Rock Mite

Rock Mites are small blind creatures, crawling on any surface they can find. Their only defense mechanism is to disguise themselves as rocks, by staying still and tucking their body parts close together to appear the most convincing. These creatures are known to walk with a slight waddle, as well as communicate with their mates by making small chittering sounds.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The Rock Mite has a diminutive body with four bulky legs supporting it. Its shell has a texture nearly indistinguishable from stone, with its undersides being its weak point. The creature's head appears almost fused to its body, with a large array of fangs as its mouth, and instead of eyes it has two long antennae that can retract under its body at any given time. Certain varieties underneath the Wastes have ice covering its shell.

Biological Traits

The texture and color of their shells often depend on what environment is above them. Rock Mites living underneath the Fields will be rather smooth purple, while ones under the Dunes will be red-brown and sandy.

Genetics and Reproduction

Rock Mites have been observed acting friendly towards one another nearly all of the time, with some going as far as to attempt mating within the first meeting of each other. They play a short game of hide and seek, with the intent being to test how well they can camouflage themselves. After they find each other again, they interlock their antennae and begin mating. They lay large clusters of eggs inside rock crevices, which are made to resemble tiny pebbles, and are soon left by their parents. They will survive mainly by camouflage, as despite looking like rocks, they still break easily.

Growth Rate & Stages

Newborn Rock Mites start out lacking pronounced heads and antennae. For a long period of time, the young will stay huddled in their nests, with a few individuals gathering nearby food to bring back to the nest. The parents will likely make their nest near large populations of food to ensure the young's survival. While they spend their youths in the nest, they'll be able to easily disguise themselves as pebbles, their small size deterring predators from eating them. With age, their antennae will become much more developed, and the young will eventually begin to depart from each other to live on their own.

Ecology and Habitats

These tiny mites are only found in the Pocket Caves, able to attach their feet to any surface, and crawl upside down or on the walls. Most of the time, they've been observed staying perfectly still in an attempt to camouflage themselves, with only some crawling over the walls where their main food sources grow. They are cautious when getting a drink from a water pool, as some predators often catch them in this vulnerable state.

Dietary Needs and Habits

The Rock Mite travels across vast distances to find a meal, their main food sources being algae and Immortaphyte fruits. When the Immortaphyte's cysts explode, the Rock Mites goes into its defensive stance, where its shell protects it from the spores. When the cysts are completely gone, the mite is free to take the fruit, able to sustain it for a particularly long time. There have been scant instances where the mite is not careful, and misses a few cysts hidden from view, which explode and catch it by surprise.

Biological Cycle

Over time, these mites will gain patches of algae growing on their shell, with varieties living underneath the Forests having small plants growing in the grooves of their rocky shell. Meanwhile, Rock Mites living under the Dunes will get grains of sand stuck in their undersides.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The Rock Mite is blind, and instead relies on two long antennae that can cover a wide range around it. These antennae can sense anything it touches, and this creature's acute hearing also aids it in navigating through its habitat.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

Algae often uses this creature's rough shell to grow on, which has been thought to attract other herbivores to attempt to eat, and trample the Rock Mite in the process.

Scientific Name

Petravolos minima

Lifespan

Unknown

Average Weight

75 lbs.

Average Length

1 ft.

Average Physique

Round

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Brown shell, grey undersides, bright purple antennae

Geographic Distribution

• The Air Pocket Caves

Average Intelligence
Fairly low