LOOK! I made a halfway decent background, almost! 8'D -so proud-
Anyway, this is an Ahrken. Just incase you couldn't tell from my oh-so-clever title.
I'm mostly happy with this pic, but there are some things that are just kinda....Meh. xD; He does have a mouth. I just didn't feel like drawing it. : D

Info on Ahrkens
ARK-en
Ahrkens are territorial carnivorious creatures that thrive in hot places, generally near active volcanoes or whatever's their planet's equivalent to the Equator is. (One day, I'll explain the plot and it will make sense) Those spines on their back act very similarly to a jackrabbit's ears and help keep them cool. The spines can also harden and be used for defense in fights. Which is good, because they'll pick fights with anything that enters their territory, no matter how large or whatever. It is very unusual for there to be more than one in a two-mile radius.
They can grow to be as large as a grizzly and have very sharp claws and teeth. They have an excellant sense of smell but rather poor eyesight and hearing. Ahrkens are great diggers as well, they usually live in their own dug out burrows.
Ahrkens eat mainly mammals smaller than themselves or whatever happens to pass by.
They have a very fine layer of fur covering their bodies, it's almost velvety, but more gritty. Ahrkens aren't fond of water and can live up to three months without it.

art/Ahrkens (c) me