Keeletail

Keeletail is a fictional mammal described in speculative zoology and online encyclopedias set in imaginary ecosystems. It is depicted as a small, nocturnal species notable for a keeled, ridged tail that provides balance and a grasping surface for tree movement.

Adults are described with a head-body length of 6–9 cm and a tail length of 8–12 cm, weighing roughly 15–25 grams. Fur is short and dense, commonly colored gray to chestnut with lighter underparts. The tail underside features a narrow keel-like ridge running the length, giving a slightly flattened profile.

In fictional ranges, keeletails inhabit temperate forests and shrublands across a notional continent, often near water sources. Nocturnal and solitary, they forage on the forest floor and in low branches. In keeping with its presumed insectivorous-omnivorous mix, it feeds on insects, berries, and seeds.

Breeding is described as seasonal in spring; gestation is short, with litters of 2–3 young and altricial offspring. As a fictional organism, it has no real-world conservation status and is sometimes used in educational exercises to illustrate morphology and ecological roles. The name keeletail derives from the defining keel on the tail, a feature highlighted in many field-guide depictions within its fictional context.