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thanator

The thanator (Na'vi name: palulukan meaning "dry mouth bringer of fear") is a creature that lives on Pandora. Although many regions of the moon have yet to be explored, xenobiologists currently believe that it may be the apex land predator on Pandora. Reminiscent of a Terran panther, this enormous, powerful animal is unique in its ability to lord over its territory and strike fear into the largest and fiercest of Pandora's creatures. Even the Na'vi, who are renowned for their courage, are shaken by the approach of the creature.

Its 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 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 (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.

The thanator appears to hunt alone and normally does not stray outside of its territory, 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.

The Anurai Clan pay great respect to the thanator, and consider it their totem animal. The clan partakes in the ritualistic construction of totems to teach unity and trust among its members

◾Its name, thanator, likely comes from the Greek word θάνατος thánatos, meaning "death