Cerulean Junglefiend

Artwork

Weight:
1,160lbs

The **Cerulean Junglefiend** (*Megahirudo caeruleus*) is an original species created and designed by TheAgent41. The Cerulean Junglefiend inhabits the *The Hole* universe, an original universe created by TheAgent41.

## Appearance and Anatomy

The cerulean junglefiend is a large invertebrate organism known to inhabit the azure rainforests of Achlys. Resembling a hybrid between a seal and an enormous leech, the cerulean junglefiend stretches approximately 14 feet in length and weighs just under 1,200 pounds. Its rubbery hide is mainly white except for the prominent splotches of deep blue, including four spots on the neck and three near the tip of the tail. As it has no bones, the creature supports itself via a highly developed hydrostatic skeleton. Although the junglefiend is clumsy on land, it is capable of dragging itself about with its muscular flippers in a manner superficially reminiscent of a seal.

The junglefiend's cylindrical head is topped with a large fin supported by a cartilaginous ray. This fin is used largely in hunting. The junglefiend's mouth continues the leech analogy, being an expandable gaping hole surrounded by six black fangs evenly spaced around the circumference. These fangs point inward towards the throat, preventing prey from escaping. On either side of the head is a trio of heat-detecting pits.

The cerulean junglefiend, like other members of its taxonomic family, has an internal body cavity largely dominated by a single giant stomach. Its stomach can hold prey as large as an adult human man. The rest of the organs are pressed tightly against the inner body walls to make room for this stomach.

## Ecology

### Behavior and Intelligence

The cerulean junglefiend lives in the lakes and rivers of the Achlysian azure rainforests. Its hunting habits are very similar to crocodilians commonly found on Earth, acting as the azure rainforest's main ambush predator. The junglefield hides in the lake bottom, usually in the shallower waters near the shore. Like several other predators in Achlys, such as the sea vortex, the junglefiend has adapted the ability to slow its metabolism to such an extent that its body barely outputs any heat. In addition, the water helps to hide its body heat from surface-dwelling prey. Flattening its body so as not to poke out of the water, the cerulean junglefiend hides in the shallow water and raises its fin like a frogfish using its lure. Prey will only see the fin protruding from the surface of the water, inevitably drawing their attention. When the prey has entered the water, the junglefiend will use its powerful tail muscles to thrust its body out of the water so it can latch onto its prey with its fangs.

### Diet

Cerulean junglefiends are obligate carnivores, meaning they eat nothing but meat. Their large elastic stomachs and expandable mouths allow them to consume prey as large as adult humans. As is the case with many Earth constrictor snakes, consuming a sufficiently large meal will allow the junglefiend to go long periods of time, upwards of several months, without eating. When not eating or mating, junglefiends spend most of their time lying motionless on the lake bottom.

### Reproduction

Cerulean junglefiends are normally solitary creatures, but they will meet together to mate. Like their distant relatives, the gastroguards, the junglefiends both take in and release sperm from their mouths, making them broadcast spawners. Cerulean junglefiends don't have a defined mating season; rather, they tend to be "opportunistic maters", meaning they will mate with almost any individual they come across. Unlike most Achlysian organisms, only one member of each pairing will be impregnated. To determine which will take on the burden of birthing young, two junglefiends will engage in battle. Visually, this is similar to dominance battles between bull elephant seals wherein each member rears up and attempts to slam its body into its mate's body. These battles generally take place on land and members of other species have learned to stay clear to avoid being killed in the crossfire.

When the battle is over, the loser inhales the sperm of the winner through its mouth, impregnating it. Like gastroguards, the young develop inside the parent's body and are expelled through the mouth. Neither parent raises the young and the two actually separate immediately after conception.​

## Trivia

* The scientific name *Megahirudo caeruleus* loosely translates from Latin as "cerulean giant leech".

## Gallery

Artwork