Neolope

"Neolopes are endearing little things. The way they walk around and the little noises they make; all the little joys of life can be made better by a Neolope." Shait Faloon Neolopes are a popular domesticated species in Exelcis and Halnia. Popularly kept as pets for thousands of years, the Neolope has been embedded in our natural memory as something that can be adored and cherished.

Etymology and other names
The name "Neolope" comes from the ancient Halnian word "Nelopse" which in turn is an outdated word meaning "adored" or "cherished". Leofrodites know them as "Letohdou Fuhgooc" which can be roughly translated to "skinny green beast". The Lahstari call them "Fordu" which(like many other Lahstari words) is completely untranslatable.

Physiology
At around 3 feet high at the shoulder and 5 feet tall on their hind legs, Neolopes are one of the larger pets in Exelcis. They have scaly skin similar to that of a Haddock and although they are most commonly green or brown, they can also be light blue or even red! They are one of only two surviving members of the Farkson genus with the other being the far more dangerous Naflun. They have large dark eyes and a ridge going from the top of the head down to the back. Most Neolopes have long sinuous tails but there are certain breeds in which this feature is absent.

Evolution
Neolopes have existed for around 1,500 years. They appear to have descended from the long extinct species "Golgafrinlen" which, according to early records were kept as pets by Lahstari. Although originally there were many more subspecies, the majority were killed off by Leofrodites to the point where only one other subspecies exists today. In 674 BX, Emperor M'disho I introduced the Neolope to Exelcis where it thrived in the environment.