Mer
As we sailed across the Paradine sea we had encountered many ocean creatures that swam near our boat: from whales, sharks, schools of fish and even Mer...
They only came when the moon was high in the sky and I think they knew when one of our own was about to perish from starvation. they even hoppoed out of the water and took one our cabin boys into the water and they ate him like a frenzy of pirhanas.
Basic Information
Anatomy
they are a humanoid looking fish but are not sapient in the slightest. they have two arms and their hands have sharp razor claws that pierce into flesh like a whaling spear and the claws on their thumbs however are more designed to gut their prey. they have large fins like a fish; in fact they have the top half of a man but the bottom half of a fish. their faces are like that of a really ugly Elfan if he was mixed with a reptile. they have gills on their necks and another pair in their ribcage region. their forearms have fins that are almost like sails and have barbs at the end that are highly venomous, eating away at the flesh.
Genetics and Reproduction
the females will lay eggs in nests made of seaweed and bones from their prey and dung. after the females lay their eggs, the males then inseminate them and after about an hour for the eggs to intake their insemination the males will swallow the eggs and direct them into a sack inside their necks and overtime the sack will grow bigger when the eggs grow bigger. after about a few months the eggs will begin to hatch; before this the male wil use one of his thumb claws to cut the sack open for the eggs to fall out onto a new nest the male would make during the incubation period. then once the eggs land onto the nest the male will go to find food for when the offspring hatch.
the neck of the males will begin to heal during a three to six month period and during this time their necks would resemble like a fish version of a rooster.
Ecology and Habitats
they prefer to live in kelp forests or coral regions underwater, but there are some that live in underwater caves.
Dietary Needs and Habits
They are purely carnivorous except females when they begin to produce eggs during mating season where they'll eat kelp and coral.
Additional Information
Social Structure
They hunt in large packs aka schools. females actually don't take any part in raising their young, but males however are involved with their offspring until they die. in many schools you'll see a elder partiarchal figure amongst Mer around dozens of mer that are presumed to be his offspring and descendants.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Mer claws are a good alternative for dragon's blood when mixed with moon jelly since the keratin in the claws are super rich and good for healing wounds when grounded up, mixed into the jelly and heated up into a paste.
Average Intelligence
Even though they may look humanoid in nature they are entirely feral and animalistic. only capable of hunting in packs and are said to be known to play with one another.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
they rely on echolocation or heat. they are said to be able to smell blood from many miles away and are one of the few species on Bi'terra that are immune poison.
Lifespan
They live from between 10-30 years old.
Average Weight
weigh around 600lbs-1 ton.
Average Length
they are from the top of the head to end of the dorsal fin anywhere from 7-16ft long.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
their scales can be a variety of colors but they are more commonly red and green with white or blue stripes.
Geographic Distribution
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