Lava Darter
Basic Information
Anatomy
Lava darters are quite similar to their cousins from more temperate climes, but larger and possessing an extra set of wings. These additional wings are significantly larger than their others but do not move except to furl and unfurl, they are used to catch the super-heated air above the lava that makes up their environment, allowing them to conserve energy while remaining aloft and waiting to come across prey.
Genetics and Reproduction
Lava darters reproduce sexually and are oviparous, like most insects. Unlike most insects, females lay their eggs directly onto the backs of males, who carry them until they hatch.
Growth Rate & Stages
Newborn lava darters are only about an inch in length, with a two-inch wingspan on their maneuvering wings and a four inch wingspan on their heat-catching wings. They reach adulthood and sexual maturity at roughly ten times this size. The largest specimen on record reached two and a half feet in length, a five foot maneuvering wingspan and a ten foot heat-catching wingspan.
Ecology and Habitats
It has been confirmed through collectors, exotic pet enthusiasts, and alchemists that lava darters can survive in any environment with a large amount of lava, but to date the only wild population exists in the End and along the Channel within the Dust.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Lava darters are carnivorous, beginning their lives consuming entirely insects and branching out into larger life like small birds as they grow larger.
Biological Cycle
From the moment they hatch to the end of their life, most lava darters never touch the ground. They skip the nymph stage common to all their cousins and simply hatch as smaller versions of their adult stage. The remaining stages of their life cycle are simply to eat, grow, and reproduce.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Lava darters possess some of the most sophisticated eyes on Khthon, which is good because most of their other senses are underdeveloped as a consequence of their hyper-specialized environment. The one exception is a sort of pseudo-hearing and vibration sense that they use exclusively to seek out the wing vibrations of other members of their species which are modulated based on gender, and differentiate further during mating season.
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