Sep (Carcharodon terrestalis)

Ancestry: The sep is descended from the great white shark.

Morphology: A sep is .3 meters long at birth. An average adult is 4 meters with the record being 5.7 meters. Its pectoral fins have mutated into stubby, clawed legs. The skin retains the rough texture and is either light brown or dun in coloration. The skin has also thickened and hardened to prevent damage from impacts with underground objects. Its dorsal fin is reduced in size, but has a mineralized structure to prevent it from ripping off during burrowing. Its eyes have gained a thick "3rd eyelid" to also protect it underground, and to keep the retina safe from direct sunlight. It has retained the regenerating tooth structure and usually leaves several in anything it has bitten. All other external features are unchanged. This includes the ability to detect electric fields given off by animals. This allows them to detect unmoving prey. The only other organ of note is a small addition to its brain that allows it to "swim" through the soil. It is thought that this has to do with telekinesis.

Natural History and Sociology: Seps give birth to live young, usually 4-8 of which only 1 or 2 survive to adulthood. They grow to adult size in 6 years and males are able to breed in 8 (12 for females). Seps are solitary predators that hunt most other animals. They attack surface dwelling animals by leaping out of the soil much as a fleshin jumps out of the water. The can not afford to overlap hunting territories due to their dietary requirements, but cannibalism is common is areas with little food. A species is found in the far north and "swims" through the snow found there.

Range: Seps are found from Texas to Manitoba west to Alberta. They can only be found in sandy deserts (which do not exist in quantity in North America) and the plains. 



Variant species:

C. arthropodus
This sep has crab-like legs. It is much rarer than the standard sep and is quite unusual as it is amphibious. It is found near shallow shores in salt lakes and the ocean. Like some crocodiles, it lunges from the water (giving it a bonus to surprise). It is also hunted for its skin (for armor), meat, and other organs.

C. frigidus
This sep lives the the far north and can only swim in snow.

C. canus
This sep, the pack sep, is totally blind and must use its electrical detection to find food. Its pectoral fins have 4 claws, 2 long and 2 short. Unlike other seps, this species lives in small groups and can use its tail to stun its prey.
Do to its unique body structure and pack style, Sleeth historians have had a difficult time classifing them, with some even leaning towards not calling C. canus a sep at all.