Winter Draco
Evolved from D. rhenoscallium due to intraspecific competition and predation from predators like D. tromerovenator, they were pushed to the southern parts of zone A. They developed to be larger enabling them to store more fats so they can keep warm. They also start to travel in groups in order to huddle with each other to keep warm during cold periods. However due to the colder environment during winter in zone A they have to migrate back to zone B, which allows them to also breed.
Found in the south of zone A and north of zone B. They grow up to 75cm long and travel in small groups of 3-6. In zone A they feed on A. ebonensis, A. formisus, U. pephkokladius, U. stellafrons, and the rare carrion. While traveling through the harsh climate they usually feed on anything they can find and use Arctata species for water and heat. Their body temperature is typically 12 degrees warmer than ambient temperatures. When a snowstorm hits the group would usually huddle together in order to stay warm using their fat and high metabolism to keep warm. They only inhabit zone A during summer and migrate to zone B during winter. Due to their high metabolism and the low amount of food present in Zone A they are not abundant.
In zone B they feed on C. yellionuis, D. brunus, D. purpurus, D. rhenoscallium, L. clearensis, L. tallalla, T.lignumpurpla, U. dicaulis, U. stellafrons, U. sustensa, V. cocotus, V. drillus, and carrion. During winter they will be in zone B in which they start to gain more fat and breed. They inhabit and breed in zone B during winter then migrate back north when the arctic summer starts.
Their colouration is the same as their ancestor with shades of brown and a light underbelly. They are communal, living in herds, nesting next to each other, and communal nest defense.
When breeding the males and females mate then the female digs a ditch to lay her eggs in.
The female incubates her eggs using her fats to insulate them. Each female lays up to 30 eggs with only 3-7 survive because they either freeze to death or predation. The eggs take up to 3 weeks to hatch and if the eggs are not incubated they have a 75% mortality rate and will take 5 weeks to hatch if they survive. When the female incubates her eggs, the male would help guard when he is not foraging. The female will only eat food near the nest. When building nest the whole group would usually build together to ensure protection. The investment in incubation and nest defense results in a higher mortality rate in females.
When the eggs hatch as 7cm hatchlings the adults do not protect the young but the young may join the parental group. The young would follow the group and learn by observing the adults eat. They usually grow quickly and double in size in 2 months allowing them to be hardy enough to tolerate the harsh cold climate of zone A, and will sexually mature after a year. They live up to 10-20 years.