Probably one of the most successful video game franchises in recent years, Monster Hunter has always been a series that has captured the imagination of many people with its fantastical yet realistic creatures. From the scary Vaal Hazak to the goofy...
The Amazon Rainforest is one of the most biodiverse place on the planet, containing a third of all the world's species. From the jaguars to sloths, black caimans to hoatzins, the Amazon basin has no shortage of intriguing lifeforms, but a few creatures stand out from the rest.
Some possess incredible abilities as seen with the electric eels, others have a downright bizarre appearance such as the mata mata turtle, and there are those who just seem to be out of place like the pink river dolphin. The Yian subfamily demonstrates all three categories.
With their large, shovel-shaped beaks, light body frames, loud screeches, ability to spit globs of boiling liquid whose coloration is similar to that of fire, and extendable flaps of skin around their ears, these creatures are some of the most recognizable members of the Bird Wyvern family.
Although there are only three living species in the Yian subfamily today, their shockingly well documented fossil record reveals that they were much more common in the past. Ever since they first appeared in the north eastern areas of South America 32 million years ago, there have been a whopping 74 described species, ranging from the meter long Rutrorum brazili to the colossal 2.5 meter tall ground dwelling Megalofos gigantros.
It's unclear why this incredibly successful group of creatures suddenly dwindled, but considering that their decline coincided with the beginning of the ice age 2.4 million years ago, it seems likely that the change in weather might have contributed to their downfall.
The three species that do remain seem to have had one critical advantage over their extinct relatives, they were generalists in both diet and habitat compatibility.
Because of this adaptability, one species in particular, Yianoriavis kutkuensis, has been able to continue thriving in large numbers, even as the world around them continues to change.
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Standing 1.4 meters long, a meter tall, and possessing a 2.2 meter wingspan, these creatures, commonly called as Yian Kut-Kus, are known to inhabit a wide variety of Latin American countries including Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, Guyana, French Guyana, Suriname, Bolivia, and Ecuador; however, a small population comprised of released or escaped pets do live in the Florida Everglades.
Although it's unknown where the name Yian Kut-Ku originates, a popular theory is that it's a misinterpretation of the animals scientific name, which roughly translates to Yian's strange eared bird of kutku in Latin.
As their Latin name suggests, Yian Kut-Kus have extendable, fan-shaped skin flaps around their ears. Normally these appendages are folded and rest flat against their skulls and necks; however, they'll open up whenever they're needed for their many different uses.
Due to the hot and moist climate they live in, Yian Kut-Kus may sometimes unfurl their fans in order to cool off. Similarly to elephants, the skin flaps are packed with blood vessels. By diverting blood into their headgear, these Bird Wyverns are able to expel extra body heat.
