The Adibass
The adibass is a massive bass fish that is hunted for food. Extremely rare and able to both swim & jump great heights, it is known for it's muscular body & flesh. It is related closely to the European seabass.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Elongated, covered in tough scales and are ray-finned (they have fins that are spiny with skin growing radially from these). They are almost identical to the standard seabass but slightly more bulky when young.
Genetics and Reproduction
Very closely related to the European seabass, these giants mate with others of their kind, and with other seabass as normal in breeding / spawning regions of the Atlantic & Mediterranian.
Growth Rate & Stages
The Abibass will grow over a stage from a spratt up till its final size after a decade of growth. Sometimes when food is plentiful it will continue to grow slowly reaching a size far larger than an average human.
Ecology and Habitats
Primarily seagoing it is not uncommon for the odd Adibass making it's way up rivers into large bodies of water such as deep river stretches & lakes. How this is done is not fully understood but it is thought that they can vary their saline tolerance allowing them to survive in such conditions. They are also able to survive in the Baltic Sea, the only known bass to be able to. Why is relatively unknown, though speculated that they build up enough muscle & salts in their bodies to stop themselves freezing. In every case, they prefer areas with large populations of smaller prey species & plenty of room. They fill the rank of a predator, and if no other such large predator is in their region, they take on the roll of apex predator.
Dietary Needs and Habits
A strong hunting predator, the Adibass will actively try to bite or swallow any other creature within range. Any animal will do, and even smaller shark species stay away from them. If a possible foodsource is spotted but not close enough, the Adibass will aggressively power forward before opening it's jaws to grab or swallow the potential prey. In a number of cases they have been seen jumping high out of the water to grab animals such as birds out of the air or from overhanging protrusions. They can be quite accurate while doing this, and even if they miss the victim may be stunned and knocked into the water at the same time. There are rare stories of them doing this to passing boats & ships.
Biological Cycle
The Adibass usually spends a year or two with shoals of European seabass travelling up & down western & southern Europe before growing larger and taking a position on the outskirts of the shoals. Ther they seem to be their own related shoal, acting almost as a defensive screen for their smaller kin.
Many of them will stay close to their smaller kin, but sometimes a few will migrate to the Baltic Sea to grow larger, and take to going into freshwater features instead. Why is anybody's guess, but they are known to be quite an aggresive fish, and will attempt to attack & eat anything smaller than themselves.
Behaviour
Aggressive eating machines is the best way to describe the Adibass. They have no complusion about trying to eact anything they can fit in their mouth. The only thing they are wary of is humanoids, unless it is a young fish. Many have learned over time humanoids have a tendency to fight back violently, in numbers while wearing armour. And in numbers too.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
When one is potted, the local communities of humanoids will try to hunt the Adibass for food, and can use the scales to augment armour.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
The Eastern Atlantic, Mediteranian, the Baltic Sea, and some European waterways.
Average Intelligence
Low, very low.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Large eyes are present able to pick up movement and shapes above & below waterlevel. They can pick up only a little 'smell' as such tasting more than actual smelling. They can typically feel temperatures, with lower temperatures forcing them to go south to the Mediterranian, South Atlantic, or into river mouths when it is cold enough.
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
Different worms found naturally in fish can be found in the Adibass too, and the tongue-eating louse Cymothoa exogua is another, though rare, parasite.
"Seen one once. It near bloody ate me!! Was dangling over the side of a bridge trying to fill a waterskin I'd forgot about. It jumped the height of the bridge easily and near knocked me in. Massive it eas. Thought it was some type of shark at first."
Bushtail, telling his usual tales & exploits at a tavern in Novgorod.
Scientific Name
Percomorpha
Origin/Ancestry
European
Lifespan
10+ years
Conservation Status
Extremely rare and thought that less than one hundred remain.
Average Physique
Muscular and flexible.
Geographic Distribution
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