Difference between revisions of "Procynes"

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The Procynus Sapiens is a specific group of anthropomorphic humanoids with many recognizable raccoon-like features and characteristics. While not as furry as the raccoon, procynes do in general have similar fur markings, with brown, black, and white patterns being the most prominent. Their bodies consist of a larger brain capable of more precise and faster execution, when compared to their quadripedal counterpart. The procyne body is considered rather small but stocky, with clunky movements. Most procynes inhabit the nation of Rijelv.

The race is regarded as generally stocky, with their species typically maintaining a thick layer of fat (excluding the rarer Tropical and Northern variants). This fat deposit has allowed for adapting to different climates, and many procynes can be found outside their native habitats. However, due to their stocky stature, procynes are prone to many bone structure-related illnesses, which typically hinder their life expectancy to around 65 to 70 years of age.

Tropical Procyne actor Frideryk von Müller

The Procyne Anatomy

The average procyne male stands at about 4'8" to 5'1", weighs between 100-130 lbs. Procyne females are similar in size, but tend to have larger hips, as they typically birth litters of 3-5 cubs.

Skull- The skull of the procyne makes up approximately 7% of the weight and 1/5 of the height of a procyne. It contains the procyne brain, which is about 65% the size of a human brain.

Eyes- The eyes of a procyne are forward-facing, and can see 190 degrees without moving their heads. when turning their heads, procynes are able to see 330 degrees of their environment. Their sight, when compared to humans, is very limited, and most have to wear contacts or glasses to see properly. There are a select few in the Tropical variant that do not have to wear glasses.

Ears- The procyne ears provide a procyne with a hearing range larger than human range, being able to hear 60-35,000 Hz, when compared to a humans 64-23,000 Hz.

Emotion- Most emotion can be read through the ears and whiskers of procynes: if the ears and whiskers of procynes are up and forward, they are content or happy with their environment. When ears and whiskers are closer to the body, procynes are either scared or angry.

Senses- Procynes have a heightened sense of hearing and smell, with sight and touch being hindered by poor eyesight and fur covering their body. Taste is unchanged when compared to humans.

Teeth- Procyne teeth consist of, at full maturity, eight molars, eight incisors, and four canines, totaling up to 20 teeth.

Fur- The southern variant procynes maintain a thick layer of fur with a layer of fat underneath, whereas the tropical and northern variants do not have a layer of fat. Central variants have a layer of fat, but is thinner than the southern variant's. The tropical variant's fur is less thick than the other three variants, so as to accommodate for the humid and hot climate in which they live.

Limbs- Procyne arms are very limited in their movement, with the wrists and hands being the most mobile and dexterous part of the arm. The shoulder and elbow drastically limit how far a procyne is able to reach, resulting in tools such as desks and keyboards being smaller than usual, with other tools like atlatls, computer mice, and phones being larger than usual. The legs of procynes are typically very thick, with much of it consisting of muscle, allowing for relatively fast movement when running, but walking is much slower.

Tails- The tails of procynes are primarily used for balance, as the legs of procynes are unable to prop up the species on their own.

Variants

Within the Procyne species exist four major subsets - The Northern variant, The Southern variant, The Central Variant, and The Tropical Variant.

Northern

The northern procyne is characterized by its taller-than-normal stature, with the same thick fur of the southern variant, but without the layer of fat, due to the slightly warmer climate in which northern procynes live. The northern variant is the second largest group of procynes, inhabiting much of northern Rijelv.

Southern

The most populous variant, the Southern Procyne is primarily characterized by its thick fur and large layer of fat. The southern variant also has a fur pattern consisting of the colors white, grey, black, and brown. Shorter than the other variants, the southern procyne is believed to be the evolutionary ancestor of the other three. These procynes reside mostly in southern Rijelv.

Central

The central variant of the procyne race is spread out between southern and northern Rijelv, and are the third-largest variant. Although no current state or government represents them, the central procynes living outside of Rijelv many have established close diplomatic and trading ties with the country.

Tropical

Residing north of Rijelv and Oan Gondwana and east of Setzna and Stratarin, the Tropical procyne is a rare race that has no current established government or nation. However, many tropical procynes have migrated to northern Rijelv and eastern Oan Gondwana. Characterized by their lack of a fat layer, and their thinner fur, they slightly resemble a mix between lupines and vulpines, which is why they were once called Muttlings, which is now a derogatory term.

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Procyne Anatomy

The procyne form is somewhat ungainly yet allows for surprising effectiveness when it comes to speed. Consequently, the procyne body is unable to perform remarkable acrobatic fests. However, due to their extraordinary dexterity in their hands, procynes have been able to compensate for their clumsy movement through technological innovation, with many procynes having prosthetics that improve their movement slightly. Regardless of these innovations, many traditionalist procynes condemn the use of such prosthetics.

Having a very thick layer of fur, procynes are unable to sweat, which results in serious overheating in warm environments like tropical and desert climates (excluding the Tropical variant, of course). Instead of panting, procynes pant to cool themselves down. Panting in procyne culture is frowned upon, though, and is the primary reason why most procynes do not live outside of their native southern Gondwana and climates similar to southern Gondwana.

The procyne race are susceptible to many diseases, including Leptospirosis, Procynic Enteritis, and Procyne Yellow Plague. Leptospirosis was a major problem in the early 1800's, due to a contaminated water supply. This problem was solved thankfully, and the Procyne race survives to this day.

The common life expectancy for procyne males is 60-63 and females 63-66, the oldest current male and female procynes being 84 and 96 respectively.

Courtship and Reproduction

Many Procynes in the past participated in polygamy. However, over time, monogamy has replaced the practice, and as such courtship has become a much more important in getting a mate. Just like humans and vulpines, courtship is drastically more complex than in more primitive animals. Current trends in the procyne culture have made ear-drilling (a practice where holes are cut into the ear of a procyne, or other race), fur staining (the practice of changing the color of fur), and piercings in the ears a very attractive look, among other practices. Many male procynes also have taken up the trend of trimming their whiskers to be short, which seems to attract female procynes.

Procynes, being mammal, perform sexual reproduction, contrasted to asexual reproduction performed by many other species. The female procyne births between 3 to 5 raccoon cubs after a gestation period of 10-12 months.

Evolutionary Theories

It is believed by many scientists that an ancestor of the procyne split away from the raccoon race sometime between 12 and 13 million years ago, this split being caused by the mountain range developing in southern Gondwana. This mountain range created a warm, dry climate that resulted in the acestral procynes developing their bipedal movement. After this mountain range eroded over time, the colder climate that originally encased southern Gondwana returned, the current northern variant of procyne evolved. The other three variants developed later in time, through migrations.