Why do Au Ra females have boobs?

[CyrilLucifer]

They are called "races" for a reason, not species. Au Ra, Lalafell, Hyur, Miqo'te, etc are all the exact same species. It's no different than someone who is Caucasian and someone who is African American being different races belonging to the same species.

I've gone over this in other threads, but the "species" rule is basically the equivalent of "lying to children" when it comes to genetics. We have multiple examples of species interbreeding an having viable offspring (usually when the offspring is female); examples include Tiglons and Ligons and Hawaiian ducks, the latter of which has speciated completely but can still reproduce with both of its parent species and have viable offspring. Breeding between species is so absurdly frequent between waterfowl that most of the ducks you see at a park probably are mutts. We also have genetic evidence that humans have done this - modern humans outside of Sub-Saharan Africa have Neandertal DNA. We also know that there are examples of subspecies mating that have completely inviable offspring. Ensatina, for example, and dogs with a huge size difference, like a Maltese and a Great Dane, aren't going to make it to term.

Then there's also behavioral limitations as well; one species that may be separated by a river may not recognize itself as the same species as the ones on the other side and simply refuse to interbreed. This is usually the case for small mammals.

Reality is a much more complex system than "everything of the same species can interbeed."

[koichi88]

I'm not 100% up on Au Ra lore but I was under the impression they were descended from/created using/have some kind of connection to voidsent, specifically the succubi. Which have boobs (being the demon possessed corpses of women and such). The scales are probably related to them being part demon and thus in possession of "evil" traits.

[Belhi]

Au Ra likely either originate from Voidsent or draconic ancestory. If its the first then likely their bone stuctures are purely a result of their demonic heritage which wouldn't fit any traditional model of species, let alone lizard. Likewise, Dragons, while reptilian in nature, are REALLY weird when it comes to their nature. Draconic essence can covert non dragons into dragonlike creatures. If we consider that Au Ra had Draconic ancestory it could simply be that their mortal (likely Hyur) ancestors were infused with Draconic energy but not enough to change them completely into dragons.

The other two options I can think of is that they simply naturally evolved scales and horns or that the environment they evolved in changed them. In a fantasy world the traditional paths of evolution aren't necessarily the same and magic throws a big gear in the works of the logic. We have seen over exposure to Aetheric energy can lead to mutation as with the pirates in Sastasha HM. Its perfectly likely those pirates, if they were able to conceive could have squid children but its unlikely they would us a squids method of conception.

[Warr_of_Lint]

IF we were to assume that Au Ra were reptiles, the fact that they appear humanoid would suggest convergent evolution is at play. Birds and bats, by all evidence, developed flight via wings long after they went separate paths from a common ancestor. So it could very well be that, in this strange world, selective pressures also funneled reptiles down the path of boobs.

Furthermore, IF we were to assume Au Ra were reptiles that came about with boobs from convergent evolution, it doesn't mean that they are milk glands. Convergent evolution could result in features that are superficially similar, but functionally alien to each other. My guess would be that the shape of the boob could be useful as a sensory gland, a sort of radar dome. Given that they hear vibrations with horns, perhaps the large round structures on their chest allows them to read echolocation with unsurpassed fidelity!

[Laili]

If this were the case it would be an odd thing to be exhibited in sexual dimorphism.

[Kotemon]

So Au-ra females are not supposed to have boobs? What's wrong with Au-ra females having boobs? What should they have instead? Breasts?

Yeah I know its not a good pun. Historically boob comes from bobos which means stupid, idiot or fool. Hence why that bird was named Booby (they were easily caught eaten by sailors). In terms of anatomy slang, its because of how some/most men/males act or react to their presence. Either becoming temporarily stupid, easily distracted, or just briefly detached to reality by what is being said to or happening around that person due to the shift in focus. In this sense its more of a cause of mild stupidity than the result of. As for breast, both men and women have them, they just develop differently.

[GunsBlazing]

They have breasts because they are related to voidsent (presumably), and not dragons. It specifically says in their lore that they are NOT related to dragons. Why do Miqo'te have breasts? Cats don't have them, in the same sense that humans do. Miqo'te are more human than cat. Au Ra are more human than voidsent... And succubus mobs also have pretty big tatas, too!

[jomoru]

Au'ra aren't related to voidsent or dragons. The artists took visual cues from dragons and demons. Miqo'te take visual cues from cats. They are not in any fashion related to cats. No one's going around "hey did someone cross breed a hyur and cat to get Miqo'te. No they are a 'natural" part of the world.

Au'ra are like the other pc races likely Placental mammals, thus have the features of such and don't lay eggs.

On the otherhand I will totally argue Dragons in this game are Monotremes and not reptiles.

[Cilia]

The question isn't why, it's why not?

... it's was brought to my attention some time ago that all in-game races are capable of interbreeding; if that is the case, the Au Ra must apply too and thus are placental mammals like every other race. Them having breasts is, by extension, not unusual or unexpected.

[Alistaire]

It's called anthropomorphism.