Assorted Mutations

When people first arrived to Aqyerius, they not only made the decision to modify the land to their needs through the creation of a dome (which then expanded into domes), but they also chose to modify themselves through genetic mutations that would allow themselves to be more adaptable to the environment of the world they were colonizing. Since Aqyerius was identified to be an entirely aquatic world, most mutations developed were drawn from aquatic and semiaquatic creatures. This includes many fish, reptiles, amphibians, and some mammals. Now, genetic modifications and mutations have become commonplace, and many are merely aesthetic choices rather than choices born from utility. Here we will highlight some of the more common mutations that were born out of necessity.

Gills.

Gills were one of the first mutations developed for the initial colonists of Aqyerius after oxygen was found to be dissolved within the planet’s water. Rather than a replacement, gills were developed to be used in conjunction with lungs. When developing gills for people, the biggest concern was placement. While many designs were considered, the most common choice is to develop the gills on the neck or underneath the pectoral muscles.

Fins, Flippers, Tails.

One concern for an aquatic world is the range of motion a species would have underwater. To combat this issue, scientists developed a handful of rudimentary but useful mutations to allow more mobility underwater. The first came in the form of webbed feet, webbed hands, and flippers. Most commonly, feet are webbed given large amounts of webbing turning them into flippers. Meanwhile, hands are typically given much less webbing, as excessive webbing was proven to decrease dexterity in the extremities. Frequently fins are added onto the arms, elbows, legs, and back of many people to give them enhanced mobility in the water.
One less common but useful mutation is the addition of a tail. Tails similar to that of a beaver or platypus’s tail proved to give a significant boost in speed underwater, while sacrificing grace while moving on land. Other tail types that have proven useful include dolphin, whale, and shark tails. However, their overall bulky nature frequently deters people from taking them.
Eyes and Bioluminescence. In order to combat the darkness beneath the water, many options were considered, however the easiest ones to accomplish involved mutations in the eyes and mutations in the skin. Mutations in the eyes generally involve giving the individual a greater range of vision, reaching into the infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths. More importantly, eyes have been adapted to increase their night vision abilities. The other option to counterbalance the dark environment has been bioluminescence. In this case, people are given streaks along their body that glow a pale color of their choosing, though most scientists suggest white. This provides just enough light, along with adaptations to their eyes, to give people sufficient visibility in the depths of Aqyerius.