Pneumachasminia

## Pneumachasminia lucidum

Timespan: R.96 - R.124 (Cinisian to Novaglacian Stage of the Atroxian)

Habitat: Temperate Shallows, Temperate Upper Pcean

Distribution: Northern Hemisphere

Niche: Benthic Filter-Feeder

Size: 6.5cm

Classification: Veroininae (sf), Kapnostidae (f), Protocorda (o), Cylindrea (c), Bilateria (p)

Perception: Has an accurate sense of smell over 10s of metres

Latest Mutations: Siliceous Spicules, Improve Smell

Info: The acidic conditions of the oceans forced the species to turn to silica to form their essential defensive spines, as calcium carbonate structures were dissolving quicker than they could be formed in many places. This way they managed to avoid extinction during the Cinisian Flood Basalt event, and continued to filter microbes in the northern shallows, rather unperturbed by predators due to their strong defence. They were only one of two Protocorda species to survive the event. Eventually, they were succeeded by their descendants.

Description: They grey, tubular body is covered, with a few exceptional spots, by siliceous spicules, almost like an Earth sea urchin. These spicules are fairly brittle and contain no venom. In the small gaps between the spicules are olfactory receptors, and another gap is also provided for the four gills and the gill frill. Heat-proof scales fill in the gaps. A gut leads from the mouth to the anus, pumped at the throat by a pharynx. The body is nourished by a semi-open circulatory system, where most of it consists of hemacoel chambers around organs - the difference is that the muscles have a capillary webbing. There is also a tiny, box-shaped heart. A small brain sends information along a pair of nerve cords and rung of nerves that serves as a nervous system. The length of the body is supported by cartilage vertebrae.

Behaviour: This species is capable of processing information gathered from sense receptors and using that to form a picture of its surroundings. It can then respond to stimuli. It also has basic reasoning.

Cause of Extinction: Outcompeted

Discoverer: StealthStyle

## Pneumachasminia leo

Temporal Range: R.114 - R.139 (Novaglacian to Gammavian Stage of the Atroxian)

Habitat: Temperate Shallows

Distribution: Northern Hemisphere

Niche: Benthic Filter-Feeder

Size: 6.5cm (length)

Nutritional Worth:

Predecessor: Pneumachasminia lucidum

Classification: Veroininae (sf), Kapnostidae (f), Protocorda (o), Cylindrea (c)

Perception: Has an accurate sense of smell over 10s of metres.

Latest Mutations: Herbivorous Digestive Bacteria, Innate Immune System, More Accurate Smell

Info: With an enlarged olfactory lobe in the brain, this benthic bottom-dweller of shallow seas could pick up the scent of algae from tens of metres away and track it fairly accurately to its source. It was a herbivore, grazing by scraping off algae from rocks into its mouth. Also, it emerged during a disease epidemic and this pressure had given it a simple immune system. It was common across the northern hemisphere, protected by siliceous spicules over its body.

Anatomy: They grey, tubular body is covered, with a few exceptional spots, by siliceous spicules, almost like an Earth sea urchin. These spicules are fairly brittle and contain no venom. In the small gaps between the spicules are olfactory receptors, and another gap is also provided for the four gills and the gill frill. Heat-proof scales fill in the gaps. A gut leads from the mouth to the anus, pumped at the throat by a pharynx, and stomach constaing cellulase-producing bacteria exists about halfway along the gut. The body is nourished by a semi-open circulatory system, where most of it consists of hemacoel chambers around organs - the difference is that the muscles have a capillary webbing. There is also a tiny, box-shaped heart. A small brain with enlarged olfactory lobe sends information along a pair of nerve cords and rung of nerves that serves as a nervous system. The length of the body is supported by cartilage vertebrae. The body can produce phagocytes.

Behaviour: This species is capable of processing information gathered from sense receptors and using that to form a picture of its surroundings. It can then respond to stimuli. It also has basic reasoning.

Cause of Extinction: Gammavian Extinction

Discoverer: StealthStyle

## Pneumachasminia civita

Status: LC

Temporal Range: R.134 - Present (Untrustolithic)

Habitat: Lower Ocean, 500-1500m

Distribution: Cosmopolitan

Niche: Benthic Filter-Feeder

Size: 6.5cm (length)

Nutritional Worth:

Predecessor: Pneumachasminia linibranchius

Classification: Veroininae (sf), Kapnostidae (f), Protocorda (o), Cylindrea (c), Bilateria (p)

Perception: Has an accurate sense of smell over 10s of metres.

Latest Mutations: High Pressure Tolerance, Quite Low Salinity, Move Toward Others of the Species

Info: With this species, Pneumachasminia have now spread to the deep ocean, where they occur in as much abundance as they do in the shallows. These Pneumachasminia are especially adapted to the high pressure and salinity difference. They also cope with the isolation of the deep by keeping together where possible.

Anatomy: They grey, tubular body is covered, with a few exceptional spots, by siliceous spicules, almost like an Earth sea urchin. These spicules are fairly brittle and contain no venom. In the small gaps between the spicules are olfactory receptors, and another gap is also provided for the four gills and the gill frill. Small, densely spaced gill rakers cover the gills slits. Heat-proof scales fill in the gaps. A gut leads from the mouth to the anus, pumped at the throat by a pharynx. The body is nourished by a semi-open circulatory system, where most of it consists of hemacoel chambers around organs - the difference is that the muscles have a capillary webbing. There is also a tiny, box-shaped heart. A small brain sends information along a pair of nerve cords and rung of nerves that serves as a nervous system. The length of the body is supported by cartilage vertebrae. The larvae is much simpler.

Behaviour: This species is capable of processing information gathered from sense receptors and using that to form a picture of its surroundings. It can then respond to stimuli. It also has basic reasoning.

Discoverer: StealthStyle

Genus of the Veroininae sub-family, the Kapnostidae family and the Protocorda order, it includes:

**Pneumachasminia linibranchius**
Status: NT
Temporal Range: R.124 - Present (Novaglacian)
Habitat: Temperate Shallows, Temperate Upper Ocean
Distribution: Northern Hemisphere
Niche: Benthic Filter-Feeder
Size: 6.5cm (length)
Nutritional Worth:
Predecessor: Pneumachasminia lucidum
Classification: Classification: Veroininae (sf), Kapnostidae (f), Protocorda (o), Cylindrea (c), Bilateria (p)
Perception: Has an accurate sense of smell over 10s of metres.
Latest Mutations: Larvae, Gill Rakers
Info: This Pneumachasminia is further optimised for the capture of microscopic plankton; the gills are lined with densely spaced cartilaginous structures that prevent much of the ingested food from being lost through the gills. This means they can outdo their current competition and become the dominant filter-feeder of their kind. Furthermore, they also produce lots of young as simple larvae, improving the chance of survival of the overall species.
Anatomy: They grey, tubular body is covered, with a few exceptional spots, by siliceous spicules, almost like an Earth sea urchin. These spicules are fairly brittle and contain no venom. In the small gaps between the spicules are olfactory receptors, and another gap is also provided for the four gills and the gill frill. Small, densely spaced gill rakers cover the gills slits. Heat-proof scales fill in the gaps. A gut leads from the mouth to the anus, pumped at the throat by a pharynx. The body is nourished by a semi-open circulatory system, where most of it consists of hemacoel chambers around organs - the difference is that the muscles have a capillary webbing. There is also a tiny, box-shaped heart. A small brain sends information along a pair of nerve cords and rung of nerves that serves as a nervous system. The length of the body is supported by cartilage vertebrae. The larvae is much simpler.
Behaviour: This species is capable of processing information gathered from sense receptors and using that to form a picture of its surroundings. It can then respond to stimuli. It also has basic reasoning.
Discoverer: StealthStyle

**Detailed Info:**

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Status: NT
Habitat: Temperate Shallows, Temperate Upper Ocean
Distribution: Northern Hemisphere
Niche: Benthic Filter-Feeder
Size: 6.5cm (length)
Nutritional Worth: (10.2 x 6.5 =) 66NP
Food / Oxygen Requirement: 32NP / 53NP
Physical Stats: Speed = 1, Stamina = 2.5, Inflexibility = 1, Strength = 1.5, Support = 1, Defence = 2.5, UV Resistance = Moderate, Filtration = 2
Systemic Stats: Osmoregulation = 1 (quite high salinity), Respiration = 2 (cutaneous respiration, buccal pumping), Digestion = 2 (meat), Circulation = 1, Excretion = 1, Immune System = 1, Coordination = 1, Reflexes = 1.
Abilities: Permeable Skin. Buccal Pumping. Heat Proof Up to 60c.
Perception: Blurry Sight. Detects smells up to ten metres away.
Locomotion Type: Spine Walking.
Reproduction: Sexual, Ovuliparity (External Fertilisation). 1,000 eggs. Hermaphroditism.
Intelligence / Behaviour: Processes information and responds based on fixed behaviours. It knows to eat and avoid being harmed.
External Features: Cylindrical body with grey pigmentation (3NP, +Moderate UV Resistance) covered in siliceous spicules (9NP, +1 Defence, +Spine Walking). Thin skin layer (3NP, +1 Immune System, +1 Respiration, +Permeable Skin) dotted with olfactory receptors (1NP, +1 Smell). A mouth (+1 Filtration) covered in ganoidal scales (6NP, +1 Defence, +Heat Proof Up to 60c).
Internal Features: Four gill slits, contains gill rakers (1NP, +1 Filtration) each side of head (8NP, +1 Respiration) and gill frills (6NP, +1 Respiration). Muscles on each side, attached to body wall (10NP, +1 Speed, +1 Strength, +0.5 Support) and cartilage vertebrae (6NP, +1 Support, +1 Strength, +1 Inflexibility, +0.5 Defence). Gastrointestinal tract from mouth has pharynx (5NP, +1 Digestion, +Buccal Pumping) stomach with digestive juices (4NP, +1 Digestion) followed by intestines (4NP, +1 Digestion) leading to exit. Brain (6NP, +1 Coordination) encased in head connects to one nerve cords which branch into network of nerves (8NP, +1 Reflexes). Male and female gonads (6NP, +Sexual Reproduction, +Hermaphroditism). The hemacoel cavity, open circulatory system (+1 Stamina, +1 Circulation) has violet blood containing hemerythrin and anti-freeze proteins (3NP, +Fluid Freeze Prevention) but there are blood vessels pumping to muscles only (4NP, +0.5 Stamina) a dorsal vessel (5NP, +1 Stamina) pumps blood to the head. Protonephridia (4NP, +1 Excretion, +1 Osmoregulation), connected to hemacoel, expels waste through pores.

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