Evolution attempts: Blue and red coloring- 4 See colors- 2 Spines on tentacles- 3 Shoal mentality- 4 Projectile tentacles- 5 Internal stomach- 5 Streamlined fins- 6 Improved intelligence- 6 Better photosynthesis- 4 Basic camoflague- 6
(The dice gods have answered your pleas for happiness)
In the course of 7 generations the Blobum has evolved from a simple blob on the floor to something very formidable; the Shoalfin. We continue to see massive leaps in evolution, this time in their fins, their skin, and their brains.
To begin, their fins have begin even more powerful than previously. They have outgrown their trisymmetric clumsiness, and have also taken on an advanced structure and shape which is very aerodynamic while swimming. They spear through the water at an estimated 25 km/h, and in very short bursts, no larger than 500 meters, can dart up to 50 km/h. Besides the fins, the skin has become more incognito, in particular being able to take on the appearance of the environment around it. While the change in appearance can take up to a few minutes, it, coupled with the Shoalfin's speed allows it to quickly escape danger. This is only possible through its newfound intelligence, however. It possesses decent logic and problem solving skills now, and its memory has improved greatly. However, for the most part it still lacks social skills.
Other changes include its ability to move in shoals now. Shoalfins get their name for this behavior, in which a group of seven Shoalfins will live together for their entire life. These groups will not cannabalize one another, though they will cannabalize other shoals. The shoals set up a territory and will patrol and hunt within it. The seven shoalfins are only counted adults; the number of budlets in a shoal could number up to fifty in the highest known circumstance. The budlets are weak however and possess very little natural defenses at that point. When a budlet grows up it remains in the shoal until a number of other budlets have as well, at which point they will group together and set off to claim their own territory. Shoals are the only social structure developed thus far, and Shoalfins tend to get very attached to each other emotionally, and depression will ensue among all members of the shoal should one die. They will not be replaced either, a shoal will eventually collapse, which leaves new territory open for other Shoalfins.
Shoalfins also have evolved the ability to make projectiles of their tentacles. When this happens a tentacle becomes completely straight and rigid, and the Shoalfin will dart in the direction its being fired in, as the tentacle detaches. A projectile is estimated to be able to reach up to 15 km/h, in some cases, depending on various conditions. A projectile piercing another creature will also allow the toxins on that tentacle to leech into the creature, causing death very quickly. However, this is an emergency feature which is rarely used. Shoalfins lack the ability to regenerate their tentacles, and given they have so few, will only projectile them when their life is threatened. Their digestive system has also improved some after their evolutionary setback as Trisyms. Their stomach no longer requires ejection to absorb other creatures, it is located solely inside the Shoalfin now. The shoalfins body, instead will bring the stomach to the membranous surface at which point the skin will part and the creatures consumption will begin. While they are far less vulnerable now than before, and can break away from a meal in emergencies, when eating their fleshy insides are exposed and can be injured easily. Their colors have changed to become a more blue and red, with blue on the bottom and red on the top. When a creature from below looks up, the color resembles the waters. When a creature above looks down, however the color is more noticeable in most cases. Finally, their photosynthesis has improved, and even in low light conditions, they can still survive. In such conditions however, they are weaker, as they are not augmented by the photosynthesis as much.
Shoalfins seem to have completely dominated the reefs, and their only competition remains to be the Crinis. The Tentaclaw population in this area is either extinct or so negligible that it is virtually extinct. The Quadfins still thrive, as their tough skin, like ours prevents easy consumption. The Crinis however has developed eyes, like an earlier version of ours which enables colorless sight. They are also faster, but not as fast as Shoalfins. Their top speed generally is around 17-20 km/h. Darting speed could be up to 40 km/h. Their biggest notable change is in the tentacles. Around half the tentacles have changed to have two very pointy spines on them, which both face outward. When a target is impaled with the spines, the spine rotate in such a way that removal would only injure the prey further. Digestive enzymes are released then, which begin to destroy the preys insides. Then the other half of the tentacles, which retained mandibles begin to tear at the prey itself. The mandibles themselves have become much sharper and stronger. While a single nab at a Shoalfin will not tear its flesh, over a couple tears the skin will begin to shred, and after around ten or fifteen the outer, impregnable skin is shredded leaving the fleshy insides completely exposed. The spines on the tentacles cannot pierce the Shoalfins skin alone, but can pierce an open wound, making it worse. They can also attack the tentacles via spines, and no toxic injuries occur to the Crinis at that point, unless the toxins should get inside the creature. Shoalfin's lateral lines and other senses allow them to detect Crinis before they get too close to actually attack them. However, when in a one on one, or when cornered, a Crinis will generally win, unless by luck, or by projectile.
GENERATION 7:
(Suprafloorum) shoalfin
A large, clear, tentacled, finned and trilaterally symmetric jelly blob. Their skin is extremely tough and they have 4 pairs of fins. They absorb food through the skin, and is dissolved in the inner body fluids. It is around 15 centimeters in height, 20 centimeters long and 10 centimeters wide. They have 7 tentacles, and each tentacle absorbs light in photosynthesis, but are also laced with a powerful toxin which paralyzes anything which comes in contact with it. Each tentacle is close to 20 centimeters long. The fins are streamlined and encounter almost 0 water resistance.
SOCIAL: Has a shoaling social structure. There are 7 adult Shoalfins in a single shoal, but up to as many as 50 or so buds in a shoal. Each shoal is very emotionally bonded and will protect each other to the death if possible, and death of a Shoalfin leaves the others very depressed for weeks. They will take a territory area together and live in it until they die, as the hunt together and live together. A dead Shoalfin will not be replaced and all shoals eventually collapse, leaving room for other shoals to rise.
SENSES: Can detect electric impulses in the water of most degrees, but faint ones are usually still missed. Their eyes can tell most shapes, but small shapes or creatures are generally ignored. Because of their trisymmetry, they can see almost everywhere except for directly behind them.
REPRODUCTION: Budding. The buds detach after reaching about 5 centimeters in dimensions and then float to a short distance away before growing into their own blob. About two buds grow at a time, and the time for each bud to grow to the point of detachment is about three days.
MOVEMENT: Is currently the fastest known creature in the environment. Its fins allow it to propel itself extremely quickly, estimated 25-50 km/h.
EATING: It absorbs cells floating through the water. It will also prey upon the corpses of dead blobs. Its tentacles can create sugars from light with photosynthesis. The toxins which the tentacles carry can potentially kill other creatures, usually does not though, exceptions are those who are weak or young. Paralyzed but living creatures fall down to the blob's main body where endocytosis then takes place.
PREDATION: Crinis is able to kill a Shoalfin in many cases, but only if the Shoalfin cannot escape. Otherwise Shoalfins are mostly safe due to higher speed and intelligence.
COMPETITION: The Crinis population is a growing threat. Their numbers are high as are ours, and neither poses a destructive threat to the other.
INTELLIGENCE: Decent intelligence. Possess some problem solving and logic skills and has a decent memory.
TOXINS: Neurotoxin- Quadfins (100% effectiveness) Crinis (100% effectiveness)
ENVIRONMENT: A shallow sub-tropical sea. Small reefs exist here, with a rare frond interspersed between the reef ridges. Much of the reef is dark, overshadowed by the growing populations above. The environment is at around 70% of its biomass capacity.
Current environment: Shallow sub-tropical sea.
Nearby environments: Beach, deeper sub-tropical sea, river delta
(Massive post, sorry if its too long. Votes are starting to come together which gives me more to write about. If it is too long though, just let me know and I'll try to shorten them.)
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Topic: Competition II - New Life (Read 24509 times)