Lately I have been reading a lot of articles about what kinds of NeoPets have
what kinds of personalities. But has anyone ever tried to figure out why a certain
NeoPet looks the way it does on the outside? Since my Shoyru, Dragontail (dragontailtheperfect)
can only claim to know anything about Shoyrus, I have written my article about
Neopia's favourite flying dragon.
Head
First of all, the Shoyru has what appears to be a spike or a fin protruding
from the top of its head. The purpose of this is not entirely clear. Dragontail
thinks that it is so the Shoyru is more streamlined when flying at high speeds
through the air. It could also be a weapon of some kind, used in self-defence
(though Dragontail says she has never used it in that way). I could be for balancing
purposes, as well.
Ears and Eyes
The Shoyru has no visible ears, though it can hear - just not well. (This might
explain why Dragontail always has to turn up her Neohits CD to the highest volume
and wake the neighbours.) To make up for their poor hearing, Shoyrus have an
amazing sense of sight, as evidenced by their unusually large eyes. Shoyrus
are especially known for their night vision because they were originally nocturnal.
Nose and Mouth
The large bump in the middle of the Shoyru's face is commonly referred to as
its nose, but this is incorrect. The Shoyru actually smells with the pads of
its fore and hind paws. Also, the Shoyru is an omnivore (meaning it eats both
meat and various plants) and this is reflected in its teeth. The Shoyru's mouth
is filled with small, sharp teeth at the front used for biting and cutting (usually
meat), and flatter molars at the back used for grinding up its food (both plants
and meat). Modern Shoyrus enjoy eating a variety of foods from NeoCrackers to
Taco Dogs to Asparagus (Dragontail prefers chocolate and pizza). The diet of
the ancient Shoyru consisted of insects and small vermin as well as indigenous
plants. The Tyrannian Shoyrus (who have somehow managed to remain virtually
the same for hundreds of years) can still be seen hunting at night for these
same foods in Tyrannia.
Wings
A Shoyru wings are similar to those of Korbats and Scorchios. Shoyrus do not
fly by flapping their wings madly like a Pteri or a Buzz (that was how Dragontail
described it, not me); rather, they glide on warm currents of air, especially
those produced by the volcanoes of Tyrannia. Shoyrus also have very powerful
wings - they are commonly regarded as the fastest flyer of all the NeoPets (as
a Shoyru fan, I would have to agree).
Body
The Shoyru's body is chubbier than most other pets because it uses the extra
layers of fat for warmth in colder climates (Dragontail and I have noticed that
the Shoyrus from the Lost Desert and Tyrannia are generally skinnier than those
from Terror Mountain or the Haunted Woods). Though they do not appear to be,
the Shoyrus are actually a well-muscled NeoPets, with most of its strength coming
from its powerful wings, hind legs, and tail. The tail is actually the most
important body part in terms of a Shoyru's balance. Also, the Shoyru is covered
with a fine layer of hair (well, more like fuzz really) that it uses partly
for warmth and mostly for extra padding.
Well, that's about it for this article. If you would like to learn more you
can visit the Neopian Shoyru Museum in Tyrannia or check out Shoyru related
books (particularly Shoyru Heroes and Caring for Shoyru) at your
local bookstore. | 
