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Description
The Sousuin is a large herbivorous creature that dwells in the shallows and swamps. While these beasts can be found in marshes and bogs, their primary habitat is within cypress swamps. These submerged forests provide the perfect combination of food, shelter and weather for the Sousuin. They spend most of their lives wading through the algae-filled water, grazing on the aquatic vegetation that grows beneath the surface. While they are perfectly capable of walking on land, they only really go onto solid ground for reproductive purposes. Even when they sleep, they prefer to do it in the water. This is possible due to the location of their nostrils, which are practically on their foreheads. This strange location helps them breathe while they are feeding on underwater vegetation, and also when they are laying in the shallows. Due to their almost aquatic lifestyle and hairless hide, many believed the Sousuin to be some kind of large amphibian. Further studies, however, have shown that this species is actually mammalian! In fact, they are closely related to dolphins and other cetaceans, which explains their watery lives and the strange location of their breathing holes! Unlike their cousins, the Sousuin decided to go the walking route rather than the swimming, but they did keep their love for water!

For food, the Sousuin dines primarily aquatic plants and other vegetation that grows near the water. Their long snouts are lined with tough stubby teeth to grab and rip out plants. These teeth are also structured in a way so that the Sousuin can sieve out water from each mouthful of food. Draining the water from their meals also adds algae to their menu,as clomps and clots of that stuff will get stuck in their teeth. While they have access to land plants, Sousuin seem to have a distaste for such things. The closest they will get is grazing upon shoreline plants, never venturing farther inland. Some suggest that terrestrial plants are too abrasive and dry for the Sousuin, as they prefer their meals soft and waterlogged. To support this theory, Sousuin have been seen feeding on terrestrial plants that have been submerged for long periods of time. When severe flooding occurs, or if a storm blows some poor plant into the swamp, the terrestrial plants will perish and will become more wet and floppy. When they are in this state, the Sousuin don't seem to mind dining on them!

As a large, slow herbivore, you can imagine that the Sousuin will have to deal with predators. Carnivores that dwell in the cypress swamp may target these beasts, so the Sousuin tend to rely on numbers. They will form pods and travel in these groups, keeping the large adults on the outside while the young and old stay in the center. When danger approaches, the pod will tighten up and they will turn their bodies into one solid mass. With the group this densely packed together, the predator will have a hard time attacking and separating them, as they cannot afford to waste the amount of energy it would take to topple several of these beasts. To make things harder, the adult Sousuin will use their long snouts to jab and club the attacker, and such a weapon is more effective than you think! Sousuin have really strong neck muscles, and their snouts are rather solid, so a blow from one of these fellows can easily knock the wind out of you! Adult Sousuin are quite a handful to deal with, so most predators tend to target the young and frail. Crocodilians and Swamp Basilisks have been known to attack and feed on Sousuin, but their biggest threat comes from the Wompogo. These gluttonous felines provide a real challenge to the Sousuin, as they can attack from any angle. Be it hiding in the murky deep or dropping from the trees above, a Wompogo can attack from anywhere, which helps them take down their prey before the pod can react. Their hooked claws can slice through the layers of blubber easily, and many adult Sousuin bear the scars of previous Wompogo attacks. Some believe that these monstrous cats prey on the Sousuin so often that the their bodies have adapted to such a pressure. If you have looked at the silhouette of a Sousuin, you would see that they are rather oddly shaped. A huge humped back and a long jutting snout makes for an odd look, and for an odd meal to swallow! You see, Wompogo tend to eat their prey live, swallowing them whole in one go. It is their preferred way to dine and deal with feisty food. With the Sousuin, their body plan is quite tough to swallow, so it makes it harder for the Wompogo to swiftly dispatch and eat prey. While this certainly isn't a lifesaving design, it can buy the pod enough time to band together and chase off the threat.

As you can see, the Sousuin find strength and safety in numbers. However, not all of their helpers are the same species! If you have ever seen a Sousuin in the wild, you have probably noticed that they have a few little buddies hitching a ride! These little guys are called Pitcher Newts, and they are also found in the cypress swamps. This species of amphibian gets their name from their large throats and from the insectivore plants they appear to mimic. Pitcher Newts feed entirely on small insects, and they do so by using their gaping mouths and sweet smelling saliva. When they want to eat, the Pitcher Newt will flip its mouth open and extend its tongue. Their saliva smells sweet, which lures in tiny insects. Unfortunately for the bugs, this spit is also quite sticky, so they get trapped and swallowed. To help catch more food, the Pitcher Newt may wait for a large cloud of bugs to hover above their open mouths. When the time is right, they shall take in a big gulp of air, sucking in the cloud and then slamming their mouths shut! Quite the clever strategy! Anyways, I bring up the Pitcher Newt because they seem to have a relationship with the Sousuin. Since they are small non-poisonous amphibians, they tend to be targeted by a number of predators. To keep out of harm's way, Pitcher Newts will climb onto the backs of Sousuin, so that the aquatic and terrestrial predators can't reach them. The Sousuin also don't respond well to carnivores approaching them or trying to climb them, so the herbivore often chases off these would-be attackers. So by sitting on top of a Sousuin, the Pitcher Newt gets a nice safe ride through the cypress swamp. They also get a high perch to catch even more bugs too! Such protection and kindness is not left unrewarded, though, as Pitcher Newts help the Sousuin in kind. Due to their high perch and upward facing eyes, Pitcher Newts have a good view of the environment around and above them. With such a line of sight, they will act as watchdogs, looking out for possible threats as they feed. Their upward gaze is particularly good for spotting Wompogo who wait in ambush in the trees above. When a threat is spotted, the Pitcher Newt will let out a booming croak, which signals for the pod to come together and defend themselves. With this early warning system, the Sousuin will get a better chance at resisting the predator before it can claim one of their kind.

I made mention that the Sousuin only go on land for reproductive purposes, and that is because Sousuin are viviparous. Giving live birth in deep water is bad news for the newborn, so they head to dry land to do this. This trip will not last long, though, as newborn Sousuin can be on their feet and walking in minutes. Once they are used to their own limbs and are able to move on their own, the mother and child will head back to the water. After the females of the pod give birth, the pod will stick to shallower waters for a few weeks, giving the newborn time to grow in size and strength. Like all mammals, the newborns will feed on the milk of its mother, but they can also feed on super soft food like algae.

For towns and villages that live near the cypress swamps, the Sousuin are valued for their meat and rich blubber. Outside of hunting them, people have also found ways to domesticate these creatures and use them as transports through the swamp. Like Stilted Sifters, though, these beasts are not the speediest rides, but they can move at a decent pace. Those who ride the Sousuin tend to use them for hunting and gathering, as their slow pace helps the hunter sneak up on game and their long snouts can dig up roots and bulbs that are hidden beneath the water. These riders, though, should be prepared to have some extra passengers. Pitcher Newts can't tell the difference between a wild Sousuin and a domesticated Sousuin, that or they don't care. If they see a beast with some room to spare, they shall eagerly climb aboard, no matter how much the first passenger may squawk and thrash.

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

-----------------------------------------------------

I was going through a species kick where I tried designing creatures for lesser known habitat types/biomes. Cypress swamps look really cool, and I figured a big wading herbivore would be perfect. And as usual, I decided such beast couldn't just be some normal thing like an ungulate, so I made it a walking dolphin. The pitcher newts were made and thrown in because the Sousuin alone seemed kind of boring.

Description
The Sousuin is a large herbivorous creature that dwells in the shallows and swamps. While these beasts can be found in marshes and bogs, their primary habitat is within cypress swamps. These submerged forests provide the perfect combination of food, shelter and weather for the Sousuin. They spend most of their lives wading through the algae-filled water, grazing on the aquatic vegetation that grows beneath the surface. While they are perfectly capable of walking on land, they only really go onto solid ground for reproductive purposes. Even when they sleep, they prefer to do it in the water. This is possible due to the location of their nostrils, which are practically on their foreheads. This strange location helps them breathe while they are feeding on underwater vegetation, and also when they are laying in the shallows. Due to their almost aquatic lifestyle and hairless hide, many believed the Sousuin to be some kind of large amphibian. Further studies, however, have shown that this species is actually mammalian! In fact, they are closely related to dolphins and other cetaceans, which explains their watery lives and the strange location of their breathing holes! Unlike their cousins, the Sousuin decided to go the walking route rather than the swimming, but they did keep their love for water!

For food, the Sousuin dines primarily aquatic plants and other vegetation that grows near the water. Their long snouts are lined with tough stubby teeth to grab and rip out plants. These teeth are also structured in a way so that the Sousuin can sieve out water from each mouthful of food. Draining the water from their meals also adds algae to their menu,as clomps and clots of that stuff will get stuck in their teeth. While they have access to land plants, Sousuin seem to have a distaste for such things. The closest they will get is grazing upon shoreline plants, never venturing farther inland. Some suggest that terrestrial plants are too abrasive and dry for the Sousuin, as they prefer their meals soft and waterlogged. To support this theory, Sousuin have been seen feeding on terrestrial plants that have been submerged for long periods of time. When severe flooding occurs, or if a storm blows some poor plant into the swamp, the terrestrial plants will perish and will become more wet and floppy. When they are in this state, the Sousuin don't seem to mind dining on them!

As a large, slow herbivore, you can imagine that the Sousuin will have to deal with predators. Carnivores that dwell in the cypress swamp may target these beasts, so the Sousuin tend to rely on numbers. They will form pods and travel in these groups, keeping the large adults on the outside while the young and old stay in the center. When danger approaches, the pod will tighten up and they will turn their bodies into one solid mass. With the group this densely packed together, the predator will have a hard time attacking and separating them, as they cannot afford to waste the amount of energy it would take to topple several of these beasts. To make things harder, the adult Sousuin will use their long snouts to jab and club the attacker, and such a weapon is more effective than you think! Sousuin have really strong neck muscles, and their snouts are rather solid, so a blow from one of these fellows can easily knock the wind out of you! Adult Sousuin are quite a handful to deal with, so most predators tend to target the young and frail. Crocodilians and Swamp Basilisks have been known to attack and feed on Sousuin, but their biggest threat comes from the Wompogo. These gluttonous felines provide a real challenge to the Sousuin, as they can attack from any angle. Be it hiding in the murky deep or dropping from the trees above, a Wompogo can attack from anywhere, which helps them take down their prey before the pod can react. Their hooked claws can slice through the layers of blubber easily, and many adult Sousuin bear the scars of previous Wompogo attacks. Some believe that these monstrous cats prey on the Sousuin so often that the their bodies have adapted to such a pressure. If you have looked at the silhouette of a Sousuin, you would see that they are rather oddly shaped. A huge humped back and a long jutting snout makes for an odd look, and for an odd meal to swallow! You see, Wompogo tend to eat their prey live, swallowing them whole in one go. It is their preferred way to dine and deal with feisty food. With the Sousuin, their body plan is quite tough to swallow, so it makes it harder for the Wompogo to swiftly dispatch and eat prey. While this certainly isn't a lifesaving design, it can buy the pod enough time to band together and chase off the threat.

As you can see, the Sousuin find strength and safety in numbers. However, not all of their helpers are the same species! If you have ever seen a Sousuin in the wild, you have probably noticed that they have a few little buddies hitching a ride! These little guys are called Pitcher Newts, and they are also found in the cypress swamps. This species of amphibian gets their name from their large throats and from the insectivore plants they appear to mimic. Pitcher Newts feed entirely on small insects, and they do so by using their gaping mouths and sweet smelling saliva. When they want to eat, the Pitcher Newt will flip its mouth open and extend its tongue. Their saliva smells sweet, which lures in tiny insects. Unfortunately for the bugs, this spit is also quite sticky, so they get trapped and swallowed. To help catch more food, the Pitcher Newt may wait for a large cloud of bugs to hover above their open mouths. When the time is right, they shall take in a big gulp of air, sucking in the cloud and then slamming their mouths shut! Quite the clever strategy! Anyways, I bring up the Pitcher Newt because they seem to have a relationship with the Sousuin. Since they are small non-poisonous amphibians, they tend to be targeted by a number of predators. To keep out of harm's way, Pitcher Newts will climb onto the backs of Sousuin, so that the aquatic and terrestrial predators can't reach them. The Sousuin also don't respond well to carnivores approaching them or trying to climb them, so the herbivore often chases off these would-be attackers. So by sitting on top of a Sousuin, the Pitcher Newt gets a nice safe ride through the cypress swamp. They also get a high perch to catch even more bugs too! Such protection and kindness is not left unrewarded, though, as Pitcher Newts help the Sousuin in kind. Due to their high perch and upward facing eyes, Pitcher Newts have a good view of the environment around and above them. With such a line of sight, they will act as watchdogs, looking out for possible threats as they feed. Their upward gaze is particularly good for spotting Wompogo who wait in ambush in the trees above. When a threat is spotted, the Pitcher Newt will let out a booming croak, which signals for the pod to come together and defend themselves. With this early warning system, the Sousuin will get a better chance at resisting the predator before it can claim one of their kind.

I made mention that the Sousuin only go on land for reproductive purposes, and that is because Sousuin are viviparous. Giving live birth in deep water is bad news for the newborn, so they head to dry land to do this. This trip will not last long, though, as newborn Sousuin can be on their feet and walking in minutes. Once they are used to their own limbs and are able to move on their own, the mother and child will head back to the water. After the females of the pod give birth, the pod will stick to shallower waters for a few weeks, giving the newborn time to grow in size and strength. Like all mammals, the newborns will feed on the milk of its mother, but they can also feed on super soft food like algae.

For towns and villages that live near the cypress swamps, the Sousuin are valued for their meat and rich blubber. Outside of hunting them, people have also found ways to domesticate these creatures and use them as transports through the swamp. Like Stilted Sifters, though, these beasts are not the speediest rides, but they can move at a decent pace. Those who ride the Sousuin tend to use them for hunting and gathering, as their slow pace helps the hunter sneak up on game and their long snouts can dig up roots and bulbs that are hidden beneath the water. These riders, though, should be prepared to have some extra passengers. Pitcher Newts can't tell the difference between a wild Sousuin and a domesticated Sousuin, that or they don't care. If they see a beast with some room to spare, they shall eagerly climb aboard, no matter how much the first passenger may squawk and thrash.

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

-----------------------------------------------------

I was going through a species kick where I tried designing creatures for lesser known habitat types/biomes. Cypress swamps look really cool, and I figured a big wading herbivore would be perfect. And as usual, I decided such beast couldn't just be some normal thing like an ungulate, so I made it a walking dolphin. The pitcher newts were made and thrown in because the Sousuin alone seemed kind of boring.