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Chimerake are a species of brighteyed dragon, known for their aggressive and territorial natures. They are like tyrannosaurs, but the size of an Indian rhino, quadrupedal and covered in fluffy fur, with a sharp nose horn. Their fur is white with gray patches, and there are red quills the size of a javelin extending from their body along the spine and the back of the limbs.

I know what they'll look like, but there's just one problem: what is the environment they're best adopted to other than cold northern places, the obvious choice? With their thick fluffy pelt, a cold climate seems almost certain, but semiaquatic creatures can have thick pelts as well (like otters which are noted for thick fur), minks have thick fur and live in forests, clearly thick fur isn't just for Arctic mammals.

Specifications for Best Answer:

  1. The best answer will take into account Chimerake physiology-saurian, thick fur, sharp horn and quills, quadrupedal and relatively compact-along with biology and determine where they would most likely live other than cold, snowy areas like mountains, tundras, or polar deserts-the environment they are best suited for outside those areas.

  2. I am still developing the Chimerake, so the finer points of physiology will be up to the answerer's discretion. I will point out, however: that dragons are:

  3. mesotherms that live in a variety of environments. Dragons like Whia and Frostylis, for example, live in arctic environments (don't look at me like that, fish and sea anemones can do it, and gigantothermy is a thing).

  4. In the world dragons came from, they are the descendants of dinosaurs, so their physiology is sort of a mix of dinosaur, reptile, and bird. Like birds, dragons possess wishbones and air sacs, but like reptiles, they continuously grow and replace teeth, may possess extra ribs on the neck or belly, and conserve water much better than mammals.

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  • $\begingroup$ We can't say what environment they might be suited for without knowing more details of their physiology, or without a statement that the details of the creature's physiology is up to the answerer. $\endgroup$
    – Monty Wild
    Feb 16, 2022 at 1:57
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    $\begingroup$ @MontyWild: I added an edit, does it help? $\endgroup$
    – Alendyias
    Feb 16, 2022 at 2:49

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The hottest deserts.

Just as a more spherical creature loses heat less fast, such a creature also heats up less fast. The stout bulk of the Chimerake means that it gains heat from the environment slowly. Its light colored fur is reflective and also insulates the body. The Chimerake is also cold blooded and endothermic which means that it is not burdened with as much metabolic heat as warm blooded competitors might be.

The Chimerake is the apex predator in the deserts it frequents and it is often the only animal to be found active in the day. It uses its excellent eyesight to track prey and is not averse to digging out animals sheltering underground.

The red quills are displays for other Chimerake, which can see them at a distance. Quill size and color reflect the health of the individual and this allows Chimerake to avoid conflict with one another.

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    $\begingroup$ Thanks for your clever answer! I didn't suspect they could be well suited to desert environments. $\endgroup$
    – Alendyias
    Feb 16, 2022 at 3:00

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