Aranir

Third stage, Aranir (male adult)

Third stage, Aranir (male adult)

Overview of the different stages

Overview of the different stages

Color Variations for Aranir

Color Variations for Aranir

Third alternative stage, Aravyre (female adult) - Revised

Third alternative stage, Aravyre (female adult) - Revised

Color Variations for Aravyre

Color Variations for Aravyre

First stage, Ara

First stage, Ara

Second stage, Aracna (with hair)

Second stage, Aracna (with hair)

Stages without Aracna

Stages without Aracna

Initial sketch / idea

Initial sketch / idea

Sketches

Sketches

First ideas for a shield / armored front leg

First ideas for a shield / armored front leg

Old version of  the third alternative stage, Aravyre (female adult)

Old version of the third alternative stage, Aravyre (female adult)

Old version of the second stage, Aracna

Old version of the second stage, Aracna

This creature lives in the desert and their main diet is rotten carcasses for which they search for the whole day. Other animals usually take a hide from it anyway, since if it will get the possibility to eat something fresh, it will not turn down this chance.
They have an exceptional great sense of smell, enabling them to find food over great distances.

When the species was first discovered, only the bone plated Aranir were known. Soon after, another one was discovered, looking much like Aranir, but it was winged.
At first, it was believed that this was an entirely new species, but it turned out that this was actually an extreme case of sexual dimorphism.
While the male ones grew bone plates when turning adult, the female ones actually got wings. They use their flying abilities to raise their nestlings at a remote location, far away from any predator.
The male ones, on the other hand, are territorial creatures, using their bone plates and claws for territorial fights and the like.