Dugzard

The Dugzard is a well adapted creature to the Great Sculpting Field of Ucharpli. Dugzards are small lizards, about 10.6 inches long when fully grown, and make burrows similar to those of a prairie dog. They are a common sight in the desert, often seen hunting insects and are surprisingly intelligent.

Appearance

Dugzards weigh six ounces on average and lives for twenty years. These lizards, however, have two front legs, but no hind limbs. Instead, a vestigial bone within its body is in place of the legs. Because it does not need to travel distances greater than fifty meters, it evolved to have no hind legs and instead adapted to using only its front legs for both digging and walking.

Male Dugzards have sand-colored scales and a beard that can fluff up like a peacock. The patterns on the beard have elegant colors useful for both attracting mates and scaring away enemies such as invading Dugzards and large birds. The males can also use the beard to cool down, but females require spacey areas underground to keep cool. Females do not have beards, are dull in color, and are often stocky.

Habitat

The burrows the Dugzards dig are very deep in the ground. Some burrows can reach up to one mile down. Dugzards dig towns much like the prairie dogs, but dig in a slightly different method. The Dugzards help themselves dig by eating some of the dirt. The dirt is not digested, but stored in its appendix. Usually, two-hundred Dugzards are needed to build the underground towns because the appendix gets full so quickly. When a Dugzard is full of dirt, it stops in the middle of its path letting others know that it can’t dig until it empties its dirt. However, the Dugzard can also use the stored dirt as a ranged attack against enemies.

Mating

Often, during mating season, Dugzards have contests for the best looking beard, but sometimes they may fight with each other until one gives up or dies. Males do not fight if they are related to each other. The females spend most of their time underground, unlike most reptiles, caring for their young. The only time females go to the surface is to mate or to evacuate in case of an emergency.

Male Dugzards have to leave their burrows and walk around in a circle with a diameter of fifty meters. These giant circles are scattered throughout the desert but have no marked boundaries. There, they search for burrows that have different patterns than their own. During mating season, females rise out of the burrows waiting to be attracted to another Dugzard. Also, armed Dugzards will be scattered throughout the circles, preparing to shoot at birds of prey and other creatures that find Dugzard as a delight. When two Dugzards match, they enter the burrow of the female’s and mate with each other. The female lays her eggs, usually five, at the lowest part of the burrow to control population. The female also keeps guard of her eggs in case of burglary. These eggs are one centimeter in diameter and are small enough to be eaten.

Hatchling cycle

When the eggs hatch, the young Duglings remain in the room that they are born in. Duglings, when born, are only half of an inch long. The male will hunt for the female. The main source of food is small insects, plants, and grass. Due to the scarcity of water on the surface, the female must find her own water in the springs underground. Usually, these springs aren’t far from the birthplace. In order to get enough food for the female and Duglings, the male must eat twice its weight. After eating a lot, it moves slower because of dirt that it stores and the food. When the Dugzard finally reaches the burrow, it regurgitates most of its food and the female, and the Duglings eat the new meal. If a male Dugzard does not return within forty-eight hours upon leaving, a babysitter will take care of the young. Usually, a lost Dugzard has been eaten by another creature, struggling in its travels or died of old age while hunting.

When the Duglings have lived two years, (they will probably be three inches) the male/substitute, will start teaching the Duglings how to hunt. The male shows where the sources of food are and how to get them. The male also lectures them on how to defend themselves. The male builds a rock pile and the Duglings will use its beard to knock down the pile, and later spray dirt at it. The male also catches an Avstone, a small rock-armored bird with wings. Avstones are immune to the dirt sprays of Dugzards, but can be used as practice at shooting in the air. When training is done, the Avstone is released. After the male thinks the Duglings are well-trained, the Duglings are no longer cared for and will help volunteer for jobs in their home. After the Duglings are ten years old, they will be able to mate.

Trivia

• The Dugzard was first created on March 5, 2006, making it the single oldest creation in Galactic Crucibles Wiki. Its original purpose was for a school project, but has since been adapted six years later to fit into the wiki.
• Most of the article remains unchanged from the original version save for minor sentence rewording and reorganization.

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