Hɔlin kɾɪlɛp'nɔb'

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The hɔlin kɾɪlɛp'nɔb' is a genus of kelp occurring in open shore ecosystems. It has one primary and one secondary inhabitant, the θɛlɔno hɔlɛp'nɔb' and the θɛlɔno fɑk'sɪs respectively.

## Biology

### Descriptions:

#### hɔlin kɾɪlɛp'nɔb' (Nursery Kelp)

The kɾɪlɛp'nɔb' is a genus of kelp, which, like other open-shore kelps, has short blades and thick stipes in comparison to kelp species from inlet coasts. The hold-fasts are also extensive and interconnected with neighbouring kelps, allowing a build-up of organic detritus between the rocky bed and the root systems.

The bladelets of the kelp are linear in shape, with an obtuse tip. The centre vein of the bladelet is hollow and divided into rubbery chambers which function as pneumatocysts to hold the kelp upright in the water column. the trifoliate blades split off at regular intervals, encircling the stipe in three interlocking sheaths at the join. The radially symmetrical flowers bud at the base of each bladelet un the underside. The flowers are singular, with three distinct perianth whorls, one calyx and two corolla. The 12 sepals are fused at the base of the flower, the two corolla whorls have six petals. The lower of which are simple, discrete and wide with a ovate shape. The inner corolla whorl contains six petals, approximately the same size as the outer corolla whorl petals, but are fused together at their edges to form a sheltered bubble. The whole flower at its widest point has a diameter of 0.112 ðɛmɪ.

The fruit of the kɾɪlɛp'nɔb' is a sphere-shaped drupe, with a large round stone surrounded by a thin layer of sweet flesh. The stone takes up two thirds of the average radius of the fruit, which is approximately 0.0612 ðɛmɪ. The stone itself is covered in a bitter tasting skin.

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#### θɛlɔno hɔlɛp'nɔb' (Unicorn Dish-Fish)

The hɔlɛp'nɔb' is a small, highly laterally flattened ray-finned fish. It's total length is about 1 ðɛmɪ at maturation, but continues to grow throughout its life. It is a type III organism. It is disk-shaped, with large fan-shaped pectoral fins. The dorsal fin has three anterior spines, which are prominent and can be pointed forward in defensive behaviour. The fins rays of the dorsal fin continue to just short of the base of the caudal fin. The caudal fin is truncate homocercal with a single prominent spine on each of the two anterior ends of the caudal peduncle. The ventral fin-pair and anal fin are small and rounded. The hɔlɛp'nɔb' has a short ovipositer held flay along the ventral line between the ventral and anal fins.

The mouth is terminal, with both upper and lower jaws containing rows of short, sharp teeth in the fore-mouth, lacking teeth elsewhere in the mouth but possessing laryngeal plates. The teeth are shaped like triangular prisms above the gum-line and the foremost row is protruded above the rest, the anterior dental row is continuously protruded until they loosen, with the posterior teeth replacing them as they fall out. This allows for the anterior dental rows of the upper and lower jaws to remain sharp.

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#### θɛlɔno fɑk'sɪs (Motter)

The fɑk'sɪs is a small lobe-finned fish that lives in and around the kelp forests of the open shore ecosystem. It is approximately 3 ðɛmɪ in total length. It is a type I organism, with high infant survival and high levels of parental care. It has two pairs of pelvic fins, with the first pair only attached via muscles and modified into limbs, each with three digits as well as a prominent thumb. The second pair is posterior to the first and are attached on the lateral line. The fin is supported by a series of bony spines covered with elastic skin from just behind the first pair of pectoral fins to just before the caudal fin. When open, the fins form large wings which undulate as the fish swims. The flapping can be powered with muscles, but the primary power comes from ligament connections to bones on the dorsal and ventral lines. As the fish swims using up-and-down motion, this causes the ligaments to pull the bony structures up and down in the opposite pattern to the bodies motion, causing a wave. The second pectoral fin pair is folded against the body at rest. The first, and longest, of the bony structures is about 0.A12 ðɛmɪ in length. The caudal fin is slightly forked and supported in the same manner as the secondary pectoral fins, and when fully spread is 0.A12 ðɛmɪ in width and 0.612 ðɛmɪ in length.

The head of the fɑk'sɪs is spheroid, with large oval eyes and densely packed whisker pads on the upper lip, chin, and brow-spots. The nostrils are slit-shaped and can be closed when digging at the base of the kelp for benthic organisms. The fɑk'sɪs usually breathes in through the nostrils and exhales through a small orifice located behind each of the two 'ear'-flaps, but this can be reversed consciously. Due to this, the fɑk'sɪs will squirt streams of water just after surfacing, and have twin streams of bubbles just after diving. The ear-flaps are purely used as emotional indicators, being a highly social species, and do not have ear-canals. Instead they hear vibrations in the water with both their whiskers and a specialised organ located in the nose-bridge. Their teeth are heterodont, with two sets of canine teeth on both upper and lower jaws, approximately twice the length of the incisors, with the outer canines being slightly shorter than the inner. Their diet is omnivorous. The body of the fɑk'sɪs is coated in a thick layer of waterproof fur, and they have a layer of blubber, which is not present under the skin of the fins.

As a highly social species, they live in schools of loosely connected individuals, which often engage in social grooming. The fɑk'sɪs typically only gives birth to a single infant at a time, which is born highly developed. The young will cling to the fur on the back of the parent when in transit, and are typically held with the fist pair of pectoral fins when suckling on either of the nipples which sit between those fins. When the parent is hunting or foraging, the young are left at the surface where they cling to the top of the kelp, buoyant due to air being blown into the fur, and protected from larger predators that cannot enter the kelp canopy. As fɑk'sɪs often hunt as a group, either just in the same area or as a coordinated effort, the young are left together in a pile.

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### Interactions:

As the primary inhabitant of the hɔlin kɾɪlɛp'nɔb', the θɛlɔno hɔlɛp'nɔb' is highly territorial of a small patch of the kelp, typically only claiming a 6-1012 individual organisms. The fused innermost perianth whorl functions as the nursery for a single larvae, the egg of which is inserted with the ovipositor of the fish. The larvae feeds on granules produced by the kelp, and grows within it's floral nursery until it runs out of room, after which it escapes by biting a hole in the petals. The freed larvae then school close to the ocean bed. The majority do not survive to adulthood, with the few that remain attempting to establish territory of their own clump of kelp. But the larvae are an important food source for many demersal and pelagic predators.

As the fish continuously grows throughout its life, the larger individuals are forced to relinquish territories and re-establish closer to the edges of the kelp forest where the foliage is thinner and there is an increased risk of predation.

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The θɛlɔno fɑk'sɪs is an important component in many aspects of the ecosystem. Part of their diet includes the flesh of the kelp-fruit, typically dropping their stone at a distance from the parent, they will also graze on herbaceous aquatic organisms, eating the leaves and the fruits, but typically avoiding the bitter seeds. The fɑk'sɪs does not often eat the blades of the kelp unless other food supplies are low. Another important aspect is through the maintenance of the detritus layer held in place by the holdfast of the kelp. Through their digging through the substrate in search of benthic animals, they allow for some to be released into the water column and prevent it from building up, as well as releasing nutrients back into the water.