fungi. Hornlike jaw extension acts as plow for digging up roots, grubs and other subsurface food.

Stingbat

Stingbat, (scientific name: Scorpiobattus volansii), or 'Flying Scorpion bat' are small aerial predators with a highly developed navigation system and four eyes.

The Stingbat's has translucent fangs and claws with predominant bioluminescence on the wing membrane and torso. One of the Stingbat's features is a Scorpion-like tail stinger and a small brain cavity. The Stingbat is an omnivore, feeding on both flora and fauna; prefering rodent sized creatures, lizards, and fruit. The Stingbat usually feeds alone but will swarm with other Stingbat's against larger prey such as small Hexapede.

Despite the highly developed visual navigational system their small brain cavity and cerebral cortex inhibits their innate survival mechanisms. Despite a constant slaughter, the creatures continue to fly into the range of automated sentry guns that defend the Hell's Gate compound. Their diminished cerebral capacity makes them common prey for larger predators such as the Forest Banshee. But their prodigious mating habit ensures a steady population.

Tetrapteron

The Tetrapteron is a class of flamingo-like bird that looks almost Earth like until one notices it has four wings, with two on either side. The birds also feature a unique twin tail used for balancing their body weight as they hunt or land.

There are two types of Tetrapteron, aquatic and arboreal. Although similar in appearance, the aquatic birds have longer necks and legs for life in wetlands.
The Tetrapteron have excellent long distance vision, and can detect movements as little as 1.25 centimeters from a height of 45 meters. They usually hunt in flocks.
Of all the creatures on Pandora, these seem the most cooperative, both on the hunt and when socializing. While many predators on Pandora nurture their young, none take more care of their offspring with as much attention and duration as the Tetrapteron.



Two pairs of wings, twin tail, Large beak and gullet with glassy teeth.

Wingspan nearly 1.5 meters

Viperwolf

The Viperwolf (Na'vi name: Nantang) has six legs and a lean, powerful torso, and has evolved to travel swiftly over long distances in search of prey.


Very few predators (the mountain banshee among them) will attempt an attack on a viperwolf, who nearly always move in packs that can mass into a highly cooperative hunting party within seconds.

Its paws include opposable thumbs, allowing it to climb trees as well as stalk from the ground, thereby creating a three- dimensional hunting field. When stalking prey, the viperwolf is able to reduce its profile by hugging the ground or clinging to tree limbs. Thus hidden, a viperwolf can often approach within a few meters of unsuspecting prey, and then attack with frightening efficiency. (One xenobiologist describes this graceful, ominous movement as “liquid darkness.”)

Only months after birth, a viperwolf pup is required to hunt on its own. However, the pups mature swiftly and grow to half the adult size by their sixth month. By then, they also have a full set of teeth and their jaw muscles are almost mature. Viperwolf young are playful,in much the same manner as that of terrestrial canid pups or cubs .

Although vicious during combat and hunting, viperwolf mothers treat their pups in a gentle, loving way.

A group of them attack Jake Sully when he gets lost in the woods. He tries to fend them off with fire, to no avail. It is only a reluctant rescue by Neytiri that finally saves him. Others attack marines during the last part of the assault on the Tree of Souls



The ratio of brain mass to body weight of the average adult viperwolf indicates a high order of mental processing, pattern recognition and communication skills.

Their keen, intelligent green eyes can see as clearly at night as in the day. Their long distance vision is only moderate, but their depth perception is superb. Their sense of smell is second to only the thanator (based on the few creatures who have been measured to date). It is believed that a viperwolf can sense prey from more than eight kilometers away.

Viperwolf jaws can exert four kilograms of pressure per square centimeter, enough to easily crush bone, or even stone.



The pack appears to communicate information about the potential prey or predator with facial tics, paw gestures and audio cues.

The viperwolf hunts in small groups, communicating with hyena-like barks and yelps.

Direhorse

Direhorses (Na'vi name: Pa'li) are nectavores, vaguely horse-like in appearance, with very long necks and tiny heads. They are roughly the size of an elephant. They are native creatures of Pandora.

When wild, the animals move together in a loose herd through the forests, feeding on tree bark and shrubs. Herds numbering in the dozens have been spotted from aircraft. But evidence (including scatological and plant impact) suggests that herds of more than one hundred animals are not uncommon.



The direhorse (as with most over native creatures of Pandora) has two long, thin antennae (called a neural whip by humans) that emerge from either side of the top of the skull. These appendages have feathery tips that move constantly, (almost like a kind of sea grass), and seek out the antennae of other direhorses as they move near. Xenobiologists believe that the touch of antennas is for pleasure and affection, but also a means of transferring information about food sources and potential dangers; herds often move in unison shortly after touching antennae.

The animals are easily startled, and, when all six legs are working in unison, can reach ninety-five kilometers per hour. The direhorse is larger by a third than the largest Terran draft horses such as the Shire, Clydesdale or the Percheron, and substantially larger than the biggest horse ever recorded on Earth. The Na'vi are excellent riders and the direhorse, with its six legs, is a swift, nimble mount that is well-adapted to the rugged Pandoran terrain. The Direhorse is a land omnivore that uses its long snout, as well as its long giraffe-like tongue, to feed on sap. It is able to capture some protein intake through insects trapped inside the sap. The favored food of the direhorse is the Pitcher Plant, which makes the Direhorse an effective pollinator.



Many direhorses are tamed to aid their riders in the hunt and in battle. To bond with (or, in human terms, to “break”) a direhorse, a Na'vi must mount the animal and connect their neural queue to the animal's antennae (or neural whip). Once queue and antenna touch, the feathery tendrils automatically intertwine, almost as if possessed of free will. Although the exact motive force remains unknown, it is believed that the antennae may secrete a pheromone that evokes the unique intertwining.

Once intertwined, the Na'vi rider can communicate motor commands instantly through the neural interface. The apparent lack of effort makes it seem as if the direhorse is an extension of the rider's own body. This frees up the Na'vi to use a bow and arrow during a hunt or battle. Unlike the Mountain Banshee, however, the neural link made between rider and direhorse does not lead to a life-long, exclusive bond between Na'vi and animal; although Na'vi have their favorite mounts, it is possible and permissible to ride another clan member's direhorse. The direhorse is a perfect mount to ride in the obstacle-strewn close quarters of a Pandoran forest; direhorse can turn on a dime, have excellent reaction times, and can leap large distances. Direhorses are the perfect warfare mount for the Na'vi, and played a crucial part in the showdown between the Na'vi and humans. Direhorses are an important part of many Clans, such as the Horse Clan of the Plains.