Celestipleura

**Celestipleures** are a clade of ambulospeculids that are alive today.

## Evolution and taxonomy

Celestipleures are a very important group that is defining as one of the first, if not the first, clade of modern ambulospeculids to start to become dominant on land. Celestipleures are part of Bassodidavermia clade, which originated 296 million years ago, and split into two groups, one leading to the alcyoneuvermians, and the other leading to the bassodioideans. The bassodioideans are the most diverse group of ambulospeculids alive today, and have originated shortly after, some 294 million years ago. The basalmost bassodioideans alive today are the bassodids, a group of arboreal intelligent arthropod-like creatures that use their proboscis to swing between pieces of arboreal vegetation. The most derived bassodioideans are the rimavenatorians, which originated 292 million years ago, and these have split into two main groups: the super diverse silvatromouians, and the celestipleures, both originating 290 million years ago. Celestipleures are super basal ambulospeculids. Even though epestredutchiians and alcyoneuvermians are the technical basalmost ambulospeculids, they are nothing more than derived forms of more simpler and primitive forms. Being much closer to the base of Ambulospeculida, in terms of morphology and anatomy, celestipleures demonstrate various early attempts that ambulospeculids have tried to achieve for their own agenda in conquering the globe, and even though they are widespread nowadays, they have suffered declines that placed them behind, in the evolutionary race, against some other more derived clades. For example, some retain the amphibious lifestyles for their young, a basal condition for ambulospeculids as a whole, which was subsequently lost in several clades. Bassodids (not within Celestipleura, however), despite being decently derived, have very simple features, like a very basic endoskeletal structure, just composed by cartilaginous articulations on the limbs, a skull and the dorsal armory, which has not developed into functional endoskeletal vertebrae, as they did in some other ambulospeculids. Celestipleures basally retain this simple endoskeletal feature, and the basalmost also had young that required to stay around watery environments to breath properly, before reaching a terrestrial adulthood, just like bassodids do. Celestipleures, therefore, are known to divide into two groups, one is the Thalassopodarida clade, which has originated 288 million years ago, and the Sabuliaeruendia clade, which has originated 262 million years ago. Thalasspodaridans diverged and diversified very fastly in the early Tenerian and various groups still wander around today. Thalassopodaridans are informally named the arthropod-like celestipleures, for retaining various arthropod-like features. The basalmost laid eggs and had aquatic-dependant offspring, as well as basal ambulospeculid endoskeletal features, but some have eventually derived their reproductive tactics and their endoskeletal properties. Uncatatergians are the most derived group of thalassopodaridans, having originated 286 million years ago, composed of more derived body morphology. Rimapleurans are the group sister to modern thalasspodarids, having originated 284 million years ago. Finally, the rimatergians, having evolved 282 million years ago are unique for having developed various weird characteristics as a result of neoteny or atavism-related processes, including the multiplication of body segments and number of limbs, allowing them to grow into diplopod-like forms. These forms have been specially successful for a while in the Wallacian past, but now only a few localized species exist in the globe, still with a moderate success. The sabuliaeruendians are the beast-like celestipleures, having originated in the mid-late Tenerian. These do not have amphibious young, laying eggs that hatch out fully terrestrial young. Sister to the basalmost member, the Celestiphymimus, are the true beast-like celestipleures, the sabulianaxioideans, which originated 247 million years ago, in the latest Tenerian, benefiting from the aftermath of the Tenerian-Accomodatian extinction event to proliferate for a while, before having only localized success nowadays. This clade divides into two clades, the oresaderians and the otrananguians. The oresaderians originated 165 million years ago in the Scelusian, and they are endemic to Terra Septentrionis, having evolved and proliferated there in isolation, while in the other continents, beast-like celestipleures lost their relevance. Oresaderians divide into several different beasts, like the ankylosaur-looking Hoplatarx, and the hexapodal semborafrigans, which originated 83 million years ago, and include the Oreduorum and the Semborasaderia. The otrananguians are much more ancient, having originated 232 million years ago, after the end of the Tenerian and diversified greatly across the world. The basalmost living member is the Megalaboranguis, a gigantic predator on the largest Micha island. The most derived otrananguians are the sabulianaxians, which originated 217 million years ago and are well known for the presence of jaw-like hyoids and for being much more adapted for cursorial lifestyles. These include the Terra Septentrionian relics, like the giant Otranax, and the small desert leaper of Media Insula, the Sabulia mobilis, which has way more evolved hyoid jaws.

Rimavenatoria (292-0)

* Celestipleura (290-0)
	+ Thalassopodarida (288-0)
		- Dorsostomata
		- Uncatatergia (286-0)
			* Thalassopodaridae
			* Rimapleura (284-0)
				+ Troglodytus segmentia
				+ Rimatergia (282-0)
					- Rimatergi
					- Uncatapleura
	+ Sabuliaeruendia (262-0)
		- Celestiphymimus eruendi
		- Sabulianaxioidea (247-0)
			* Oresaderia (165-0)
				+ Hoplatarx
				+ Semborafriga (83-0)
					- Oreduorum frigus
					- Semborasaderia
			* Otrananguia (232-0)
				+ Megalarboranguis
				+ Sabulianaxia (217-0)
					- Otranax
					- Sabulia mobilis
* Silvatromouia (290-0)

## Characteristics

   Celestipleures are a group that demonstrates a whole variety of basal and derived features all in one group, which makes them proper examples to examine, at a smaller scale, how dispeculates have evolved and diversified into land-dwelling dominant creatures, specially among ambulospeculids. The mouth apparatus they have in their possession takes many forms across the clade. They basally have three proboscis that link directly to the stomach, each feeding the organism in question. Dorsostomata's unique upside down posture is a technique that allowed them to have the proboscis pointing upwards towards the food above. These are very muscular proboscis, filled with spring-like muscles that contract inside a special spiral-like chamber in their skulls, the cephalostoma, that opens to a big head orifice that shoots out the proboscis. Some dorsostomatans have sharp ends in their proboscis to bore through the food, and some may even have proboscis fused by muscle-filled skin to make a unified trunk. Thalassopodarids have evolved derived mouths, composed with a large oral orifice with sharp toothy edges, where the small thin proboscis are housed. They come out, ending in hard tips, that are capable of injecting venom into their prey. To work as jaws, thalassopodarids have evolved large lateral-moving hyoid jaws that attach themselves to huge horizontally placed "keratinous" jaws, like insects. These serve the purpose of jaws and grab themselves to the prey for that effect. The male's proboscis also inject "mind-altering" compounds into an organism to drive it towards the female, by detecting the pheromones of the latter. Venom and pheromone injection through the proboscis is actually something basal in uncatatergians. Rimapleurans only feed through the central proboscis, with the lateral proboscis, at least in most members, are responsible for the injection of venom and pheromones. However, in rimapleurans, only the right proboscis injects the venom and only the left proboscis injects pheromones. Rimapleuran proboscis are also non-retractable. The central proboscis of the Troglodytus is a sucking tool, slurping on their preferred prey, the jewel flies. When caught, the lateral proboscis do their best to inject venom on the attacker or pheromones. These pheromones, when injected, are a method of telling the other members of the Troglodytus colony, that the attacker, that was injected with it, is an intruder, and must be taken down or driven away. The venom of Troglodytus is powerful, but it is not usually used to kill prey, more like a warning system against predators. Rimatergi is the only non-venomous uncatatergian, as their lateral proboscis are unsuited for the injection of venom. They can still release pheromones into the air, however, to attract other rimatergis to the region, for example, to mate. The lateral proboscis, however, are elongated strips of muscle, with bladed segments to cut the polyspeculates they feed on. They however have a fleshy end, like an elephant trunk, that can be used to grab stuff. These lateral proboscis can also be waved to inflict damage in threats. The central proboscis is large and trunk-like, to swallow and feed on the material the lateral proboscis cut through. The throat of the rimatergi is filled with grinding plates, properly prepared to munch on the polyspeculate matter. This is a characteristic that is common among every celestipleure, although these plates are usually very simple small plates in most members, only reaching such advanced and important proportions in Rimatergi. Aquatic rimatergis can also use the lateral proboscis as paddles to help move in the water, but most importantly, to move the surrounding sand, mud and photosynthetic biota that there exists, to better have a proper feeding proccess. Uncatapleura retains the venomous and pheromone-injecting lateral proboscis. All the proboscis are covered in simple armored segments, ending in a beak-like end. The venom injected by the right proboscis is specially powerful, as they require these to kill prey, while the left one injects the pheromones to detect the fleeing prey, after it was bitten with deadly venom. Celestiphymimus has three proboscis, feeding through all three. The proboscis are leaf-shaped. This dispeculate burrows itself under the ground and puts its proboscis outside, with the central one stretching outside of the head, and holding a position that makes it similar to a celestiphyte. Once a proper creature comes in close to nibble on the celestiphyte-shaped proboscis, the proboscis will grab the creature and drag it towards the head of the Celestiphymimus, which will feast. The central proboscis is retractable and feeds on the food, as much as the smaller lateral leaf-shaped ones, which are mostly there to help guide the food while under consumption, even though these also consume some food for themselves. Hoplatarx has only one proboscis, the central one, ending in two hard tips, like a small beak. This proboscis is retractable and is used to feast on polyspeculates. Semborafrigans feed through all the three proboscis, but none are retractable. Oreduorum has two lateral trunk-like proboscis, that end in two fleshy jaws, that feed extensively on polyspeculates, but it also has a central proboscis, but that one has been reduced to just a central orifice in between the two lateral trunk-like ones. This one is still capable of feeding, with Oreduorum driving the food to the central proboscis, from time to time, as it has a more direct connection with the throat grinding plates. Semborasaderia has three long thin proboscis, with each one providing food for the organism. The lateral ones have glove-like ends, with small follicles, to help with prehensility, grabbing prey for that result. The lateral ones can absorve some of the nutrients of the food, with the central proboscis, having a flatter end, can engulf larger pieces of food. Megalarboranguis have three proboscis linked to the stomach, with the middle one being extremelly short and attached to the head, showing off sharp toothy edges to bite, if give the chance, and the lateral proboscis being very huge and elongated, ending in trap-jaw like ends, filled with spur-like teeth. The lateral proboscis of Megalarboranguis (and otrananguians in general) are not retractable. The lateral proboscis of Megalarboranguis bite on unsuspecting prey, inflicting serious wounds. If the prey escapes, the teeth with trap some meat in it, for which the lateral proboscis will use for small consumption. If the prey does not escape, it will draw the prey closer to the central mouth and even use its front legs to take it down. Once the prey is subdued, the lateral proboscis will rip off larger chunks of flesh that can more confidently be swallowed by the central proboscis. Sabulianaxians have three proboscis, but they only feed through the central one, which is also the only one that is retractable. Their lateral proboscis are solely pheromone sensitive organs, to detect pheromones of others of their kind. Megalaboranguis also uses the lateral proboscis to sense the pheromones of others of its species too. Otranax are unique for having very big and fat lateral proboscis use only purpose is to detect pheromones and smell the surroundings. These are however still very sensitive and might be used for intraspecies interaction, during contact, as well as to manipulate food and sense any irregularities on the food and surfaces the mouth enters into contact with. The central proboscis of the otranax is retractable and the only one that feeds. The lateral ones sense the presence of food, while the central one feeds on it. Otranax also have very reduced hyoid jaws at the base of their head, which hold a small support area for the central proboscis when retracted. In Sabulia, this hyoid jaws have been unified into one elongated lower jaw, and associated with the rostrum, has created a tetrapod-like jaw. Sabulia has two teeth in its jaws, protruding from the tip of their rostrum, while the tip of the hyoid lower jaw, has a small beak. The central proboscis is held inside the closed tetrapod-like mouth, but it does come out when it is open, like a tongue, but ending in two fleshy jaws to grab unsuspecting prey. The lateral proboscis have been reduced to two small nubs in places reminiscent of tetrapod nostrils, used solely for pheromone detection and for smelling other compounds. Olfactory and hearing methods in celestipleures have taken interesting shapes in celestipleures. Celestipleures lack external ears, but most of what they use to detect their surroundings, outside of vision, is by using filaments to detect vibrations and even detect electric fields. The typical olfactory pits of basal ambulospeculids are maintained and retain a function. Uncatapleura has, for instance, very sensitive olfactory pits to smell prey both on water and on land, alongside muscles surrounding its body, allied to small hairs and two long protuberances at the end of their body, to detect electrical fields released by surrounding creatures. Dorsostomatans too, specially have large surfaces for olfactory pits, indicating an enlarged sense of smell. Most non-uncatapleuran uncatatergians evolve, during adulthood, olfactory antenna. These are powered by a olfactory pump that gives rise to fleshy or even articulated protuberances that work like antennas, denominated sniffers. In rimatergis, these are fleshy tentacled-like sniffers, but in thalassopodarids, these are small, articulated and hairy. Thalassopodarids are the only that retain these in very young stages, but young rimatergis still need to develop the sniffers before the grow into larger individuals, closer to maturity. Troglodytus are the only ones that don't have sniffers with any relevant size, but the pumps are present. Uncatapleurans lack these altogether, as a result of their neoteny-based evolution. Sabuliaeruendians, basally, have well developed olfactory pits, as evidenced by Celestiphymimus upward orienting olfactory pits, and Hoplatarx's extended sense of smell, to compensate for the latter's poor vision. Semborafrigans have relatively smaller extensions of their olfactory pits, but they can still sense their surroundings through smell, though to compensate, they also sense smell through their respiratory orifices, just like Hoplatarx. Meanwhile otrananguians have extremelly reduced olfactory pit areas, so they have to compensate their sense of smell, with scent sensitive lateral proboscis for the task. Hoplatarx also possesses a membrane to detect vibrations, to work as a ear, located right behind the head. Oreduorum has antennaes at the top of their head to detect what's happening in the surroundings. Ultimately Sabulia possesses a row of filaments on their back, that are also sensitive to vibrations. The eyes of celestipleures have taken various forms, but the most notable common characteristic is that, during embryonic development, celestipleures actually split their compound eyes in two, essentially having four eyes. The newly formed pair of eyes splits and migrates to the back of the head, but eventually disappears in most celestipleures, before these mature into adults, even though it is maintained in adulthood in some species like benthopods (Uncatapleura) and sabulianaxians. This extra pair of eyes are known as the parietal eyes, in reference to Earth's vertebrate's parietal eyes. All celestipleure eyes are still compound eyes, and retain, at least in general, a decent amount of vision, usually seeing at a good color spectrum. Young celestipleures generally have, however, a very weak vision, only gaining more advanced vision as they grow into adults. Dorsostomatans have migrated their eyes "downwards" in the head, so that they can point towards the sky, where food and predators are encountered. Thalassopodaridans and Troglodytus have simple compound eyes to detect their surroundings. Rimatergi have compound eyes arranged in a singe eye stalk, attached to a orbital joint. The eye stalk can bend forward to hide the eyes in a "nasal" notch, for protection. Uncatapleura retain various neotenic development features, and that is why they retain the parietal eyes, fully developed, yet neither of the eyes retains a decent set of vision and require, instead, to sense their surroundings through other means, like smell and electrorreception. Celestiphymimus have invested very well in eyesight, just like the otrananguians. Celestiphymimus relies a lot on its eyes, when hunting burried underground, with its eyes poking out of the ground to observe the approach of prey. In opposition to its relatives, oresaderians have a relatively more poor eyesight, with Oreduorum and Semborasaderia being exceptions, having well developed eyes to see the surroundings, specially if predators are around, the former also having sudopupils at their disposal too. Hoplatarx have smaller eyes and have a less accentuated eyesight, preferring to use smell and other senses to feel the surroundings, though they can see, albeit poorly, at a short distance. Otrananguians have good eyesight in comparison. Megalarboranguis has well developed large eyes, protected at the front, by huge half moon shaped flattened horns. These eyes can detect things even at low-light conditions, making them perfectly adapted for nocturnal hunting. Sabulianaxians also have well developed eyes, however, smaller and with the abbility of being protected by a protective layered eyelid. Sabulia has the most evolved eyelids, with more thicker and dual-layered eyelids, that protect the compound eyes from sand. These eyes also have sudopupils. Both Sabulia and Otranax retain the presence of simple parietal eyes, gathered into one unified very small orb behind their main compound eyes. These can only detect simple variations of shade and light, allowing them to detect some threats coming from above or behind. The internal anatomy of celestipleures is somewhat well understood. Aside from endoskeletal information, we know they have very muscular bodies, filled with spring-like muscles throughout their body lengths. They possess a small brain, for they are not very intelligent, but they display pretty smart behaviours, depending on the species and circumstance. They have strong muscles in their legs, to support weight, as well as elongated lungs and air sacs located above the spinal chord, while two digestive tracts, attached to two kidneys and two pancreas exist below the spinal chord. The reproductive system of most celestipleures is simple, and in some species, decently basal. Dorsostomatans, thalassopodarids, Troglodytus and Uncatapleura retain the basal ambulospeculid condition of external fertilization. However, rimatergi and sabuliaeruendians evolved, independently, internal fertilization. Rimatergi is unique for having a "sperm sponge", a type of penis-like sexual apparatus that is deflated and inflated depending on the purpose. It inflates as a sponge and is injected inside the male's cloaca, where the "plumbus" is located, a testicular inner mass where sperm is housed, and that's where the female's sperm sponge ends up gathering the male's sperm. The advanced lung system is connected by respiratory orifices, that take a myriad of arrangements across the clade. Dorsostomatans have slit-like respiratory orifices located in their belly, being pointed upwards for breathing. Thalassopodarids have a horizontal row of small respiratory orifices in their muscular tails, behind the fourth pair of legs. Aquatic thalasopodaris have the benefit of having bristles under the armor to trap air close to their spiracles, so that they can spend more time underwater. Troglodytes have two pairs of spiracles between the second and third pair of limbs and two more pairs behind the third pair. Uncatapleura have eight pairs of spiracles, arranged in two pairs between the 2nd and 3rd, 3rd and 4th, 4th and 5th, and 5th and 6th pair of limbs. Rimatergi have a pair of small spiracles for each segment. Celestiphymimus has three pairs of spiracles located between the head and the first pair of limbs, as well as two pairs of orifices positioned, respectively, above the second and third pair of limbs, all positioned more upwards, so that they are close to the surface to breath, when underground. Hoplatarx has every spiracles located in the neck, with a circular area filled with eight spiracles. Semborasaderia has four pairs of dot-like spiracles between the first and second pair of limbs, and three spiracles located close to the cloaca. Oreduorum, has lost the back spiracles and increased the size of the spiracles, into large vertical orifices, between the first and second pair of limbs, for more efficient breathing and oxygen consumption, as well as increased sense of smell. Megalarboranguis has a row of four spiracles just above the first and second pair of limbs, and a row of four spiracles between the third and fourth pair of limbs. Sabulianaxians have a row of four keyhole-shaped orifices running across the body. The keyhole orifices has two small holes inside them, the back one drives air in and the front one drives air out. These orifices are located above the first pair of limbs, between the second and third pair of limbs, between the third and fourth pair of limbs, and behind the fourth pair of limbs. Dorsostomatans and Troglodytes have amphibious young, that require to stick to the water to breath, before they reestructure their lungs as they grow, to breath atmospherical air. Thalassopodarids, rimatergis and sabuliaeruendians eventually evolved so that their young are born fully capable of breathing atmospherical air. Uncatapleurans, however, retain neotenic features, and their lungs are poorly developed for atmopherical air breathing even when adults, forcing these to breath underwater, certainly one of the only ambulospeculids known to do this. Uncatapleurans can still go to land, by filling their huge lung chambers with water to breath in. Celestipleures basally have eight limbs, like all major clades of dispeculates living nowadays. However, during their embryonic development, celestipleures (specially dorsostomatans and rimapleurans) retain genes relative to the multiplication of legs, often creating offsprings with more than eight legs. Eventually rimatergians were the only ones that managed to retain the abbility of multiplying and retaining this aberrant extra number of legs into adulthood. Dorsostomata has eight limbs that bend towards the back of the animal, so to allow it to walk with its upside down body. The first three pairs of limbs have spring-like muscles to allow for proper support, a response for a lack of ossification in their limbs. Similar muscular strategies have been adopted by most other celestipleures, specially the big species, which require strong limbs in the relative lack of ossification in their endoskeletons. The fourth pair of limbs of the dorsostomatans are more articulated and do not aid in movement, and are instead used as copulatory mating appendages. Thalassopodarids have eight small articulated limbs, which are used for simple locomotion purposes. Troglodytus is one of the few that has lost a pair of limbs, having lost the fourth pair of limbs, in favour of having just six needle-shaped limbs. As said previously, rimatergians have multiple pairs of limbs, as a result of neoteny and atavism proccesses that retained this multi-limbed characteristic for the following 280+ million years. Rimatergi actually grows new pairs of limbs over time. Rimatergis are born with five segments, apart from the head, each with five pairs of legs. New segments are born as they grow even past adulthood, with females specially growing way past sexual maturity. The current record holder of the most legs is 68 legs, a very old 20 meter long female with 35 segments. These hold the record of the dispeculates with the most legs as well. Rimatergi are unique for having evolved strongly ossified supports for their limbs, even more than sabuliaeruendians, whose limbs are more cartilaginous and supported by strong muscle fibers, with comparatively low ossification. Rimatergi retain the typical limb parts, the propodium, the epipodium, the metapodium, and the phalanx, all ossified for perfect support of their massive bodies. Smaller rimatergi species, like the gongwalkers, may have 12 pairs of legs ending in large air-trapping pads that keep the body floating over water, while four pairs of more articulated paddle-like legs, keep the base of the creature in place and help move it around in the shallow waters they inhabit. Uncatapleura, and all benthopods, have a fix number of legs that they develop from the embryonic stage to maturity. They have 12 pairs of very small stub-like clawed legs, that help them to move around the aquatic floors, like a subaquatic millipede. These legs have no significant ossification and are instead supported by exoskeletal supports, and cartilaginous articulations. Celestiphymimus has eight articulated cartilaginous limbs, bent properly to accomodate their body underground. The frontal pair of limbs is spade-like for digging and for grabbing prey. Hoplatarx has eight limbs, though the third and fourth pair of limbs has fused, creating a common column-like limb. The second pair of limbs takes the role of a frontal pair of walking limbs. The first pair of limbs is held above the ground, with spear-like ends for combat against predators and rivals, to dig and to take down tough vegetation, or even to hold its gigantic body stiff, in the ground, if any predator tries to topple this armored beast upside down. Semborafrigans only have six limbs, at their disposal, having lost their thid pair of limbs. Therefore they are hexapedal. Oreduorum has very long legs, perfected for fast pursual of a way out from predatory chases. Semborasaderia's first pair of limbs is shovel-like to dig this creature underground if needed, while the other two pairs of limbs stand in the ground for walking, with strong wide pads at the end. The six legs are tall, so to stand above the water, when walking in swamps. All otrananguians, however, have all eight limbs at their disposal. Megalarboranguis has two pairs of limbs at the front of their body, thin, yet equipped with sharp claws, to take down their prey, while the last two pairs of limbs are held further back in the body to support the rest of the body on the ground. The legs are not very long, so it is a very slow gigantic hunter, as a result. Otranax walk around with their fourth pair of legs always on the ground, and their first and second pair of limbs, always hanging above the ground. The first and second pair are small and atrophied, yet properly articulated to help it drag food or cling itself on it. The third pair of limbs may be held on the ground or above it, depending on the species. The predatory otranax holds it above the ground, ending in sharp scythe-like ends, to inflict deadly wounds on prey. The striding otranax, on the other hand, uses it to walk around, but it can lift itself supoorting on the back limbs, and allowing the third pair of limbs to hug the tall polyspeculates it procures for feeding. Sabulia has eight pairs of limbs, but only the frontal pair holds the creature on the ground, with the long tail making the support on its back. The frontal legs have huge feet, similar, at an extent, to kangaroos, to help the creature jump in the deserts it inhabits. The second and third pair of limbs are properly articulated and hold two small claws, but their main purpose is just to cling on to their mate, during sexual intercourse. The fourth pair of limbs are nothing more than vestigial fleshy nubs, however. As for external integument, celestipleures take the usage of external armor at varying and extraordinary extents. Dorsostomatans, due to their ancestry, have armored backs and relatively soft bellies, though because their bodies are arranged upside down, this brings them an apparent and weird disadvantage, yet they can still pull themselves off as non-failures, though that is likely why they have a limited geographical distribution nowadays. Thalassopodarids are interesting for having repurposed a armored segment of theirs to create wings. Young thalassopodarids are born with soft and very thin armored segments that are only attached by a very flexible muscular stem, which allows these to move around like insect wings. These young thalassopodarids can glide and some species can even fly, with certain limitations. When they grow to adults, these wings largely solidify into the hardened shell that thalassopodarids traditionally have on their backs, for protection. The only exception is the fairy corpsetaker, which retains the soft wings of the youngsters and is capable of using them to glide from tree to tree in their arboreal habitat. Thalassopodarids also have well constructed flexible tails, ending in hardened sharp tips, and some may even have abdominal spines of varying size, usage and flexibility. These abdominal spines, located at the base of their tail, are more useful to cling them to the ground so to lift the rest of the body, or even to inflict nasty wounds on prey. The giant river corpsetaker has a horizontally flattened tail for underwater propulsion. Troglodytus has a row of simple four segments across the body. The external armor is comparatively poor, but they incorporate their armor with minerals excreted from jewel flies and, with a special slime, the Troglodytes can cover themselves with the hardened slime, with jewel fly excretions, to make a double-layered protection on their bodies. Rimatergi segments have variable size, but each segment, during adulthood, tends to have protective outward-pointing spines, for protection against predators. Young rimatergis (just like all other rimapleurans) have a protective coat of poisonous bristles, that largely disappears when they reach adulthood, except in some species, where these are retained in some areas of the body. Uncatapleurans have 13 segments of armor, hardened, but with soft parts that promote the growth of aquatic sessile life, including microorganisms. These give interesting colorful patterns in the Uncatapleurans, which promote camouflage, though these can create infection very fast, if damaged. Celestiphymimus has armored backs, with six segments, protecting their body from predators. Hoplatarx is heavily armored, with reinforced armor spread throughout most of its body, to make it almost or more armored than Earth's extinct ankylosaurs and glyptodonts. The tail, however, is generally not that armored, only with large lateral spikes to be adorned and ending in a club, with two deadly spikes. The lack of intense segmented armor in the tail allows for more flexibility, entailing (no pun intended) a major blow in the receiving end. Semborafrigans retain segmented armor on their back. Oreduorum has less armor, so to allow for reduced weight while running fastly in the plains. Semborasaderia has very wide armored segments, however, as it does not procure prey through cursorial chases, but rather through ambush, so a little bit of weight won't cause harm. Semborasaderia's armor drives moss-like substances to grow and camouflage the creature when this surface is the only surface visible by this predator. The tail has a color changing membrane that distracts prey, allowing them to not see the attack of the Semborasaderia. Megalarboranguis are one of the few celestipleures that lack proper armory, and instead have a largely soft body, as a response to their massive size. Though they do have spade-shaped spikes at the front, with the largest being located at the front of their eyes, to protect them, and three pairs of these are smaller and sharper, protecting the neck area. Otranax and Sabulia, however, retain their beloved armor. Otranax has armor across most of its body, while still remaining properly articulated for proper locomotion. Sabulia has more soft tissue across its body, though it retains abundant segments on their back for protection. They also have horns and brows for display and for protection. How the endoskeleton of celestipleures is manifested is also strikingly variable. They have at their disposal a skull, at every time, though the skull is only ossified in some species, like Rimatergi and thalassopodarids, for instance. Dorsostomatans have highly derived their simple endoskeleton to develop, from scratch, a complex cartilaginous backbone and ribcage. The skull of dorsostomatans also have a cephalostoma, a spiral-like cavity for them to house their proboscis. Thalassopodarids, Troglodytus, benthopods and sabuliaeruendians, however, lack ribcages and a proper back bone, behind the simple pseudo-vertebrae created by extensions of their own already existent dorsal armored plates. Therefore these rely on supporting most of their body in rigid muscles, external armor or semi-ossified limbs, depending on the species, deriving directly, from the basal ambulospeculid endoskeletal bauplan. Rimatergis, however, have managed to be the only celestipleures to confidently develop an ossified endoskeletal complex structure, composed of complex of a rib-like backbone, where loads of air sacs and their lungs, are housed and protected. The belly, however, is not protected by any ribs or dermal bones. Rimatergi also possess proper stiffened girdles for all of their limbs, as well.

Celestipleures have ranged in size at drastic different levels. Sabulia is among the smallest, reaching 20-30 cm in length. Troglodytus reaches lengths of a meter. Semborasaderia measures 1,7 meters in length. Uncatapleurans range from 1,7 to 3 meters in length. Otranax range from 3 to 5,5 meters in length, and from 3 to 4 meters in height. Thalassopodarids range from just 50 cm in length, to some jaw-dropping 10 meters. Hoplatarx also reached 10 meters in length, and reaching 3 meters in height as well. The titanic Megalaboranguis can reach a normal length of 12 meters, with the largest recorded specimen reaching 17,5 meters long and 3,5 meters wide. Rimatergi's diversity demonstrates sizes ranging from just 50 cm in length to titanic lengths of up to 20 meters.

## Distribution and habitat

   Celestipleures are exceptionally ancient, so when they originated, the globe was still under the rule of a unified supercontinent. All major groups of modern thalassopodaridans have diverged and originated before the supercontinent split in two, which granted these worldwide distribution, but the times changed and climatic and faunal turnovers restricted these into more manageable distributions. The unique dorsostomatans are only found in Virtu's temperate and subpolar regions, as a result of competition in other localities. Thalassopodarids are the only ones that got decently successful and diverse among these, being found all across Media Insula, in several types of habitats. Troglodytes is also found solely on Media Insula. Rimatergis are the only celestipleures located in Auth, but given their unique bauplan and survival tactics, they actually proliferate in this isolated continent, despite their extinction in other places. Uncatapleurans are part of the aquatic benthopod group that was once abundant in the world's oceans, but are now only represented by at least two species of the *Uncatapleura* genus, now only found in the oceanic and freshwater courses of eastern Occidentis and Archa, the only celestipleures found in this region as well. Sabuliaeruendians, however, originated in the eastern part of the supercontinent, when it split up. This explains how Celestiphymimus, the basalmost member of this group, is only found in Media Insula's swamy areas. Between 250 and 225 million years ago, Ang split from Cheru and started to move north dragging some lineages towards Terra Septentrionis, such as the ancestors of oresaderians and the ancestors of sabulianaxians. Ancient native Cheru celestipleure lineages stayed behind and were stuck in this region of the globe, subsequently, like Megalaboranguis ancestors. Eventually Micha and Archa formed from a sinking and splitting microcontinent derived from Cheru, storing the last representatives of this ancient lineage in the isolated main island of Micha, where Megalarboranguis now inhabits as apex predator. As Ang collided to Domini, the native celestipleuran fauna of Terra Septentrionis was fomed, once this continent became isolated 175 million years ago. Now it stores the otranax, in southern Terra Septentrionis, and the oresaderians, like Hoplatarx, the tundra and cold plain dwelling Oreduorum, and the swamp-dwelling Semborasaderia. Before Terra Septentrionis split, otrananguians have made their way to Octen (Occidentis+ Tenebris) and eventually rafted back to Cheru, 175-150 million years ago, leading to the formation of the modern Sabulia. Sabulia is a small desert leaper, and a remnant of an ancient lineage related to the Septentrionian otranax.

## Diet

Celestipleures take a very wide diversity of dietary habits, ranging from the extreme spectres of herbivory to the ones of carnivory. Dorsostomatans are mostly herbivorous celestipleures, though some species explore carnivory. Its their herbivorous lifestyles that actually promoted the dorsostomatans to evolve their upside-down posture, so that the proboscis could reach polyspeculate fronds without bending downwards and then upwards again, due to the structure of the head. Thalassopodarids are fierce and insidious carnivores. They are ambush predators, using their tail to support themselves, while hiding, undergound, in foliage or under the water, and then leaping towards the victim, using the venom, the jaws, the paws and even the caudal spines to inflict dangerous wounds to subdue the prey. This insidious hunting technique is also important for when they want to temporarily parasitize prey for reproduction purposes. Troglodytus feed through a central proboscis with some teeth and a suction hole, to engulf their favourite small preys, such as jewel flies. As they consume these, they may also store this food and regurgitate it afterwards to feed other members of their colony. Rimatergi are obliguate herbivorous, however, using their lateral proboscis, filled with sharp plates, to mow plains of polyspeculates and feed on the photosynthetic remains with its central proboscis. Gongwalkers, however, feed on aquatic vegetation that may grow rampantly in the absence of these, being used to control the population of these aquatic polyspeculates, retaining the shallow water ecosystems healthy. Although, ancestrally, benthopods were bottom feeding detritivores, Uncatapleura eventually evolved to become active predators. Sea-dwelling species usually move around by undulating their body up and down, but they tend to prefer walking on the sea floor, and hiding under the sediment, waiting for an unfortunate prey to pass by, so it can ambush. Riverine species, have the abbility of being larger and even explore terrestrial locomotion for a while. These species use electro-receptive sensations to detect the surroundings, across the muddy rivers, and are capable of smelling prey outside of the water, waiting for unfortunate creatures, drinking in the river shores, to be dumb enough to fall in their hunting grounds. Uncatapleura, in this case, will jump like a crocodile or a anaconda and inflict a powerfully venomous bite, and wait for the creature to succumb, for which the Uncatapleura will follow its tracks, through its properly advanced olfactory system. Celestiphymimus are carnivores. They also are ambush predators, hiding under the ground, with only their back, their spiracles, their eyes and their olfactory pits exposed, plus the frontal arms, ready to pounce any unsuspecting prey, as well as the most important hunting organ of all... the celestiphyte-shaped central proboscis. This proboscis will be held up in the air like a celestiphyte and not be detected by any unsuspecting small bypasser, and if it appears too close, it will eventually see its fate when its caught by the proboscis, and dragged towards the creature, with its mouth ready to consume, and its front limbs ready to restrain. Hoplatarx are heavily herbivorous dispeculates. They feed on a wide variety of polyspeculates, using their small central proboscis to graze, and being capable of taking down hardy and wide vegetation with their spear-shaped forelimbs to consume the polyspeculate "flesh". Oreduorum are herbivores too, but they have a special preference for sessile and semi-sessile sidobosians on their diet. This allows them to grow and proliferate in unisson with these polyspeculates that grow in their tundra-like environment, grazing in the available plains. Semborasaderia is a carnivore. It uses its camouflaging back and shovel-like front legs to dig itself in swampy soil, only exposing its back and tail outwards. The moss-looking back helps it camouflage, while the tail exhibits color changing patterns that attract and or distract prey, allowing for the Semborasaderia to position its proboscis towards the attack. The elongated proboscis of the Semborasaderia engulf and trap the prey, allowing the creature to feed itself. Megalaboranguis is one of the apex predators of the largest island of Micha... certainly the largest terrestrial one at least. These are nocturnal forest-dwelling hunters, camouflaging and hunting creatures through ambush. They will first attack with their lateral proboscis filled with spur-like teeth. If the prey escapes too early, at least the spur-like teeth with trap some meat that can be repurposed by these proboscis for small food. If the prey does not escape, it will be dragged towards the central proboscis, often using the frontal legs to restrain and maybe even disembowl the victim, with the sharp-edged central proboscis playing an effect in the disembowling proccess as well. Ultimately, the product will be a gruesome one. Megalarboranguis may even prove themselves as cannibals, if given the chance. Otranax have differing dietary habits, with the predatory otranax being a carnivore. This is a large creature exceeding 5,5 meters in length, and being a bipedal predator of the southern portion of the continent, using its claws to create strong damage in prey, and once killed or incapacitated, procceed to consume the flesh with its huge central proboscis. It is one of the few carnivorous celestipleures that does not solely engage in active ambush hunting. The striding otranax, however, prefers to feed on juices and nectar delivered by polyspeculates, using its central proboscis that extends a thin tongue to trap the liquids it so procures for its diet. Needless to say, striding otranax have to feed themselves with a lot of these juices to stay active during the day, and so they are important parts of their micro-ecosystem. Sabulia is an ambush hunter, hiding under the sand, only with its electro-sensitive back hairs exposed, and may or may not have its eyes exposed over the sand as well. When it senses the presence of a suitable prey nearby, it will bust its head out of the sand and munch the prey with its central proboscis, eventually consuming it.

## Behaviour and sociality

Celestipleures are super variable in terms of lifestyle and sociality. Dorsostomatans are solitary, only gathering for mating purposes. Same for thalassopodarids. Troglodytus is however, very social. Males live in small colonies dominated by usually one female, who mates with them. These males work together to subsist and feed the colony, having a stratificated set of defenses in case they are caught by predators. In occasion, males set out to find new colonies to avoid interbreeding. When threatened, they inject potent venom from their right proboscis, and they also have powerful sulfur glands that are activated, specially when mating, as it is the moment where these are the most vulnerable. Troglodytus also hunt creatures called jewel flies, that resemble bright jewels that these dispeculates use to incorporate into their body, as useful ornaments. Rimatergi are also pretty social, but unlike Troglodytes, they lack any form of social hierarchy. Giant rimatergis live properly alone, but they have tendency to gather in groups to sleep, forming a circle in their resting positions. Older individuals tend to sleep curved forming around half of the outer circumference of the sleeping circle, exposing its outer spikes, while the younger and smaller rimatergis sleep in the center. Once they are done sleeping, the Rimatergi part ways to go wander on their own. Gongwalkers, smaller rimatergis, however, have the tendency in gathering in large herds of 40 individuals, with no hierarchy whatsoever. There is safety in numbers. Rimatergi have, at their disposal, a coat of poisonous bristles that they tend to develop once they become juveniles, where they are no longer looked for their mother, to defend themselves from predators, though some species retain toxins, sometimes in the form of these very bristles, to remain impervious to most predatory attacks. Uncatapleura are, however, solitary ambulospeculids. They spend all of their time underwater, with the exception of a few species that are capable of holding their breath outside of the water, to pursue terrestrial prey if necessary. Celestiphymimus is a solitary creature, without forming any form of social bonds. Similarly, Megalarboranguis is a solitary creature. Otranax and Sabulia also procure solitary lifestyles, except during mating season, where they form a mating bond for life. Although the mentioned sabuliaeruendians tend to pursue a solitary lifestyle, the oresaderians are certainly the most social. All oresaderians have males that live solitarily, while females compose themselves of small herds. For example Hoplatarx live in herds of around 2 to 3 adult females, and whatever youngsters they may have. Oreduorum and Semborasaderia groups are generally slightly larger. Oreduorum use the herd life for their benefit to spot predatory activity at a wider range. Semborasaderia live in groups, with no hierarchy, ambushing in large common areas pretty often. Females are less vivid, in terms of color, than the males, which implies more possibilities of ambush, when many Semborasaderias are gathered together. Semborasaderia and Oreduorum may also hibernate during the winter, so to preserve energy in the times where there's little resources.

## Reproduction

Celestipleures, because they display a myriad of both basal features and derived ones, are variable in their reproductive tactics. Most celestipleures are oviparous. Basally, they lay eggs on water and fertilize their eggs externally. Dorsostomatans are unique because their posture puts their reproduction in a thread. Therefore, males have spade-like back limbs to transfer sperm to the female. The female will then transfer the sperm to her newly laid eggs and fertilize the eggs herself, which were laid in the water. The dorsostomatans don't take care of their young, and the larvae hatch. These look like small versions of their adult counterparts, but with shorter bodies and shorter more stubby legs. They move on the water floor until they grow to a proper age that allows them to leave water and start walking on land. Thalassopodarids, despite being more basal than other water-laying oviparous celestipleures, have evolved, independently, the abbility of laying their eggs outside of the water, which can work as a restriction at times too. Males and females gather around to mate in unique ways. The female, during the mating season, releases specific pheromones. In a good portion of species, the male will latch onto prey and inject compounds that guide the prey towards the source of the female pheromones. This technique allows the male to gain a faster transportation towards the female, and also provide a final meal to both attract the female and lay their eggs on. Some species don't release these compounds, and instead just go towards the female and engage in mating. However, female thalassopodarids lay their eggs on the outside to be fertilized by the male. Then the female transports the fertilized eggs towards the nesting destination, which includes prey brought by the male or, in the case of the fairy corpsetaker, a parasitic host. The eggs hatch out with fully air-breathing larvae. These have soft armor that works as insect wings, that they use to glide and/or fly even. They live around two years in this larval flying state, and then they cocoon themselves in a pupa stage, after they have grown too big to glide, for around a year. The pupa stage occurs underground, where they will conserve energy at their maximum to grow to more mature stages. Adult lifespan averages 10 years. Troglodytus is unique among thalassopodaridans for being able to create chirping sounds, produced by their valve-like frontal proboscis. The female creates a chirping sound during mating season to attract the males of her colony to mate with her, and the males equally respond. Although some males leave the colony to avoid inbreeding, as well newly born females, the males of the colony engage in a communal mating session with the female. The males release their sperm on top of exposed unfertilized eggs that the female has. During mating, the Troglodytus releases thick black corrosive and toxic compounds, composed with sulphur, to make them impervious to any predators that might want to eat them in this delicate and vulnerable mating proccess. The eggs will be fertilized and laid in a local water puddle. Once the young hatch they will spend a while as underwater larvae, and once they grow to become air-breathing more mature forms, they will part ways. Siblings make sure they will stay solitary and stay away from each other, to avoid interbreeding once they grow into adults. During adulthood, they eventually procure a life with other Troglodytus forming their unique colonies. Rimatergi are unique among thalassopodaridans for engaging in internal fertilization and, most importantly, viviparity, making these the only viviparous celestipleures. This allows them to no longer live under the restrictions of laying their eggs on the water, and then promote their life to become giant terrestrial beasts. Rimatergi females liberate pheromones that the males detect during mating season. Once both sexes encounter, the mating will procceed. Rimatergi has a unique reproductive organ. The female has a sperm sponge that is basically a female equivalent of a penis, that is inserted inside the male's orifice that leads to the "plumbus": a testicular sac. The female's sperm sponge will gather the sperm and fertilize inside her in a type of placenta. The mating is made rear to rear. The female will eventually gestate her offspring. The largest species give birth to 40 cm long young, while the smallest species give birth to 1.6 cm long young. This is coherent with the adult to newborn proportions seen in other celestipleures, as oviparous celestipleures lay extremelly small eggs, which helped them achieve the small sizes and in some species the excusable lack of parental care, but cursed Rimatergi with a proportinately small placenta. Rimatergi give birth to around six young that will follow their mother for a year. They will feed on their mother's predigested leaks that come out of their respiratory orifices that have a dual connection between the respiratory system and the digestive system. When they grow independent they are 7.2% of the length of their mother (86 cm in the largest species and 3.5 cm for the smallest species), and they keep growing until they reach three years of age (1.8 meters in the largest species and 7.3 cm for the smallest species). At the start of that time, they start growing more and more segments and more limbs and start to get longer and longer, until they reach full width when they reach 12 meters, in the largest species, and 50 cm in the smallest species. While they grow into adulthood, they retain a coat of poisonous bristles, that they largely loose before becoming adults. In the meantime these will remain solitary, but won't say no to eventual gatherings with more mature members of their kind, for circumstancial protection. Gongwalkers, being the smallest rimatergis, have extremelly small young, but they spend nearly all of their time in the water, floating in the surface. Their viviparity comes in handy as they can't go on land to lay eggs. The babies hatch out, precocial, and float in the surface of the water with their mother, before growing to indpendence. Uncatapleura, being neotenic, retain several features of the basal celestipleure larval stage, including having to breath underwater, even as adults. Females will release pheromones to attract a male. Once a male arrives, the female will dig a depression in underwater silt and lay her eggs there, for which the male will procceed to fertilize. The young will be born capable of walking and swimming on the underwater floors, typically capable of breathing underwater fully, up until adulthood. All sabuliaeruendians lay eggs and engage in internal fertilization, something thet granted their ability of taking more beast-like forms and attain huge sizes. Their method of sexual display is attained through the male showing itself to the female. Usually the male has more prominent or more colorful legs and/or tail, showing these to the female to demonstrate attractiveness. Fights for mating rights are largely rare between these creatures, specially because males always live alone or in mating pairs, depending on the species. Celestiphymimus usually has cryptic colors to avoid detection, but males have strongly striped legs, while females have them in a dull pink color. The male shows off these legs to attract the female, and then they engage in mating. Unlike other celestipleures, sabuliaeruendians lay a few eggs on land, where the babies are born fully capable of air-breathing, and are largely precocial as a result. The eggs are soft-shelled, yet amniotic, perfect for a life on land. Celestiphymimus females guard the nest where the eggs have been laid, but once these hatch, she won't pursue parental care, and the young are free to live on their own. Oresaderians, the dominant celestipleures from Terra Septentrionis, are the only sabuliaeruendians to engage in parental care. Hoplatarx males live solitarily, but during mating season, they encounter a herd of females and procure a way to engage in mating display. Due to their poor sight, the male must get close enough to the female, showing off its large spear-like limbs and its huge club-like tail, to show that he supports the genes for intense protection against predators. The mating is made like that of traditional tetrapods, with the male on top of the female, like all sabuliaeruendians, even though that is a precarious position for the Hoplatarx to engage. Therefore the female must actually lift her enormous tail, so that the male can even position itself to engage in a proper mating position. Because of that, proper mating can last a long time in these ambulospeculids. Once the female has mated, she will lay one to two eggs that will hatch into 35 cm long hatchlings. These will grow and follow their mother until they reach four years old, at which time they are old and large enough to live on their own. Individual females won't mate after three years have passed since the last time they mated, due to them keeping all her efforts in protecting her young, though that interval might differ in case the offspring does not survive that long. Oreduorum engage in a similar mating lifestyle, with males going to female herds to mate, showing off their colorful legs to the female. The females will then lay a small amount of eggs that come out as extremelly small young that grow fast in order to be accompanied by the herd. Semborasaderia males are specially flashy, using their pink legs to attract females, and using their color-changing tail fin (usually used as a hunting tool) to attract females and show them this organ. After mating has occured, the female Semborasaderia will lay very small eggs that will hatch out as 5 to 6 cm long hatchlings, that grow fast in order to accompany their mother with more ease. The issue with protecting such small eggs is that they have to grow fast in order to not pressure the mother in abandoning them. Oresaderian egg incubation is much faster than any other celestipleure of a similar size. Otrananguians display a much slower egg incubation time, which forces the species of this clade to take different actions for their manageament. Megalarboranguis must be an extreme example. The mating display is simple. A male meets a female in mating season, showing off its bulk, and powerful legs. The female will then lay some eggs (the number of eggs in otrananguians is much bigger than that of oresaderians) and will take care of them. The eggs are laid in a chamber dug by the female, just like in all truly oviparous sabuliaeruendians. During egg guarding, the female will spend through long periods of fasting, not eating until the eggs hatch. In desperate occasions she may even eat some of the eggs. Once the young hatch, they are born precocial and with a length of 40 cm. They will run to the trees soon after coming out of the nest, for shelter against predators, sometimes including their own starving mother. A good portion of the young will likely die by sickness or predation, with a limited number reaching adulthood as a result. Otranax is unique among sabuliaeruendians for not laying eggs on the ground. Otranax are solitary throughout most of their lives until the moment they find a mate. A male will display its myriad of limbs to show to the female all of its perks. Once the mating display is successful, the male will mount the female and fertilize her. This will form a life-long mating bond, with the male and the female living side by side for as long as it can last. After the female gestates a clutch of eggs in her egg sac, she then proceeds to mount the male and transfer her eggs to the male's egg sac. The male will then keep the eggs gestating inside and eventually giving birth to them once they hatch. This marks the Otranax as the only ovoviviparous celestipleures. Unlike the oresaderians, which live in the same continent as the Otranax, they don't care for their young. The young are born precocial and fully capable of living on their own, growing into adulthood in eight years. Similar parental caring habits are engaged by their closest living relative, the Media Insulan Sabulia. The Sabulia also are solitary desert hoppers, until they find a mate. The male shows off its powerful frontal legs, hitting them on the floor, creating pleasant vibrations to the female. If seduced, the female will allow the male to mate. The male mounts her, using his last three pairs of limbs as awkward supports for the intercourse. The male and the female will simillarly form a life-long mating bond. The female, however, lays actual eggs on a chamber dug in the sand. The female will stick around the nest to protect her young, while the male procures food to keep her alive while in this relatively long guarding state. After a month of incubation (a similar time is achieved by other otrananguian eggs), the eggs hatch in fully precocial young. These won't follow their parents and will eventually live on their own. They will reach adulthood at eight years of age as well. Like all sabuliaeruendians, and in opposition to some other non-sabuliaeruendian celestipleures, the young retain the same number of armor plates than the adults (around 6-7 in the specific case of Sabulia), as these grow with the creature, with no new armor plates being formed.