Turtledragons

Turtledragons (not to be confused with Turtledoves) are a classification of dragons endemic to the area around the volcanic islands of the Scorialic Sea. Their semi-protoelliptic bumps, many, many sharp teeth, and propensity to spit electrically-charged oil at prey differentiate them from otherwise docile sea-turtles. Although they are a popular draw for tourists, especially around breeding times, leading dracosociologists note the high rate of amputations resulting from turtledragon-spit-related-accidents reflects a seemingly high disregard for personal safety.

Due to recent legal kerfuffle, it is currently illegal to consume the mild, bubbly flesh these species are famous for. Recent social movements (seemingly tracing back to a series of spam messages) make broad, improbable claims about “major population decline” and “disappearing herds”. This legislation technically allows for the breeding of turtledragons, but given their propensity to deflate in any enclosure, this solution seems untenable for the bold, electrifying chefs of today.

Turtledragons’ lineage is a subject of much scientific debate. Some scholars think turtledragons evolved from dragons which, after evolving a hard shell in terrestrial swamps, moved back into the sea, and their resemblance to sea-turtles is a product of convergent evolution. Other scholars argue the teeth, markings, and spit are evolved from a sea-turtle to begin with, and their resemblance to dragons stems from convergent evolution on the other side. Yet others believe that the species is a product of interbreeding between dragons and sea-turtles, or intermediate stages. Notably, none of these lineages account for their specific locality in the Scorialic Sea. Never mentioned in the known pages of the Index Ingenuous, ecologists are reduced to wild speculation and discordant and unreliable means of population measurement.