Oxyskulus

## Oxyskulus petrincolus

**Info**

Status: NT

Temporal Range: R.150 - Present (Oliverian)

Habitat: Tropical Shallows, Tropical Upper Ocean

Distribution: Cosmopolitan

Niche: Benthic Filter-Feeder

Size: 7cm (length)

Nutritional Worth: (59.5/10 X 7 =) 41.7NP

Predecessor: Entaops tropicae

Classification: Oxyskulusinae (sf), Entaopsidae (f), Annelida (o), Critteroidea (sc), Bilateria (p)

Perception: Blurry vision with no depth perception on either side, binocular blurry vision to the front, can use chemoreception up to ten metres away.

Latest Mutations: Lose Hyponome, Acid, Sticky Pad

Info: Using an acid produced from its rear, this animal can tunnel it's way into rock and once it is buried up to its tentacles, it attaches itself to the back of the tunnel with a sticky pad on the rear.

Intelligence / Behaviour: Processes information and responds based on fixed behaviours. It knows to eat and avoid being harmed.

External Features: It has a cylindrical body with blue pigmentation and a proboscis. It also has a thin skin layer. There is a mouth surrounded by small tentacles and chemoreceptors on the proboscis. There are two pinhole eyes on the front of the head and one also on each side. A sticky pad is at the rear, as well as an acid gland.

Internal Features: Each cell contains lysozymes in addition to enzymes. Glands on the body secrete a paralysing toxin. Hydrostatic muscles surround the hemacoel. The gastrointestinal tract from mouth has a stomach with digestive juices followed by intestines leading to the anus. A brain encased in the head connects to two nerve cords which branch into a network of nerves. There is a swim bladder in the middle, not connected to gut. It hosts both male and female gonads. The hemacoel cavity, open circulatory system has blue blood containing hemocyanin, bitter fluid and anti-freeze proteins. Protonephridia, connected to hemacoel, expels waste through pores.

Discoverer: StealthStyle

**Stats**

Nutritional Worth: (9.8 x 7 =) 69NP

Food / Oxygen Requirement: 33NP / 62NP

Physical Stats: Speed = 1, Stamina = 1, Attack = 1, Defence = 1.5, Strength = 1, Support = 0.5, UV Resistance = Weak, Filtration = 2

Systemic Stats: Osmoregulation = 1 (Quite high, quite low Salinity), Respiration = 1 (cutaneous respiration), Digestion = 2 (meat), Circulation = 1, Excretion = 1, Coordination = 1, Reflexes = 1. Immune System = 1 (physical barrier)

Abilities: Permeable Skin. Below Freezing Metabolism. Fluid Freeze Prevention. Bitter Taste. Toxic.

Perception: Blurry sight. Detects chemicals up to tens of metres away.

Locomotion Type: Fluke Swimming. Hyponome Burst. Some Buoyancy Control (Must Keep Swimming To Maintain Depth).

Reproduction: Sexual, Ovuliparity (External Fertilisation). 1,000 eggs. Hermaphroditism.

Castes/Phases: None.

Intelligence / Behaviour: Processes information and responds based on fixed behaviours. It knows to eat and avoid being harmed.

External Features: Cylindrical body with blue pigmentation (3NP, +Weak UV Resistance), proboscis. Thin skin layer (3NP, +1 Immune System, +1 Respiration, +Permeable Skin). A mouth (+1 Filtration) surrounded by small tentacles (8NP, +1 Attack, +1 Filtration) and chemoreceptors (1NP, +2 Chemoreception) on proboscis. Two pinhole eyes (8NP, +Blurry Sight) on front of head, one also on each side. A rock-corroding acid (3NP) is produced from the rear, close to a sticky pad (3NP).

Internal Features: Each cell contains lysozymes (3NP, +Below Freezing Metabolism) in addition to enzymes. Glands secrete a paralysing toxin (12NP, +1 Defence, +Toxic). Hydrostatic muscles surround hemacoel (15NP, +1 Speed, +1 Strength, +1 Support). Gastrointestinal tract from mouth has stomach with digestive juices (4NP, +1 Digestion) followed by intestines (4NP, +1 Digestion) leading to exit. Brain (6NP, +1 Coordination) is encased in head connects to two nerve cords which branch into network of nerves (8NP, +1 Reflexes). Swim bladder (4NP, +Buoyancy Control) in middle, not connected to gut. Male and female gonads (6NP, +Sexual Reproduction, +Hermaphroditism) The hemacoel cavity, open circulatory system (+1 Stamina, +1 Circulation) has blue blood containing hemocyanin, bitter fluid (+0.5 Defence, +Bitter Taste) and anti-freeze proteins (3NP, +Fluid Freeze Prevention). Protonephridia (4NP, +1 Excretion, +1 Osmoregulation), connected to hemacoel, expels waste through pores.