Azufern
Taxonomy
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Ancestors and Descendants
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Creator: Bufforpington
Habitat: East Gemstar Temperate Beach, Gemstar Temperate Rainforest
Size: 60 cm Tall
Diet: Parasite (Butcharak) (Larva) Photosynthesis, Carnivore (Palmarrow Gametophytes, Butcharak Nymphs), Scavenger (Adult)
Reproduction: Sexual, Gametes released during rainstorms, Egg-fruit
Like the palmarrow, the azufern has penetrated deeper inland, and into the rainforest. This is because they have changed their reproductive system to something similar to the palmarrow. However, instead of producing gametophytes, they will release their gametes onto the drenched beaches and rainforest floors. The sperm will swim up to a depressed region on the base of the azufern, where the eggs are located. Once fertilized, the egg will swell into a 'fruit' that contains the larva. However, with predators growing increasingly advanced, the larvae had to change once more. This is because these advanced predators can easily dispatch large quantities of these larvae, endangering the species. When ripe, the azuarrow's egg-fruit release a scent similar to a rotting corpse, attracting butcharaks to them. The butcharaks will then eat the fruit. While some larva are killed as the egg is eaten, some are ingested completely intact. They will then begin to eat the butcharak from the inside out, using its host to fuel its growth. Because they live within the moist body of their host, the larva can survive further inland than its ancestor. When its host dies, it will metamorphose into its adult form- starting at 10 cm tall. Like the palmarrow, their photosynthetic prokaryotes are fully integrated into their fronds. From there, they will subsist off of young palmarrow gametophytes, very small butcharak nymphs, and photosynthesis, consuming increasingly large gametophytes and nymphs as they grow. Like their ancestor, they will pull their tentacles into their mouth to protect their fronds from freezing during hibernation.