Armored Siltworm
Evo 3WormEats anythingUndergroundResilientShaped by 🦈 new predator
This segmented worm has evolved hardened, overlapping dorsal plates, offering protection against predation while retaining its ancestral moisture-retaining and dormancy capabilities.
Dorsal platingReduced metabolic rateDormancy capabilityChemosynthetic symbiontsEnhanced burrowing
- Size
- 24 cm
- Diet
- Chemosynthesis and detritus
- Habitat
- Subterranean fissures and arid soils
- Moves by
- Peristalsis and rapid burrowing
Why it evolved
The introduction of the Vent Bloomworm as a new predator necessitates enhanced defense. The Armored Siltworm develops a thickened, segmented dorsal plating, providing physical protection against being eaten. This adaptation is feasible in the slightly higher gravity of the Scarred Expanse, as increased mass is less of a constraint on locomotion, allowing for a more robust exoskeleton. A trade-off is increased energy expenditure for plate development and maintenance, and potentially slower surface movement if pursued.