Walapi Worm
Large worms that can tunnel through rock on Tebburus. Ironically, their primary prey, Suons, would be the cause of their extinction as their technology improved.
As suons always relied on weapons, typically ones that fire projectiles, walapi worms evolved to have a well armoured head capable of deflecting all small arms fire at the time.
The Walapi population was significantly smaller than the suon population at all times, the two being proportional. With the beginning of the Unification War, technology advanced significantly, increasing the populations of both species. With the industrial period, they increased faster but about half way through it they invented a device that causes a significant seismic disturbance - a very strong counter to these worms.
Due to their relatively high intelligence, they observed the movement patterns of their prey and used this knowledge to predict food locations. They could not predict their culture accurately, because they relied on seismic vibrations primarily for perception.
The worms are highly attracted to their pheromones, which they can sense even through solid rock and over large distances.
While they are extinct, their biology was figured out and they are theoretically possible to grow in the lab. A disturbing fact to many, but in reality, technology has advanced so much that even if Tebburus got a significant walapi population, it wouldn't be hard to wipe them out again.
At some point during the pre sapient times of the suon race, their popoulation started to run thin. This is the Desolation Crisis. For the survival of the Walapi, they were forced to evolve a highly efficient digestive system. A single suon body can sustain them for several days.
Basic Information
Genetics and Reproduction
They lay very large eggs underground, formed over multiple years (Tebburus years are about 1 tenth the length of an Earth year). As a result, their young start off large, at about 3 metres.
Growth Rate & Stages
Their young are too small to eat suons initially. They can eat other lifeforms more efficiently in this stage, or their parents regurgitate directly into their mouth.
After about 20 Tebburus years, they should grow large enough to fend for themselves. At this point, they become capable of reproduction and their bodies change to rely on souns for food.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Mainly Suons. They could eat species of similar sizes, but their bodies evolved mainly for suons.
They would surface near their prey, find its exact location with infrared, turn its head towards it, attack it, retreat underground and then swallow.
Walapi worm stomachs came in 2 seperate comaprtments, the first of which is to break apart prey using stomach plasma similar to that found in most Tebbrus lifeforms. After the prey is completely turned into paste, it is then passed onto the 2nd compartment where it is absorbed into the body. The 2nd compartment is larger as it requires more time to complete. In the 2nd component, food is constantly moved around by muscle in the compartment. Any waste matter is then forced through a tube using peristalsis to be excreted. A similar thing is found on the first component as well, in case it swallowed something the plasma could not destroy.
The first component is only slightly large enough to fit 1-2 suons.
Biological Cycle
During the Tebburus months of Starfall and Tiactus they go deep underground to hibernate. During other months, they are usually searching and hunting prey.
Additional Information
Average Intelligence
High intelligence. They are large and proportionally, their brains are large as well.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
They can feel seismic disturbances of their prey from underground. They also have echolocation abilities and infrared radiation detection from short range only. No other forms of perception.
The short range infrared was used to find the exact location of prey after it reaches the surface.
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