Skyscrabber

Artwork

**Skyscrabber** (*Macrocheira kaiju*) are an original species designed by User:TheAgent41. Skyscrabber inhabit the *Meta Monsters* universe.

## Appearance and anatomy

Skyscrabber are among the tallest Meta Monsters in Armonia. From carapace to foot, they can stand just over 14 feet in height with 11 feet making up just their legs alone. Unlike other decapod crustaceans, they only have six limbs due to losing four of them somewhere along the evolutionary line. Their bodies are largely purple and navy blue in color. The upper half of a Skyscrabber's body is navy blue. This carapace is incredibly thick and covered with pointed spines. Skyscrabber larvae, also known as Takastilt, have three exceptionally large ridges above their eyes, but they lose these as they age. The rostrum of a Skyscrabber possesses two horn-like structures.

A Skyscrabber's mouth is deceptively small given the appearance of its face. The four large "fangs" (two protruding downward from the carapace and two protruding upward from the underbelly) are actually just parts of the exoskeleton rather than actual mouthparts; their purpose may be to make Skyscrabber appear more menacing. Skyscrabber have small orange eyes with yellow irises and black pupils at the end of short stalks; Takastilt do not have these stalks.

Skyscrabber have two grasping claws. In the males, the left claw becomes greatly enlarged with age and is used to fight rival males during the breeding season. The right claw is used for feeding. Females do not grow enormous fighting claws and must sometimes assist their mates in feeding, as the male's giant claw is useless for it. Skycrabber have four large legs. These legs are purple in color and are quite thin. Despite this, they are incredibly strong. These legs end in enormous navy blue feet that are pointed towards the tip. Skyscrabber could colloquially be said to stand on their tip-toes at all times.

Takastilt are much smaller than Skyscrabber, averaging around six feet in height. They will molt their shells up to six times before they reach their final sizes and become Skyscrabber.

## Behavior and ecology

### Diet

Skyscrabber are opportunistic carnivores. Most crabs are known to be bottom feeders, but due to their staggering height, Skyscrabber feed mainly on fish swimming above the sea floor. Their craggy, jagged exoskeletons help to camouflage them among the hydrothermal vents jutting from the sea floor, allowing them to ambush any unsuspecting fish and snapping them up with their feeding claws. In addition to ambush hunting, Skyscrabber have been known to supplement their diet with detritus and marine snow.

### Behavior and intelligence

Skyscrabber are not very intelligent, acting mostly on instinct. It has been argued that their use of ambush tactics should be considered evidence of some form of problem-solving skills, but whether or not they are even aware of their camouflage (and thus could be considered intentional in using it) is unknown. Skyscrabber have sometimes been seen mistaking parts of deep sea submersibles as fish, snapping at cables and air tanks.

Skyscrabber are territorial creatures. When threatened, males will engage in violent scuffles with their enlarged claws. The primary battle tactic appears to be snipping through the opponent's legs in order to topple them over. While this may seem horrendous, Skyscrabber are capable of regenerating their legs within a week.

### Reproduction

Skyscrabber mate as often as possible. Due to the difficulty of finding a mate in the pitch darkness where they live, Skyscrabber are opportunistic maters, mating any time a member of the opposite sex is found. In the unlikely event that two males happen to attempt to court the same female, the male will engage in a "leg cutting" battle as described above.

After mating, females will find a suitable hydrothermal vent and lay their eggs (up to 50 at a time) on the rocky walls. The heat from the vents helps to accelerate the incubation of the eggs so they can hatch and begin growing sooner. Skyscrabber females, after laying the eggs, move on with their lives. They do not bother to protect them at all, instead preferring to let the intense heat of the vents keep predators away.

## Trivia

* In the *Meta Monsters* universe, Skyscrabber are Water/Beast-type Meta Monsters and are No. 052 in the Encyclopedia. Their Encyclopedia entries read as such: "Standing approximately 14 feet in height, Skyscrabber are the tallest denizens of the ocean deep. They catch their prey by blending in with hydrothermic vents and then striking when least expected."
	+ Takastilt are Water-type Meta Monsters and are No. 051 in the Encyclopedia. Their Encyclopedia entries read as such: "Takastilts live deep in the depths of the dark ocean. far deeper than humans can survive. If one of their powerful legs is torn off, they can regrow it within a week."