Oceanic Peragon
After the extinction of the Seavyrns (Thalassaraptor sp.) due to the Wyvern Plague, the ecological role of oceanic long-distance fliers was open. Populations of Pelecanimimus polyodon would end up taking up the niche as they thrived along the coast of zone D, lead to the rapiding evolution of Pelecanimimus diomedeasii.
2 meters long, 300 centimeter wingspan
Originated in Zones D (southern coast) and 4
As the ancestors of the Oceanic Peragon (Pelecanimimus diomedeasii) began to spend more time at sea, larger individuals were able to travel longer distances and remain airborne for much longer. The Oceanic Peragon are twice the size of their ancestor and have developed a much larger wingspan in proportion to their bodies. This allows them to soar much more efficiently than their ancestors because the large wing area relative to their weight maximizes the lift they can generate. The Oceanic Peragon spend much of their time out at sea, scanning the surface for their Taratan prey which is usually safer for them to swallow whole than the large or spiny Sukopods their ancestors tried to eat. They are known to skim the water with their lower jaw to scoop up dozens of small prey but the Oceanic Peragon is also known to occasionally dive into the water to snatch larger prey such as juvenile Ruminasqualus unguladontus or Extendia extendum.
The Oceanic Peragon have their adult teeth grow alongside their baby teeth as well as antibodies to protect them from Ventricapillus hemolaimus. Meanwhile, their ancestral fuzz has become more extensive with the wings being completely covered. This extra large amount of fuzz helps insulate the Oceanic Peragon as they spend their time soaring around in the wind. The larger size of this species additionally helps keep warm as larger bodies can retain heat for longer than a smaller one. The tails of the Oceanic Peragon have become smaller, as they do not serve as much of a purpose anymore.
The Oceanic Peragon exhibits sexual dimorphism. Males exhibit dark red stripes on their throat pouch while their forehead and most of their upper jaw is also dark red in coloration. Additionally, males have a fleshy bump on the top of their heads which is the result of sexual selection. The bump acts as hindrance to the males, since it means extra weight, but consequently shows their fitness to females because they live with this handicaand gives a larger area of colored skin to display. The Oceanic Peragon mate along cliffs on the southern coast of Zone D during the spring, where they then lay 3 eggs on rocks. The larger size of this species means they can monopolize nesting sites and push out P. polyodon. Indeed, their outer teeth that stick out sideways are shorter and have thicker cores, making them more robust and able to be used as relatively efficient weapons, which can tear the wing membranes of other wyverns that are not cautious. Oceanic Peragons are very territorial and prefer to stand their ground against smaller wyverns although they will still flee if a Terror Hawk (Deinodraconus tromerovenator) attacks.
Parents nest in pairs and swap between hunting for food and protecting the eggs and young from other wyverns which may try to eliminate the young to remove future competition or directly prey on them like members of the Ovidraconus genus. Once the Oceanic Peragon eggs hatch, the chicks take much longer than that of their ancestors to grow, with the young staying in the nest for around 10-12 weeks, being the size of their ancestors by the time they leave. After that, it takes them another 3 months to reach sexual maturity.
