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Varactyl

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this species of four-legged, herbivorous reptiles was native to the planet Utapau. Distinguished by its low body and heavily-clawed feet, the cold-blooded varactyl could climb the sheer walls of the sinkholes that dominated the surface of Utapau, but only after sunning itself to sufficiently warm up its body temperature. On open ground, a varactyl was a fast-moving creature, which made them an excellent choice as mounts for the Utapaun military. Xenoarchaeologists believed that varactyls were first tamed by the Utai, which managed to capture them at night when they were sluggish. A crest of feather-like plates ran down the skull of both male and female varactyls, extending the length of the body along the spine and covering the dorsal and ventral sides of the tail. Although both sexes exhibit an array of colors among these feathers, the female usually had the brighter colors. Mixed into the plates along the tail were sharp spines that could be used for defense against other predators, and a bony mace that could be used as a weapon capped the tail. A mid-body ridge of spines was connected with skin to form a kind of fin, which was used during mating displays. The scaly skin of the varactyl was waterproof, allowing the varactyl to swim whenever necessary. The wide, splayed feet of a varactyl were studded with five clawed toes, giving the varactyl excellent stability and traction. The average varactyl measured four meters tall at the shoulder and more than fifteen meters in length, with the tail accounting for up to two-thirds of the overall length. Despite their size, varactyls were common prey for the avian dactillions, which raided varactyl nests and consumed varactyl eggs and hatchlings.