Squickia

## Squickia membranum (Squick)

This is one of the many species that eventually branched off of Superstes veteris, and outcompeted it. Like many of its cousins, it evolved true muscles which give it an edge over its predecessor, and it is also made more speedy by a fleshy membrane. Squickia membranum is even able to glide through water temporarily with this adaptation. Due to this speed, it is one of the more common species of proto-worm.

Features: It retains many of the features of its predecessor, except for the fact that its proto-muscle cells evolved into true fibrous muscles that form tissues along the length of the worm. These make movement easier and more powerful as it throws itself from side to side, although it has nowhere to anchor on to. As mentioned above, Squickia membranum evolved a fleshy membrane that runs along the underside and the top of the animal, aiding with movement.

Distribution: Deep Ocean

Time: Developorian Stage of the Atroxian (R.1 - R.3)

Size: 1.2cm (length)

Lifestyle: Filter-feeder

Classification: Squickidae, Ochipodia

Predecessor: Superstes veteris

Cause of Extinction: Outcompeted

Discovered by: Atrox

## Squickia frequens (Squick)

This is the most common species of proto-worm that inhabit the ocean. Its relatively small size and lack of advancement means it does not need as much food as some of its competitors. Thanks to their speed and agility, as well as their new senses, they are able to weave effectively between their more cumbersome cousins.
Features: This is another species that has evolved a pair of pit eyes on its head and has also replaced the sense receptors on its head with chemoreceptors. If these detect chemicals or toxins, they can send a signal to the nervous system to either run away or towards it.

Distribution: Deep Ocean

Time: Developorian Stage of the Atroxian (R.2 - R.3)

Size: 1.2cm (length)

Lifestyle: Filter-feeder

Classsification: Squickidae, Ochipodia

Predecessor: Squickia membranum

Cause of Extinction: Outcompeted

Discovered by: Atrox

## Squickia viatorem (Squick) NG6

By spreading out to a different habitat, this species has retained its dominance in terms of numbers. It has discovered the wealth of food that exists in the warmer, shallower seas but there are a couple of problems. The first is that Squickia viatorem only feed in the shallow seas at night, as the UV light from the sun would fry (and has fried) their pigmentless skin. They have developed a basic intuitive memory based on the intensity of light to aid this. The second problem is that this daily migration is arduous for a worm with very little swimming ability, although it now has greater stamina.

Features: As well as a development of the nervous system and the cerebral ganglia, Squickia viatorem has evolved a new respiratory organ. Gills. This species has six gills, three on either side of the body, just behind the head. Most of its contemporaries have oxygen diffusing through normal skin, but the gills increase the surface area and so can take in oxygen quicker.

Distribution: Deep Ocean

Time: Developorian to Medusan Stage of the Atroxian (R.3 - R.6)

Size: 1.2cm (length)

Lifestyle: Filter-feeder

Classification: Squickidae, Ochipodia

Predecessor: Squickia frequens

Past Mutations:
Muscles
Membrane
Pit Eyes
Chemoreceptors

Cause of Extinction: Predation

Discovered by: Atrox

## Squickia caecus (Squick)

This is not a very successful species despite having a circulatory system. This system requires a lot more energy and it cannot find the food as well as Squickia dente.

Features: The pit eyes are depressed into cups in order to ascertain direction, but in this species the photoreceptors have become so depressed that the photoreceptors can only detect light from one, very limited direction. An open circulatory system has developed with muscular vessels pumping hemacoel to body cavities surrounding tissue. Vessels run close to the gills in order to make the most of them.

Distribution: Shallow Sea

Time: Medusan to Cartiligian Stage of the Atroxian (R.5 - R.11)

Size: 1.5cm (length)

Lifestyle: Filter-feeder

Predecessor: Squickia dente

Past Mutations:
Muscles, Membrane, Pit Eyes, Chemoreceptors, Intuitive Memory, Gills (6), Yellow, (Needle-like) Teeth

Cause of Extinction: Outcompeted

Discovered by: Atrox

## Squickia dente

This bright little creature has taken to calling the shallow seas home, as its yellow pigment protects it from the UV light. They can now reside here all day long, and have completely left the deeper ocean. They are quite unchallenged, with their only real competition being Squickia viatorem at night.
Features: Cells at the surface called chromatophores contain a yellow pigment, which protects it from the effects of the sun. This allows species to live permanently in shallow seas. This species has also evolved thin teeth, made of dentine, that circle the mouth.

Distribution: Shallow Sea

Time: Developorian to Cartiligian Stage of the Atroxian (R.4 - R.12)

Size: 1.3cm (length)

Lifestyle: Filter-feeder

Predecessor: Squickia viatorem

Past Mutations:
Muscles
Membrane
Pit Eyes
Chemoreceptors
Intuitive Memory
Gills (6)

Cause of Extinction: Outcompeted

Discovered by: Atrox

## Squickia visionii

Timespan: Cartiligian to Tyrannidean Stages of the Atroxian (R.11 - R.35)

Habitat: Shallow Sea

Distribution: All Temperate Seas

Niche: Benthic Filter-Feeder

Size: 1.5cm

Predecessor: Squickia caecus

Classification: Squickidae, Squickidea, Tubulosa

Info: This was the last species discovered by palaeontologist Atrox, who has the whole period named after him. When it first evolved, Squickia were the most common animal on the planet and were the first bilaterals to occupy shallow seas all alone. However, as other animal groups moved in, they seriously declined because they were much simpler and less fit than their opponents. But it was this simplicity that allowed them to live for as long as they did, as they were able to survive off the food missed by other species, filter-feeding along the seabed.

Description: The yellow, tubular body had a fleshy membrane running along the top and underside. Chemoreceptors sat by the mouth with three gill slits at the back of the head. On top was a singular pinhole eye. At the front of its nervous system, was a tiny brain. Its mouth had a primitive gut leading straight to the anus. An open circulatory system bathed organs and muscles in hemacoel.

Cause of Extinction: Outcompeted

Discoverer: Atrox

## Squickia dissolvi

Due to multiple disadvantageous mutations, this species has gone extinct.

Features: Acid producing bacteria formed in the stomach chamber of this species, and the acid eroded away at the stomach lining, causing internal trauma. They die young.

Time: Terrafaunian Stage of the Atroxian (R.22)

Size: 1.6cm (length)

Biome: Shallow Sea

Niche: Benthic Filter-Feeder

Distribution: Shallow seas connected to Uteenessa ocean

Classification: Coming soon.

Predecessor: Coming soon.

Previous Mutations: Coming soon.

Cause of Extinction: Unfit

Discovered by: Atrox