Rock Fruit

The water fruit is a primarily sessile filter feeder that lives from the epipelagic to the upper limits of the benthic zone. It burrows into the sand and can wiggle its rotund body to bury itself deeper if it senses danger. Here it is pictured at the highest part of its range off the west coast of Natash among a stand of Boseo magno that are themselves near the deepest part of their range. Note that this picture is a cutaway in order to show the submerged portion of the creature's anatomy. [creature design by Ding Dong]

Basic Information

Anatomy

Their body structure is quite basal, with their adaptations being almost entirely dedicated to a life spent buried in sediment. The skin of the rock fruit is very tough and partially mineralized. Due to the unjointed nature of the creature this mineralization cannot form a completely rigid shell, but it is still significant work to break through for any predator. The eyes are largely enveloped in flesh, and so are a bit atrophied, although their ability to focus is somewhat enhanced, and the muscles and nerves that surrounded the basal feather barrel have elongated giving the rock fruit some ability to move the eye stalks to focus on a specific threat, so this atrophy is more than compensated for. The feeding tendrils have developed long strands which secret a sticky substance that is used to trap prey which is then directed towards the mouth. The eye stalks also have similar filamentous structures, but they are sensory in purpose, rather than meant for feeding. The bottom tentacles are much reduced in size, but still function for assisting in burrowing into the substrate. The respirogential outlets are very high up on the organism to allow for them to function even if the animal is mostly buried in sediment. This has put some pressure on the simple hearts and so they have moved in medially towards the stomach.

Genetics and Reproduction

Rock fruit are true hermaphrodites with anisogamous gametes that are broadcast spawn once a year.

Growth Rate & Stages

The larval period is quite short, spent mainly consuming sand and other mineral sediment so that when they develop and become sessile they can develop of a thick heavily mineralized hide.

Ecology and Habitats

Rock fruit live from the epipelagic to the upper benthic zones west of Natash and borea, and south and south west of Yama.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Strands on the eye stalks function as simple pressure and current detectors. The eyes are worse at collecting light than in the ancestral form, but they are better at image forming and are more mobile, so overall the eye sight can be said to be slightly better in the rock fruit than in the ancestral feather barrel.

EXTINCT

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Featherbarrel

Scientific Name

Repanaya minisculus

Origin/Ancestry

Xenoradiata

Lifespan

5 local years

Average Height

3 cm

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

There are distinct color morphs for rock fruit, those who tend to live amoung stands of retinalphytes tend to be purplish, those who do not tend to either be green, or if they live in deeper waters maybe a translucent pink.