Remapede
Basic Information
Anatomy
Remapedes got their extremely long body due to duplicate segmentation of the ancestral annelopod’s posterior segment, reaching a total length of 18 segments in adult specimens. Remapedes possess an exoskeleton of keratin, with particularly tough plating on the dorsal side. The underside and limbs are also covered in a thinner layer of exoskeleton, with the limbs featuring distinct joints to still allow a degree of movement.
The anterior-most compound eyes are situated laterally on either sides of the remapede’s head, while the much-reduced simple eyes of the second segment remain facing upwards. The head possesses a pair of thick and serrated mandibles, which are adapted for chewing on tough retinalphyte matter. Two pairs of short antennae branch from the base of the mandibles and extend downwards, with chemoreceptors located at the distal portions of each antennae.
To facilitate respiration on land, remapedes possess a pair of book lungs within each segment, with the openings of each book lung being situated on the posteroventral margin of the segment. The long body of the remapede houses an equally long digestive tract, which improves the efficiency of breaking down retinalphyte matter and extracting the nutrients. Remapedes also possess an open circulatory system with one heart-like pumping organ per segment, as well as a simple nervous system of a rudimentary brain at the head and two nerve cords trailing down the rest of the body.
Genetics and Reproduction
Though remapedes are sequential hermaphrodites, their male/female sex is genetically determined. The genetically female will remain anatomically female their entire lives, while the genetically male will initially emerge anatomically female before undergoing a sex transition at some point in its life. During mating, the male and female align themselves laterally next to each other, touching their cloacal openings together to transfer sperm to the female. Fertilized eggs are typically laid in clusters within dark and moist environments, with most locations being underneath some retinalphyte litter.
Growth Rate & Stages
Newly-hatched remapedes start off at 1cm in length and with only 4 segments in total, with the posteriormost segment being small and underdeveloped. A developing remapede must molt its exoskeleton to grow larger, which occurs roughly every 30 local days. Molting is achieved by fission between the dorsal half and ventral half of the old exoskeleton, allowing the two halves to be peeled away. Recently molted remapedes are soft-skinned and require some amount of time for the new exoskeleton to harden, with larger remapedes having longer periods of vulnerability. Successful molting results in a new posterior segment being added onto the body, along with an overall larger body size.
Remapedes reach full maturity once it has grown all 18 segments and reached 10cm in length, which takes around 2 local years of growth. Adult remapedes will continue to molt regularly and grow larger for the rest of their lives, but will not gain any additional segments in doing so. A genetically male remapede will undergo a female to male transition when it moults at around the age of 5 years. Remapedes are able to regenerate wounds and lost limbs over successive molts.
Ecology and Habitats
Remapedes inhabit the eastern regions of Kub Shay, acting as low-grazing herbivores. Larger adults are more prevalent on the surface, while the small and vulnerable young hide from predators among the ground litter. Though remapedes are terrestrial throughout their entire lives, they are still dependent on ambient humidity to maintain the function of their book lungs. As such, they are most commonly found in moist environments with lots of vegetation, such as the marshlands.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
The anterior pair of compound eyes grants mediocre vision abilities, while the posterior pair can only detect differences in light levels. Perception of surroundings depends more on the antennae, which are capable of tracking down a variety of pheromones from retinalphytes or other remapedes. The antennae function by tapping the chemoreceptor-lined tips onto the substrate and ‘tasting’ for pheromones. Small, invisible setae lining the whole body can also sense disturbances in air currents, potentially caused by movement of larger creatures.
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