Limaka Cevalo

Limaka Cevalos are seahorse-like creature. They can occasionally be found in the cupboard and can also be purchased from the Genome Splicer. Cevalos were released on September 12, 2020. Lore-wise, Cevalos were discovered by Iris Evada in the Ovid Sea, as detailed in BULLETIN #79.

## Growth

### Capsule

"The ridges on this shimmering capsule seem to ripple and twist."

### Young

The descriptions for young Limaka Cevalos vary depending on their head shapes. The generic young description, found in Creature Notes, is as follows:

"This small juvenile feeds mainly on plankton or seaweed and is almost constantly eating if food is available. Its speed of development seems to be affected by the quality of its meals, with nutritionally dense foods encouraging almost unbelievable growth spurts. In a laboratory environment, it can be trained to accept hand-feeding, though researchers should be aware it may nibble gently on fingers."

The descriptions of each of the three head shape variants are below.

#### Young Seasnare (CC)

"Though delicate in appearance, this small juvenile is quite belligerent and prefers to be on its own. It has a strong preference for zooplankton over phytoplankton and eats almost constantly. Because it will bully other juveniles and fight for food, even if sufficient nutrition is available, caution is recommended when caring for it in a laboratory setting."

#### Young Searunner (Cc)

"This energetic juvenile is constantly exploring and never stays in one place for long. Although it prefers to socialize with its own kind, it is nonaggressive toward other species and will tolerate their presence if necessary. Playful and good-natured, it enjoys searching for food with other juvenile Limaka Cevalos and is always willing to share."

#### Young Gardener (cc)

"Small but sociable, this juvenile spends its time with whatever creatures will accept its presence. While it prefers to remain near the ocean floor—or housing unit base in a laboratory setting—its gregarious nature will sometimes lead it to follow others. When on its own, it gathers pebbles and other detritus, stacking them in piles and standing watch over the hoard."

### Adult

"A prevalent and diverse species of fish, Limaka Cevalos are found throughout the tropical and temperate oceans. Though their main source of food is phytoplankton or seaweed, these opportunistic grazers will consume any vegetation they can find, making them an ecological hazard if their population grows unchecked. During mating season, males will court females with offerings of food, grooming, and spending time with them. Pairs mate for life, and males carry the eggs in a pouch on their ventral side until the juveniles emerge. Both parents care for the young until they are old enough to survive on their own."

In addition to the generic Cevalo description, each variant has its own paragraph, shown below:

#### Seasnare (CC)

"Seasnares, the deep-sea subspecies of Limaka Cevalo, earn their nickname from the bioluminescent lures on their heads and the tips of their tails. These lures are used for hunting, which supplements their diet due to the scarcity of flora in the ocean depths, as well as to confuse predators and locate other Limaka Cevalos. Relatively solitary by nature, Seasnares rarely travel in groups of more than two or three and will often wander solo until they choose a mate. Females tend to be slightly larger than males, though both are rather aggressive toward other aquatic life."

#### Searunner (Cc)

"Named for their roaming nature, Searunners travel in tight-knit, extended family groups. Each herd has a matriarch that guides them between kelp forests, their preferred grazing grounds. As they travel, they eat what they can find and will share food sources with other herds. When intermingling with other families, courting may occur among unmated Searunners, and males will then join their mate’s herd. Every herd has an ancestral spawning ground that they return to once each year. While Searunners are fairly amiable, they tend to avoid other creatures and prefer to flee rather than fight."

#### Gardener (cc)

"Taking advantage of the bright and varied colorations of coral reefs, Gardeners dwell in shallow tropical waters. Their prehensile tails allow them to manipulate the world around them, and they can often be found building and maintaining their dens. Sociable by nature, it is not uncommon for Gardeners to bestow gifts upon not only their mates but also their neighbors. These offerings can range from smooth pebbles and bits of coral to food. Bonds forged by the exchange of gifts often encourage neighboring Gardeners to look out for one another as well as watch over each other’s dens."

## Variations

### Head Shape

Head shape and head color are one gene, in the format AABBCC.The chart above shows head color AABB.

### Head Color

In addition to affecting the head color, this gene impacts the tip of a Cevalos' tail, as well as their eye color and some of their accent colors.

### Fin Shape

Fin shape and fin color are one gene, in the format AABBCC.The chart above shows fin color AABB.

## Trivia

TFO uses Esperanto as a basis for creature names (although it's not always exact—accents are ignored and spellings occasionally shift). “Limaka Cevalo” means “Slug Horse.”