Lunar Rock Moth
"It's like watching part of the night sky detach amd drift down to feast on a worm. I can't imagine being the first one to see that." - Annaise IronheartWhen traversing the uninhabited asteroids of Layman's Belt, one will come across a plethora of different terrains, though most often is the desolate crater-pocked landscapes of rock and gravel. However, what may not be immediately obvious is the expansive and dynamic ecosystem that exists just outside of the average viewer's eye. Under the light of day, camouflage and burrowing are a creature's best friends for staying unnoticed and avoiding hunters, but in the radiance of the starry night, the Belt comes alive with movement, foraging and hunting, animals and insects using all kinds of tools to keep themselves safe from predators or to help their own predation. And none have a more star-striking mechanism than that of the Lunar Rock Moth. Finding a Lunar Rock Moth during the day is a daunting task, as their camouflage is almost perfectly adapted to the lunar rocks found on the Belt. You see, the wings and body of the Lunar Rock Moth, or simply Lunar Moth, are a mottled brown and grey, allowing them to flatten against the floor or against large boulders during the day and remain unseen and unbothered by potential predators. As the creatures are nocturnal, this ability to blend with their environment allows them to sleep soundly whilst digesting the night's meal, unable to be seen by predators or explorers. But it's at night that these majestic, massive creatures truly show their mastery over the stars and skies. Speckled all over their bodies are bioluminescent spots undetectable during the light of day but shining bright in its absence, causing the moth to appear as nought but a field of stars as it soars across the landscape. This allows the moth near invisibility from the creatures on the ground, as to them it appears that the insect is simply another part of the starry painting that is the space above the Belt. However, to anything flying over the top of the creatures, it seems that the stars have come far too low, and this evolutionary oversight is how they were originally discovered. After some research into these fascinating creatures, it was discovered that their bioluminescence isn't a set pattern as was first assumed. In fact, the moths are capable of moving the spots on their bodies, using this ability to not only create a convincing camouflage but also to attract mates, this behaviour being observed in both male and female Lunar Moths. The exact mechanism that makes this ability is not fully understood, though a number of theories have popped up about it, ranging from practical explanations such as the possibility to shift pigments throughout the skin, to the absurd, such as the idea that each is a tiny portal to the sun that open and close at will.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Boasting a wingspan of just over eight feet, the Lunar Rock Moth bears a resemblance to the Luna Moth of the planet below, albeit a much larger version. With large wings that taper into thin rear points, the Lunar Rock Moth is a mottled brown or grey, covered in bioluminescent spots that glow and shine in the dark of night.
Genetics and Reproduction
Much like other moths, the Lunar Rock Moth lays eggs after mating with another of its species. However, the Lunar Moth only lays clutches of three to five eggs, each resembling the size and shape of a fist-sized rock. The Lunar Moth attracts a mate by using their bioluminescent spots on their skin, with the best display of movement and shine attracting the most mates. Lunar Rock Moths exhibit simultaneous hermaphroditism but rarely mate for life, preferring solidarity over staying in groups.
Growth Rate & Stages
A newly hatched Lunar Moth comes out with a wingspan of only about six inches but grows rapidly over the course of a week, at the end of which it will be fully developed and able to reproduce. The average Lunar Rock Moth only lives for around six months, though some can live for many years if properly cared for.
Ecology and Habitats
The Lunar Rock Moth lives mainly in the isolated parts of Layman's Belt, on asteroids that are mostly barren, where its camouflage works best. However, some Lunar Moths have been trained to live with the Faefolk that inhabit the Belt.
Dietary Needs and Habits
The Lunar Rock Moths feed off of the Inching Worm, the stonesilk-producing creatures that slither about the Belt. Lunar Moths feed on both the worm and the stonesilk that it leaves behind, indicating that the Lunar Moth has some capability to produce a strong acid in order to dissolve it.
Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Lunar Rock Moths are only found on Layman's Belt, and only in places where people have not settled. The Lunar Moth also requires space where the surface is still primarily made up of the old Moon's surface, rather than anywhere that has been terraformed via Blinkers.
Average Intelligence
Lunar Rock Moths display very limited intelligence, seemingly able to communicate through movements of their spots though rarely displaying this. Some Lunar Moths can be trained to be pets and, in few cases, familiars, but this is not seen often.
