Path of the Wild (Forum Game)

Forum Games
767

Thanks for the round :slightly_smiling_face:
Action: jolt out of my hiding place and stab one of them, then retreat back into my hole so tide doesnā€™t bother me.

768

Action: Hunt some more

Ty for the round

769

Action:find me some food

770

Action: Rest Somewhere safe

771

Action: Take some rest in a cave or a coral if there is any to replenish some energy

772

Round 100 - P.1

Chat: https://discord.gg/weGdxFB

~25 million years into the game~
Untrustolithic Period, Novaglacian Stage
Season: Early Winter (North), Early Summer (South)
Time of Day: Afternoon (West), Dawn (East)
Event: No Event

Species: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ramXIxwYwggWj1bVH3zmZT-tlZSbQvW4PUZAEiVWYB8
Biomes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1079__KZqoqQ5PQkA5gr4rMSIGIHx1UN1RwMa__ZNPV8

Detailed Species Stats

Eztaā€™s Natural History: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JOwzI4ZHorn8nrqEr62v2_uXXlbs7qSCudHc476qLMY

State of the World: The global temperature is at about 21c, and there is a fair amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Due to the minimal plant life, the oxygen levels are low. There are two supercontinents, Olympia in the north and Tartarus in the south. The continents are surrounded by the superocean Uteenessa, and in-between lies a comparatively small ocean called the Gaia Ocean. The sea levels are quite high, about 100m above standard. Very small moss-like plants exist on land, specifically wetlands, and create soil where they grow.

Congratulations for making it to Round 100! Thanks for playing and I hope you are enjoying it. Let me know if you have any suggestions or questions. There will be some bonus stuff coming up between this and the next round.

As we enter this new period of life, the Untrustolithic, organisms will continue to evolve. The major fauna has already started to change, with shelled organisms like Ostracaderma and Schedocavoura emerging and becoming prolific, particularly in the deep ocean. This is leading to the extinction of softer species such as Almoskulus and means similar species like Glistroskulus are restricted to foreboding depths of over 4000 metres below the surface. There is is still no sign of life on land, and plants have shown very little development.

@RoboTrannic
Glistroskulus sensei (NT)
SOUTHWEST UTEENESSA OCEAN (Temperate Deep Ocean, About 5000m deep)
Sitting on top of the rock, you can actually see something down here, where it is usually devoid of light. A speck glints invitingly in the dark. Despite needing a rest, you are drawn to the light. You wriggle through the viscous water towards it. When you get close to the light, however, jaws snap suddenly around you, and sharp teeth plunge easily into your soft body. You are quickly killed by the Dolophonaskulusā€™ bite. (1 = Sadly, the end of your life has resulted in your death. Luckily, your species still goes on. It is a time for rebirth.)
Status
Maturity: 5% (Hatchling)
Current Size: 0.1cm
Health: Dead
Nutrition: N/A
Stamina: N/A
Hydration: N/A
Effects: N/A

Glistroskulus sensei

Status: NT
Timespan: R.66 - Present
Habitat: Mid Ocean, Deep Ocean
Distribution: All Deep Ocean
Niche: Benthic Filter-Feeder
Size: 2.3cm (length)
Predecessor: Glistroskulus louixi
Classification: Squickidae, Squickidea, Membrania
Latest Mutations: Improved chemoreceptors
Info: This species have become the most common at the bottom of the ocean. Itā€™s chemoreceptors can detect the chemicals from potential food over tens of meters away. This makes them more successful.
Description: The yellow, tubular body has a fleshy membrane running along the top and underside. It has a single pinhole eye with a lens, facing forwards. Chemoreceptors sit by the mouth with three gill slits at the back of the head and it has tiny teeth in its round mouth. Its mouth has a primitive gut leading straight to the anus. At the front of its nervous system, is a tiny brain. An open circulatory system bathes organs and muscles in hemacoel; this contains anti-freeze proteins to stop bodily fluids from freezing. Itā€™s back is supported by a notochord.

Previous Mutations

Muscles, Membrane, Chemoreceptors, Gills (3), Yellow Pigmentation, Teeth, Open Circulatory System, Pinhole Eye, Anti-freeze Proteins, Notochord, Lens

@agenttine
Archaiapasaria circulus (LC) - Male
OLIVER RIVER, (Chapparal River)
Grey clouds fill the sky as you continue to hug the mouth of the cave, frustratingly. You efforts to crawl to the river have so far been unsuccessful in the hot, dry air but you try again. With the last of your strength, you heave yourself out of the cave and onto dry land. This time, you feel a wet sensation consistently hit you, as heavy rain is unleashed on the parched earth, and the air is now cool and moist. The rain also makes puddles in the mud, and you are able to use them as stepping stones as you journey across the ground. You are finally able to return to the warm, murky river after months of isolation. Plenty of other Archaiapasaria are swimming around. You are now very weak, but there is some easy food to filter in the water, so you regain some nutrition. You are exhausted. The sun seems to be lowering in the sky. (6 + 1 = Ding, ding, ding! Congrats, you have won a bonus point! Give either yourself or another player a + or -1. Choose carefully; you cannot exchange it later.)
Status
Maturity: 55% (Juvenile)
Current Size: 6.9cm (length)
Health: Malnourished and exhausted
Nutrition: 5.4/43.1 (12.5%)
Stamina: 20%
Hydration: 100%
Effects: Metabolism x 1.25

Archaiapasaria circulus

Status: LC
Timespan: R.89 - Present
Habitat: Lake, River
Distribution: Northern Hemisphere Temperate Rivers & Lakes
Niche: Herbivore
Nutritional Value: 78.1
Size: 12.5cm (length)
Predecessor: Archaiapasaria westenrai
Classification: Archaiapasaridae, Makouridea, Caudaria
Latest Mutations: Closed Circulatory System
Info: This species is a step ahead of its brethren, as it has a closed circulatory system. This is much more efficient and means that it has better stamina - and has a better chance of escaping predators. It feeds on aquatic moss in freshwater of the northern hemisphere.
Description: It has a stout, orange and red, stream-lined body, like the shape of a fish and a short tail with a tail fin above and below the tail. These are shaped like horizontal semi-circles and together make a circle; they are supported by rays of cartilage. Two poisonous spikes protrude to the side of the tail. The front of the body has a cartilage jaw, and within in it several square teeth. It retains two venomous fangs in the roof of the mouth. On each side of the head is a lens-covered pinhole eye, with muscle that allows them to swivel. Three gills mark the body, which is also lined with unseeable electroreceptors. The mouth leads to a primitive gut and stomach, with weak herbivorous bacteria. The food is ground up in a gizzard first. Centrally located is a sac of gas called a swim bladder, and supporting the body are vertebrae made of bone. Also supporting the body are muscles with special vacuoles and a closed circulatory system.

[details=ā€œPrevious Mutationsā€] Extra-Efficient Muscles, Electroreceptors, Open Circulatory System, Three Gill Slits, Two Poisonous Spikes on Tail, Dentine Teeth, Venomous Canines, Cartilage Jaw, Two Swiveling Pinhole Eyes (1 on each side of head), Weak Digestive Herbivorous Enzymes, Square Teeth, Bone Vertebrae, Gizzard, Genders, Freshwater Tolerance, Tail Fins, Fish Shape, Swim Bladder

[/details]

@immortaldragon
Icthyotelus sinspica (LC)
UNNAMED OLYMPIAN POND (Temperate Forest River)
You cannot find a warm spot as the entire estuary seems to be cold now, which makes you and the other Icthyotelus comparatively sluggish, but in need of less energy. Nonetheless, there is quite a bit of dispersed food particles gathered in the murky waters of the estuary, and you simply float around and filter what you can. This food is enough to help you grow into an adult; you are now ready to reproduce. The weak sun seems to be lowering in the sky and the water level,is slowly increasing. (3 + 1)
Status
Maturity: 100% (1/8 - Young Adult)
Current Size: 7cm
Health: Healthy
Nutrition: 27.3/27.3 (100%) (+ 40% left over for growth)
Stamina: 80%
Hydration: 100%
Effects: None

Icthyotelus sinspica

Status: LC
Timespan: R.65 - Present
Habitat: Estuaries
Distribution: Northern Temperate Estuaries
Niche: Pelagic Filter-Feeder
Nutritional Value: 27.3
Size: 7cm
Predecessor: Charitomenchelus etalas
Classification: Icthyotelusidae, Tyrannidea, Caudaria
Latest Mutations: Tail Fins = 2, Fix Pectoral Fins = 5, Freshwater Tolerance = 3
Info: Unlike all itā€™s living relatives and some of its ancestors, the long tail has no spikes. It probably lost them as there was a lack of predators in their range; they live only in temperate estuaries, where the brackish water is just the right balance to suit their rather limited salt intake abilities. Overall, this is a relatively small area to live, but it is the only animal that lives here. The pectoral fins have become smaller, and more streamlined like a ray-finned fish; they are held against the body and composed of a cartilage limb branching off the vertebrae and three supports covered in skin. Muscles in the limb make it move, so this animal is faster than its ancestors.
Description: It has a tapering body, lined with electroreceptors and three gills on each side. It has two pectoral ray-fins and a pair of forward-facing cup eyes on the head. An oily liver helps to maintain buoyancy. An open circulatory system bathes the organs in hemacoel, and the body is controlled by ganglia. Down the back are cartilage vertebrae. In the gut, is a primitive stomach with the ability to digest multicellular matter.

Previous Mutations

Extra-Efficient Muscles, Electroreceptors, Open Circulatory System, Axochord (L), Tail, Three Gill Slits, Notochord (L), Cartilage Vertebrae, Digestive Carnivorous Bacteria, Two Poisonous Spikes on Tail (L)

@soundwave
Soundwavia vorei (LC)
NORTHWESTERN SHELF SEA (Temperate Shallows)
The tide has caught you in its pull, and you are forced towards the shore, without the strength or size to combat it. While you are drawn through the murk, you can sense the presence of a larger Soundwavia right in your path. Sure enough, as you get closer it emerges from the gloom, mouth open and ready to eat you. You are pulled towards it helplessly but at the last moment you are able to dodge to the side and escape the closing jaws. It turns to chase you, but the tide gives you an extra boost and you escape your aggressor. You shelter from it in a dip between two sand bars, where the water is too shallow for it. You are in very shallow, cool water now and the sun seems to be lowering. The chase has exhausted you. (1 + 1)
Status:
Maturity: 5% (hatchling)
Current Size: 1cm
Health: Healthy
Nutrition: 2.1/6.1 (35%)
Stamina: 10%
Hydration: 100%
Effects: None

Soundwavia vorei

Status: LC
Timespan: R.76 - Present
Habitat: Shallow Sea, Ocean Surface
Distribution: Temperate Northern Hemisphere
Niche: Apex Predator
Nutritional Value: 132
Size: 19cm
Predecessor: Thanostoma aquaprinceps
Classification: Makouridae, Makouridea, Caudaria
Latest Mutations: Swim Bladder = 4, Increase Size = 3, Flippers = 5
Info: Although it tends to live around shallow seas where prey is larger, this relatively efficient swimmer can also hunt at the surface of the open ocean. It is quicker, more agile and can control its buoyancy, being able to hunt down the most fleeting of prey. It has become the dominant predator in the entire northern hemisphere, driving Thanostoma aquaprinceps into extinction. It requires air at the surface to inflate its swim bladder.
Description: It has a blue, tapering body, lined with electroreceptors and three gills on each side, ending in a long whip-tail complete with venomous spikes. Two large pinhole eyes, that the animal is able to swivel slightly for increased range of sight, sit on the side of the head and itā€™s mouth is full of small teeth, with a pair of venomous fangs embedded in its cartilage jaw. Supported by rays of cartilage, it has a pair of pectoral flippers, as well as a dorsal fin on the back. An open circulatory system bathes the organs in hemacoel, and the body is controlled by ganglia. Down the back are cartilage vertebrae. In the gut, was a primitive stomach with the ability to digest multicellular matter. It has a swim bladder connected to the gut.

Previous Mutations

Extra-Efficient Muscles, Electroreceptors, Open Circulatory System, Axochord, Whip Tail, Three Gill Slits, Notochord, Cartilage Vertebrae, Digestive Carnivorous Bacteria, Two Poisonous Spikes on Tail, Dentine Teeth, Venomous Canines, Cup Eyes, Blue, Pinhole Eyes, Jaw

@blackink
Lampsichelus paladarus (NT) - Male
EAST UTEENESSA OCEAN (Tropical Deep Ocean, About 600m deep)
After a long time spent wandering featureless open ocean, you have finally reached a surface. You literally bump into the seamount in the dark, and feel a strong current upwelling alongside it. You choose to take his moment to rest and crawl into a crevice in the rock face. At the moment, you cannot sense any other organisms. You rest peacefully and regain some energy. (4 + 1)
Status
Maturity: 40% (Juvenile)
Current Size: 4.6cm
Health: Healthy
Nutrition: 24.3/27.8 (87.5%)
Stamina: 60%
Hydration: 100%
Effects: Metabolism x 1.5

Lampsichelus paladurus

Status: LC
Timespan: R.91 - Present
Habitat: Mid Ocean, Deep Ocean
Distribution: Non-polar Ocean, Below the thermocline
Niche: Carnivorous Filter-Feeder
Nutritional Value: 73
Size: 11.5cm (length)
Predecessor: Asteridermus mutatiogenus
Classification: Achmachelusidae, Tyrannidea, Caudaria
Latest Mutations: Intestine = 1, Serrated Teeth = 2, Hanging Lure = 5, Oily Liver = 4
Info: In the darkness of the abyss, Lampsichelus is the most well-lit of all animals, able to put on quite a light show; as well as the numerous bioluminescent spots on its body that act as one, there is a bulb on the end of a barbel protruding from the jaw that also produces light - this is controlled independently of the others, and can be flicked up and down to be more enticing. However, rather than use it to catch prey, the lights for this species are more useful in terms of finding another individual for mating. This is because there is stiff competition for prey, such as Thanostoma altium, and so it is largely restricted to filtering flesh from marine snow. The most significant obstacle to being a predator is that it has lost the teeth in the upper jaw, probably as a result of continual filter-feeding. (The species name means Gummy Joe.) Unlike its predecessors, it can control its own buoyancy now with an oil-filled liver, although it has a shrunken digestive system, making digestion less efficient.
Description: All over the black body tapering to a short, spiked tail are light blue bioluminescent spots, as well as a line of electroreceptors and three gills on each side. The two spikes are venomous. At the front, above the cartilage jawed mouth are olfactory receptors and facing forwards are a pair of cup eyes. The jaw contains very simple, shapeless teeth but only on the lower jaw. A cartilage barbel protrudes out and down from the lower jaw, and has a light blue bioluminescent bulb and a hinging muscle at its base. A pair of oval fins, supported by rays of cartilage are attached vertically just behind the gills and there is a fatty hump on the back. Inside, the organs are bathed in hemacoel by an open circulatory system. All the muscles contin a vacuoles. Itā€™s digestive system is proportionately very small and narrow, which consists of the stomach and gut. There is also a liver, which is filled with oils. The body has cartilage vertebrae running down the back and is controlled by two nerve cords and a rung of nerves. The tiny brain in the head controls this.

Previous Mutations

Extra-Efficient Muscles, Electroreceptors, Open Circulatory System, Tail, Three Gill Slits, Cartilage Vertebrae, Digestive Carnivorous Bacteria, Two Poisonous Spikes on Tail, Dentine Teeth, Cup Eyes, Jaw, Fins (two vertical near head), Hump, Bioluminescent Lights, Olfaction, Temperate and Tropical Tolerance, Bioluminescence Control, Genders, Oily Liver

2 Likes
773

POTW

R.100 - P.2

@Biologicah
Xirnikrozz uysaisiroai (VU)
SOUTHERN TARTARUS (Temperate Shallows)
The filter-feeding potential prey has been leaving the area, but you track one of the stragglers. Itā€™s just at the tip of your vision, and you follow it fairly slowly. Gradually you shorten the gap, as it leads you unknowingly across the sea. When you get closer, you discover is is part of a large group, and they suddenly notice you and scramble away. Fortunately, you have speed on your side and get right up close to the Esoteralimnus you were tracking. When you go to bite, it swings a tail and you have to dodge. You get a superficial scratch across the face, but it does not cause any harm to you. Your chosen target now circles back, have run out of stamina, and keeps its tail defensively between you. Around, the rest of its group flee in random directions. You then swing your own tail past its own and score a direct, plunging hit into the side of its plump body. You are then able to use this as leverage to bite down on its head. Your attack kills it and finally ends the pursuit. You eat what you can of the corpse, tired. The water is warm and the tide, quite inconsequentially to you, is going in. The sun is also lowering in the sky. (4)
Status
Maturity: 60% (Juvenile)
Current Size: 18.6cm
Health: Exhausted
Nutrition: 125.6/125.6 (100%) (With 40% left over for growth)
Stamina: 30%
Hydration: 100%
Effects: None

Xirnikrozz uysaisiroai

Status: NT
Timespan: R.95 - Present
Habitat: Temperate Shallows, Temperate Open Ocean
Distribution: Southern Uteenessa
Niche: Apex Predator
Size: 31cm
Predecessor: Peregapodus zaxzirkrnk
Classification: Peragapodusae, Makouridea, Caudaria
Latest Mutations: Limbs = 2, Fins behind limbs = 5, Stronger Jaw = 4
Info: Bursting out of the gloom, this would be the last thing most prey would see. It feeds on other large predators, because only these will sustain it. is an apex predator, and caused one of the previous apex predators to go extinct by the coast; it was faster than them - specifically great acceleration-, with four paddles and it also had a stronger bite, that means it can chew through quite hard materials, like cartilage, and access extra nutrients. Xirnikrozz uysaisiroai, common name ā€œKroxinkarouyaisiroaiā€ rules the southern temperate seas, and can even hunt almost as effectively at night. Also, itā€™s extensive hunting forced Esoteralimnus into extinction.
Description: This species has a long, blue body that tapers into a whip-like tail, armed with two toxic spikes. Itā€™s jaw is made of cartilage and it has tough muscles and lumpy teeth here. On each side of the head is a pinhole eye, that is able to swivel slightly. Behind the retina is a layer of cells containing reflective crystals called a choroidal tapetum cellulosum. Along the side of the body, are three gill slits near the front, and line of electroreceptors. There are four paddle-like limbs of flesh, cartilage and muscle. Inside, they have a gut with a stomach containing carnivorous digestive enzymes, and connected to the gut is a swim bladder. Itā€™s brain is not quite as small as most other contemporary species. Finally, supporting the entire body is a spine of cartilage vertebrae.

Behaviour Traits
  1. Be vigilant.
  2. Do not eat own species.
  3. Remain near to capsules after they are laid.
Previous Mutations

Extra-Efficient Muscles, Electroreceptors, Open Circulatory System, Axochord (L), Whip Tail, Three Gill Slits, Notochord (L), Cartilage Vertebrae, Digestive Carnivorous Bacteria, Two Poisonous Spikes on Tail, Dentine Teeth, Venomous Canines, Cup Eyes (L), Blue, Pinhole Eyes, Cartilage Jaw, Bigger, Swim Bladder, Stub Limbs

@svrangite
Thalakelphus asperacuta (EX)
NORTHWESTERN UTEENESSA OCEAN (Temperate Deep Ocean, About 600m deep)
As luck would have it, you happen to bump into a soft jellyfish, Regemsitula minor. What is not so soft is the barbs on the tentacles which it wraps around your face. The wounds it causes are small. You shake it free and dislodge the predatory jellyfish, and it gives up and moves off for easier prey. Sadly, this last act of movement, prevented you from resting and used up the last of your energy. You die of exhaustion. (2 = The bad news is your species has gone extinct. The good news is that the suffering is over. Please choose a new species. Thereā€™s a new Thalakelphus species if you want it.)
Status
Maturity: 55% (Juvenile)
Current Size: 4.7cm
Health: Dead
Nutrition: N/A
Stamina: N/A
Hydration: N/A
Effects: N/A

Thalakelphus asperacuta

Status: EX
Timespan: R.84 - Present
Habitat: Mid Ocean
Distribution: Under Temperate and Tropical Uteenessa Ocean, Below the thermocline - 800m below sea level
Niche: Pelagic Filter-Feeder
Nutritional Value: 58.7
Size: 8.5cm
Predecessor: Thalakelphus svrangitensi
Classification: Zestoskulusidae, Kardiaskulusidea, Kardiarchia
Latest Mutations: Pigmentation = 3, Poison Glands = 6, Lower Metabolic Rate = 4
Info: The deep ocean life of this species means that fast movement is not something that is often needed; other animals are met rarely. It has sacrificed speed so that its body will require less food, by lowering its metabolic rate. Therefore, it is slow, but needs to consume less of the scarce food. If it does get the attention of a predator it can defend itself, as fleeing may no longer work, with bumpy poison glands along the tentacles. The colourless, mucus-like poison can be secreted at will by the animal and cause pain and death in the attacker. However, like its predecessor, it still only lives in the narrow band of ocean between the bottom of the thermocline and 800m below the surface.
Description: It has a smooth, straight shell made of calcium carbonate with several medium-length tentacles sticking out the front covered in poison glands. On the face is a couple areas where minuscule cilia which act as mechanoreceptors, picking up underwater noises and inputting this information into the nerve network. On the head that just protrudes from the rest of the shell, two large pinhole eyes with lenses face upwards, while another one faces forwards above the circular, toothless mouth. The skin that is uncovered is layered with heat-proof scales. At the rear, a muscular hyponome drags in water and uses it to propel itself quickly. This tube leads into the siphuncle, which manages water content inside the shell, creating buoyancy. This also delivers water to the gills and gill frills inside the shell. A simple gut, behind the pharynx, leads through the body, which is circulated by a semi-open circulatory system; capillaries cover the muscles, which also have special vacuoles, but the rest of the organs were bathed in a chamber. The circulatory system is pumped by a tubular heart. A tiny brain and two nerve cords control the body. The body has vertebrae made of cartilage.

Previous Mutations

Extra-Efficient Muscles, Open Circulatory System, Tubular Heart, Web of Capillaries Over Muscles, Axochord, Notochord, Four Gill Slits, Two Gill Frills, Pharynx, Large Pinhole Eyes With Lenses (2 on top of head, one on front), Heat-Proof Scales, Cartilage Vertebrae, Calcium Carbonate Shell, Heat Resistance, Tentacles, Hyponome, Shell, Hearing

@jellyfishmon
Arthroskulus pelagus (NT)
SOUTHERN TARTARUS (Temperate Shallows)
You see the corpse of a larger, worm-like Euskulus and dart out from under a rock to feed. But you feel the tide take you helplessly away, and it pulls you unwillingly towards the shore and away from the food. You find yourself on a shallow, sandy plain, close to the edge of a beach. The water is warm and the tide continues to go in. The sun is also lowering in the sky. (3)
Status
Maturity: 5% (Hatchling)
Current Size: 0.4cm
Health: Healthy
Nutrition: 1.4/2.5 (57.5%)
Stamina: 60%
Hydration: 100%
Effects: Metabolism x 1.25

Arthroskulus pelagus

Status: NT
Timespan: R.89 - Present
Habitat: Shallow Sea, Ocean Surface
Distribution: Southern Hemisphere Temperate & Polar Ocean & Seas
Niche: Predator
Nutritional Value: 30.3
Size: 7.5cm (length)
Predecessor: Arthroskulus circumcaudus
Classification: Roharasridae, Codowecoidea, Aquamusculidia
Latest Mutations: Swim Bladder
Info: With a swim bladder allowing Arthroskulus pelagus to control its buoyancy, this species can now not only remain around the surface of shallow seas, but also survive out in the open ocean. It hunts the larger jellyfish, Regemsitula.
Description: The top of the blue, cylindrical body is protected by a tough exoskeleton made out of chitin. Some of the armour has formed a fan-shape protruding from the rear, which can be moved up and down by muscle. Also, the armour behind the head contains a spiracle, allowing oxygen through it. Underneath the armour, the animal has a hydrostatic skeleton composed of strong, longitudinal muscles, which seem to be slightly more powerful than those of its predecessors. At the front, the characteristic sharp beak protrudes from a proboscis. There are four pinhole eyes, but none of them look up; two are at the front, and two are on the sides. A muscular siphon at the rear propels out water. Inside their body, they have a simple gut leading to an anus, a stomach containing digestive carnivorous bacteria, a nerve network and small bunch of ganglia, and an open circulatory system filled with blue-green hemacoel. There is also a swim bladder, unconnected to the gut. Anti-freeze proteins flow through the hemacoel.

Previous Mutations

Bitter Chemicals, Chemoreceptors, Proboscis, Sharp Beak, Digestive Carnivorous Enzymes, Bigger, Blue Pigmentation, Open Circulatory System, Anti-Freeze Proteins, Hyponome, Hydrostatic Skeleton, Pinhole Eyes, Exoskeleton Shield, Stronger Muscles, Spiracles, Fan-Tail

@PositiveTower
Ostracoderma densissima (NT) - Male
NORTHWESTERN UTEENESSA OCEAN (Temperate Deep Ocean, About 500m deep)
As you rise in the cool upwelling you are able to paddle yourself towards the particles of food that are drifting in the current. You feed amongst the many other filter-feeders, but there is enough for you to have a decent meal without having to move too much. You grow so much that the current no longer supports you and you drift on to a nearby precipice jutting out from the seamount. (5)
Status
Maturity: 90% (Subadult)
Current Size: 2.7cm
Health: Healthy
Nutrition: 13.6/13.6 (100%) (50% left over for growth)
Stamina: 75%
Hydration: 100%
Effects: None

"Ostracoderma densissima

Status: NT
Timespan: R.97 - Present
Habitat: Deep Ocean
Distribution: Cosmopolitan
Niche: Benthic Filter-Feeder
Size: 3cm
Predecessor: Almoskulus caecorum
Classification: Ostracadermae, Almoskulisidea, Tunicoidea, Membrania
Latest Mutations: Shell = 5, Improve Nervous System = 1, Longer Tentacles = 3, Phragmocone = 2
Info: Proliferating through the deep seas, the thick, calcium carbonate cap-shaped shell of this species is impenetrable by any contemporary predators, making it difficult to be preyed upon. This is a good thing, because it has a very slow, inefficient nervous system composed of only one nerve cord, and the heavy, thick shell slows it down ever further. To move, it must drag itself across soft sediments using its fins, which is very ungainly and slow. The gliding membranes of its predecessors have completely disappeared. Once it finds a good spot, it filters in microbial matter with its short tentacles. It can only live below the thermocline because of the acidic surface waters and above 4,000 metres because calcium carbonate is not useable at this depth.
Description: The tubular body is hidden beneath a cap-shaped shell made of calcium carbonate, specifically calcite, with just enough of the body showing to allow the two eyestalks to stick out. The shell is quite thick and relatively heavy for its size. Beneath the shell is a mouth surrounded by chemoreceptors - two small tentacles also protrude from underneath the shell. There are three gill slits along the body. Under the body is a pair of sturdy, short fins. There is a small brain, attached to a single nerve cord, attached to webs of nerves. The gut is simple and leads straight to the anus. Hemolymph is distributed through the body to hemacoels, as the open circulatory system. It contains anti-freeze proteins.

Previous Mutations

Muscles, Fleshy Membrane (along back and underside), Chemoreceptors, Basic Instincts, Three Gill Slits, Yellow Pigmentation (L), Dentine Teeth, Open Circulatory System, Pinhole Eye With Lens (one on top of head), Notochord, Anti-freeze Proteins, Slow Reactions, Red-Transparent Colour Shifting, Small Tentacles, Eyes, Fins, Weak Skin (L), Fix Skin

1 Like
774

Action: Let us rest, pls

775

Woo, 100th round! :raised_hands:

Action: Reproduce

776

Action Its time be the fittest by being the fattest

777

Iā€™m guessing that you would like to reproduce and evolve now, rather than just reproduce and get a bonus?

778

I assume this means you would like to eat?

779

Yes, Iā€™d like to evolve now please.

780

Yay, I survived!
+1 on myself
Action: Eat a bit more and rest.

781

Action: get food. Ty for the round

782

Ezta Explorations With Nigel Marvin: Episode Two

"Nigel Marvin; a time-travelling zoologist and a man who has had his fair share of close scrapes with dinosaurs. And now, heā€™s journeying to another planet. In his latest adventure, Nigel will be travelling back through the prehistory of a planet called Ezta. He will be walking, flying or swimming alongside creatures that are truly out of this world.

Nigelā€™s next stop is to the early Untrustolithic, where the planetā€™s animals are recovering from a long period of extinctionā€¦"

image

A tent is standing in the middle of a green patch of tiny, moss-like plants that follow a trickling, brown river across an otherwise bare, rocky landscape. Itā€™s in the middle of a cloudless, sunny day. Placed around the tent are a few pieces of luggage and equipment and some chairs are also placed around the small camp. Sitting in one of them, passing round an oxygen mask, is time-travelling and space-faring zoologist Nigel Marvin.

Nigel: Welcome back to planet Ezta! This time, Iā€™ve journeyed about 9 million years along, and weā€™re now in the Novaglacian stage of the Untrustolithic. This is the period directly after the Atroxian period, and the defining marker between them is a period of extinction where volcanoes all over the planet had massive eruptions.

Nigel (Narrator): These eruptions happened over millions of years and pumped so much ash and gas into the atmosphere that it cooled the entire planet. When the gases disappeared the reverse happened, and the vast amounts of leftover carbon dioxide boiled the planet to such temperatures that there was no polar water to be found anywhere. Animals in the deepest sea suffered most, any many species went extinct.

Nigel: And itā€™s all because of continental drift - there are now two continents, Olympia and Tartarus, instead of one. And we are going to be swimming later in the ocean that separates them. However, first I wanted to show off a development that had not yet occurred the last time we visited.

Nigel walks across the moss towards the river, before looking down into it.

Nigel: There are now animals that live here, in this freshwater, far inland and away from the ancestral seas. There is not much diversity yet, there are only four extant species know to live in fresh or brackish water, but I think this is an important step towards having animals on land. The freshwater also happens to be a sanctuary for some of the planetā€™s most unique and ancient species - and it is teeming with life. Letā€™s see if we can find someā€¦

Nigel rolls up his shorts, before sitting down on the riverbank and swings his legs into the slowly moving water. Then he wades out into it, and faces the flow of water. Nigel crouches and continually scans the water, his hands ready to grab any passersby. His face is contorted in concentration.

Nigel: It shouldnā€™t take long before something passes by, Iā€™ve specifically chosen a narrow point in the river so they should all be funnelling through here. I feel a bit like a bear to be honest, hunting salmon in the rivers of Earth, although of course, the salmon come from downstream. (Nigel chuckles.) I am a reverse bear - ah hah, here we go look. (Nigel suddenly reaches down, and out of the splash pulls a small orange and red animal, dangling and wriggling in his hand.) Wow, this is a treat! I know what this is because there is no other animal like it. This is a Archaiapasaria and it is a descendant of those Thanostoma and Hemithateus that we saw in the Atroxian, but as you can see it has the body of a fish - you can also see it still has the long whip-tail of its ancestors, although with these circular fins, which make it such as mixture of animals.

Nigel (Narrator): Interestingly, Archaiapasaria is the only animal on Ezta with a completely closed circulatory system, and one of the few to have a heart. It truly was an intriguing little critter. (Another thin small animal appears and circles Nigel curiously.) But it was time to let it go, without handing it to a predatorā€¦

Nigel: (Laughing.) Just typical, that Iā€™m being circled by a predator. I donā€™t think itā€™s here for me, I think it wants this Archaiapasaria. This is one of only two Thanostoma species left and the freshwater right now acts as a refuge for it. They are usually filter-feeders because they canā€™t often catch one of these, but I guess this one senses trapped prey. Well, Iā€™m afraid it goes against my moral principles, Mr Thanostoma, so Iā€™m just going to throw this Archaiapasaria a bit further away. (With a heave, Nigel lobs the Archaiapasaria through the air and right over the river. His throw lands it on dry land. Nigel winces with embarrassment, as the rest of the crew groan and facepalm.)

ā€œAfter his wade through a river, Nigel and the team take a boat out into the middle of the Gaia Ocean, right on the equator.ā€

The crewā€™s yacht ploughs through a brilliant, crystal clear sea, still during the middle of the day.

Nigel (Narrator): We decided to head for the very centre of the Gaia Ocean, which lies right over the equator because it shows one of the extremes of this time on the planet. When diving, we had to make sure that we were using a special air mix because not only is there less oxygen in the air but there is even less in the water - this band of sea near the equator had almost no oxygen. This is a result of the water being so hot that it can hold less oxygen. Very few animals can live here.

A splash billows out into the water as Nigel and a couple of divers drop into the sea, which appears virtually empty.

Nigel: This oxygen-lacking sea may look like itā€™s lacking in life, but thatā€™s not exactly true. The animals we will be on the look out for this time are very small, because they donā€™t need as much oxygen. However, there are still quite extraordinary dramas that unfold here.

Nigel (Narrator): As we look through the sea, the majority of life are little jellyfish-type creatures, but some most unlike those found on Earth.

By this time, night has fallen and the water is dark and gloomy. The crewā€™s torches hit upon a strange jelly-fish, 10cm across. Itā€™s blue, pulsating bell is illuminated by the light like a ghost, as it pulses eerily along, paying little attention to the humans.

Nigel: Hereā€™s another weird one, and it looks so ghostly lit up like this, itā€™s so atmospheric in the dark. Regemsitula. What makes this so different from Earth jellyfish, is those thick tentacles, which each have razor sharp barbs on them. What it does is it catches itā€™s prey in those tentacles, that slices them to death - the added bonus is that it chops them up into little pieces that are easier to digest. This is the first animal to employ any sort of cooking techniques (Nigel laughs.) So alienā€¦

A small dagger-like shape suddenly arrows across the camera, catching everyoneā€™s eye. It darts straight towards the Regemsitula, which seems to dwarf it.

Nigel: (Canā€™t tear his eyes away from the incident for very long.) Iā€™ve always said, some of the most interesting battles occur on small scales. We may have to zoom in the camera a bit but that doesnā€™t ruin the occasion for me. Yep, Iā€™m sure that that little one is an Elinopterus tropicae.

The Elinopterus, which is long and cylindrical and has a sharp beak at one end and a pair of fins at the other, is buzzing around the much larger animal as the Regemsitula waves its tentacles around defensively.

Nigel: It is astonishing that an Elinopterus, less than a third the size of Regemsitula, would single-handedly take on such prey, but of course they have no choice, there is nothing else to eat in these oxygen-depleted waters.

Suddenly, the Elinopterus spies itā€™s opening and zooms between the Regemsitulaā€™s tentacles. It manages to dodge itā€™s way through the swiping movements and plunge itā€™s incredibly sharp bill into the soft flesh of the dome. When it pulls out and quickly retreats, itā€™s take a chunk of the jellyfish with it.

Nigel: What a superb little animal. It will attack several times with those darting thrusts, taking chunks out of its prey until it dies - sometimes they donā€™t even kill them off, just take chunks of food out of them and leave them to get on.

Nigel (Narrator): The Elinopterus belongs to a class of unique predators, that have the body of a worm with a knife-like beak, some with fins to help them swim. They have been around for about the same amount of time as the Caudomorphs, which contain Thanostoma, but have long played second fiddle to them. However, they are starting to come into their own, especially in places like the poles and the deep sea, where there is no competition from Caudomorphs. With that said, the Caudomorphs are still dominant, and we were next going to the killing fields of the largest and deadliest so far.

ā€œThe seas of the southern continent, Tartarus, are some of the most diverse and populous of this time on Ezta. It is also home to the largest animals, including the largest predator. And thatā€™s where the crew headed next.ā€

It is daylight again, but the weather is more moderate this time, speckled with a few grey into clouds. The boat is moored a short way from the rocky, coast, the cliffs of which are visible in the distance. Nigel is sitting in the cabin of the boat, looking over his notes.

Nigel: We are now in the Southern Hemisphere, off the coast of the continent called Tartarus. What we are primarily looking for is a predator that feeds on Esoteralimnus, which often travel in large groups. Right now, we have divers and equipment out looking for those groups because they should be easier to spot, and we hope once we find the prey, we will find the predator. However, I am keeping an open mind because these seas are much more diverse than the places we have already visited, and it would be interesting to see some other species. This, for example, (Nigel points out a 7 and a half centimetre long worm-like organism with plates of armour on its back and a sharp beak.) was found by one of the team washed up on a beach. Itā€™s an Arthroskulus, a relative of Elinopterus, and it is like a bizarre mixture of a worm and an arthropod. This armour is made of chitin, like the exoskeleton of arthropods, but it only covers the back. It is a very interesting animal.

Nigel (Narrator): It wasnā€™t long before we got wind of something.

Crew Member: Nigel, Nigel! Daveā€™s just finished a dive and heā€™s found a group of herbivores.

Nigel: Wow, that is exciting news! Letā€™s get moving quick then, shall we?

Nigel splashes into the water and emerges from the bubbles. He follows the flippers of another diver.

Diver: They were just over here, Nigel.

Nigel: Really? How many did you think you could see?

Diver: Ooh, I think it must have been a least a hundred, Nigel.

Nigel (Narrator): On are way over, we saw plenty of other wildlife; amusing shelled creatures like Ostracaderma and the fairly creepy Schedocavoura with crab-like legs, shuffled across the seafloor. Live Arthroskulus hunted near the surface, and we even saw a Stellingus, a very fast Caudomorph with a ribbon of skin running along its body, which shot off like a bullet when we came near. And then we found them.

Across an expansive bed of green seaweed are numerous long, thin, green animals, with whip-like tails ending in a pair of spikes. They are munching on the seaweed.

Nigel: Excellent. Well done, mate. (Nigel slaps his companion on the back.) These are the herbivores we were looking for, Esoteralimnus, the prey of our predator. They live in these large, loose groups for protection. Their most unique trait is the fact that the inside of their body is largely composed of a pool of blood. Now, we just have to wait.

Nigel (Narrator): And we didnā€™t have to wait long.

Nigel: There! Thatā€™s we came to see.

Out of the blue appeared a long, thin animal, but unlike the rest, it powered its way through the water on four flippers, with its long, whip-like tail following behind.

Nigel: That is definitely a Xirnikrozz, the biggest and deadliest predator of its time. And we may just be lucky enough to see it hunt an Esoteralimnus. Letā€™s just swim and bit closer and-

Nigel is noticed by the wary Esoteralimnus, and they all rush off and swim away before the Xirnikrozz can get close enough.

Nigel: Oops. I think we may need to come back and try again, later.

Itā€™s night time, and Nigel is fixing a headlight on his head as he puts the rest of the diving gear on, inside the cabin.

Nigel: Weā€™ve had an idea about how we are going to film this hunt without scaring away the Esoteralimnus. The solution is that we are going to film at night. The Esoteralimnus rely mostly on eyesight to spot danger, so as long as we donā€™t get stupidly close, they shouldnā€™t notice us. And we can use the lowlight camera to watch it. Now you may be thinking that Xirnikrozz would be better off hunting during the day, well, youā€™d be wrong, because Xirnikrozz have much better sight in low light than Esoteralimnus, which gives them a distinct advantage when hunting at night.

Nigel (Narrator): Once we were in the water again, it didnā€™t take us long to find another group of Esoteralimnus, and we lay in wait.

The divers are attentively watching the Esoteralimnus, which alternate between resting and munching on seaweed. Suddenly, an Xirnikrozz comes out of nowhere and bites the head of Esoteralimnus that was on the edge of the group. Blood fills the water and all the other Esoteralminus scramble away in panic. The predator continues to munch on its victim.

Nigel: What a devastating kill that was! The Xirnikrozz went right for the head and, of course, they have no skulls, so that is practically instant death for them, as their vital brain parts of crushed. That sudden lunge it made to make that kill is what those flippers are designed to do. And if the bite doesnā€™t kill for whatever reason, they have venomous fangs and venom-tipped spikes on their tail. They may not be large in Earth standards, reaching only just above 30cm, but we have witnessed a very efficient killer in its habitat and - help, help. Theyā€™re taking me with them.

A horde of Esoteralminus, almost a hundred of them, are scattering, as they do so, in their numbers and their panic, they push Nigel along with them. The Esoteralminus and Nigel disappear into the gloom of the nighttime sea.

4 Likes
783

Thanks for the round as always Stealth, and also the bonus rounds, they add spice to the game
Action: Since there is still no movement around, letā€™s rest some more

784

If I were you, Iā€™d take a look at my stamina.

785

It would seem Iā€™m having run of neutral luck, but nonetheless thanks for the round stealth

Action: head to Deeper water where females and prey could be while also looking for a snack.

786

Round 101 - P.1

Chat: https://discord.gg/weGdxFB

~25.25 million years into the game~
Untrustolithic Period, Novaglacian Stage
Season: Late Winter (North), Late Summer (South)
Time of Day: Dusk (West), Morning (East)
Event: 2 = Storm (Minor Event)

Species: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ramXIxwYwggWj1bVH3zmZT-tlZSbQvW4PUZAEiVWYB8
Biomes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1079__KZqoqQ5PQkA5gr4rMSIGIHx1UN1RwMa__ZNPV8

Detailed Species Stats

Eztaā€™s Natural History: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JOwzI4ZHorn8nrqEr62v2_uXXlbs7qSCudHc476qLMY

State of the World: The global temperature is at about 21c, and there is a fair amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Due to the minimal plant life, the oxygen levels are low. There are two supercontinents, Olympia in the north and Tartarus in the south. The continents are surrounded by the superocean Uteenessa, and in-between lies a comparatively small ocean called the Gaia Ocean. The sea levels are quite high, about 100m above standard. Very small moss-like plants exist on land, specifically wetlands, and create soil where they grow.

@RoboTrannic
Glistroskulus sensei (NT)
SOUTHERN UTEENESSA OCEAN (Temperate Deep Ocean, About 5000m deep)
When you hatch out of your egg, you are suspended in cold water. You can see nothing because it is pitch black, and feel no solid surfaces, but you can sense the chemical presence of several siblings nearby. (3)
Status
Maturity: 5% (Hatchling)
Current Size: 0.1cm
Health: Healthy
Nutrition: 2.6/3.5 (75%)
Stamina: 100%
Hydration: 100%
Effects: Metabolism x 0.5

Glistroskulus sensei

Status: NT
Timespan: R.66 - Present
Habitat: Mid Ocean, Deep Ocean
Distribution: All Deep Ocean
Niche: Benthic Filter-Feeder
Size: 2.3cm (length)
Predecessor: Glistroskulus louixi
Classification: Squickidae, Squickidea, Membrania
Latest Mutations: Improved chemoreceptors
Info: This species have become the most common at the bottom of the ocean. Itā€™s chemoreceptors can detect the chemicals from potential food over tens of meters away. This makes them more successful.
Description: The yellow, tubular body has a fleshy membrane running along the top and underside. It has a single pinhole eye with a lens, facing forwards. Chemoreceptors sit by the mouth with three gill slits at the back of the head and it has tiny teeth in its round mouth. Its mouth has a primitive gut leading straight to the anus. At the front of its nervous system, is a tiny brain. An open circulatory system bathes organs and muscles in hemacoel; this contains anti-freeze proteins to stop bodily fluids from freezing. Itā€™s back is supported by a notochord.

Previous Mutations

Muscles, Membrane, Chemoreceptors, Gills (3), Yellow Pigmentation, Teeth, Open Circulatory System, Pinhole Eye, Anti-freeze Proteins, Notochord, Lens

@agenttine
Archaiapasaria circulus (LC) - Male
OLIVER RIVER, (Chapparal River)
The warm river has risen fairly high now, but it retains a very gentle current which requires very little effort to swim against. Therefore, you are just about able to glide to a rock protruding from the seabed, and rest on it, facing upriver. The rock receives more food because it sticks out, and you are able to feed well whilst you rest. The light level is low and solely becomes even darker. Even more ominously, there are less and less ripples on the surface that mean rain. (5 + 1)
Status
Maturity: 55% (Juvenile)
Current Size: 6.9cm (length)
Health: Healthy
Nutrition: 26.9/43.1 (62.5%)
Stamina: 60%
Hydration: 100%
Effects: Metabolism x 1.25

Archaiapasaria circulus

Status: LC
Timespan: R.89 - Present
Habitat: Lake, River
Distribution: Northern Hemisphere Temperate Rivers & Lakes
Niche: Herbivore
Nutritional Value: 78.1
Size: 12.5cm (length)
Predecessor: Archaiapasaria westenrai
Classification: Archaiapasaridae, Makouridea, Caudaria
Latest Mutations: Closed Circulatory System
Info: This species is a step ahead of its brethren, as it has a closed circulatory system. This is much more efficient and means that it has better stamina - and has a better chance of escaping predators. It feeds on aquatic moss in freshwater of the northern hemisphere.
Description: It has a stout, orange and red, stream-lined body, like the shape of a fish and a short tail with a tail fin above and below the tail. These are shaped like horizontal semi-circles and together make a circle; they are supported by rays of cartilage. Two poisonous spikes protrude to the side of the tail. The front of the body has a cartilage jaw, and within in it several square teeth. It retains two venomous fangs in the roof of the mouth. On each side of the head is a lens-covered pinhole eye, with muscle that allows them to swivel. Three gills mark the body, which is also lined with unseeable electroreceptors. The mouth leads to a primitive gut and stomach, with weak herbivorous bacteria. The food is ground up in a gizzard first. Centrally located is a sac of gas called a swim bladder, and supporting the body are vertebrae made of bone. Also supporting the body are muscles with special vacuoles and a closed circulatory system.

[details=ā€œPrevious Mutationsā€] Extra-Efficient Muscles, Electroreceptors, Open Circulatory System, Three Gill Slits, Two Poisonous Spikes on Tail, Dentine Teeth, Venomous Canines, Cartilage Jaw, Two Swiveling Pinhole Eyes (1 on each side of head), Weak Digestive Herbivorous Enzymes, Square Teeth, Bone Vertebrae, Gizzard, Genders, Freshwater Tolerance, Tail Fins, Fish Shape, Swim Bladder

[/details]

@immortaldragon
Icthyotelus sinspica (LC)
UNNAMED OLYMPIAN RIVER (Temperate Forest River)
There are plenty of Icthyoletus around and it is easy to find a mate, even in the increasing dark. You successfully reproduce. (3 + 1 = Well done! You have successfully passed on your genes; letā€™s hope they fit. Choose X mutations to try and evolve.)
Status
Maturity: 100% (2/8 - Young Adult)
Current Size: 7cm
Health: Healthy
Nutrition: 17.7/27.3 (65%)
Stamina: 50%
Hydration: 100%
Effects: Metabolism x 0.5

Icthyotelus sinspica

Status: LC
Timespan: R.65 - Present
Habitat: Estuaries
Distribution: Northern Temperate Estuaries
Niche: Pelagic Filter-Feeder
Nutritional Value: 27.3
Size: 7cm
Predecessor: Charitomenchelus etalas
Classification: Icthyotelusidae, Tyrannidea, Caudaria
Latest Mutations: Tail Fins = 2, Fix Pectoral Fins = 5, Freshwater Tolerance = 3
Info: Unlike all itā€™s living relatives and some of its ancestors, the long tail has no spikes. It probably lost them as there was a lack of predators in their range; they live only in temperate estuaries, where the brackish water is just the right balance to suit their rather limited salt intake abilities. Overall, this is a relatively small area to live, but it is the only animal that lives here. The pectoral fins have become smaller, and more streamlined like a ray-finned fish; they are held against the body and composed of a cartilage limb branching off the vertebrae and three supports covered in skin. Muscles in the limb make it move, so this animal is faster than its ancestors.
Description: It has a tapering body, lined with electroreceptors and three gills on each side. It has two pectoral ray-fins and a pair of forward-facing cup eyes on the head. An oily liver helps to maintain buoyancy. An open circulatory system bathes the organs in hemacoel, and the body is controlled by ganglia. Down the back are cartilage vertebrae. In the gut, is a primitive stomach with the ability to digest multicellular matter.

Previous Mutations

Extra-Efficient Muscles, Electroreceptors, Open Circulatory System, Axochord (L), Tail, Three Gill Slits, Notochord (L), Cartilage Vertebrae, Digestive Carnivorous Bacteria, Two Poisonous Spikes on Tail (L)

@soundwave
Soundwavia vorei (LC)
NORTHWESTERN SHELF SEA (Temperate Shallows)
You follow along the gap between the sandbars, as the tide continues to go in. You are taken along the little channels as the water continues to encroach on the beach. You can then detect the electrical presence of another small animal. You follow the sense, until you come across what looks to be a hatchling Hemithateus - it is difficult to see in the lowlight of dusk. Both of you are at the mercy of the tide, and as your approach your chosen target, you must also cope with the tide pulling you towards shore. The Hemithateus youngster has seen you too, but is not quick enough to escape. When you finally reach it, the herbivore puts up a fight, waving its tail threateningly. You circle it, hope for an opening. You are very tired but desperation fuels you. The two of you continue to struggle as you are pushed around by the tide. Eventually, you land a fatal strike, but whilst your victim is dying from the wounds and toxin, you are overcome with exhaustion and die yourself. (3 + 1)
Status:
Maturity: 5% (hatchling)
Current Size: 1cm
Health: Dead
Nutrition: N/A
Stamina: N/A
Hydration: N/A
Effects: N/A

Soundwavia vorei

Status: LC
Timespan: R.76 - Present
Habitat: Shallow Sea, Ocean Surface
Distribution: Temperate Northern Hemisphere
Niche: Apex Predator
Nutritional Value: 132
Size: 19cm
Predecessor: Thanostoma aquaprinceps
Classification: Makouridae, Makouridea, Caudaria
Latest Mutations: Swim Bladder = 4, Increase Size = 3, Flippers = 5
Info: Although it tends to live around shallow seas where prey is larger, this relatively efficient swimmer can also hunt at the surface of the open ocean. It is quicker, more agile and can control its buoyancy, being able to hunt down the most fleeting of prey. It has become the dominant predator in the entire northern hemisphere, driving Thanostoma aquaprinceps into extinction. It requires air at the surface to inflate its swim bladder.
Description: It has a blue, tapering body, lined with electroreceptors and three gills on each side, ending in a long whip-tail complete with venomous spikes. Two large pinhole eyes, that the animal is able to swivel slightly for increased range of sight, sit on the side of the head and itā€™s mouth is full of small teeth, with a pair of venomous fangs embedded in its cartilage jaw. Supported by rays of cartilage, it has a pair of pectoral flippers, as well as a dorsal fin on the back. An open circulatory system bathes the organs in hemacoel, and the body is controlled by ganglia. Down the back are cartilage vertebrae. In the gut, was a primitive stomach with the ability to digest multicellular matter. It has a swim bladder connected to the gut.

Previous Mutations

Extra-Efficient Muscles, Electroreceptors, Open Circulatory System, Axochord, Whip Tail, Three Gill Slits, Notochord, Cartilage Vertebrae, Digestive Carnivorous Bacteria, Two Poisonous Spikes on Tail, Dentine Teeth, Venomous Canines, Cup Eyes, Blue, Pinhole Eyes, Jaw

@blackink
Lampsichelus paladarus (NT) - Male
EAST UTEENESSA OCEAN (Tropical Deep Ocean, About 600m deep)
Sensing no danger either by electroreception or smell - you cannot see in such sparse light - you continue to rest in the crevice within the seamount, in dark but hot water. You are very well rested by now, and when you have finished, you notice the corpse of an adult Lampsichelus has drifted nearby and now lays on the rock. From your crevice, it smells like it is still edible.
Status
Maturity: 40% (Juvenile)
Current Size: 4.6cm
Health: Healthy
Nutrition: 19/27.8 (68.5%)
Stamina: 100%
Hydration: 100%
Effects: Metabolism x 1.5

Lampsichelus paladurus

Status: LC
Timespan: R.91 - Present
Habitat: Mid Ocean, Deep Ocean
Distribution: Non-polar Ocean, Below the thermocline
Niche: Carnivorous Filter-Feeder
Nutritional Value: 73
Size: 11.5cm (length)
Predecessor: Asteridermus mutatiogenus
Classification: Achmachelusidae, Tyrannidea, Caudaria
Latest Mutations: Intestine = 1, Serrated Teeth = 2, Hanging Lure = 5, Oily Liver = 4
Info: In the darkness of the abyss, Lampsichelus is the most well-lit of all animals, able to put on quite a light show; as well as the numerous bioluminescent spots on its body that act as one, there is a bulb on the end of a barbel protruding from the jaw that also produces light - this is controlled independently of the others, and can be flicked up and down to be more enticing. However, rather than use it to catch prey, the lights for this species are more useful in terms of finding another individual for mating. This is because there is stiff competition for prey, such as Thanostoma altium, and so it is largely restricted to filtering flesh from marine snow. The most significant obstacle to being a predator is that it has lost the teeth in the upper jaw, probably as a result of continual filter-feeding. (The species name means Gummy Joe.) Unlike its predecessors, it can control its own buoyancy now with an oil-filled liver, although it has a shrunken digestive system, making digestion less efficient.
Description: All over the black body tapering to a short, spiked tail are light blue bioluminescent spots, as well as a line of electroreceptors and three gills on each side. The two spikes are venomous. At the front, above the cartilage jawed mouth are olfactory receptors and facing forwards are a pair of cup eyes. The jaw contains very simple, shapeless teeth but only on the lower jaw. A cartilage barbel protrudes out and down from the lower jaw, and has a light blue bioluminescent bulb and a hinging muscle at its base. A pair of oval fins, supported by rays of cartilage are attached vertically just behind the gills and there is a fatty hump on the back. Inside, the organs are bathed in hemacoel by an open circulatory system. All the muscles contin a vacuoles. Itā€™s digestive system is proportionately very small and narrow, which consists of the stomach and gut. There is also a liver, which is filled with oils. The body has cartilage vertebrae running down the back and is controlled by two nerve cords and a rung of nerves. The tiny brain in the head controls this.

Previous Mutations

Extra-Efficient Muscles, Electroreceptors, Open Circulatory System, Tail, Three Gill Slits, Cartilage Vertebrae, Digestive Carnivorous Bacteria, Two Poisonous Spikes on Tail, Dentine Teeth, Cup Eyes, Jaw, Fins (two vertical near head), Hump, Bioluminescent Lights, Olfaction, Temperate and Tropical Tolerance, Bioluminescence Control, Genders, Oily Liver

2 Likes