Vangola

The vangola looks like a giant version of a clam. The vangola's ancestors lived within the seas, where they burrowed into soft sand rocks and were filter feeders. However, as happened to many other species during the Rip, they evolved rapidly. They are no longer living in the sea and are now actively looking for food.

They are also called rock eaters, but this is far from the truth. They are not eating rocks but crushing them to reach the ore and crystals. First, they break down smaller chunks of stones with their shells. Then they crumble it down to a powder with their strong muscled mouth. Their stomach filters out everything which is not mineral or crystal, leaving a fine dust trail that the Burrowers usually use to track these animals.

They are not squeamish eaters and don't know when to stop eating. Sometimes, a vangola finds a lode or a bigger deposit of crystals. During these feasts, the vangola eats everything, but it is just too much for their metabolism system. The vangola excretes a unique material within its body to save itself from overeating. This particular material is called the intal, an extraordinary mix of crystals and minerals. It can be harvested only from the body of a vangola.

Young vangola can domesticate, but it is a long and tedious process. The vangola lack a higher level of intelligence and mostly follow basic instincts. However, the tame ones are vital for the valturo because they use the vangola as draft animals and their shells to create their vehicles. Also, they are a food source for the valturo, but it is rare to eat a domesticated vangola.

There are cases when a vangola becomes very old, and their metabolism changes from eating minerals and crystals to eating meat. In these instances, the tide turns, and now they hunt for the valturo.

It is mind-blowing to see a clam inside a mountain

— Grilbrellu, calamor merchant