Edit ‘drake’ by surdeus

Edit ‘drake’ (by surdeus at 25 Aug 26 22:08 MSK)

Hyphae affected: drake

diff --git a/drake.myco b/drake.myco
index c76c612..462cd3d 100644
--- a/drake.myco
+++ b/drake.myco
@@ -52,2 +52,27 @@ Drakes are cold blooded, they control their temperature through external process

+= Sexual Dimorphism
+All drake subraces exhibit pronounced **female-biased sexual size dimorphism**, a physiological trait inherited directly from their ancestral [[Dragon]] progenitors. This dimorphism manifests as a significant, consistent disparity in mass, thermal capacity, and metabolic efficiency between male and female individuals, with females exceeding males in all measurable physical parameters.
+
+== Biological Manifestations
+The dimorphic divergence becomes evident during late adolescence and reaches full expression by the end of the second century of life:
+
+* **Mass and Skeletal Structure:** Adult [[Drakasha]] typically exceed male Drakes by 20–35% in total body mass. Their skeletal structure is markedly more robust, featuring thicker limb bones, broader thoracic cavities, and reinforced cranial plating. This additional mass consists primarily of functional muscle and dense bone required to support their enhanced thermal systems, rather than adipose tissue.
+* **Thermal Capacity:** Female dragons possess significantly larger and more efficient [[Therme]] reservoirs. This allows them to store and regulate greater quantities of planar heat energy, granting them superior endurance in extreme cold, longer operational periods without external heat sources, and a higher threshold for stabilizing ambient [[Therme Rifts]].
+* **Lifespan Disparity:** While male Drakes average a lifespan of 180–250 years, female Drakes routinely live 280–350+ years. This 50–100 year gap is attributed to the female's more efficient metabolic regulation and slower cellular degradation, which are byproducts of their role as primary thermal anchors.
+* **Cranial and Dorsal Morphology:** Females exhibit more pronounced cranial horns, broader dorsal sail structures (in subspecies possessing them), and denser, more complex scale patterning. These features serve a dual purpose: acting as advanced thermal radiators/regulators and providing natural armor.
+
+== Evolutionary Origins
+This dimorphism is a direct inheritance from the ancestral [[Dragon]] species, which exhibited even more extreme female-biased size disparity. In native draconic biology, the female was the primary nest guardian and thermal regulator for the clutch, requiring immense mass and heat retention. Males, being smaller and more agile, served as scouts and peripheral defenders.
+
+When the Flesh Engineers (specifically [[Saris]], whose observational mandate included the study and modification of draconic lineages) engineered the Drake subraces, they intentionally retained this dimorphic structure. It was deemed functionally optimal for the harsh, thermally volatile environments the Drakes were designed to inhabit. The female's superior thermal capacity made her the natural biological anchor of any thermal-dependent community, while the male's lower caloric requirements and higher agility made him ideal for mobile resource acquisition.
+
+== Persistence Across Subraces
+This dimorphic trait persists across all recognized Drake subraces, though the degree of physical disparity varies slightly based on environmental specialization and evolutionary pressure:
+
+* **Highland Drakes:** Exhibit the most extreme dimorphism (30–35% mass disparity). The extreme cold and thin air of high-altitude environments place maximum selective pressure on thermal capacity, favoring the largest possible female physiology.
+* **Desert Drakes:** Show moderate dimorphism (20–25% mass disparity). The Wild Desert's geothermal vents provide more stable thermal baselines, slightly reducing the absolute biological necessity for extreme female thermal dominance.
+* **Coastal Drakes:** Display the least pronounced dimorphism (15–20% mass disparity). The maritime environment's moderate temperatures and abundant, easily accessible prey reduce the selective advantage of extreme female size, allowing for a more balanced physiological distribution.
+
+Despite these environmental variations, the fundamental biological pattern remains constant across the entire clade: females are larger, longer-lived, and more thermally capable than males.
+
= See also