Canisa sapiens
Lykaon
The location of the original home world of Lykaons is theorised to be Aberbarda, but many other home worlds have evidence of early Lykaon and pre-cursor species activity. They most likely evolved from large canids (wolves or dogs).
Physiological Characteristics
The average adult Lykaon stands at roughly 2 metres (6 feet and 6 inches) and weighs 100 kilograms (220 pounds). They have a large, caniform head, with a long snout consisting of a nose and mouth, two eyes, and two large ears with large upright pinna. Some ethnic groups have ‘lop’ ears due to a mutation in the development of cartilage. Their eyes are forward-facing with round pupils and little to no visible sclera. Iris colours range from yellow, brown, green, or blue. They have bare skin on their nose, the inside of their ears, and on their palms and soles, and this skin ranges in complexion from pale white to pale pink, light brown to black, with many shades between. Their teeth are long and sharp, and their dentition is (3.1.4.2/3.1.4.3) with a total of forty-two teeth. The canines can be quite long and fang-like. Their large heads are attached to a large torso by a thick, muscular neck. Two arms and two legs connect to the torso by shoulders and hips. Both limbs end in hands and feet with four digits, including an opposable thumb on the hands. Their digits have hard claws on the end of them, which evolved to help early canines to dig burrows. Their spine passes through their torso and exits out just before the legs into a long tail. Most Lykaon are covered in a thick, dense coat of fur, with a thicker and longer layer grown during winter, and longer hair on the tail, although some ethnic groups have shorter or no fur. Their fur ranges from shades of grey to brown, in a variated pattern and lighter colouring around the snout and abdomen and chest, and darker colouring around the eyes, tips of ears, tips of tail, and back. Other possible colourations can include reds, oranges, yellows, black, and white, with a variety of patterns.
Biological Characteristics
The average lifespan for Lykaon is between eighty to one hundred years. Like most mammals, their blood is iron and oxygen rich and has a red colouration. Male Lykaons tend to be larger and heavier, with the average adult male weighing 110 kilograms (242 pounds) and the average adult female weighing ninety kilograms (198 pounds). Like all mammals, Lykaons are endothermic. They have a single heart, a single set of lungs, and a single stomach.
Physical Capabilities and Limitations
Like most organisms, Lykaons require gaseous oxygen to breathe. They require six hours of sleep a day to continue normal brain and body functions. They can survive three weeks without food, a week without water, and fifteen minutes without oxygen. The average running speed for a Lykaon is 56 kilometres/hour (34.8 miles/hour), but many can reach speeds of up to 70 kilometres/hour (43.5 miles/hour). Lykaons have high amounts of stamina, allowing them to maintain a general speed of thirty kilometres/hour (18.6 miles/hour) over long distances. Pre-tool Lykaon societies use this stamina to run prey down to exhaustion.
Diet and Nutrition
Lykaons are a largely carnivorous species consuming the meat and bones of animals. They can also eat animal products, such as eggs, honey, and milk, as well as various fruits, vegetables, and grains in small quantities.
Immunology
Major threats to modern Lykaon health include obesity and the viral infection Canine distemper. They are susceptible to a variety of fungal, bacterial, and viral pathogens, as well as internal and external parasites. Most nations have compulsory vaccination for the bacterial and viral infections that have had vaccines developed for. Some populations may also be at risk of genetic mutations and diseases, such as increased chances of heart disease and hip dysplasia.
Reproduction and Development
Lykaon females go into oestrous once a year during early to mid-autumn. Fertilisation is internal, and after a six-month gestation period, the females give birth to a litter of three to six pups. These pups are born altricial; blind and deaf and are completely dependent on their parents for sustenance. By six months of age, the pups have begun to move around independently and consume soft solids. They will require their parents’ assistance until about five years of age, at which point they begin to physically and mentally mature into an adult. By sixteen years they are fully independent and mature, and females may begin to go through oestrous. Both male and female Lykaon are capable of reproducing their entire lives.