Aziel/Biology

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Roaming the idyllic grasslands of Aziel are various species of mammals, some of which even being evolved to become semi-sentient, most commonly under a social hierarchy. While not as abundant as mammals, large avians are often seen soaring the skies, most often seen hunting aquatic creatures in the water below.

Aziel is often known for it's aquatic ecosystem of fauna, with apex predators like Irridalli seen sailing the tropical seas, or the majestic and highly intelligent Krayens are seen preying on smaller fish. The deep sea of Aziel is an unique environment, without any sunlight, life has evolved far differently that in the shallower areas. Bioluminescence is a common trait in these deep parts. Most life is gliding through the sea motionlessly, only moving when escaping or attacking, as energy is rare and precious at these depths.

The plant organisms on this world are made up of trees and flowers, with only a few dozen of grass species, even less bush species and almost no brush and fungi species. Although the grass species are few in number, they grow fast and cover wide areas. The trees and flowers cover a lot more though and because they use up most of the nutrients, other species like shrubs and fungi haven't been able to reach higher numbers.

The wonders seen on the surface are also seen underwater. A huge variety of corals and aquatic plants have made their home in the waters of this world, both living in harmony with each other, at least in most cases. Some species have developed into more aggressive forms, effectively trying to force their species wherever there's water for them. This has lead to the decline of some other species, but also to the rise of new, specialized predators.

## **Aquatic Mammal Fauna**

### **Irridalli: Overview**

The **Irridalli** are a successful species of large-sized mammalian apex predators stalking the upper levels of the seas of Aziel, that prefer to live in tropical waters. Irridalli are aggressive carnivorous beasts feared by many, and the biggest recorded species on Aziel that exclusively reside in shallower waters, and as such, this species has been designated leviathan class. Irridalli have been imported from Thetis to Aziel.

### **Irridalli: Physical**

Like many large creatures residing on Thetis, evolution has optimized their four-sided body plan into a sleek, secondarily bilaterally symmetrical shape able to move swiftly and efficiently through the ocean, with their a pair of frontal and posterior wings, covered in a fairly thick layer of translucent gelatinous matter. In addition, they have two minor fins on their rear side.

Irridalli possess two elongated jaws on the lower and upper mouth, with both of them being lethally barbed designed to swiftly kill it's prey. They also have an inner tentacle, that swiftly rolls around it's prey. A pair of eyes exist on Irridalli, with the ability to see more on the electromagnetic spectrum than an average Human.

### **Irridalli: Behavior**

Possessing some social intelligence, Irridalli travel in loose pods to locate swarms of suitable food, at which time they separate and attempt to drive the prey nearer the surface, thus rendering them easier to capture. Despite this initial co-operation, the actual hunt itself is performed independently of the other pod members, cooperation only resuming when prey needs to be driven towards the surface once again.

Irridalli typically swim at about 10 km an hour while they are feeding and traveling, but can accelerate to more than 25 km an hour for short bursts. They are among the loudest animals on Aziel, emitting a series of pulses, groans, and moans, and it is thought that in the right oceanographic conditions, sounds emitted by Irridalli can be heard by other Irridalli up to 2,500 km away. Scientists think they use these vocalizations to communicate and along with their excellent hearing, perhaps to sonar-navigate the dark ocean depths in which they sometimes plunge to, feasting off of various species of deep sea creatures.

While Irridalli are quite fast, many prey species are considerably faster and swimming speed is not their primary weapon: Moving in behind prey, the large eyes fix on a target and when in range two tentacles launch outwards as an elongated and lethally barbed lower jaw attempts to impale it. If the strike is successful, the tentacles rapidly coil around the doomed creature and draw it towards the mouth.

### **Irridalli: Reproduction**

Irridalli reach sexual maturity between the age of 15 and 20. They are dioecious and undergo sexual reproduction. Normally, they migrate near the equator to reproduce. Irridalli undergo a very elaborate mating ritual. The male and female spend time rolling around each other, then they take a deep dive into the ocean abyss as they continue to communicate with each other.

Irridalli reproduce via sexual meiosis. The male and female each produce haploid gametes. Male gametes are sperm, and the female gametes are eggs. A single sperm and egg fertilize to form a diploid zygote. They fertilize internally, meaning sperm is deposited inside the female.

Since Irridalli are placental mammals, the fetus develops inside of the mother in the uterus. The Irridalli fetus grows quickly at 2.50 cm per day after 3 months of gestation, and by the seventh month it stretches to 3.5 m in length. The calf is born tail first after a 12 month pregnancy, and it weighs 1,224 kg. Birth occurs primarily in the colder seasons. When born the calf immediately swims to the surface for oxygen. The mother watches over the young calf for a year, feeding it up to 90 kg of milk per day.

### **Salatrian: Overview**

**Salatrian** is an aquatic mammalian species native to the lush and temperate life-filled world of Kataria, but have been imported to Aziel. They are pretty much known for their bioluminescent and large appearance, making them one of the largest species of Aziel.

### **Salatrian: Physical**

The Salatrians are known for having a sleek body of two main fins, many minor fins and a lot of tentacles of around twenty five meters in size, and weighing seventy to one hundred forty kilograms in total, essentially making Salatrians the second biggest shallow-water species, rivaling the apex predators of Irridalli.

Salatrians are also noted for having a high amount of bioluminescent organs, mostly acting as glands dropping from their tentacles, however various other bioluminescent areas have been noted, especially on it's stomach, which itself is effectively 'cut' open, having a filter that is able to effectively filter various species of planktons out of the water into feeding tubes leading into it's internal digestive system. Salatrians have an abnormally smaller than average stomach, and are able to process food way faster than other species on it's homeworld.

Salatrians are able to see through their two pairs of large eyes, the reason for evolving so many eyes is likely to detect predatory organisms in their habitats. A large mouth also exists at the end of their head, but it is used for scaring off predatory species with a loud echo rather than consuming food.

### **Salatrian: Behavior**

Despite their large size, Salatrians are one of the most peaceful species on Aziel, gradually swimming at slow speeds in colder waters which they prefer, however some Salatrians prefer to glide in tropical waters. There are so many in fact, that an entire subspecies called "Tropical Salatrian" was categorized by marine biologists.

Salatrians are highly social, and oftentimes swim in groups of ten to twenty individuals, oftentimes related to each other in some way. However sometimes Salatrians are excluded from their group, leaving them to find a new group in which they are accepted to. Salatrians operate under a social hierachy, and the leader of the group is usually the alpha Salatrian.

The Salatrians are also exceedingly intelligent, even going as far as having a single shared language, called Salatrianese by many others composed of changing the hue of their bioluminescent organs, and rarely even color in times of distress. Most communication happens between the individuals of a group, while sometimes they emit loud echoes to communicate with other groups across the world.

### **Salatrian: Reproduction**

Between the ages of 15 and 20, most Salatrians attain sexual maturity. They are dioecious and reproduce sexually. To breed, they usually travel towards the poles. Salatrians have a complicated and not fully understood mating ceremony. The male and female spend time rolling around in circles, then take a deep dive into the ocean abyss while communicating with one another.

Sexual meiosis is used by Salatrians to reproduce. Hemiploid gametes are produced by both the male and female. Female gametes are eggs, while male gametes are sperm. A diploid zygote is formed when a single sperm and egg fertilize. Internal fertilization occurs when sperm is deposited within the female.

The fetus develops within the mother's uterus since Salatrians are placental animals. After three months of gestation, the Salatrian fetus grows at a fast rate, reaching a length of 5 meters by the seventh month. After a twelve month pregnancy, the newborn is delivered head first and weighs 1,224 kg. The newborn Salatrians swims to the surface for oxygen as soon as it is born. For over two years, the mother looks after the young calf, feeding it up to 120 kg of milk each day.

### **Birlen: Overview**

Birlen are a species of carnivorous marine mammals native to many freshwater lakes across the surface of Aziel. They are physically the largest freshwater species on Aziel. This has led to them being feared by many locals. Despite this initial fear, only two hundred specimen of this species have been discovered, indicating that this species may be near extinction.

### **Birlen: Physical**

Birlen have a large body of around fifteen meters in lenght on average, thought some specimen exceeding this initial length have been discovered. An example is a Birlen discovered residing in Lake Cormaige, that was thirty meters in size.

The average body plan of Birlen is fairly simple, consisting of a main body greatly resembling an average eel. This body makes up only around thirty five percent of the creatures total length. The neck itself is a large part of the body, taking up thirty percent of the total length of a Birlen. The tail of a Birlen is as a little bit shorter than it's neck, and is covered in a layer of translucent matter.

Birlen have two pairs of fins on either side of their long body, which allows the Birlen to catch up with even the fastest creatures on Aziel. Like their tail, the fins of Birlen are covered in a thin layer of translucent matter. These help the Birlen to increase speed in the waters. Strangely, the Birlen possess two pairs of insectoid limbs at the beginning of their long neck. They serve no purpose, and are very likely left over from when they needed them.

Birlen see through their single pair of eyes mounted on their face which resembles that of a fish. These allow the Birlen to see very far, and can very easily spot a fairly large creature moving at a great distance. These eyes are what made Birlen so effective predators. Birlen also possess five elongated and lethal teeth, seen extruding from their lower jaw. These teeth are able to penetrate through essentially all of the creatures that the Birlen can encounter.

### **Birlen: Behavior (WIP)**

Birlen are most of the time just regular peaceful mammals. Their many fins have optimized it's speed, allowing an average-sized Birlen to travel up to thirty two kilometers per hour. While rare occurrences, Birlen can greatly increase their speed, nearly doubling it for a short amount of time. These short bursts in speed are usually only used when in threat, or when the prey is too fast for the Birlen.

## **Aquatic Reptile Fauna**

### **Zefariet: Overview**

    Zefariets are a rare species of marine reptiles found dominating the shallow waters of Poseidon's Lair, swiftly attacking any species it sees. As such, they are considered one of the most dangerous species on Aziel. Thought, they are so rare it is considered exceptionally lucky to see one in it's natural habitat.

### **Zefariet: Physical**

Zefariets have a rather bulky and predatorial appearance, holding a very crustacean body and many large claws. Other appendages have been noted to aid in the development of locomotion underwater. The Zefareit also have large laws which appear to detach in order to take in a massive amount of prey. Other Zefariets are a lot more toned down and streamlined for aquatic travel, as evolution usually takes its course for them. Others have known to have their biological chemistry morph so severely that they are able to feed on unicellular organisms. This is accomplished through filter feeding of such organisms, though this is noted to be very rare through Zefariets.

The Zefariets also hold a notoriously tough skin and network of bones, which make them hard to kill. They also hold regenerative properties, which allow them to regrow limbs and other bodily sections.

Most Zefariets are characterized by their bioluminescent hues, which allow them to intimidate other lifeforms, or to see in certain abyssal situations. While it does take up a lot of energy, it is still easily accomplished. Other Zefariets have evolved to save their energy for other climates, attuning to them over millions of years.

### **Zefariet: Behavior**

Zefariets are extremely hostile, typically attacking smaller aquatic organisms. The Zefariets have also been noted to be very social, hunting in packs and having a small system of community. However, many Zefariets are known to go rogue, hunting by themselves. Others have known to cannibalize, but this is obscenely rare in terms of the Zefariets.

Zefariets, when not hunting, glide the shallower waters of Poseidon's Lair at speeds of around fifty kilometers per hour, however, can trigger short bursts of speed essentially doubling their speed for a limited amount of time.

Sometimes, Zefariets are found travelling to the deeper areas of Poseidon's Lair, especially when they can not find any prey in their primary area of habitation. Most of Zefariets meet their death in the deeper areas, as extremely dangerous species like the Segrine are more common there.

### **Zefariet: Reproduction (TBD)**

Zefariet have one of the strangest ways of reproducing known on Aziel. When reaching sexual maturity at around twenty to twenty five years of age. Male Zefariets give birth to tiny parasite-like organisms. Then on, these organisms glide in the waters until they find a suitable female. After a suitable female is located, the parasite-like organisms fuse with the body of the female, essentially using themselves to fertilize the eggs of a female.

When the eggs are fertilized around twenty times at average, the female moves to deeper waters and spawns. Typically female spawn around a thousand eggs in a year. These eggs have less than one percent chance of surviving. When an egg hatches, it has an equal chance to be either a female or a male.

Usually a newborn Zefariet moves to a tiny pack of other newborn Zefariets. This pack helps against the more dangerous predators of Poseidon's Lair and also helps them hunt. Usually a newborn Zefariet is around ten centimeters in length. However, when obtaining nutrients, it can fully mature in the short time of around a year.

## **Fish Fauna**

### **Sand Dart: Overview**

**Sand Dart** is a species of large marine fish exclusively residing in hot, sunny tropical waters native to the temperate world of Aziel. They make up an important part of the aquatic ecosystem, as they are the primary species controlling the population of aquatic crustaceans and such.

### **Sand Dart: Physical**

The body plan of an average Sand Dart is effective for gaining a high amount of speed, and escaping ferocious predators of the sea. Over half the body of an average Sand Dart is translucent, helping them hide near the seabed. Some translucent parts include their fins, and their lower body. Sand Darts have two pairs of fins, one translucent and one yellow, necessary for high-speed travel.

### **Sand Dart: Behavior**

Sand Darts slowly glide across the shallow tropical oceans in which they prefer to live, close to the seabed to avoid any contact with larger species like the Irridalli.

Sand Darts have a rich omnivorous diet, consisting of all sorts of aquatic crustaceans, while they can also consume aquatic flora, mostly in the form of kelp and seaweed. For a yet unknown reason, males typically tend to eat the plants while females eat the animals.

To escape from the predators, Sand Darts have evolved to learn to use their environment to their advantage, and often many Sand Darts are seen swiftly releasing an excessive amount of sand through their nostrils, to either distract nearby predators, or give themselves a slight boost in speed, but that rarely happens.

### **Sand Dart: Reproduction**

The female Sand Dart scatter their eggs in the water among the plants and then the males fertilize the eggs. This is called external fertilization because the male waits to fertilize the eggs until they are outside of the female's body. The eggs stick to whatever they fall on and begin to develop. A typical female may produce up to 300,000 eggs, while some individuals may produce one million eggs over the breeding season. Larger females can generally produce more eggs. Depending on the water temperature, eggs take three or four days to hatch.

## **Aquatic Invertebrate Fauna**

### **Crystalline Cloakmouth: Overview**

**Crystalline Cloakmouth** are a species of invertebrate predatory fauna inhabiting the lower depths of Aziel around the mesopelagic zone of the ocean. Sit and wait predation is an energy efficient way to hunt in the deep sea, and the Crystalline Crystalline Cloakmouth represents an extreme adaptation to this way of life.

### **Crystalline Cloakmouth: Physical**

Crystalline Cloakmouth are highly sexually dimorphic, with males being no more than tiny parasitic organisms, while females being the Crystalline Cloakmouths oftentimes seen. Below is the physical description of a female Crystalline Cloakmouth.

Their reduced, soft body hangs below the highly modified mouthparts, which are dominated by huge vertical jaws. Sharp semitransparent mandibles are poised ready to snap shut on any prey lured inwards by the bioluminescent tip of the tongue. Prey that comes too close is skewered by the mandibles and then enclosed by the heavily pigmented jaws. This prevents they preys' defensive bioluminescence being detected by larger foes.

The two huge lower eyes are oriented upwards and modified to detect the bioluminescence of prey, or their shadows' against the downwelling surface light. The horizontal jaws, thin and elongated, are spread to the sides and covered in a line of fluid filled spheres able to detect vibrations in the water, a system also present around the rim of the main jaws. The horizontal mandibles are shorter and more robust than the crystalline seizing jaws, and are hidden away until prey is captured, which they proceed to butcher and then pass downwards into the pharynx.

The upper eyestalks are highly elongated and the post-ocular sections bifurcated into sensors adapted to detect the sex pheromones of conspecifics. Currents are so slow and the environment so vast that highly sensitive antennae are needed to detect minute concentrations of chemicals in the water. The small eyes on these tentacles are still functional but of low resolution; they monitor the light from the surface world and allow the Crystalline Crystalline Cloakmouth to tell night from day.

### **Crystalline Cloakmouth: Behavior**

Crystalline Coalmouths are highly specialized predatorial species, oftentimes seen luring various deep sea species toward them through their bioluminescent organ. When prey gets too close, the Crystalline Cloakmouth ferociously closes it's jaw, leaving the prey to be trapped inside and digested alive.

Although ungainly, the Crystalline Crystalline Cloakmouth can move quickly in short bursts to escape predators. Defense consists of several stages: First, the jaws with their large surface area are clamped rapidly together, shooting the creature away in the opposite direction. At the same time, thin translucent threads are extruded from modified limbs near the tail to form a mesh in the fleeing animals' wake. Predators caught in this are tangled by the sticky threads, which bioluminescence on contact and thus render the predator visible to its own enemies. Proteins on the Crystalline Cloakmouths skin inhibit this reaction when it becomes entangled in its own threads. As a final defense, the Crystalline Crystalline Cloakmouth leaves the area using paired fins usually held tightly against its body, swimming slowly backwards to new hunting grounds.

### **Crystalline Cloakmouth: Reproduction**

Crystalling Cloakmouth have a rather interesting way of reproduction. Usually a Crystalline Cloakmouth achieves sexual maturity in around 25 years. Typically a female attracts a male through repeatedly blinking it's bioluminescent light. The tiny male then essentially fuses with the body of the female, fertilizing it's eggs, then being eaten by the female for nutrients. A female usually mates with five males before spawning around one thousand eggs, half of which have no potential to give birth to a Crystalline Cloakmouth. After around two days, the eggs hatch, and tiny Crystalline Cloakmouths come out. Usually most are males, while females are rarer.