HOME | DD

Mapinguari — Description

It's kinda of funny how certain body plans in animals and plants can elicit bizarre responses from people. In this incredible world filled with such biodiversity and fascinating flora and fauna, there are particular looks a species can have that will immediately get people to either love it or fear it. At first you think it would be the beasts with anatomy that defies the usual layout that would get folks scared, like some lizard with ten limbs or a creature flat as a pancake. Often enough, though, it makes people curious or they are charmed by the odd look. The second you give them two legs, two arms and make them stand upright, suddenly there is a big problem. While some can argue the fear of imposter species, I still don't quite get the terror humans feel when some other species is somewhat humanoid. Wolves? Whatever. Wolves that stand up? Burn the town down. I guess it makes sense for me to be bewildered by this, because dryads have (and still do in some places) gotten this same response. We are a different species, but we have a similar external look to humans, so immediately folk start making up stories of vegetable succubi and body snatchers. So every time I encounter such a species and hear about their reputation, I always got to take into account this fear. It is like when I was visiting the rainforest and was told to be wary of the "giant hairy men" (which doesn't sound much like a warning depending on what you are in to). Tales of huge furred humanoids that lumber through the forest floor, tearing through trees and beasts alike. While it is important to be on a watch for this species, I would argue that there are plenty of other creatures lurking in the rainforest that are way more dangerous than the Mapinguari.

The Mapinguari does indeed have the look of a giant hairy humanoid beast, but don't let the fur and frame fool you. Beneath all that is the hardened shell of a crustacean. Indeed, Mapinguari are a terrestrial crab-like species that have ditched their many spindly legs to become a bulky land walker. Though I say "ditched" those limbs aren't actually lost, but we will get into that in a minute. Looking at them now, they have two thick legs and a pair of powerful arms. As the legends suggest, they can walk upright, but that doesn't always happen. Mapniguari can also take on a quadrupedal gait by walking on their knuckles, hunching their bodies over like a gorilla. These hands of theirs are modified pincers, which have split into three parts to let them more easily grab and manipulate their environment. As for their feet, they have morphed into splayed out claws that help support its great bulk when it rears up on its hind limbs. These claws can move and rotate to better suit the situation, sometimes even pointing backwards to keep the beast standing. Outside of these limbs, we got....well, which do we even start with? I guess lets talk about its "head."

What adds to the myth of it being some giant human and makes the crustacean angle confusing is that the Mapinguari has a very distinct head and neck. Yes, crabs do have heads, but rarely in a way that it mimics the human form so closely. Add to it a cyclopean eye, and you got a pretty creepy looking creature. The thing is, while it does have a single eye up there, that isn't really its "head." Do you know what some crustaceans have? Eyestalks. In this strange scenario, it is in the singular. What you are looking at when witnessing the cyclops gaze of the Mapinguari is actually a fused pair of eye stalks that have formed a singular protuberance. It does have flexibility in the "neck," which allows it to bend and swivel to better view its surroundings. If you cut open a dead specimen, though, you will find that this head has only that eye and that is it. The brain is down below in the body, as well as the antenna and other prominent features. You will notice that the head has no mouth, as that is down below as well...

There are two main features that make this species striking: the single eye and its bizarrely placed mouth. Look towards its chest and you will find a gaping orifice filled with claw, blade and many moving mouth parts. Where did the other legs go? The answer is: in here. The mouth of a the Mapinguari is a busy maw that uses these shrunken legs combined with other parts to absolute shred anything and everything put inside it. It is a meat grinder that can take on hard shelled nuts, thick barked trees, armored flesh and sturdy bone. With such a maw, the Mapinguari is an omnivore, pretty much eating anything it can get its claws on. Those powerful arms of theirs can rip through trees and bring them down to get at the fruits and nuts. Funny enough, despite its deadly weaponry and mutilating jaws, the Mapinguari seems to eat more vegetation than meat. However, meat is not off the menu. They gladly feed on carrion and they will take down any prey animal that cannot run in time. When knocking down trees and other tall vegetation, it can send other animals plummeting to the floor. The Mapinguari will finish off these fallen beasts and stuff them into its shredding mouth. The same claws that can rip through bark and shell will easily crush skulls and tear off limbs. They aren't super sharp, they just use sheer force and strength to do the job. Due to the structure of their mouth, Mapinguari tend to be messy eaters, sending bits and juices flying all over. Since they can eat pretty much anything, they don't mind the lost morsels. However, it does lead to some poor hygiene. Blood, juice and rotting fluids tend to splatter onto their body and soak into their hairs. Give some time, and it leads to an absolute horrid reek that comes from their bodies. If the giant lumbering crab wasn't obvious enough in its approach, you will certainly smell their arrival.

With me talking about the "giants" of the rainforest, it should be obvious that the locals have things to say about this species. Most of these things are said with fear or anger, so it shows what reputation the Mapinguari have. Since they eat both plant and flesh, any of these beasts that find themselves near a farm will instantly become a problem. Especially now with agriculture growing closer and closer to these ecosystems, it increase the chance that one of these massive crabs will walk through the fences and feed on the crop. Some have wandered into villages and caused trouble, while other encounters involve hunters and explorers having fateful run-ins with one in the jungle. Though they are not super aggressive, they do have a desire for food that will kick in if you are too close and they spot you. Once locked on, they come charging after you with claws ready to crush and kill. This is the point where you run. Fast. As I already stated, climbing a tree is useless, as they can just take down the tree with you still in it. Your hope is to run fast and far enough that they lose interest. While they are intimidating as they barrel through the undergrowth, that stamina doesn't last long. It is usually a minute or even less before they call it quits, seeing that you aren't worth the time and energy chasing. The one issue is that the rainforest is not an easy place to run, and it is possible to get stuck, slowed down or even tripped up. Have that happen to you, and the beast will be upon you. The only thing to do now is try to distract it long enough for another chance to run.

This leads into one of the reasons why this species is not liked, and it is because they are incredibly tough and sturdy. The thick hair already dampens the blow of weapons, but beneath it all is that chitin armor. Their shell is quite thick, able to withstand incredible punishment. You could wail on it all day until your blade breaks and the Mapinguari wouldn't care the slightest. The only way to properly hurt them is to aim for the eye or the open mouth. Get a good shot off at its eye will certainly stagger it, which should give you time to get up and get out of there. It should be noted that since the brain is not in the head, hitting the eye will not kill them, only slow them and certainly tick them off. The mouth is another option, but say goodbye to whatever weapon you are using to strike there. It will be like hitting the back of their throat, causing them gag and flinch, but the mouthparts will destroy whatever you used to hit that sweet spot. So word of advice, don't use your hand for that. Both of these options will not kill, only hurt and slow. If you want to slay one, you need to hit the weak spots and then get your blade between the armor and slide it into an organ or two. Needless to say, this is incredibly difficult to do. Getting close to these beasts is a real bad idea, as one good claw grip will mean you are history. No amount of armor will help you either, as they can just crush both it and you. If you can successfully kill one, then the pelt and shell goes to you as a reward. Their chitin makes for incredible armor, and just wearing it shows off your skill and courage (after you thoroughly wash it though). While you can gain some real respect from toppling one of these crabs, I certainly wouldn't recommend going out and giving it a try. There is more to life than honor, and one of those things is called "being alive."

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

--------------------------------------------------

A rather odd beast to begin with, further compounded by my need to turn it into a bipedal crab. Does it fully work? Were there better animals to base it off of? The mysteries continue to elude us.