Sand Worm

Sand worms are massive desert dwelling omnivores. The largest species can grow to around 24m in length and 5m in diameter. Most species reach maturity in around 5 years and can live as long as 80-150 years.
They subsist on a diet of flora, insects, birds and mammals which cross their paths. They can also derive nutrition directly from mineral sources, allowing them to consume sand and rock. Mineral waste is stored in specialized sacs that feed directly to the worm's respiratory system, eventually being expelled through a spiracle (blowhole). It's not uncommon to see a worm breaching the sand and releasing a tower of sand from its blowhole. These storage sacs also commonly contain pearls which can be harvested and used as jewelry.
Some species, such as the thunder worm of Calashir, possess a tough exoskeleton composed of chitin with a thin layer of nacre. Calashi tribesmen can fashion the chitin into weapons, tools, and armor, and they harvest the nacre for use in art and jewelry. This particular species is so named for the booming sound they produce while burrowing beneath the sands, thought to be cause when they expel waste from their spiracle. Another theory states that they possess the ability to produce seismic tremors which allow them burrow more easily.
Sand worms are considered unintelligent and, when properly fed, relatively tame. They have been domesticated and farmed by the Calashi, serving as the backbone of their economy. Some warriors have even learned to tame the creatures, using them as beasts of burden to aid in excavation and travel. They are occasionally used as mounts, though this is dangerous for the rider as the worms' natural tendency is to rotate their bodies and to burrow when threatened. Many a worm rider has been crushed or suffocated by their unwitting mounts.
Category:Species
Category:Kashar-Maht