Grassland Rattleback

These tough characters are descended from a south american rodent, something like the paca. They have big muscular forelimbs with strong shovel like claws for digging. Facial muscles can pull specially shaped scales over their eyes.

Classification
S - Vibrabitrursus campus

G - Vibrabitrursus

F - Pacidae

O - Rodentia

C - Mammalia

P - Chordata

K - Animalia

Behavior
The rattleback gets its name from the rattling sound it makes as it shakes the hard plates on its back.

The plates act as a flameproof suit, protecting the rattleback from the fire. When a bushfire blazes through the grasslands, the rattleback simply flattens itself to the ground, allowing the flames to sweep overhead.

They can pull special scales over their eyes to protect them when digging.

Feeding
The rattleback is an opportunistic feeder. Its diet consists mainly of grass stems and buried tubers, which it digs out using its large front feet and strong claws. It will also eat bird-eggs, including Carakiller eggs.

Breeding
Not known, but possibly similar to human-era rodents.