Creature:Fleetah

Fleetah are a species (Celerus regalis) of alien carnivore. They run at relatively fast speeds, but their true prowess lies in their extremely swift acceleration capacity. The genus can be considered the "type genus" of the family Celeromorphidae, which includes similar swift aliens with slim, curving bodies. The family is part of the larger order Stenocoxae, which includes Quillsprings.

Morphology
Fleetah have three legs: one positioned anterior, and two posterior. They have a narrow torso, and a hipbone that bends forward to join the front leg as well as the hind legs. The feet bear two toes each, spread apart. The front part of the Fleetah's body is wider than the rear, as it accommodates the creature's heart, four large lungs, and other vital organs. The Fleetah bears no neck, and its head is very small and compact. It sports a single hypodermal "eye", which rather than receive light in the visible spectrum, collects visual signals by means of infrared detection. This helps the Fleetah quickly find and lock on to prey. A large, curved crest juts out from the creature's head; this is an organ used to keep balance while turning. Large gill-like nostrils on the dorsal area of the creature supply it with air.

Behavior
The Fleetah is not the fastest predator on the plains—that distinction is granted to the Porqueusprinter. However, its true ability is in its acceleration; it is able to go from 0 to 50 mph in approximately four seconds. But the Fleetah is only able to maintain this speed for short bursts. Thus, Fleetah are largely ambush predators, their main prey being Grythe, Amphisbone, and even the large Ravenger. Fleetah are occasionally preyed upon by Thundercrest, though they can usually escape the relatively slow predator.

Fleetah are hermaphrodites, being able to mate with any other member of its species. They form monogamous mating couples that go about their own ways separately, meeting only two or three times throughout their lives to breed. Both partners are impregnated at the same time; then they depart, and upon giving birth (they are viviparous), the birthing parent takes care of the young until they reach the age of five. A typical litter of Fleetah is one to three offspring.

In-game description
''The Fleetah is relentless in pursuit of its prey. Though not the fastest predator, its acceleration is unmatched, able to go from 0 to 50 in four seconds flat. This creature can be found on the fringes of rocky steppes.''

Tags: carnivore, fast, steppe, triped

Taxonomy

 * Kingdom: Unnamed
 * Phylum: Arthroskeleta
 * Subphylum: Tripoda
 * Class: Monopropoda
 * Order: Stenocoxae
 * Family: Celeromorphidae
 * Genus: Celerus
 * Species: C. regalis (a.k.a. Flytdais, 2008)