Telmakerato

Telmakerato is the bulldozer of the underwater ecosystems. They are a keystone species and form their environment around them by digging through the soil and rooting up old plants making space for new sprouts to grow in their place. This keeps the formation of large monocultured forest from happening and keeps the ground level plants competing and in dynamic equilibrium. Pictured here, two Telmakerato root through the seafloor looking for bits of root to eat. [creature design by Kipzilla]

Basic Information

Anatomy

Telmakerato have an exoskeleton that has evolved to help it find its food sources, its main purpose is digging trenches through the sand. It fills this purpose perfectly due to its increased rigidity and heavier armour which allows it to dig through the most compact of soils. When its in its plowing mode it will angle its head down between 0 and 45 degrees and start walking slowly increasing its speed. The horn on Telmakerato’s head has first evolved to better dig through solid and compact soils, however due to its increased rigidity and neck strength it's also the main defense weapon against the many foes that prey in the waters above. The antenna has had an decrease in size, this has happened due to the many sharp and pointy objects that telmakerato can come across when digging which can puncture or harm the antenna.
The hump on the back of Telmakerato is used to store fat for short amounts of time. This can help the Telmakerato go between feeding grounds. The Telmakerato has a gas bladder that it can fill with digestion gasses to give extra buoyancy and stability making the Telmakerato able to carry its heavier back armor. This is made easier by the fact that the gut extends into the abdominal tagma, which is not typical of all paleotagmatans, who ancestrally have the gut restricted to the cephalon.

Genetics and Reproduction

Telmakerato has two sexes; male and female, they breed the same as similar species like magnospina because the females dump their slimy clutch of eggs in a sheltered bit of a dug trench and then the males come after and expel their gametes all over the slimy mass of the females, fertilizing the gametes. Then they will let that bit of the trench collapse and go on with their day. Males fight with other males for dominance and the right to mate.

Growth Rate & Stages

Young Telmakerato start their life as eggs, these will develop for about 14 local days before hatching and digging themselves out from the sediment. After they dig themselves out of the nest they will resemble their ancestor dyomisa but will slowly grow into the adult form of Telmakerato over the course of three local years. After two years Telmakerato are fertile and able to breed but only after three years will they stop growing.

Ecology and Habitats

Telmakerato lives everywhere in the ocean near the coast, except around nothern Arctica and Niylan. where there is a lot of loose substrate where it can easily dig through and where there are plants with roots and/or tubers in the ground which they can eat. If it's too cold or the ground is too hard they will either leave the area or die of starvation.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Telmakerato digs trenches to find food and shelter, they do this due to the fact that roots and tubers are one of the least eaten parts of plants but they are full of energy. Also digging slightly in the ground obscures them and protects them from predators.

EXTINCT

Genetic Ancestor(s)