Mammalia ultima

Billion years into the future, long after Novopangaea has drifted apart and most oceans have evaporated, the last mammal makes its final stand. 
Average temperatures have risen continuously over the last million of years, now measuring up to 50°C.  Plant and animal life is sparse on the planet, existing almost exclusively surrounding the shrinking hypersaline bodies of water in the deep chasms of what used to be the deep sea. As the air pressure in these areas is extremely high, bodies of water have been able to survive, providing a safe haven for life while other areas of Earth have become barren, inhospitable deserts stretching for miles on end. 

Reaching up to 70 cm at the shoulder, a long-legged animal with robust body strides through the high-pressure forests. Active mainly at dusk and dawn when the temperatures are more agreeable, small groups of them forage for food in the underbrush, their flag-like facial tentacles constantly collecting moisture from the air. Along with through their food, this is the only moisture they need to survive. Their compact bodies are supported by a rigid armor of fused bones, their skin honeycombed by a network of elastic fibers to withstand the pressure as well as protecting from mechanical damage.
Despite their awkward appearance, they are extremely fast and agile animals, clocked at almost 90 km/h and being able to leap up to two meters into the air. Due to their speed and their tough exterior, adult animals are generally ignored by predators.  

© by me