Formicirae pinnisphen

### Size

1 meter long (workers) / 3 meters long (soldiers) / 4 - 5 meters long (kings) / 5 - 6 meters (queens)

### Canonicity

Canon

Formicirae pinnisphen (named so due to their similarity with ants, rays, seals and penguins) or Antrays as the common name are a semi aquatic eusosocial dispeculates on Wallace II. They are descendants of Gomphiobia and are found on in coastal waters and shorelines of Wallace II. Antrays form large colonies on Wallace II’s sandy beaches where they raise their young and are often found hunting and foraging in ocean waters near these colonies.
3 main adult classes exist amongst antrays:
Workers, Soldiers and Royals (Kings, Queens and Alates)
Physical description
All antrays have pincer like jaws used for catching prey. The 2 outer proboscis like appendages on the head have evolved to be prehensile like used for grabbing antray eggs and larvae or food, while the middle proboscis has evolved to be shorter and has a sharp claw like end, used for piercing. The tail fin has been completely reduced in antrays. The fins of the antrays have become larger and is used instead of a tail to swim. The fins move similar to that of Earth’s penguins and are used to propel antrays forward in the water. The fins also help antrays move along sandy beaches in a similar fashion to Earth’s seals. The front fins of antrays have evolved to be arm like with a large claw at the end of each one, useful for food collection and moving on land. Armour plating is present on the back of antrays for added protection. Antrays have evolved to breathe in and out of water. Antrays do need access to water in order to moisten their respiration organs and is one of the reasons why they are restricted to water.
Worker antrays are about 1m in length and have long side proboscis and jaws to help handle eggs and larvae. Workers have social stomachs they use to bring back food to the colony and can regurgitate food from to feed other antrays.
Soldier antrays are abot 3m in length. They have shorter and more powerful jaws. Their middle claw like proboscis and their front fins is also stronger than workers. Soldiers have a smaller social stomach n ratio to their body size. Soldiers have large fins, which are used in hunting and foraging.
Royals have reduced jaws and a reduced middle proboscis and reduced fins. The queens can be up to 5-6m long while kings are 4-5m long. Alates (soon to be kings and queens) are specially selected soldiers and thus are similar in appearance to soldier before they become kings or queens.
Behaviour
Reproduction
In a colony of antrays only the queen may produce eggs. The queen is constantly fertilised by the king to make new eggs. The king and queen will reside on beaches where they have safety from any dangers in the ocean. Kings and queens will only voluntarily return to the sea if chased off the beach by another antray colony or a terrestrial disturbance. Workers take care of eggs laid by the queen. The eggs still require water and so are placed in waterlogged burrows on the beach. Workers did the burrows using their front fins and proboscis. The 2 outer proboscis are specialised to move eggs and larvae in and out of burrows. Once larvae have grown old enough they can leave the burrows and live on the sand where they are further guarded by soldiers and cared for by workers. Soldiers may take part in caring for offspring but they often play the role in guarding the colony by acting as surveillance and fighting off threats. Larvae depending on what their diet may become soldiers or workers.
Certain soldiers when fed a specialised diet can become reproductives (alates). These alates remain in the colony or may leave to the sea according to lunar cues. When a male and female alate from different colonies meet the may mate and find a beach to start a new colony. In an active colony if a king or queen dies an alate may grow to replace the deceased royal, similar to what termites do on Earth. This helps the colony to survive even after a king or queen dies.
Feeding
Like Eath's ants, antrays are not picky eaters. Antrays will scavenge any food that washes up on their beaches by the sea. Beachcast however is not enough to sustain a colony and antrays mainly forage in the sea for food.
When foraging antrays travel in the water in groups consisting of mainly workers and a few soldiers. Worker antrays will probe using their front fins in sand or rocks to find small organisms in hiding. Antrays can then catch small prey using their jaws or proboscis. Soldier antrays will shield over workers using their large fins as covers. Soldiers will chase away any predators that attacks foraging parties.
Antrays are also capable of coordinated hunting. When antrays hunt a group of small schooling fish like organisms soldiers will use their large fins to group the school into a bait ball close to the surface, traping them in the process (similar to what dolphins and sailfish do when hunting). The workers then will move into the bait ball and catch the prey.
When antrays encounter large prey (such as whale like organisms), soldiers will attack first using their strengthened jaws, front fins and proboscis to break through any armour and skin of the prey. Workers will then move in to areas the soldiers have damages and use their jaws and proboscis to eat from the wounded area. This can be painful for the prey as it can be eaten alive and be left either dead or severely wounded.
Workers in general acquire most of the food in foraging parties and is why they have a larger social stomach in ratio to their body. When done feeding antrays return to their beach to feed their colony and to rest.