Gloaranian

Gloaranians are a shapeshifting mammalian species native to Gloarania.

Skills and talents
Males in thier true forms look like tiger-like humanoids while Females look like wolf-horse-like humanoids. They have the ability to transform from Canines, Felines, and Equines. However, their shapeshifting ability is limited. Their Canine forms are limited to the Canis family, their Feline forms are limited to the Panthera family, and their Equine forms are limited to the Equus family. But their gift is really extreme. At first Gloaranians are able to change the color, texture, and shape of their skins but when they reach the age of Twelve they could change their height, weight, facial features, sex, voice, and physical body shape, they were even capable of changing any skintight clothing they wore. But they could not imitate an individual's features. However, some Gloaranians were able to push the limit of their shapeshifting ability, those who were able to push their limate are said to take on the forms of Tragelaphus (antelope-like animals), Bos (cows), Hippopotamus, Tylopoda (camels and llamas), Giraffidae (giraffes), Ancylotherium (ronto-like animals), and Otariinae (sea lions). A Gloaranian named Jeffie was even said to have been able to transform into a fourteen year old boy and a young woman. But like Shi'ido they did not feel pain or discomfort when they changed shape. Also, like Shi'ido, they did not immediately revert back to their true form when they were stunned, fatigued, exhausted, unconscious, dying, or dead, as Clawdites did. They, also like Shi'ido, also had a form of telepathy so they could project false impressions to most other species. Besides shapeshifting they also had other abilities as well, like: invisibility, and sonic screaming (similar to Force Scream). Females of the species also give a form of milk similar to blue milk when feeding their young.

Male form
Large male Gloaranians can reach a total length of 3.5 m and a weight of well over 300 kg. Apart from those exceptional large individuals, male Gloaranians usually have a head and body length of 190–220 cm and an average weight of 227 kg (The tail of a male Gloaranian is 60–110 cm long). Male Gloaranians have rusty-reddish to brown-rusty coats, a fair (whitish) medial and ventral area and stripes that vary from brown or hay to pure black. The form and density of stripes differs between subspecies, but most male Gloaranians have in excess of 100 stripes. The pattern of stripes is unique to each animal, and thus could potentially be used to identify individuals, much in the same way as fingerprints are used to identify people. This is not, however, a preferred method of identification, due to the difficulty of recording the stripe pattern of others. It seems likely that the function of stripes is camouflage, serving to hide them from their prey. The stripe pattern is found on a male's skin and if shaved, its distinctive camouflage pattern would be preserved. Like most felines, male Gloaranians are believed to have some degree of colour vision. There is a well-known mutation that produces the white male, an species which is rare. The white male, known in Gloaranian as a Kronia, is not a separate sub-species, but only a colour variation. There are also unconfirmed reports of a "blue" or slate-coloured male, and largely or totally black male Gloaranins, and these are assumed, if real, to be intermittent mutations rather than distinct species. Similar to other big cats, like the lion, the male Gloaranian has the ability to roar.

Female form
The female's height varies from 1.6–1.15 meters at the shoulder, and weight from 32–62 kilograms (70–135 pounds). Female Gloaranians are built for stamina, possessing features ideal for long-distance travel. Their narrow chests and powerful backs and legs facilitate efficient locomotion. They are capable of covering several miles trotting at about a pace of 10 km/h (6 mph), and have been known to reach speeds approaching 65 km/h (40 mph) during a chase. While thus sprinting, the females can cover up to 5 meters (16 ft) per bound. The female's paws are able to tread easily on a wide variety of terrains, especially snow. There is a slight webbing between each toe, which allows the females to move over snow more easily than comparatively hampered prey. They are also digitigrade, which, with the relative largeness of their feet, helps them to distribute their weight well on snowy surfaces. The front paws are larger than the hind paws, and have a fifth digit, the dewclaw, that is absent on hind paws. Bristled hairs and blunt claws enhance grip on slippery surfaces, and special blood vessels keep paw pads from freezing. Scent glands located between the female's toes leave trace chemical markers behind, helping the female to effectively navigate over large expanses while concurrently keeping others informed of its whereabouts. A female Gloaranian sometimes seems heavier than it actually is because of its bulky coat, which is made of two layers. The first layer consists of tough guard hairs designed to repel water and dirt. The second is a dense, water-resistant undercoat that insulates the female. The undercoat is shed in the form of large tufts of fur in late spring or early summer (with yearly variations). A female will often rub against objects such as rocks and branches to encourage the loose fur to fall out. The undercoat is usually grey regardless of the outer coat's appearance. Females have distinct winter and summer pelages that alternate in spring and autumn. Females tend to keep their winter coats further into the spring than the males. Coloration varies greatly, running from gray to gray-brown, all the way through the canine spectrum of white, red, brown, and black. These colors tend to mix in many populations to form predominantly blended individuals, though it is certainly not uncommon for an individual or an entire population to be entirely one color (usually all black or all white). A multicolor coat characteristically lacks any clear pattern other than it tends to be lighter on the animal's underside. Fur color sometimes corresponds with a given the female population's environment; for example, all-white females are much more common in areas with perennial snow cover. Aging females acquire a grayish tint in their coats. It is often thought that the coloration of the female's pelage serves the purpose of camouflage. This is not entirely correct, as some scientists have noted that the blended colors are more to do with emphasizing gestures, much like eye shadow or lipstick on humans. At birth, Gloaranian female pups tend to have darker fur and blue irises that will change to a yellow-gold or orange color when the pups are 8–16 weeks old. Though extremely unusual, it is possible for an adult female Gloaranian to retain its blue-colored irises. Adolescent females with golden-yellow eyes. The female's long, powerful muzzles help distinguish them from Gloaranian subspecies. females also differ in certain skull dimensions, having a smaller orbital angle (>53 degrees) and a comparatively larger cerebral capacity. Larger paw size, yellow eyes, longer legs, and bigger teeth further distinguish adult females from other females, particularly subspecies. Also, precaudal glands at the base of the tail are present in females. Females share identical dentition. The maxilla has six incisors, two canines, eight premolars, and four molars. The mandible has six incisors, two canines, eight premolars, and six molars. The fourth upper premolars and first lower molars constitute the carnassial teeth, which are essential tools for shearing flesh. The long canine teeth are also important, in that they are designed to hold and subdue the prey. Capable of delivering up to 1500 lb/sq. inch (~10 MPa) of pressure, the female's teeth are its main weapons as well as its primary tools. Therefore, any injury to the jaw line or teeth could devastate a female, dooming it to starvation or incapacity.

Equine form (any gender)
The "Equine" (as it is called because no name was given) are a subspecies of the Gloaranian. Scientists are not so sure how these Gloaranians evolved but their best theory is that they were once a race of predetory Gloaranians that took to eating plants. But like all Gloaranians they are capible of shapeshifting. They are also capible of mixing with their predetor relatives as well. The "Equines" have, on average, a skeleton of 205 bones. A significant difference in the bones contained in the "Equine" skeleton, as compared to that of their relatives, is the lack of a collarbone--their front limb system is attached to the spinal column by a powerful set of muscles, tendons and ligaments that attach the shoulder blade to the torso. The "Equine's" legs and hooves are also unique, interesting structures. Their leg bones are proportioned differently from their subspecies. For example, the body part that is called a "Equine's" "knee" is actually the carpal bones that correspond to the human wrist. Similarly, the hock, contains the bones equivalent to those in the human ankle and heel. The lower leg bones of a "Equine" correspond to the bones of the human hand or foot, and the fetlock (incorrectly called the "ankle") is actually the proximal sesamoid bones between the cannon bones (a single equivalent to the human metacarpal or metatarsal bones) and the proximal phalanges, located where one finds the "knuckles" of a human. A "Equine" also has no muscles in its legs below the knees and hocks, only skin and hair, bone, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and the assorted specialized tissues that make up the hoof. A "Equine's" teeth include incisors, premolars, molars, and sometimes canine teeth. A "Equine's" incisors, premolars, and molars, once fully developed, continue to erupt throughout its lifetime as the grinding surface is worn down through chewing. Because of this pattern of wear, a rough estimate of a "Equine's" age can be made from an examination of the teeth. The hoof of the "Equine" encases the second and third phalanx of the lower limbs, analogous to the fingertip or toe tip of a human. In essence, a "Equine" travels on its "tiptoes." The hoof wall is a much larger, thicker and stronger version of the human fingernail or toenail, made up of similar materials, primarily keratin, a very strong protein molecule. The "Equine's" hoof contains a high proportion of sulfur-containing amino acids which contribute to its resilience and toughness. The senses of a "Equine" are generally superior to those of a human. As prey animals, they must be aware of their surroundings at all times. They have very large eyes (among land animals only the Jakian ostrich has a larger eye), with excellent day and night vision, though they may have a limited range of color vision. The side positioning of the eyes gives the "Equine" a wide field of vision of about 350°. While not color-blind, studies indicate that they have difficulty distinguishing greens, browns and grays. Their hearing is good, and the pinna of their ears can rotate a full 360 degrees in order to pick up sound from any direction. Their sense of smell, while much better than that of humans, is not their strongest asset; they rely to a greater extent on vision. A "Equine's" sense of balance is outstanding; the cerebellum of their brain is highly developed and they are very aware of terrain and placement of their feet. "Equine's" sense of touch is better developed than many people think; they immediately notice when a fly or mosquito lands on them, even before the insect attempts to bite. Their sense of taste is well-developed in order to determine the nature of the plants they are eating, and their prehensile lips can easily sort even the smallest grains. "Equines" will seldom eat most poisonous plants or spoiled food unless they have no other choices, although a few toxic plants have a chemical structure that appeals to animals, and thus poses a greater risk of being ingested. "Equines" exhibit a diverse array of coat colors and distinctive markings, and a specialized vocabulary has evolved to describe them. Often, one will refer to a "Equine" in the field by its coat color rather than by breed or by sex. The genetics of the coat colors has largely been resolved, although discussion continues about some of the details. "Equines" have developed very loud voices, which can be heard for over three kilometers, to keep in contact with other "Equines" of their herd over the wide spaces of the grasslands. "Equines" have large ears to hear the distant calls of fellow "Equines", and to help cool the "Equine's" blood. The "Equine's" tough digestive system can break down inedible vegetation and extract moisture from food more efficiently. "Equines" can defend themselves with a powerful kick of their hind legs to protect them from predators like the large jakas, and their relitives, if they don't know that their pray is really a member of their own species. The "Equine" are well known for their humps. They do not, however, store water in them as is commonly believed, though they do serve this purpose through roundabout means. Their humps are a reservoir of fatty tissue. However, when this tissue is metabolised, it is not only a source of energy, but yields through reaction with oxygen from the air 1,111 g of water per 1,000 g of fat converted. Though this metabolization of the fat generates a net loss of water through respiration during the process. The kidneys of the "Equine" are very efficient. Urine comes out as a thick syrup and their feces are so dry that they can fuel fires. The "Equine" are able to withstand changes in body temperature and water content that would kill most other animals. Their temperature ranges from 34°C (93°F) at night up to 41°C (106°F) at day, and only above this threshold will they begin to sweat. The upper body temperature range is often not reached during the day in milder climatic conditions and therefore the "Equine" may not sweat at all during the day. Evaporation of their sweat takes place at the skin level not at the surface of their coat, thereby being very efficient at cooling the body compared to the amount of water lost through sweating. This ability to fluctuate body temperature and the efficiency of their sweating allows them to preserve about five litres of water a day. A feature of their nostrils is that a large amount of water vapor in their exhalations is trapped and returned to the "Equine's" body fluids, thereby reducing the amount of water lost through respiration. They can withstand at least 20-25% weight loss due to sweating (most mammals can only withstand about 3-4% dehydration before cardiac failure results from the thickened blood). A "Equines" blood remains hydrated even though the body fluids are lost; until this 25% limit is reached. The "Equines" eating green herbage can ingest sufficient moisture in milder conditions to maintain their body's hydrated state without the need for drinking. Their mouth is very sturdy, able to chew thorny desert plants. Long eyelashes and ear hairs, together with sealable nostrils, form an effective barrier against sandstorms. Their pace (moving both legs on one side at the same time) and their widened, hooved feet help them move without sinking into the ground.