Chelaeus

## Chelaeus altumis

Status: LC

Temporal Range: R.118 - Present (Novaglacian)

Habitat: Tropical Deep Ocean, Temperate Deep Ocean, Polar Deep Ocean

Distribution: Cosmopolitan, 1000 - 3000m

Niche: Benthic Filter-Feeder

Size: 2.5cm (length)

Nutritional Worth: (55/10 X 2.5 =) 13.8NP

Predecessor: Schedocavoura reevis

Classification: Schedocavourinae (sf), Squickidae (f), Tunicaphora (o), Cylindrea (c), Bilateria (p)

Perception: Can sense chemicals within 10s of metres and has blurry vision without depth perception above

Latest Mutations: Chelae

Info: Whereas Schedocavoura was rather inefficient at filtering for food because of their teeth, Chelaeus altumis has an extra pair of arms at the front that are emoployed as chelae - used to help moved food into the mouth. Therefore, it is a better feeder and has outcompeted its predecessor. It lives only on the ocean floor below 1000m.

Anatomy: The yellow, tubular body has a fleshy membrane running along the underside but a chitinous shield on the back. Three pairs of chitin-sheathed legs protrude from the side of the body and a fourth pair of shorter, thinner legs - chelae - exist at the front. It has a single pinhole eye with a lens, facing forwards. Chemoreceptors sit by the mouth with three gill slits at the back of the head and it has tiny teeth in its round mouth. Its mouth has a primitive gut leading straight to the anus. At the front of its nervous system, is a tiny brain. An open circulatory system bathes organs and muscles in hemacoel; this contains anti-freeze proteins to stop bodily fluids from freezing. It's back is supported by a notochord.

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

## Chelaeus articulus

Status: LC

Temporal Range: R.127 - Present (Untrustolithic)

Habitat: Lower Ocean

Distribution: Cosmopolitan

Niche: Benthic Filter-Feeder

Size: 2.5cm (length)

Nutritional Worth: (55/10 X 2.5 =) 13.8NP

Predecessor: Cheleaus altumis

Classification: Schedocavourinae (sf), Squickidae (f), Tunicaphora (o), Violymphia (c), Bilateria (p)

Perception: Can sense chemicals within 10s of metres and has blurry vision without depth perception above

Latest Mutations: Jointed Legs

Info: The exoskeleton covering the legs has become jointed, forming segments of exoskeleton that can bend and support the leg in different positions, rather than being awkwardly straight. This increases ease of movement.

Anatomy: The yellow, tubular body has a fleshy membrane running along the underside but a chitinous shield on the back. Three pairs of jointed, chitin-sheathed legs protrude from the side of the body and a fourth pair of shorter, thinner legs - chelae - exist at the front. It has a single pinhole eye with a lens, facing forwards. Chemoreceptors sit by the mouth with three gill slits at the back of the head and it has tiny teeth in its round mouth. Its mouth has a primitive gut leading straight to the anus. At the front of its nervous system, is a tiny brain. An open circulatory system bathes organs and muscles in hemacoel; this contains anti-freeze proteins to stop bodily fluids from freezing. It's back is supported by a notochord.

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

## Chelaeus chelaeus

Status: LC

Temporal Range: R.140 - Present (Gammavian Stage of the Atroxian)

Habitat: Lower Ocean, 1500 - 3000m

Distribution: Cosmopolitan

Niche: Benthic Filter-Feeder

Size: 3cm (length)

Nutritional Worth:

Predecessor: Chelaeus altumis

Classification: Schedocavourinae (sf), Squickidae (f), Tunicaphora (o), Violamata (c), Bilateria (p)

Perception: Can sense chemicals within 10s of metres and has blurry vision without depth perception above

Latest Mutations: Jointed Legs, Lose Teeth, Bigger

Info: This animal crawls across the abyssal plain at depths of between 1,500m and 3,000m. It has jointed legs, which have evolved for the second time in the Chelaeus genus, to ease its movement across the floor. A lack of teeth improve filtering ability.

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 yellow pigmentation covered almost completely by a partial smooth chitin exoskeleton on upper half and a ventral fleshy membrane. Underneath the exoskeleton is has a thin skin layer. A toothless mouth, chemoreceptors and a single forwards facing pinhole eye are on the head. Three pairs of jointed, chitin-sheathed legs protrude from the side of the body and a fourth pair of shorter, thinner legs - chelae - exist at the front.

Internal Features: Each cell contains lysozymes in addition to enzymes and osmolytes. Three gill slits sit each side of head. Muscles down each side of the body are attached to the body wall. The gastrointestinal tract from mouth has a stomach with digestive juices followed by intestines leading to the anus. The brain encased in the head connects to two nerve cords which branch into a network of nerves, with a notochord running alongside. It has male gonads and female gonads in their corresponding sexes. The hemacoel cavity, open circulatory system has violet blood containing hemerythrin and anti-freeze proteins. Protonephridia, connected to hemacoel, expels waste through pores.

Discoverer: StealthStyle

## Chelaeus edentulae

Status: LC

Temporal Range: R.140 - Present (Gammavian Stage of the Atroxian)

Habitat: Lower Ocean, 500 - 1500m

Distribution: Cosmopolitan

Niche: Benthic Filter-Feeder

Size: 2.5cm (length)

Nutritional Worth:

Predecessor: Chelaeus articulus

Classification: Schedocavourinae (sf), Squickidae (f), Tunicaphora (o), Violamata (c), Bilateria (p)

Perception: Can sense chemicals within 10s of metres and has blurry vision without depth perception above

Latest Mutations: Bigger

Info: This animal crawls across the ocean bottom at depths of between 500m and 1,500m. It has jointed legs to ease its movement across the floor. A lack of teeth improve filtering ability.

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 yellow pigmentation covered almost completely by a partial smooth chitin exoskeleton on upper half and a ventral fleshy membrane. Underneath the exoskeleton is has a thin skin layer. A toothless mouth, chemoreceptors and a single forwards facing pinhole eye are on the head. Three pairs of jointed, chitin-sheathed legs protrude from the side of the body and a fourth pair of shorter, thinner legs - chelae - exist at the front.

Internal Features: Each cell contains lysozymes in addition to enzymes and osmolytes. Three gill slits sit each side of head. Muscles down each side of the body are attached to the body wall. The gastrointestinal tract from mouth has a stomach with digestive juices followed by intestines leading to the anus. The brain encased in the head connects to two nerve cords which branch into a network of nerves, with a notochord running alongside. It has male gonads and female gonads in their corresponding sexes. The hemacoel cavity, open circulatory system has violet blood containing hemerythrin and anti-freeze proteins. Protonephridia, connected to hemacoel, expels waste through pores.

Discoverer: StealthStyle