Montgolfier's Airshooter

Artwork

Weight:
30lbs

**Montgolfier's Airshooter** (*Achlyaves montgolfieri*) is an original species created and designed by TheAgent41. Montgolfier's Airshooter inhabits the *The Hole* universe, an original universe created by TheAgent41.

## Appearance and Anatomy

The airshooter is a medium-sized teal dipode with a small compact body. Its body is covered with a lightweight leathery hide with a color scheme employing countershading (the creature's back is the darkest in color and its underbelly is the lightest). Unlike its relatives, the bloodstriders, the airshooter does not possess an easily definable neckline. Like its cousin, however, the airshooter possesses a sharp proboscis-like snout, although it is much shorter. The same description can be applied to its tail. On either side of its head is a trio of nostril-like thermal organs capable of sensing body heat.

The airshooter is famous for its disproportionately long, digitigrade legs. The airshooter's feet are easily distinguished from those of other similar creatures by their extended toes, each of which ends in a small keratinous hoof.

The most notable anatomical feature of the airshooter is the pair of air pods that protrude from the creature's sides via short stalks. The pods are translucent, hollow, and balloon-like; they are also home to a species of symbiotic bacteria that lives exclusively in airshooter air pods. This bacteria is photosynthetic and converts sunlight into lighter-than-air, combustible gases at a very high rate. These air pods are elastic and expand to quadruple their normal volume. Each air pod has a small sphincter-like orifice on either end. At rest, these orifices are closed tightly to form an airtight seal, but they can be opened or closed independently to direct the flow of combustible gases during flight.

## Ecology

### Behavior and Intelligence

Airshooters are some of the only Achlysian lifeforms to have developed the ability to fly, but they do so in a manner that is unlike anything organism on Earth. By opening one of two siphons on each pod, the airshooter is capable of propelling itself forward or backward in the air by releasing these gases at high speeds. By making split-second decisions and changing which siphon is open on the fly, airshooters are capable of instantly redirecting the flow of the combustible gases held in their air pods at a moment's notice, making them very adept flyers despite their unconventional method of propulsion. They are highly maneuverable in mid-air and can change direction by using their long legs as a rudder for steering.

Airshooters live in small flocks of up to 10 individuals or so. The airshooter has formed an unlikely mutualistic relationship with a distant relative, the giant starfloat (*Asterinsula macrobracchium*). The giant starfloat's back is dominated by a large, concave, bowl-like depression, and the airshooters have adapted to using this as a nest. Essentially, airshooters have evolved to treat giant starfloats are living life rafts on which to raise their young. Through this relationship, the airshooters gain a permanent home that is constantly drifting to new waters with new feeding grounds and the giant starfloat gains access to its own personal grooming crew, as the airshooters will eat parasites from the starfloat's body.

Around humans, airshooters are skittish creatures like many Earth birds, taking off into the air via jet propulsion if approached. Against other flocks of airshooters, however, they are highly territorial and will aggressively defend their starfloat if another flock attempts to intrude on their home.

### Diet

Airshooters are carnivorous creatures and feed in a method similar but not identical to its cousins, the bloodstriders. Airshooters do not possess the bloodstrider's trademark spongops organ; instead, they suck up liquified prey directly through their proboscises like a female mosquito. When an airshooter has located and captured its prey, which usually consists of small pinnapodes and starfloat parasites, it will stab its victim with its proboscis and inject digestive juices into its body. These juices will convert its prey's muscle tissues and organs into a nutritious slurry, which it will then drink through its proboscis.

### Reproduction

Airshooters are monogamous and mate for life, something rarely seen in Achlysian wildlife. Like all Achlysian creatures, airshooters are non-asexual hermaphrodites, meaning they can't self-fertilize. During mating season, the entire flock will gather on their starfloat's back and engage in a large mass mating dance. This mating dance involves repeatedly bending their knees up and down in a rhythmic fashion while also releasing gases from both openings on each air pod. Airshooters will then attempt to mate with the individual whose dance they were most impressed by.

If multiple airshooters attempt to mate with the same individual, they will often challenge each other to aerial combat. In these battles, both potential suitors will fight each other by charging into each other in mid-air and attempting to knock each other into the water. These battles can last for several hours and will only end once one suitor either surrenders or is pushed into the water. The winner will mate with the individual of their choice. Each airshooter will use its proboscis to inject seminal fluid into the other's body, where it will swim through the bloodstream to the reproductive organs.

After a gestation period of four months or so, airshooters will give live birth to a single chick through a cloaca located underneath the tail. Newborns are unable to fly until the age of two.

## Trivia

* The scientific name *Achlyaves montgolfieri* loosely translates from Latin as "Montgolfier's Achlys bird." The name is a reference to Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier, a pair of brothers who are credited for inventing the hot air balloon.
* The airshooter was created to occupy the same ecological niche as a gull or other sea bird.

## Gallery

Artwork