Mechanimal

The planet Cybertron is home to more than just Transformers. Throughout the multiverse living Cybertronic fauna of many varieties fill its metal ecosystems. Dubbed mechanimals, these beasts fill many of the same niches (and take many similar shapes) as flesh and bone animals on Earth and other organic planets.

Interestingly, though they can be wild or tamed as with organic animals, mechanimals, due to their mechanical nature can also be easily upgraded, altered, or even granted sentience.

They are also sometimes used as altmodes by both Autobots and Decepticons.