Editing Primordial Evolution Game/Central Continent Desert (section)

== Burrog ==
[[Image:Desert_SmallChart_Burrog.png|thumb|center|Burrog Evolution Chart]]

==== Horned Burrog ====
[[Image:Horned_Burrog.png|thumb|upright|left|top|
<br />progenitor: Burrog
<br />-> Sand Devil]]
The ancestors of the Sand Devils became more and more aggressive, and over time they all but abandoned feasting on plants, becoming full blown carnivores.

They had a powerful stinger they used to kill their prey. They hunted by night, burrowing themselves under few layers of sand, waiting for the prey to come close, upon which they burst from their hiding place and charge the prey.

==== Social Burrog ====
[[Image:Social_Burrog.jpg|thumb|upright|right|top|
<br />progenitor: Burrog
<br />-> Loner Burrog
<br />-> Koburrog]]
Some Burrog lost their horns for more streamlined and effortless burrowing They lived in small family groups for increased protection. The Social Burrog developed shallow groves in their armour plates to collect moisture during the night. Other Burrog drink this moisture off their fellows. They made small burrows and stored plant matter in them such as Cho pulps and Kaskus fruits. The social burrog developed longer legs, allowing them to move much faster.

Their tail spike developed into sensory organ. They held against the sand alert for worm vibrations. This gives them just enough time  to start running and alert its mates. The social burrog developed better eyesight and a strong beak, so they might spot and eat on plant better. Due to the plentiful vegetation the Social Burrog grew larger and larger. They exhausted local vegetation during the dry season and migrated from oasis to oasis in large herds braving huge Sand Burrogs and ravenous Wespar Swarms.

==== Koburrog ====
[[File:Koburrog.png|thumb|upright|right|top|
<br />progenitor: Social Burrog]]

==== Loner Burrog ====
[[Image:Loner_Burrog.jpg|thumb|upright|left|top|
<br />progenitor: Social Burrog]]
With the lack of reliable vegetation the large herds of Social Burrog became rare. They became even larger and developed armour plates over their limbs to deter predators. They uprooted plants to eat their roots. The loner Burrog gained ultra-violet eyes, enabling them to 'see' the light reflected from the carapaces of the many deadly insects which now patrol the desert. This gaves them time to react by fleeing or digging into the sand.

==== Armadillo Burrog ====
[[Image:Armadillo_Burrog.jpg|thumb|upright|right|top|
<br />progenitor: Burrog
<br />-> Gorrirog]]
Some burrogs who lost their horns began to curl up in to a ball, so that they might roll down the dunes. This adaptation was quite efficient for escaping potential predators, as they could get far away from its assailant by rolling. They had enhanced hearing as well. These mutations gave it time to burrow under the sand before the predator could reach it again. The Armadillo Burrogs developed small  armoured plates for protection and improved rolling. They developed longer claws for digging nests. Eating the Iron-rich Kaskus roots improved their armor and claws with dense iron.

The Armadillo Burrog developed small nodules on its shell plates, these contain chemicals that can produce small bursts of electricity. The nodes are charged from either rolling around or basking in the sunlight, and the electricity is released when the burrog feels threatened. The iron compounds from the Kaskus improved these nodules to produce a lethal wall of energy. They left their burrows to travel in herds across the desert.

==== Gorrirog ====
[[Image:Gorrirog.png|thumb|upright|left|top|
<br />progenitor: Armadillo Burrog]]
The Greater Armoured Burrog lost some of its joint shell, and its back developed to stand upright. It developed paws to swipe at things, before evolving proper prehenisle hands. With their strong forearms they can even uproot trees.

The volcanic activity has activated the long dormant metal bio-electrical nodes in their shells, causing them to constantly release sparks of electricity. This has also made them more aggressive as a species, the once lumbering giant herbivores now fight amongst each other

The once docile herbivore Gorrirogs are now aggressive omnivores, smashing smaller animals to a pulp with crude tools or their bare hands. Metallic studs have protruded from the knuckle bones. The largest of the Gorrirogs will sometimes lead a small "pack" of them to take out more deadly prey

The Gorrirog has developed compound eyes to better protect itself from all the airborne death that's evolving around it. Becoming even more violent it has become almost completely carnivorous, preying on anything it can find, mostly the varieties of Usmal. They can now channel the bio-electricity at will (to some degree), and it is released from the metallic nodes on their shells

The Gorrirogs develop conductive nodules on their palms and fingertips. Even unarmed the gorrirog can grab and shock prey. Over a few generations, Gorrirogs discover that certain materials are better weapons than wood and rocks with traces of metal become commonly used

The Gorrirog grow in strength and stature, able to hurl stones with incredible force at flying assailants. Shockpoints grow on areas of frequent usage. The social hierarchy of gorrirogs continues toward the trend of alpha leaders, as the strongest and most durable assert themselves on their subordinates. 

Frequent use of electric pulses leads the Gorrirog to develop specialized organs located on their tail. These organs enhance the already formidable capacity of the gorrirogs. This leads to the ability of gorrirogs to project the electricity over a short distance. the prevalence of rock-wielding tactica leads to some of the more cunning gorrirogs to develop a tactic



==== Spade Burrog ====
[[Image:Spade_Burrog.png|thumb|upright|right|top|
<br />progenitor: Burrog
<br />-> Sandworm
<br />-> Oasis Worm]]
The Burrog body became more worm like. It's hind legs and eyes atrophied completely. It's front legs became powerful spades. Its head plates grew larger hiding the creatures mouth under them. They open when the Worm Burrog feeds, revealing its teethed maw.



==== Sandworm ====
[[Image:Sandworm.png|thumb|upright|left|top|
<br />progenitor: Spade Burrog
<br />-> Giant Sandworm]]
The Sandworm developed pressure sensing organs allowing them to sense vibrations traveling trough the sand. They began hunting surface creatures by tracking their vibrations. They grew quite large.

They developed specialized muscles right underneath their armor plates. These muscles constantly undergo micro contractions. This causes the armor plates and the sand around them to vibrate. The Sandworm swiftly burrows through the sand. The pressure sensitive organs filter out vibration from these muscles.

This caused the worm to become vulnerable to vibrations near its own frequency. They suffer from senory overload from other worms. Worms avoid each other except during reproduction. 

To circumvent this overload, the worms have developed a reproductive tactic. The males lay a slowly pulsating "egg" that contains their sperm. These eggs pulsate with a certain frequency, drawing the females near them. When they find these eggs, they devour them and inseminate themshelves The female lays proper eggs afterward.



==== Giant Sandworms ====
[[Image:Giant_Sandworms.png|thumb|upright|right|top|
<br />progenitor: Sandworms]]
The forelimbs of sand worms developed into a secondary jaws. The muscles responsible for the vibrations also developed to produce more power. The sand near the creature is like water. They essentially swim trough the sand. They developed long muscular tongues, that allow them to catch prey after the initial surprise attack. The mighty sandworm reached near perfection its ecological niche. The only major change in body structure is the development of fangs in the secondary jaws.

The sandworms can grow into immense size, easily weighting many tons. Eventually, these worms starve to death in old age. Moving becomes inefficient as they grow in size. They grow their whole lives, young being more active than old. They feast and grow, storing away massive amounts of fat under their armored skins. Their active lowers until they just lay eggs. They take opptunistic prey but rarely move.

While they are young there is still competition between Houyi and Wespars. Their brains developed to learn hunting tactics. At their height junviles learn fast, adapt fast, and think fast. As they grow old their ability to learn is greatly diminished. But their memory remains.



==== LandWorm ====
[[Image:LandWorm.png|thumb|upright|left|top|
<br />progenitor: Sandworm
<br />-> Obsidian Worms]]
Landworms developed to penatrate hard ground. They became smaller, and developed hard metal bumbs to vibrate at even higher frequencies. These vibrations generated static electricity which are channeled through the metal bumbs. Electric buildup is released when the worm brusts from the ground, and stuns or kills prey. These land worms burrowed through rock. In looser soil, such as plains and similar areas, they were as deadly as the sand worms. They developed a tongue pincher, which allowed them to firmly hold their prey. Worms fish for prey by leaving their tongue exposed on the surface. The tongue lunged at prey conserving the energy needed to burst out of the ground. The high frequency vibrations of the worms generate massive amounts of static electricity (applies to the sandworms as well), but on land worms, the electricity is channeled, although not in a controlled fashion, through the metallic bumbs on the worms carapace.



==== Obsidian Worms ====
[[Image:Obsidian_Worms.png|thumb|upright|right|top|
<br />progenitor: Landworm]]
After the Volanic explosions, Some landworms adapted to the obsidian plains. They tunneled trough the brittle rock. They developed a quake organ on their tails. This organ is covered with metal and string vibrating muscles. These organs generates a earthslide under the feet of prey. They prey fall to their deaths and into the worm



==== Oasis Worms ====
[[Image:Oasis_Worms.png|thumb|upright|left|top|
<br />progenitor: Spade Burrog]]
The oasis provided a completely new environment for sandworms. The complex root system forced worms to grow smaller to move around. They adapted to the water, flailing their tail to swim. They surged from the water and caught drinking creatures. They evolved gills. The pressure sensitive organs became sensor organs. These organs track the worm vibrations and how they bounce back from the environment. Their tongues developed three strong tips, that allowed them to grab prey from afar. In response to the dry season, the worms burrowed under the mud, reinforcing these burrows water sealing mucus. They hibernate waiting for the next rainfall.



==== Sand Devils ====
[[Image:Sand_Devils.png|thumb|upright|right|top|
<br />progenitor: Horned Burrog
<br />-> Houyi]]
The ancestors of the Sand Devils became more aggressive and became full blown carnivores. They developed a powerful stinger they use to kill their prey. They hunt by night, burrowing themselves under few layers of sand, waiting to ambush prey. It sprays its poison and injects it with greater force and volume. Unhinged mouth and long rolling tongue for horrible nightmare fuel seeds.



==== Houyi ====
[[Image:Houyi.png|thumb|upright|left|top|
<br />progenitor: Sand Devils
<br />-> Snake Houyi]]
The Houyi developed 180 degree light and inferrad vision, which they use to hunt the cloaked Usmal at night. Using their stabilizing peg,  they charge forward as they unhinge their to rip prey to shreds. As the Houyi started to prey on larger more agressive creatures, They lost their horns but developed a rear spike. Their replaced its upper endoskeleton with cartilage. This allowed the beast to unhinge its toothy jaw to horrific proportions.

By eating and compressing sand then coating it in mucus the Houyi creates sand javelins. To launch them, it "sneezes" at the target. The projectiles fly far and in a large cluster. They developed a hollow back carapace to store up to 40 javelins.

Their balance shifted. Their legs adapted for running and jumping, while their back blade adapted into a tail that helps stabilize the creature. Their ankle claws developed joints, allowing the creature to move them. This was helpful for the young houyi, as it allowed them to climb around easier. They Houyi pounces at prey using its powerful legs. Their tongue became longer, stronger, and more dexterous. They used it to grab and constrict other creatures. When running, the tongue is folded neatly inside their massive maws.



==== Snake Houyi ====
[[Image:Snake_Houyi.png|thumb|upright|right|top|
<br />progenitor: Houyi
<br />-> Predator Houyi
<br />-> Sniper Houyi]]
A splinter species of the Houyi emerged. Their forelimbs were used to stabilize the creature while it slithered around on their strong tails. They lived at the base of mountains, where the warm thermal winds blew. The jet wespar flocked to these areas. The Houyi specialized to hunt these small fliers. They tilt their bodies upwards in order to shoot at the flying critters. Their tails grew and gained strength to support the creatures weight. They developed lungs with extremely powerful muscles under their carapace. The lungs generate immense air pressure to fire their spines.

To channel these spines, they developed a sturdy muscular tube, that extends under their topmost jaw. The spines are lubricated by poisonous mucus when they are squeezed through this tube at great speeds. The tube allows the creatures to be extremely accurate with their spines, easily being able to hit targets several hundreds of meters away. They shot down and ate Wespar.

The devils adapted to the new Wespar maneuverability by further developing their spine shooter organ. Their javelins grew smaller but were launched with greater speed. Because of their small size, the devil could spit these shards faster, and store up to thousand of them.

They lived in small colonies and are mostly inactive waiting for a wespar swarm to use the thermal winds. When the wespars arrive, they spray the air with shards, each one focusing on their own area of the sky. They fight viscously over food, the strongest eating first.

When the Wespar countered with smoke screens, they were forced to hunt other creatures. Using their range and numbers, They can kill with sand-spines fast, allowing them to hunt bigger creatures. These hunting packs have started migrating from the mountains to the plains and the arid edges of the deserts. There is a strict hierarchy within the group. The strongest male leads them, eats first and gets the females. Disputes between the creatures are settled with duels, fought with their arm blades.



==== Sniper Houzi ====
[[Image:Sniper_Houyi.png|thumb|upright|left|top|
<br />progenitor: Snake Houyi
<br />-> Devil Houyi]]
The Houyi suddenly grew a third leg. They gained such benfits as the ability to stretch up high and see over small obstacles, thus delivering their deadly barrage more effectively. Their carapace sticks out like a shark's fin. They became ambush predators, lurking under the sand or in the cover of rocks. They burst only when prey passes by. They use their tails to dig their ambush burrows. They moved by quickly skittering over rocky terrain, or propelling themselves with their tails on dunes. They prefer the rockier areas, as their body structure makes it quite hard for them to move in sand. 

They developed acute eyesight, as well as powerful extra air-sacks to their pressure lungs, allowing them to propel javelins far. The sniper houzi developed a pair of antennae like appendages, that allow it to sense air currents better. Their accuracy increases. They hunted by stalking their prey and sniping, quickly skittering to their kill to devour it. To deter predators before they arrive at the corpus, the lubricant mucus their javelins used were horrible to smell and taste. They used their sharp tail blades as well as to deter other predators. 

In the plains, flouz creatures were their favored prey. They were easy to pop and follow as they fall. Elsewhere Their main food is once again, social burrogs. 



==== Artillery Houzi ====
[[Image:Devil_Houyi.png|thumb|upright|right|top|
<br />progenitor: Sniper Houyi]]
The Artillery Houze became the largest of their species, Standing about three times as tall as any others. They lost the ability to spew spines, but gained the familiar tripod shape. They gained massive sword like arms to hack away at the most heavily armored of enemies. They do not prey on any other Houzi or Houyi. An entourage of the other Houyi species followed the massive Artillery Houzi into battle. The giant riped and destroyed and tanked damage from the defender, the smaller creatures launching spikes with impunity.

==== Predator Houyi ====
[[Image:Predator_Houyi.png|thumb|upright|left|top|
<br />progenitor: Snake Houyi
<br />-> Volcanic Houyi]]
The snake houyi were out-competed in brute strength and speed by the running houyi almost everywhere. The little advantage the snakes had was their relatively more accurate spines and longer range. Unlike their running cousins, the snakes couldn't just ram a tankdoni while shooting few javelins at it, and expect to succeed in bringing the acid spewing bug down. No they had to think what they were doing.

Slowly, but surely, a predatory cunning like no other started developing within their brains. The concept of tactics, covering fire and flanking were slowly sinking to the minds of these ravenous predators.

The snake houyi hunt in packs with almost military grade organization. Each individual has clear objectives and roles when they hunt. One distracts the prey, while other moves to its flank, as the rest of the pack provide covering fire with their spines, pinning the prey to the ground, allowing the flanking one to either unleash a volley of spines to the creatures unarmored backside, or simply move close enough to be able to swiftly kill the victim with it's arm blades.

There is clear, cold and calculating mind lurking within the armored head of these beasts. They know when and when not to attack, they make plans, ambushes, raids. They capture creatures to their lairs, presumably for feeding their young. They are predators, first, sentients second. There is no compassion in them, the weak die and the strong endure.

Some houyi begin to use the caverns and otherwise already loosened soil that the landworms have created to build their burrows in. Their front claws become sturdier, to help them dig, and their tail starts excreting resinous substance, that they use to harden the walls of their lairs. They also become somewhat smaller. The digging houyi live in bigger groups than their larger cousins. The group is led by the ruling male and female, who have the privilege of reproduction. The rest of the individuals of the pack are their descendants.

The landworms are a problem to them however, as they can easily breach their burrows. This is why their lairs aren't permanent bases, instead the houyi are constantly ready to move out, in case they feel the tell tale vibrations and the static buildup that signal the arrival of a landworm. They quickly abandon their nests, sometimes intentionally crippling the weak, sick or the elderly to buy time for the rest of the brood as they make their escape.



==== Volcanic Houyi ====
[[Image:Volcanic_Houyi.png|thumb|upright|right|top|
<br />progenitor: [[Primordial Evolution Game/Central Continent Desert#Predator_Houyi|Predator Houyi]] ]]
A subspecies of snake houyis emerged. The volcanic houyis adapted to live in the hot obsidian wastelands. They are smaller, more lithe than their cousins. To cope with the immense heat in these dark plains, they have developed lighter skin, that reflects sunlight. The volcanic houyi developed crests on their backs. The crests are supported by long hollow bones, which the creature can move up and down. The houyi use these crests to manage their body temperature. They raise their skin crests against the wind cooling their blood veins. They hunt the jet wespars which flock to these fields. They developed grooved spines making their shoots more accurate. The crests were used in mating displays and to communication.

==== Antlered Burrog ====
[[Image:Antlered_Burrog.png|thumb|upright|left|top|
<br />progenitor: Horned Burrog]]
Some Burrong migrated to areas with more vegetation and less prey and became herbivores. Their horns adapted, now used for duels and impress females. Its poisonous sting transformed into a mace to ward off predators rather than a weapon to hunt. They also became bigger. Some Burrog developed a tube to eat insects and access wells easily. With time, these burrogs developed new thumbed hoofs which improve digging roots and stuff, the antlers were reduced and a tusk started to appear. They lived in good sized herds, but the vicious predators made their lives very difficult.