Motalus

## Motalus primus

Latest Mutations: More Efficient Swimming = 1, Growth Rate = 4, Bigger = 3, Serrated Teeth = 2

This was a predatory pronto-fish that was relatively large for it's time, certainly one of the larger proto-fish. It hunted mostly smaller proto-fish. However, it had no caudal fins and returned to anguilliforme locomotion, which made it quite a bit slower than Anazitonta astatheana, it's main competitor, and it had blunter teeth. One advantage is that it reached maturity quicker, after one year rather than one year and half. It was not particularly common because of it's disadvantages.

Status: Extinct (Outcompeted)

Habitat: Subpolar Temperate Ocean, Polar Temperate Ocean

Niche: Predator, Opportunistic Scavenger

Diet: Any fresh meat it can get.

Size: 16cm (head to tail)

Nutritional Need: 171 x 16/100 = 27.4NP

Food / Oxygen Requirement: 27.4 x 0.25 = 6.9NP per round (Needs to intake 6.9/0.6 = 11.5NP per round)/ 27.4 x 0.9 = 24.7NP

Abilities: Bioluminescence. Exothermic. Large-Body Circulation. Liquid Excretion. Low Pressure Tolerance. "Migmachordatix" Toxin. Osmoconformer (Quite High Salinity). Permeable Skin. Solid Excretion.

Perception: Sight 1 (blurry vision, Binocular Vision). Electroreception 1 (detects movement at sides). Smell 1 (Detects odours 1m from front).

Stats: Buoyancy 1 (Adjustable Buoyancy). Coordination 2. Dexterity 1. Digestion 1 (100% Meat, Digests 60%). Immunity 2. Filtration 0.5 (7/4 = 1.8x1 = 1.8). Pierce Strength 1. Respiration 2 (Ram Ventilation, 10% off). Sharpness 1. Stamina 4. Strength 2. Swim Agility 2. Swim Speed 1.3. Support 1. Toughness 0.5 (1.5 - spine). UV Resistance 3. Walk Agility 1. Walk Speed 0.7.

Intelligence / Behaviour: 1. Hungry > Search for food. 2. Food > Bite. 3. Tired > Rest. 4. Pain > Swim away. 5. Maturity > Reproduce.

External Features: It has a fish-shaped body with black melanin pigmentation, oval pectoral ray-fins and spines at the base of the finless tail. Cycloid scales cover the skin and a line of electroreceptors on the flank dot the body as well as a covering of photophores. A mouth containing simple teeth, olfactory receptors and upwards facing camera eyes make up the face.

Internal Features: Inside each cell has a low pressure tolerant metabolism. Migmachordatix toxin is produced and secreted into spines. Three gill slits sit each side of head. A network of vascular blood vessels circulates red blood containing hemoglobin. Muscles line either side of the body between the body wall and the cartilage vertebrae. The mouth is supported by a cartilage jaw. The gastrointestinal tract from the mouth has a stomach with digestive juices followed by intestines, with vegetation-digesting microfauna, leading to the anus. A brain encased in the head connects to two nerve cords which branch into network of nerves. A swim bladder lies in the centre of the body. It hosts either male or female gonads. The nephridium, connected to circulatory system, expels waste.

Reproduction: Sexual Reproduction. External Fertilisation. 1,000 eggs per spawn.

Castes/Phases: None.

Locomotion: Active (20NP). Moves whole body side to side in anguilliform motion (+1 Stamina).

External Features: Fish-Shaped Body (0NP, +1 Swim Speed, +Carangiforme). Dark Pigmentation (2NP, +3 UV Resistance). Scales (4NP, +0.5 Toughness, +0.2 Swim Speed). Gills (4NP, +1 Respiration, +1 Stamina, +Ram Ventilation, +Only Works Underwater). Pectoral Fin (4NP, +1 Swim Agility, +0.2 Walk Speed, -0.2 Swim Speed, +Paddling, +Crawling). Skin (3NP, +1 Immunity, +1 Respiration, +1 Stamina, +Stationary Respiration, +Cutaneous Respiration, +Permeable Skin). Photophores (5NP, +Bioluminescence). Electroreceptors (2NP, +1 Electroreception). Mouth (0NP, +1 Filtration). Teeth (4NP, +1 Sharpness, -0.5 Filtration). Olfactory Receptors (2NP, +1 Smell). Pinhole Eyes (2NP, +1 Sight, +Binocular Vision). Spines (4NP, +1 Sharpness, -0.2 Swim Speed).

Internal Features: Piezolytes (5NP, +Low Pressure Tolerance). Closed Circulatory System (10NP, +Large-Body Circulation, +1 Stamina). Muscular System (7NP, +1 Strength, +0.5 Walk Speed, +0.5 Swim Speed, +Wriggling). Monogastric Digestive System (19NP, +1 Meat Digestion, +1 Veg Protein Digestion, +1 Immunity, +Solid Excretion). Centralised Nervous System (20NP, +2 Coordination). Swim Bladder (7NP, +1 Buoyancy, +Adjustable Buoyancy). Gonads (14NP, +Sexual Reproduction, +Hermaphroditism, +External Fertilisation). Nephridium (11NP, +Liquid Excretion). Cartilage Jaw (5NP, +1 Dexterity, +1 Pierce Strength). Cartilage Vertebrae (10NP, +1 Toughness, +1 Support, +1 Strength, +1 Swim Agility, +1 Walk Agility). Neurotoxin Gland (7NP, +"Migmachordatix" Toxin).

Temporal Range: R. 233 - R.235 (Atrobocean Stage of the Oliverian)

Distribution: Southern Hemisphere

Lifespan: 2 years (matures after 1 year) = Growth Rate x 2 and Life Span is 2x maturity length.

Predecessor: Anazitonta astatheana

Classification: Sanicthyopsinae (sf), Sanicthyopsidae (f)

Discoverer: Deathwake