Phase 3 Critters Part 2

Instructions

Space or click --- Lanzastilis apokefalis Alias: Decapitator Spineback Niche: Herbivore Evolved From: Limaris Desc: Decapitator Spinebacks are smallish-medium herbivores which mainly eat Scavengerstalks, but will also eat other plants. They are named after their tendency to chew off the head (or top) of a plant before eating it, a behavior developed to avoid being eaten by carnivorous plants. They have a pair (2 pairs in Southerns) of eyes on the bottom of their head to find predators, though these eyes are a little underdeveloped and can't see very well nor very far. When they spot a predator approaching from below, they will attempt to flip themselves over before said predator can get to them. They aren't very fast or agile, but their back spikes are mildly poisonous. Northern Spinebacks are much larger, but slower and less poisonous than their southern relatives. Life Cycle: Female Spinebacks lay small groups of up to 5 eggs each year, which hatch after about a month. Juvenile Spinebacks briefly follow their mothers before going on their own at only 6 months old, and reach maturity at 1 year of age. They can live for up to 5 years. - Zarcilas aplastuer Alias: Crusher Tendriltail Niche: Predator Evolved From: Upturned Grabtail Desc: An extremely odd species of Grabtail, the Crusher Tendriltail's tail mandibles have become more fleshy and flexible, though they still have sharp points at their ends. Their eyes are spread out in a loose ring around the head, but their vision hasn't improved much. These creatures hunt by grabbing smaller creatures with their tails, the tendrils wrapping around and crushing their prey. They avoid creatures too large for them to grab. Life Cycle: Females mate only once or twice throughout their lives, but to make up for it, they can lay clutches of up to a whopping 20 eggs (but they usually lay around 10-15). Surprisingly, these Tendriltails do not guard their young, and about half of Crusher Tendriltail eggs die before hatching. These larvae mainly target small or juvenile bottom feeders (or other benthic organisms), gradually catching larger prey as they grow. They mature at 1.5 years, and have a lifespan of 5-6 years. - Zarcilas kreoporikos Alias: Fleshfruit Tendriltail Niche: Ambush Predator Evolved From: Upturned Grabtail Desc: A close relative of the Crusher Tendriltail, Fleshfruit Tendriltails are relatively small creatures, whose eyes are slightly larger than that of their cousins', but their vision is still quite poor, although has improved. They hunt by standing close to the ground, pretending to be a fruit-bearing plant with the help of the small, red bits of muscle hanging from each of their tail tentacles, grabbing and crushing the heads or necks of prey with said tentacles. They may rarely attempt to rear up to stab their prey with the claws on their legs, but this often leads them to falling on their back and starving. They are more daring than their larger cousins, and, when encountering a creature too large or tough for them to crush, will attempt to grab them and smash their head against the ground until either their prey dies or they tire out (usually the latter). Life Cycle: Females Fleshfruit Tendriltails, like their cousins, only mate once or twice in their whole lives, but they usually only lay 10 eggs. They will, however, guard and care for their young until they reach maturity at 1 year old. They can live for 5-6 years. - Colubadug mechunks Alias: Boa Stingtail Niche: Ambush Predator Evolved From: Thorny Stingtail Desc: A medium-sized species of Stingtail, Boa Stingtails have lost their venomous spines and instead opt to wrap their bodies around small prey and squeeze them to death. Their stinger's venom isn't as potent as the Thorny Stingtail's, but it is still able to kill many creatures, even some slightly larger than this Stingtail. They are rather slow swimmers, and rely on camouflage from plant life for camouflage. Their movement is often described as a "vertical slithering motion". Life Cycle: Female Boa Stingtails fiercely protect their eggs, but surprisingly leave them just before they hatch. Newborn Boas usually target unguarded eggs and larvae. - Caustandus lefazer Alias: Cactus Stingtail Niche: Predator/Scavenger Evolved From: Thorny Stingtail Desc: Unlike the Boa Stingtail, the Cactus Stingtail is a surprisingly small hunter. Its bright colors are an extreme contrast to the cloudy water around it, but it makes up for its lack of camouflage in speed, able to swim at speeds of around 30 kilometers per hour (approx. 18-19 mph). What this small hunter lacks in size it makes up for in lethality, the venom in its stinger and spines potent enough to take down creatures up to twice its size in mere hours. They mainly hunt by stinging large herbivores and patiently stalking them until they die, either by venom, infection, or something else. They also often eat carcasses, especially when they're young. Life Cycle: Cactus Stingtails mate for-