Unarophos

Unarophos is a Scelidian appearing in Monster Hunter Venture.

Physiology
Unarophos is a medium-sized Scelidian. Superficially resembling a Parasaurolophus, it has developed front limbs that function as both arms and front legs. Its body is large, stocky, and mainly a purplish-gray. Each hand has three digits connected at the nail to form a tough hoof, as well as a gripping finger. The mouth is broadened into a wide, spoonbill-like bill, although its snout isn't quite as long. It has a large crest covered in a hornlike, yellow sheath, and this sheath runs across its face to be continuous with its upper jaw. The crest itself has small holes that run along its length, allowing it to amplify the sound when it roars. Its back has a small sail that is a vivid purple color. Unarophos also has a long, yellow tail covered in pangolin-like scales. Its feet are the same yellow color, are webbed and ducklike, and have thick scales on the soles.

Abilities
Unarophos's main asset is its loud voice, which is so loud it can be weaponized. Certain roars can temporarily stun or disorient those who hear them. Other than its voice, it has other ways of generating sound. These include rattling the scales on its tail, crashing its front hooves together, and stomping its feet.

Low Rank and onward
Mighty Roar: Used upon beginning combat. Unarophos inhales deeply and unleashes all its stored air in a loud roar amplified by its crest. This roar causes damage in a wide radius and requires HG Earplugs to block.

Stun Roar: Unarophos gets on all fours and roars, creating a short-range blast of sound that Stuns hunters hit by it.

Hoof Hooks: In a fashion similar to Great Maccao, the monster rears onto its hind legs and throws hook punches forward with its hooves.

Tail Slap: It slaps its tail from side to side to get foes away from its rear end.

Tail Smash: Unarophos lifts its tail into the air and slams it onto the ground, causing a small tremor around it.

Hoof Crash: Unarophos crashes its front hooves together to make a loud clanging sound. This move causes damage to foes caught between its hooves, and it causes a small roar effect that requires Earplugs to block.

Tail Rattle: The monster rattles the scales on its tail to create a small sound barrier that requires Earplugs.

Heavy Stomp: It lifts its foot into the air and stomps the ground below it, causing tremors and creating a small roar effect that requires Earplugs to negate.

Crest Tackle: Lowering itself onto all four legs, it charges forward while ramming into foes with its hard crest.

Hipcheck: Unarophos performs a hipcheck to knock smaller threats away from its side.

Back Kick: Unarophos kicks its leg backwards to get smaller foes away from its rear.

Enraged Only
Orchestration: Used upon entering Rage Mode. Unarophos releases a huge, dome-shaped burst of sound by simultaneously roaring, crashing its hooves, stomping its feet, and rattling its tail. This burst causes damage to hunters caught in its range and requires Super HG Earplugs to negate.

Double Stomp: It stomps twice, once with each foot. Each stomp creates shockwaves of sound that require Earplugs to block.

Rattle Spin: The monster spins around with its tail outstretched, rattling the scales on it as it goes. Being near the tail is dangerous during this attack as it creates a noise effect that causes hunters to cover their ears, making them unable to guard or evade. The noise from the rattling requires Earplugs to block.

Torso Crusher: Rearing up onto its hind legs, Unarophos then shifts its body weight forward to crush anything below it.

Spinning Punch: It spins its arms wildly in a circle, knocking smaller threats far away.

Disorienting Roar: Unarophos roars directly behind a hunter, temporarily disorienting them and giving them the Confusion status.

High Rank and Onward
Bellowing Blast: Unarophos inhales deeply, causing its chest and throat to visibly expand. It then releases all of its stored air in a loud, concussive bellow that is aimed forward, has a short range but a wide AOE, and requires HG Earplugs to block.

Hammer Hooves: In a manner slightly similar to Brachydios, Unarophos runs at a target while slamming its front hooves against the ground in an alternating pattern.

Crashing Charge: The monster locks onto a target and sprints at them, crashing its hooves together as it runs. As before, when its hooves collide it can create a loud noise that causes hunters to cover their ears if they are close to it.

Rattle Dance: The monster whips its tail around like Great Jaggi while rattling its scales. Being close to the tail creates a small roar effect that requires Earplugs to negate.

Enraged Only
Stomping Rush: It dashes forward at a target, stomping with its feet as it does. Its feet cause shockwaves of sound that require Earplugs to block.

Running Roar: The monster runs at a threat while using its famed Mighty Roar. This move is often used to segue into another attack.

Tail Tornado: Unarophos brings its tail close to its face, then spins away rapidly with its tail outstretched.

Mad Dancer: Unarophos performs its Rattle Dance attack, but in between the tail swipes it will jump around rather than step to the sides to adjust itself.

G-Rank Exclusive
Hammer Drop: It jumps high into the air and slams down with its hooves and feet, causing a large shockwave of sound that requires HG Earplugs to negate.

Dropkick: The monster runs straight at a threat and sticks its hind feet in front of it to perform a dropkick. It then immediately falls onto its rear.

Enraged Only
Up To 11: It inhales a huge amount of air that causes its chest and throat sac to swell dramatically, then releases it all while stomping, crashing its hooves, and rattling its tail scales. This creates an enormous dome of sound that causes damage to anything in range and requires Super HG Earplugs to block.

Crazed Rattler: It jumps while spinning around like the Breeding Season Hypnocatrice,rattling its tail as it does. The rattling causes sound bursts that need Earplugs to block.

Triple Upper: Unarophos attacks with three uppercuts: one with its left hoof, one with its right hoof, and the final one with its both its hooves. Each uppercut can knock smaller threats into the air.

Whip Lash: Unarophos turns around so that its tail is facing an enemy, then rapidly swings its tail back and forth. Each tail swing can knock enemies way.

Taxonomy

 * Order: Ornithoscelida
 * Suborder: Ornithopoda
 * Infraorder: Noisy Crest
 * Family: Unaro

Habitat Range
Unarophos can be found in the tropical and well-watered areas of Genoia, such as the Verdant Jungle and the Great Sea.

Ecological Niche
Unarophos is an herbivore that eats soft water plants, which it grinds with its large molars. It also uses its broad bill to filter-feed algae from the water of tropical and coastal areas where it lives. An adult Unarophos does not have many predators--not because it is particularly strong or because it lives in areas with a low carnivore population, but because its sheer loudness makes it difficult to hunt. Its roars can cause permanent ear and brain damage to those who get too close, and since it sounds an alarm roar to warn other herbivores in the area when it spots a predator, ambushing it can be difficult. Its main predators are monsters who can withstand loud noises without hearing damage or monsters so large that the roar does not affect them, such as Ikanoth, Tirraukronus, and Tigrex.

Biological Adaptations
Many of Unarophos's body parts are able to produce sound in some way, especially its crest. While its feet and hooves create sound simply by impacting the ground or each other, respectively, its crest is far more complexly designed for creating sound. Like a brass instrument, it is hollow and full of piping. This piping connects directly to the respiratory system, amplifying all of its vocalizations. The holes along its crest are nasal openings, and aid the monster in siphoning additional air into its crest. These nasal openings can be sealed shut to prevent air from leaking out, and also help to keep water out of its crest when it swims. The scales on its tail serve as armor and protect it from attacks on its vulnerable rear, and its hardened hooves are used not only for walking but for delivering concussive blows to other monsters when it feels threatened.

Behavior
Unarophos is a relatively placid, easygoing monster. It will not attack unless it feels threatened or uncomfortable, and it does not have any issues with other monsters on its territory as long as they do not attack it or its young. It is usually solitary, with the exception of females with juveniles. Unarophos raise their young communally, often in small herds consisting of 3-6 females and their offspring. As young Unarophos do not have developed crests or defenses, their mothers keep a close eye on them at all times.

Trivia

 * Unarophos was based on a Parasaurolophus, a duck, and a one-man band.
 * Its punch-like moves were inspired by various Hadrosaur vivosaurs from Fossil Fighters, namely Anato and Paraloph.
 * The name of its Up To 11 attack is a reference to the movie Spinal Tap.