Presenting: Shiny Dragons

Presenting: Shiny Dragons

(It's kinda long [though not nearly as long as my other worldbuilding projects], so I'll put it under a readmore just incase)

Description:

Springdragons -- Polyceros jubatus

Origin: World with Earth biology

Mammalian dragons descended from carnivorans whose caste system favors perceived beauty.

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The main factors:

-Shiny, bright(ly colored) scales / matte or dull, brown or otherwise colorless scales (most important)

-Multiple long and smooth, spirally curled horns / one or less pairs of short, straight or bent horns

-Long, bright or rich manes / short and very dull manes

-Striking patches of differently colored fur or skin / monochromatic fuzz

-Long top canines (usually visible when mouth is closed) / short teeth

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Minor beauty traits in Springdragons:

-Multicolored scales, horns, and/or manes

-Long eyelashes

-More scales (e.g. extra scales in places they aren't usually, and the scale-border pushing farther down the head, neck and stomach)

-Longer and thinner ears and general face shapes

-Shiny horns

-Brightly colored irises

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Families of Springdragons are very large and those of dulls can consist of up to around a hundred members (though most are closer to 80). Bright families are smaller, with around 50 each, and the Queenscrown family is the only long-existing family with under 20 members. Families are grouped based on characteristics, such as Aryxes and Jakenses having six or four horns, respectively, Valenses having the characteristic heart-shaped scale above their snout, and Markhors having rough curled horns, though some do not possess these traits as they are not directly related, sometimes partners or adoptive children of ones in the family. The major traits of different families are often not mutually exclusive, allowing many dragons the choice to join either/any of their parent families.

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(The following lists the characteristics of the pictured families.)

-Brights-

Queenscrowns: Green scales and mane. Exceed all the primary four Bright characteristics and have most of the minor traits expected of the upper castes.

Aryxes: Six horns and checkered scales.

Banis: Long feather-like scales, curled horns, and longer-than-average canines.

Stellenes: Pastel scales and four horns.

Razzes: Bright electric manes, very pale fur and six horns (though the first pair is greatly reduced).

Willohs: Long, thinly striped manes, light fur and relatively straight horns.

Valenses: Dark fur with the first scale on the snout being heart-shaped, banded horns.

Theriises: Short horns and long curled canines.

Jakenses: Fiery colored with four horns and longer-than-average front teeth.

Markhors: Relatively dull, with rough, curled horns and extra scales above the ears.

-Dulls-

Trias: No horns, stripelike scales and skin pattern.

Silzens: Pale fur, long straight horns, dull purplish scales.

Taruses: Horns bent upwards at the end, dark fur with white patches and dark scales.

Plintis: Thin horns pointing straight up, short faces.

Fenzis: Colorless scales and fur, short horns.

Ineshias: Long manes and horns, warmly colored scales.

Vesvens: Long, fluffy, fur and manes, small horns.

Choccens: Branched horns, dark scales.

Mowsens: Dull scales speckled with brighter colors.

Siufals: Fur between bluish-green scales, flat heads.

Cennis: No manes, large teeth.

Bovsis: Horns bent sideways, short curled manes.

Enkels: Short and dark horns, with paler fur and scales.