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INTRODUCTION Prehistoric canines have been a favorite topic of mine for years now, and I’ve always hoped for any of the different species to be added to ARK as a competitor against the direwolf. Their history is incredible and their different structures and anatomy are even more impressive; with the Xenocyon lycanoides having caught my eye the most as it looks like some sort of mix between a borophagus, a gray wolf, and an African wild dog. There are loads of opportunities with this creature, and I hope to explore all of them in-depth in this creature submission. NATURAL HISTORY Xenocyon lycanoides was a hypercarnivore that lived in Africa and Eurasia throughout the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene. It’s the ancestor of the modern dhole and the African wild dog, though Xenocyon itself was much larger than its descendants. It was once even a competitor against the direwolf, with larger size, bulkier strength, and being even more hypercarnivorous— though its small numbers couldn’t win over Pleistocene North America, and the North American population dwindled and eventually died out. DOSSIER WILD “A dangerous pack hunter, Xenocyon lycanoides is known to use its sharp teeth to inflict intense bleeding in its prey. With high stamina and long legs, this canine can run and run for miles. Its howl alone is enough to terrify smaller critters, and their packs have incredible familial loyalty.” DOMESTICATED ”The adults are far too aggressive to tame, so in order to get your own Xenocyon, you must passively care for the pups. However, once tamed and raised to adulthood, your canine companion will assist you in caves, hunting, and even taming other creatures with its unique abilities.” UTILITY The Xenocyon is an efficient and incredibly useful utility mount through and through. Its abilities consist of: - BONE-BREAKER: Right-click attack causes a bleed/bone breaking effect, which slows down the opponent and causes them to lose health over time. This effect stacks. - PACK BONUS: In groups of 3 or more, the Xenocyon gains a damage and defense buff. It is also able to locate other tamed Xenocyon in its pack by pressing X and highlighting their outlines with a resounding cackle. - FEAR HOWL: By pressing C, the Xenocyon can let loose an intimidating howl that scares away most smaller creatures, such as raptors, pegomastax, icthyornis, and even humans. - “SADDLEBAG”: Though it can be ridden, the Xenocyon does not have a saddle; instead, it has a “saddlebag,” a pack that acts similarly to a preserving bin while reducing resource weight and still providing armor. - INSULATION: The Xenocyon provides a small insulation buff to protect its rider against the elements. This works particularly well in heat, while not particularly functioning as well in colder environments. - SNEAK: “Sneak mode” can be toggled by pressing R, allowing both the Xenocyon and its rider to gain increased stealth. The stealth equivalent is of ghillie, and can prove to be useful for taming skittish creatures or skirting around dangerous animals without risk of being noticed. - LAY DOWN: Tamed Xenocyon can be toggled to lay down, which allows their health gain to be slightly boosted. However, while laying down, it cannot be toggled to attack and is vulnerable to getting killed by aggressive creatures and players with no means to defend itself. - STAMINA: Long legs and an affinity for long-winded hunts gives this creature immense stamina, allowing it to pursue prey for miles. - TRACKER: With left control, the Xenocyon can sniff and lead you in the direction of whatever animal you’re searching for. However, this ability can be risky to use, as the Xenocyon will get excited and run towards the smell whether it has a rider or not, although it stops outside the selected creature’s aggro range. Using this with the Sneak ability provides an excellent method for finding and taming creatures. - RIVALRY: When around direwolves, the Xenocyon gains the rivalry buff, granting it extra damage and defense. SPAWN LOCATIONS AND TAMING The Xenocyon is known to spawn in warmer, more open climates, such as vast plains, deserts, and oases. They spawn in packs of 3 - 5, with pups tagging along with them. In order to tame a Xenocyon, you must imprint on one of the pups, but be warned: adult Xenocyon are very protective of their young and won’t hesitate to eliminate any other threats. EXTRA NOTES - Its eyes glow similarly to a Troodon in the dark, as they’re highly reflective. - It has three idle animations: a basic one where it stands and breathes like any other creature, a slightly more complex one that consists of it pawing at its face, and one that can only be toggled by being near other tamed Xenocyon. This animation is where the tamed Xenocyon checks up on its packmembers, sniffing them to ensure that they’re okay. - It growls when around a direwolf (whether tamed or wild), and will only stop when away from the wolf. SOURCES/REFERENCES https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenocyon https://prehistoric-fauna.com/Xenocyon-lycaonoides BONUS CONTENT Speedpaint: *Art made by me (ikrannn on YouTube & DA) in Procreate. (By the way, if this seems familiar to anyone, it's because I originally submitted Xenocyon back in January for a different creature vote! I'm bringing him back for this one so that he can get another chance :D)

Tetrameryx is an extinct genus of the North American artiodactyl family Antilocapridae, known from Mexico, the western United States, and Saskatchewan. The name means "four [horned] ruminant", referring to the division of each horn near its base into two prongs; in T. shuleri, the rear prong is much longer.Our ancestors hunted these animals very often and were great for their meat, hides, and horns. Some benefits to this animal are a super fast mount for early to mid game for getting across the deserts fast or getting up steep cliffs to escape the threats hidden in the sands. Another good thing this animal could be used for is it's horns. They could allow the player a substitute for the cantine or water skin. They could also be hollowed out to make war horns.As this animal is a relative of animals such as antelope and pronghorns, Tetrameryx would be able to turn on a dime and allow it to escape anything chasing it. Being able to out run gigas, carnos, and raptors, this beast would make for an excellent mount for across Scorched Earth, Lost Island, and even Fjordur. Tetrameryx are more often than not found in herds of up to six individuals with a large male looking over the rest. This is the beast you want as he is more likely to have higher stats than the rest. His horns would be fully formed and hardened to make even the boldest of carnivores think twice about messing with his herd. Attacks:Kick (Torpor inducing)Gore (Using horns as well as a charge to gore enemies)bite (Ungulates tend to bite a lot)Passive Abilities:Fast runner that can sprint for a good whileCliff climberHarvests fiber because why notHarvest Food:FiberSweet Vegetable CakeHoneyBerriesLongrassPossible Drops:HideTetrameryx HornSpotted Hide (Cosmetic for leather armor)Taming Method:Knockout tame (Less effective)-Just knocking it out with Tranq arrowsBreaking (Most effective)-Get on it's back and stay on to win the mount

Got a bit of traction before, but I submitted it waaaay too late in the vote. Who knows, let's try again: Size comparison to a modern cheetah, also another camouflage possiblity: In real life: Acinonyx Rapidensis is based off the real-life Acinonyx Pardinensis, the ice-age giant cheetah. Remember, my proposal is about 20% larger again than the larger cat in that image. No custom art as I have no talent for that sort of thing, but we all know what this could look like. The idea here is for a rapid, high melee, low-health mount, with a couple of unique abilities to make things fun. Note the taming method, a knockout tame would result in lower taming effectiveness than a whip tame. DOSSIER: Acinonyx Rapidensis Wild Acinonyx Rapidensis is another ARK inhabitant that I would date to the early Pleistocene, though it is notably larger than any species of Acinonyx discovered in the fossil record by about 20%. Immediately recognisable by any safari-goer as a cheetah, Acinonyx has a thicker coat of fur than the modern Acinonyx Jubatus, as well as more pronounced leg muscles. It is a hunter unmatched in speed aboard the ARK, able even on occasion to catch Gallimimus when not running in a straight line. They are solitary ambush predators, and will frequently wait, motionless and well camouflaged amongst the ARK's abundance of flora, for potential prey to stray too close. At this point, they rapidly accelerate to full speed and commence chase, though chases do not usually last long. If Acinonyx succeeds in impacting an opponent, its high speed will frequently cause smaller targets to stumble, slowing them for a few seconds and, in the case of humans, causing them to drop whatever they are carrying in their hands. Taming While Acinonyx can be tamed via traditional knockout methods, their high metabolism and great running speed can make this difficult, as they rapidly recover torpor and are near impossible to catch should they flee. It is more practical and effective to tame Acinonyx without the use of tranquilizers. A wild Acinonyx can be stopped in its tracks mid-charge by using a whip, at which point a would-be tamer can slowly approach and feed the creature. While it will back off at first, after a few feeds it will become a loyal companion. Beware though, as using a whip while it is not charging is certain to anger it to the point of attack. Domesticated Many tribes consider Acinonyx to be the next logical step with regard to taming after Gallimimus. Almost as fast, with a far greater ability to defend itself from attack, it is an excellent choice for the solo explorer who does not want to sacrifice power for speed. Some, however, believe its frailness compared to mounts of similar size, such as the Direwolves, is not made up for by its high speed and endurance, as well as only being able to carry one passenger to the Gallimimus' three. Acinonyx's speed is an invaluable asset on its own, but when domesticated they can be trained to run even faster. Assuming the creature's stamina pool is sufficient, they can, for a brief period, achieve a burst of speed up to 50% faster than their typical running speed, though this will drain their stamina extremely quickly. Doing this allows the rider to utilise the ability to stumble and disarm foes that wild Acinonyx can be observed using during hunts. As with modern cheetahs, Acinonyx maintain their ability to turn quickly at high speed by spinning their tail. Doing this with a tamed Acinonyx allows the user to make sharp right angled and even full U-turns near instantly, taking any pursuing parties by surprise and certainly putting off their aim. Lemme know your thoughts I guess, if you have any!

Name: The Cave Lion Species: Panthera Atrox Time Period: Pleistocene (Ice Age) Diet: Carnivore Temperament: Aggressive Wild Observations: Within the vast tundra's and neighbouring grasslands on the Ark lives a hulking and voracious predator, Panthera Atrox or the Cave Lion is the largest big cat on the island standing almost as tall as the Direbear! Unlike Smilodon these large predatory cats live in strong family Prides. Prides usually consist of mostly females and usually a singular male. They are pale in colour with males sporting a large dark mane with Lionesses lacking the mane. Females tend to do the hunting while males protect the Prides territory and young from other invading male Cave Lions. Panthera Atrox are usually found next to Cave entrances as that's where they usually look after their young, lounge around or hide to escape bad weather conditions. Survivors have been known to be unlucky enough to accidently stumble into a cave of these cats during blizzards, needless to say most of these scenarios end with the cats getting a free meal. The hunting behaviour of Panthera Atrox is something to be respected, the lionesses will utilize ambush tactics to get close to prey and then burst from their stalking positions at incredible speed, during which when close enough the lion will lunge at the prey and take it down with sheer strength. This takedown has been seen to work on small to medium sized creatures however groups of Cave lionesses have been witnessed taking down larger prey in groups. Males have been seen while rarely join on these hunts however they're not usually involved in these group effort take downs and often tend to stick to hunting medium sized prey. They do however seem to encourage females with bellows during hunts when the chase begins, these bellows seem to carry across substantial ranges. Taming: Taming an adult Panthera Atrox is not a viable idea, these predators have grown such strong links to their pride during their growth that having them willing to leave the pride is impossible. It is however possible to sway cubs away from their prides because they have not yet learned to be fully committed to their pride, this is easier said than done however because cubs are usually hidden within cave systems or within cave entrances and also protected by adult males who have increased ferocity and vigour when defending his cubs, he is also joined by a couple Lionesses. If you are lucky or victorious in combat to defeat the protecting adults, cubs tend to be fairly accepting of a survivors taming attempts, cubs will eat raw meat, prime meat and mutton passively from survivor this process can take a while so the survivor is encouraged to bring protection to deal with the caves constant threats or more worryingly more Cave Lions. Domesticated: Domesticated adult Panthera Atrox are incredibly powerful ridable combat animals, perfectly suited to taking on most medium sized threats alone, they have very high resistances to most damage due to their stocky build from surviving in the icey wastes of the tundras and also their fairly head first hunting strategies. In groups these Lions get even more dangerous, with tribes using their wild instincts to their advantage taking down larger foes with groups of female lionesses and the male giving the group encouragement. These make perfect tames for tribes who want to remain a little more obscure on the Ark and don't like the idea of a large thundering theropod to give away their tribes base of operations of position in an ambush but also something strong enough to tackle those larger threats in a group. When it comes to harvesting, the Cave Lion is an excellent gatherer of pelt and hide. Gameplay (Generic): The Cave Lion is based mostly around combat both PVE/PVP and is mainly thought to give the player a mount capable of stealth attacking other players/AI without the need to purely going into invisibility but also rewarding players for doing by allowing the player to tackle down others. A well thought out ambush with multiple Cave lions and players riding them can even be used to take down larger animals so it also promotes teamwork. Movement: The Cave Lion is a slow hulking behemoth of a cat that takes time to reach its full speed, so during a sprint it will accelerate until it hits maximum speed. Ambush: By holding the "C" key, the Lion will go into a stalking stance which is a crouched stance with very slow mobility, this stance gives the player/mount the same abilities a player would gain from ghillie, allowing them to sneak up on most AI threats to a fairly close range. When within a specific range of prey, the Lion then bursts forward, giving it the ability to go into a faster version of its sprinting style, allowing it to reach its top speed much faster, this speed increase part of this ability does go on cooldown after use so it cannot be abused. Grapple: At max speed the Cave Lion gets to use its most dangerous attack, the ability to tackle and take down creatures and knocking off riders unlike the Thylacoleo, the grapple on the Cave Lion can be used to take down small to medium sized dinosaurs and the Cave Lion will end up releasing the grappled creature when it runs out of stamina. Gameplay (Lioness): The Hunter: As The Lioness is the dedicated hunter of the Cave Lion Pride, they gain a buff when among 3 more Lionesses that trigger when all 4 are in proximity of each other in their ambush stance, this buff allows the Lionesses to grapple attack larger animals up to the size of mammoths, knocking them over and knocking riders off. Gameplay (Male): The Protector: Male Cave Lions are the lethal protectors of the Pride, their bellows which can be activated by hitting "left ctrl" give females encouragement, allowing the females to sprint for longer and grapple longer during hunts due to it gaining a stamina buff the lioness, The Male Lion will also naturally gain a damage output buff for himself when surrounded by females, the idea is that the male Lion can help protect his Lionesses from the knocked off rider while they hold down the players tame.

So I know we have the Snow Owl, but let me introduce you to the real biggest owl that ever walked the earth: Ornimegalonyx. Yes, I said walked; this owl was probably mostly flightless, able to fly only in short bursts like a wild turkey. Wanna see it? Here's the owl compared to a modern human. (From Wikipedia) It had very large feet for its size and was likely an ambush hunter, sitting and waiting for prey and then pouncing on it. My thoughts for the Ark version were this: -Ornimegalonyx (Orni) is about the size of a dilo (scaled up a bit from real life, but really, how many Ark creatures are their actual size?). -They are VERY FAST like a troo, though hunting alone rather than in a pack. -They're mostly found in open country (most of Scorched Earth, places with not a lot of trees but not generally on mountains). -They do not wander in the wild, rather, sitting and waiting in concealment posture (see below) for a dino small enough to eat to come by, similar to the purlovia or thyla. -They cannot be ridden, but once tamed can act as a sort of guard dog or standing harvester of small animals. -For PVP, the Orni can be set to "Conceal," making itself very skinny and difficult to see until it bursts from hiding at enemy survivors. -Taming would be accomplished in a way similar to the otter or gacha: you bring small, live animals to the Orni so it can catch them (jerboa/compy/dodo/lystro, etc). This would require a net, lasso or grappling hook, or you could bring it tamed dinos for a small boost. Other people have suggested this animal as well: https://survivetheark.com/index.php?/gallery/image/9882-ornimegalonyx-dossier/ ^I like the idea of the Orni producing pellets that can be substituted for something, cementing paste or otherwise. https://survivetheark.com/index.php?/forums/topic/669350-ark-1-or-2-ideas-ornimegalonyx/#comment-3339689 If it were me designing the actual look of the bird, I like the common idea of being superficially similar to a burrowing owl, though with longer legs and smaller wings. Just please, god, don't put ear tufts on it like they did with the snow owl.

I think we can all agree that the dinosaurs are the most attention-grabbing thing in the game, and I get it, they're cool. However, I believe that the mammals deserve to be loved too, and what better way to do it than by adding a new member to their ranks, and a pretty good one at that! I present to you... That's right! We're getting a hippo in the game, hopefully. Let's not get ahead of ourselves though, first we need to talk more about our chunky friend over here. As you've read, it can't be tamed by the ol' tranq and feed, instead I thought of something to make it stand out from the rest of the mammals. Much like the Wyverns and their many predecessors, it must be raised in orden to tame it, making it the first mammal to have the raise-only taming method. And I know what you're thinking, 'wouldn't it be dangerous to separate a future killing machine from its family of killing machines?' to which I answer 'Yes. A lot.', but don't fret, as in exchange for performing such a treacherous task successfully, you'll be rewarded with one beast of a creature! Be it for traveling across the land, gathering and transporting resources or turn the tides of a battle in your favor, Hippopotamus Gorgops won't dissapoint. Now, let's go into a little more detail about its abilities. 1. Mouse Left Click (Tap): This is your standard bite attack used by 90% of ARK's wildlife, still, you should never underestimate the power of a hippo's jaws. 2. Mouse Left Click (Hold): This is another bite attack, but not an ordinary one, mind you. The longer you hold the button, the more powerful the attack will be, culminating in a massive bite, capable of damaging up to stone structures. 3. Mouse Right Click: This allows it to carry any small to medium-sized creatures in its jaws. 4. Passive Hyperthermic Insulation: Similar to their modern relatives, Hippopotamus Gorgops have a special sweat that gives them resistance to UV rays, which they can share with their rider, protecting them both from high temperatures.

INTRODUCTION Prehistoric canines have been a favorite topic of mine for years now, and I’ve always hoped for any of the different species to be added to ARK as a competitor against the direwolf. Their history is incredible and their different structures and anatomy are even more impressive; with the Xenocyon lycanoides having caught my eye the most as it looks like some sort of mix between a borophagus, a gray wolf, and an African wild dog. There are loads of opportunities with this creature, and I hope to explore all of them in-depth in this creature submission. NATURAL HISTORY Xenocyon lycanoides was a hypercarnivore that lived in Africa and Eurasia throughout the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene. It’s the ancestor of the modern dhole and the African wild dog, though Xenocyon itself was much larger than its descendants. It was once even a competitor against the direwolf, with larger size, bulkier strength, and being even more hypercarnivorous— though its small numbers couldn’t win over Pleistocene North America, and the North American population dwindled and eventually died out. DOSSIER WILD “A dangerous pack hunter, Xenocyon lycanoides is known to use its sharp teeth to inflict intense bleeding in its prey. With high stamina and long legs, this canine can run and run for miles. Its howl alone is enough to terrify smaller critters, and their packs have incredible familial loyalty.” DOMESTICATED ”The adults are far too aggressive to tame, so in order to get your own Xenocyon, you must passively care for the pups. However, once tamed and raised to adulthood, your canine companion will assist you in caves, hunting, and even taming other creatures with its unique abilities.” UTILITY The Xenocyon is an efficient and incredibly useful utility mount through and through. Its abilities consist of: - BONE-BREAKER: Right-click attack causes a bleed/bone breaking effect, which slows down the opponent and causes them to lose health over time. This effect stacks. - PACK BONUS: In groups of 3 or more, the Xenocyon gains a damage and defense buff. It is also able to locate other tamed Xenocyon in its pack by pressing X and highlighting their outlines with a resounding cackle. - FEAR HOWL: By pressing C, the Xenocyon can let loose an intimidating howl that scares away most smaller creatures, such as raptors, pegomastax, icthyornis, and even humans. - “SADDLEBAG”: Though it can be ridden, the Xenocyon does not have a saddle; instead, it has a “saddlebag,” a pack that acts similarly to a preserving bin while reducing resource weight and still providing armor. - INSULATION: The Xenocyon provides a small insulation buff to protect its rider against the elements. This works particularly well in heat, while not particularly functioning as well in colder environments. - SNEAK: “Sneak mode” can be toggled by pressing R, allowing both the Xenocyon and its rider to gain increased stealth. The stealth equivalent is of ghillie, and can prove to be useful for taming skittish creatures or skirting around dangerous animals without risk of being noticed. - LAY DOWN: Tamed Xenocyon can be toggled to lay down, which allows their health gain to be slightly boosted. However, while laying down, it cannot be toggled to attack and is vulnerable to getting killed by aggressive creatures and players with no means to defend itself. - STAMINA: Long legs and an affinity for long-winded hunts gives this creature immense stamina, allowing it to pursue prey for miles. - TRACKER: With left control, the Xenocyon can sniff and lead you in the direction of whatever animal you’re searching for. However, this ability can be risky to use, as the Xenocyon will get excited and run towards the smell whether it has a rider or not, although it stops outside the selected creature’s aggro range. Using this with the Sneak ability provides an excellent method for finding and taming creatures. - RIVALRY: When around direwolves, the Xenocyon gains the rivalry buff, granting it extra damage and defense. SPAWN LOCATIONS AND TAMING The Xenocyon is known to spawn in warmer, more open climates, such as vast plains, deserts, and oases. They spawn in packs of 3 - 5, with pups tagging along with them. In order to tame a Xenocyon, you must imprint on one of the pups, but be warned: adult Xenocyon are very protective of their young and won’t hesitate to eliminate any other threats. EXTRA NOTES - Its eyes glow similarly to a Troodon in the dark, as they’re highly reflective. - It has three idle animations: a basic one where it stands and breathes like any other creature, a slightly more complex one that consists of it pawing at its face, and one that can only be toggled by being near other tamed Xenocyon. This animation is where the tamed Xenocyon checks up on its packmembers, sniffing them to ensure that they’re okay. - It growls when around a direwolf (whether tamed or wild), and will only stop when away from the wolf. SOURCES/REFERENCES https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenocyon https://prehistoric-fauna.com/Xenocyon-lycaonoides BONUS CONTENT Speedpaint: *Art made by me (ikrannn on YouTube & DA) in Procreate.

It can mate with Direwolves but the babies are 50/50 chance of having wings. The males have a wing structure reminiscent of large bats while the females have those resembling feathered bird wings. It can dive into the water and out of the water to fly. It does the falcon Stoop. (Falcon hunting dive.) Saddle optional provides greater manuverability with cold storage utilizing frozen canteens. Eats raw meat and rotten meat sharing similarities with vultures. Tameable with mutton (prefered). Wing span of 12ft. Weight of approx 375lb.