Alien Name: Tibokktur (Alpha) Tibku (Beta) Tibok (Gamma)

Planet of Origin Moon of Origin: Beghar

Ecosystem Component: mid-chain carnivore

Base Habitat: Desert-type region- a large swath of the equatorial parts of the moon.

Size: two feet in height, 6-12 inches in length

Grouping: Pack: 3-5 adults or members of a similar age (Alpha Phase) Mating troupe: 6-10 breeding individuals (Beta Phase) solitary- a single individual (Gamma Phase)

Note: Due to the seasonal shifts on Beghar, many animals have various forms or phases they go through depending on the current climate. The climate cycles through a complex cycle of seasons which depend on the position around it’s parent planet, Begharet, and the position relative to the system’s star. Three forms for a creature is common, though higher number forms occur fairly often in the ecosystem. Double forms are rare and single forms are nonexistent.

Note: The tibok phases are called by the name attributed to the creature in that phase.

Lifespan/Reproduction: the Tibok goes through three phases- a pack-hunting phase, a solitary-hunting phase, and a reproductive phase. The phases are related to the temperature and conditions, a variable on Beghar. They change to Alpha Phase when drought conditions are prevalent, since a pack is more likely to survive the time of low liquid and scarce food. The solitary phase, Gamma, occurs when conditions are in balance- enough food and water to live on, but not an abundance of food or water. The Beta phase occurs when the double seasons bring lush prosperity to their desert habitat. This rare season of plenty occurs long enough to raise a fair number of offspring. Offspring can be born while their parents are in other phases, though it is difficult and very few are born and manage to survive.
They live from 7-15 begharan years, and will often go through only two stages before their death. Whether they go through the same two multiple times depends on the convergance of the two seasonal tracks. Some go through all three forms, though it is rare.

Appearance:

Basic: its basic physiology is quadupedal, with a large plate-like fin (think a stegosaurus crossed with a dimetrodon) on its back that is instrumental in heat transfer. Its tail is long and tipped with plates of the same type and purpose. Its forelegs are tri-jointed, similar in shape to the hind legs of many terran animals, tipped with a three-clawed foot built for walking on sand. Its first and second joints are capped with a bony plate, and a plate like the footprint of a terran bipedal dinosaur is visible on its sides where each of its legs connect to its body. Its head is lizardlike, with an armored bony lower jaw tipped with an upward-facing beaklike appendage. It has three shiny black eyes, one large and two smaller ones, arranged on a toppled-tower configuration. On its head are horn-like organs that take in air and derive sensory information. Two fins on the side of their head help to communicate to other members of the species, though grunts and high-pitched chirping noises have been heard. A forked, prehensile appendage appears to come from their nose. It is forked like a snake’s tongue and moveable like an elephant’s trunk. It contains sensory organs and glands as well.
The hind legs are similar to the front legs, though they have an additional joint that ends up with a downward-facing turn to the leg. These are tipped by a claw that could be considered bizarre. Its front part consists of two bony protrusions, one much large than the other and its rear part is a small claw that points backwards. These are also adapted to sand. Its body is short, with a paunch-like area between the hind legs. Reproductive organs are actually located in the nose protrusion, and it has tactile neurons that activate the pleasure response. Thus, they tend to feel things with their nose protrusion often.

Alpha Phase: its horn-organs on its head grow large, and the nose protrusion grows fuzzy with extra sensory capacity. Its facial fins are small, and blade-like growths appear on its lover jaw, as do sharp fangs. Its claws are sharper in this stage, and they appear to have a sort of lateral line to help them determine what their packmate will do next. They are dull colored with black striping along the legs and fading at the body. A series of dark-colored lines down the face are its only other marking. Its back spines are long and strong, able to take a scuffle and not break off.

Beta Phase: The reproductive phase is all about flashy colors and patterns. Its nose protrusion is longer, with bands of a single color along its length. Its jaw becomes more pronounced, colorful lines appearing where the blade-like growths would appear in Alpha phase. The facial fins grow long, intricate, and delicate, with blotches of intense color, often red or yellow, but sometimes blue or green. Its horn organs are extremely small, and weak in this stage, though its eyesight improves. Its eye color also turns a bright orange, and is visible even in times of little light. The plates on its sides gain a spider-web like patterning of bright color, as do its tail plates. Its back fin become sintricate and webbed, with bright green peacock eye-like designs. Its usual body color becomes iridescent blue, like a peacock.

Gamma Phase: these are basically the ‘normal’ phase. The plates on their tail are small, while their back plates are large, though delicate. They grow back quickly, however. Horn organs are large with wide space between its ‘branches’. Nose protrusion is short, barely just the forks. They are sandy colored, with black splotches along the nose and back. Otherwise, they are the most basic physiology of all the phases.

Babies are small and heavily armored, remaining a pale tan color until adulthood, when they begin to physically change phases.

Territory: minimum 50 acres of desertland with rivers for a sustainable population

Known Predators/Dangers: Large predators (need info), sandstorms, starvation, high oxygen levels (though it uses some in bodily processes)