Taxonomy
|
Ancestors and Descendants
|
Descended from Chasojawus. To capitalize off the sudden increase in carrion and carrion eaters, some Chasojawus have descended from a pelagic role to a more benthic one, swimming a few inches off the seafloor to search for food. They have revolutionized their primitive spike-jaw attachment into a much more effective system. They have developed a sturdy plate across their underside with a ridge in the middle to attach jaw muscles to. While this has reduced their bite force and opening speed notably, it has allowed for a different adaption to make up for it. Its spikes have become mobile and anchored to the plastron, using them to stir up mud and manipulate pieces of food and prey closer to its mouth, and can be pulled up against its body to make itself more streamlined if it needs to escape a predator. They are about nine to twelve centimeters, smaller than their ancestors to be less conspicuous to predator and prey alike.