Hemithateus

## Hemithateus mediossium

Status: LC

Timespan: R.50 - Present

Habitat: Shallow Sea

Distribution: All Temperate Seas

Niche: Herbivore

Nutritional Value: 101

Size: 19cm

Predecessor: Thanostoma aquaprinceps

Classification: Makouridae, Makouridea, Caudaria

Latest Mutations: Digestive Enzymes = 1, Plant-Eating Teeth = 5, Bony Body = 4

Info: This is the first bony animal of Ezta, with the vertebra and jaw now being formed of bone rather than cartilage, so it is stiffer but stronger. The tail has remained cartilaginous to maintain its flexibility . At the front of the jaw is a group of very square teeth, which are the prime shape for biting off bits of vegetation. The venomous canines are now only for defence, as this animal is a complete herbivore. The bacteria in its gut are only able to break down plant matter; they require the bits of food to be even tinier and without better ways of mechanical digestion, they often regurgitate the food if it is too large. There is an abundance of food, and they are quite capable of defending themselves, which means they have a fairly stable population.

Description: The long, blue, tapering body is supported by a vertebrae of bone, although the whip-tail at the end is composed of flexible cartilage. Along the body are three gill slits and a line of electroreceptors. There are no limbs. The head has a cartilage jaw, with a pair of venomous canines surrounded by square shaped teeth. On each side of the head is a pinhole eye, with the ability to swivel around. At the end of the tail, two venomous spikes stick out. A gut leads to a stomach containing weak digestive herbivorous bacteria which can only break down small bits of plant matter. The muscles contain special vacuoles for storing extra energy, and are bathed in hemacoel by the open circulatory system.

Previous Mutations: Extra-Efficient Muscles, Electroreceptors, Open Circulatory System, Axochord (L), Whip Tail, Three Gill Slits, Notochord (L), Cartilage Vertebrae, Digestive Carnivorous Bacteria, Two Poisonous Spikes on Tail, Dentine Teeth, Venomous Canines, Cartilage Jaw, Two Swiveling Pinhole Eyes (1 on each side of head)

Discoverer: Agentine

## Hemithateus amniotus

Status: NT

Timespan: R.69 - Present

Habitat: Shallow Sea

Distribution: Southern Temperate Seas

Niche: Herbivore

Nutritional Value: 117

Size: 19cm

Predecessor: Hemithateus mediossium

Classification: Makouridae, Makouridea, Caudaria

Latest Mutations: Genders = 5, Eggs = 5, Improve Intelligence = 3

Info: The temperate shallow seas are now home to two herbivorous species, and this one is slightly more successful; they are given a head start in life as they are developed within a nutritious yolk surrounded by a jellylike membrane. They are first fertilised within the female and then ejected into the outside world, usually producing a couple dozen young; more than any other Eztan bilaterate. There are also now two genders. However, they are virtually identical except for each carrying different sex cells.

Description: The long, blue, tapering body is supported by a vertebrae of bone, although the whip-tail at the end is composed of flexible cartilage. Along the body are three gill slits and a line of electroreceptors. There are no limbs. The head has a cartilage jaw, with a pair of venomous canines surrounded by square shaped teeth. On each side of the head is a pinhole eye, with the ability to swivel around. At the end of the tail, two venomous spikes stick out. A gut leads to a stomach containing weak digestive herbivorous bacteria which can only break down small bits of plant matter. The muscles contain special vacuoles for storing extra energy, and are bathed in hemacoel by the open circulatory system.

Previous Mutations: Extra-Efficient Muscles, Electroreceptors, Open Circulatory System, Axochord (L), Whip Tail, Three Gill Slits, Notochord (L), Cartilage Vertebrae, Digestive Carnivorous Bacteria, Two Poisonous Spikes on Tail, Dentine Teeth, Venomous Canines, Cartilage Jaw, Two Swiveling Pinhole Eyes (1 on each side of head), Weak Digestive Herbivorous Enzymes, Plant-Eating Teeth, Bone Vertebrae

Discoverer: Jellyfishmon

## Hemithateus spicati

Timespan: R.89 - R.124 (Cinisian to Novaglacian Stage of the Atroxian)

Habitat: Temperate Shallows

Distribution: Northern Hemisphere

Niche: Herbivore

Size: 19cm (length)

Nutritional Worth: 137.8

Predecessor: Hemithateus mediossium

Classification: Thanostominae (sf), Thanostomidae (f), Flagracauda (so), Caudomorphii (c), Bilateria (p)

Perception: Blurry vision with no depth perception on either side, can use electroreception up to ten metres away.

Latest Mutations: More spikes

Info: With the advancement of predators, this herbivorous species evolved more protective spikes on its flexible, whip-like tail to protect itself as it could not outrun the fitter species appearing. They were quite common in the northern hemisphere for a while, until their descendants evolved.

Anatomy: The long, blue, tapering body is supported by a vertebrae of bone, although the whip-tail at the end is composed of flexible cartilage. Along the body are three gill slits and a line of electroreceptors. There are no limbs. The head has a cartilage jaw, with a pair of venomous canines surrounded by square shaped teeth. On each side of the head is a pinhole eye, with the ability to swivel around. At the end of the tail, six venomous spikes stick out. A gut leads to a stomach containing weak digestive herbivorous bacteria which can only break down small bits of plant matter. The muscles contain special vacuoles for storing extra energy, and are bathed in hemacoel by the open circulatory system.

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: Overpredated

Discoverer: StealthStyle

## Hemithateus novaglacianus

Status: NT

Temporal Range: R.116 - Present (Novaglacian)

Habitat: Temperate Shallows

Distribution: Northern Hemisphere

Niche: Herbivore

Size: 33cm (length)

Nutritional Worth:

Predecessor: Hemithateus spicati

Classification: Thanostominae (sf), Thanostomidae (f), Flagracauda (so), Caudomorphii (c), Bilateria (p)

Perception: Blurry vision with no depth perception on either side, can use electroreception up to ten metres away.

Latest Mutations: Larger, Gizzard

Info: Feeding on the large kelp that grows in shallow water of the Northern Hemisphere, it has evolved to be large enough that at its arrival it has no predator as an adult. It also has a muscular compartment before its stomach called a gizzard, where it can grind up food for more effective digestion with stones. As a result, it is very common wherever large kelps grow, dwarfing its smaller predecessor.

Anatomy: The long, blue, tapering body is supported by a vertebrae of bone, although the whip-tail at the end is composed of flexible cartilage. Along the body are three gill slits and a line of electroreceptors. There are no limbs. The head has a cartilage jaw, with a pair of venomous canines surrounded by square shaped teeth. On each side of the head is a pinhole eye, with the ability to swivel around. At the end of the tail, six venomous spikes stick out. A gut leads to a stomach containing weak digestive herbivorous bacteria which can only break down small bits of plant matter but a gizzard lays before it, breaking down food with stones. The muscles contain special vacuoles for storing extra energy, and are bathed in hemacoel by the open circulatory system.

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

## Hemithateus springbloomi

Temporal Range: R.123 - R.139 (Novaglacian to Gammavian Stage of the Atroxian)

Habitat: Temperate Shallows

Distribution: Northern Hemisphere

Niche: Herbivore

Size: 19cm (length)

Nutritional Worth: 76.5/10 x 19 = 145.4NP

Predecessor: Hemithateus spicati

Classification: Thanostominae (sf), Thanostomidae (f), Flagracauda (so), Caudomorphii (c)

Perception: Blurry vision with no depth perception on either side, can use electroreception up to ten metres away.
Latest Mutations: Increased Size = 3, Better Digestive System = 4, Better Immune System = 5

Info: Hemithateus springbloomi faced more predation than its contemporary brother Hemithateus novaglacianus due to its smaller size, yet it remained almost as numerous because it had a more efficient digestive system and evolved blood clotting that lets it survive more injuries.

Anatomy: The long, blue, tapering body is supported by a vertebrae of bone, although the whip-tail at the end is composed of flexible cartilage. Along the body are three gill slits and a line of electroreceptors. There are no limbs. The head has a cartilage jaw, with a pair of venomous canines surrounded by square shaped teeth. On each side of the head is a pinhole eye, with the ability to swivel around. At the end of the tail, six venomous spikes stick out. A gut leads to a stomach containing digestive herbivorous bacteria. The muscles contain special vacuoles for storing extra energy, and are bathed in hemacoel by the open circulatory system, which has platelets in it.

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: Springbloom

## Hemithateus saporensis

Temporal Range: R.126 - R.139 (Untrustolithic to Gammavian Stage of the Atroxian)

Habitat: Tropical Rainforest, Tropical Monsoon Forest, Savannah, Hot Steppe, Subtropical Desert, Chaparral, Temperate Forest, Taiga Estuaries

Distribution: Northern Hemisphere

Niche: Herbivore

Size: 33cm (length)

Nutritional Worth:

Predecessor: Hemithateus novaglacianus

Classification: Thanostominae (sf), Thanostomidae (f), Flagracauda (so), Caudomorphii (c)

Perception: Blurry vision with no depth perception on either side, can use electroreception up to ten metres away, can accurately sense taste within 10 metres.

Latest Mutations: Brackish Tolerance, Barbels

Info: Hemithateus saporensis was the first organism on Ezta known to use taste - it had gustatory receptors on the barbel just above its mouth. This helped it find its algal food in murky estuary water, which it had taken as a home to avoid predators in the sea.

Anatomy: The long, blue, tapering body is supported by a vertebrae of bone, although the whip-tail at the end is composed of flexible cartilage. Along the body are three gill slits and a line of electroreceptors. There are no limbs. The head has a cartilage jaw, with a pair of venomous canines surrounded by square shaped teeth. A whisper-like barbel protrudes from just above the mouth with gustatory cells on it. On each side of the head is a pinhole eye, with the ability to swivel around. At the end of the tail, six venomous spikes stick out. A gut leads to a stomach containing weak digestive herbivorous bacteria which can only break down small bits of plant matter but a gizzard lays before it, breaking down food with stones. The muscles contain special vacuoles for storing extra energy, and are bathed in hemacoel by the open circulatory system. The body tolerates only brackish water.

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