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Description
Concept design for my new series of 'symbionts' comprised of plant/animal hybrids. This one is meant to be a desert god hybrid between the sheep (ovis aries) and the desert plant welwitschia (welwitschia mirabilis).

Ovis mirabilis : The animal portion of this symbiont follows the basic anatomical structure of a sheep with one or more welwitschia plants growing from its head/along the neck. The plants can grow longer than the height of the sheep and will trail along the ground but since this species is sure-footed, they rarely steps on the leaves. Each plant only grows two true leaves which can split multiple times and often turn brown/die out at the ends.

Lambs are born without plants and a 'soft' boneless area at the crown of their skull. Shortly after birth, the mother will deposit seeds from her own plant onto her lamb's head. Hormonal regulation by the lamb allows only plants of the same gender to grow from their animal symbiont. The root system engrains into the animal's brain and grows alongside the nervous system. Animal waste products rich in nitrogen and other nutrients are directed to the plant and sugars from photosynthesis are provided to the animal although cannot sustain it completely - this species must still consume other plants to survive.

Description
Concept design for my new series of 'symbionts' comprised of plant/animal hybrids. This one is meant to be a desert god hybrid between the sheep (ovis aries) and the desert plant welwitschia (welwitschia mirabilis).

Ovis mirabilis : The animal portion of this symbiont follows the basic anatomical structure of a sheep with one or more welwitschia plants growing from its head/along the neck. The plants can grow longer than the height of the sheep and will trail along the ground but since this species is sure-footed, they rarely steps on the leaves. Each plant only grows two true leaves which can split multiple times and often turn brown/die out at the ends.

Lambs are born without plants and a 'soft' boneless area at the crown of their skull. Shortly after birth, the mother will deposit seeds from her own plant onto her lamb's head. Hormonal regulation by the lamb allows only plants of the same gender to grow from their animal symbiont. The root system engrains into the animal's brain and grows alongside the nervous system. Animal waste products rich in nitrogen and other nutrients are directed to the plant and sugars from photosynthesis are provided to the animal although cannot sustain it completely - this species must still consume other plants to survive.