Description

A Thanator is a carnivorous hexapedal animal native to the forests of Pandora. xenobiologists currently believe that it may be the apex land predator on Pandora. ## Personality Gender: Male or Female Age: Varies Appearance: A lean and agile feline-like creature, the thanator's musculature is pronounced and impressive, providing power for protracted runs and leaps. The speed of its neck and jaw strike is swift. In addition to conventional ripping and tearing, the thanator can also deliver a lethal blow from its thin armored tail. An impact from the tail is strong enough to defend against other thanators. The creature's senses are so highly developed that, depending on atmospheric conditions, it can detect prey up to thirteen kilometers away. The thanator has ten sensory quills that sprout from sections of armor plating that encircle the rear of its skull. The function of the quills is still a mystery, but it has been hypothesized that they may be tied to an internal mechanism of prey location; possibly echolocation or another sensory pinpointing system. The quills also flare up and produce a more menacing appearance. The plates themselves are cartilaginous in nature. It also has an armored neck and back, a massive distensible jaw, and twenty-three centimeter long sharp teeth. The thanator has burnished black skin. Its ten external sensory quills are colored bright red and yellow. The upper lip folds back for maximum tooth extension. The Na'vi, who are around 9 to 10 feet (approx. 3 meters) tall, could ride on the back of one of these beasts, making the thanator approximately 20 feet (6 meters) long. It has six long legs, and two sets of opercula on each side of its neck. When sensing for prey or for threats it can raise its front body and two front legs, standing on its four back limbs as it sniffs the air. Personality: The thanator appears to be a solitary hunter and normally does not stray outside of its territorial range, which is believed to be roughly 300 square kilometers. It appears to hunt mainly at night, although it seems to make exceptions if hungry enough. Height: 2.5 meters (8.2 ft) Length: >5.6 meters (18 ft) Weight: 1,100 lbs (500 kg)