Nanomimic
A very tiny species of Mimic capable of advanced camouflage and even further advanced mimicry when grouped into a Polymimic.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Unlike their amorphous precursor, the Mimic, nanomics have rigid, often spindly bodies with bulbous growths housing organs, all covered in a hard, finely-textured outer shell.
Each part of a nanomimic has its own name and purpose.
PROBES
Also known as kinetic antennae, but often just called "legs," these organs are the most functional parts of the nanomimic. An average nanomimic will have two to three probes, but some have been observed to have one, and the most probes on one nanomimic in record is twelve. Probes serve three purposes: Locomotion, Communication, and auditory mimcry.Locomotion
Unlike the muscular contraction methods of larger Earthen creatures, and the hydraulic methods of Earthen arachnids and arthropods, the probes of a nanomimic move by saturating a flat film inside the probe with a liquid that easily forms strong bonds with itself. The cohesive force of the liquid causes the film to curl, thus curling the probe. There are multiple films of varied lengths throughout the probe and multiple outlets for the liquid, allowing for complex control of the probe.Communication
When the probes of two nanomimics in a Polymimic meet, the parts of their shells in contact with one another stop rearranging themselves for camouflage, and start rearranging themselves for the purpose of communication. By "reading" the topography of each other's shells, two nanomimics are able to communicate vast amounts of information, and even "link" each other's neural processes, allowing for more complex thought and planning.Auditory Mimicry
Using the same method as that for locomotion, nanomimics rapidly manipulate their probes to make sound through vibration. When enough nanomimics are joined in a Polymimic, the joined sound of millions of probes can recreate any sound at volumes up to that of gunfire. Additionally, the probes read any vibration imparted onto them with extreme precision, thus allowing a Polymimic to hear and understand speech.BULBS
Unlike the brains of other species, which act as primary processors, the cognitive parts of the bulbs of a nanomimic are extremely primitive on their own, only acting on instinct when separated from a Polymimic. However, when part of a Polymimic, the cognitive cells in the bulb of a nanomimic are linked to the network of millions of other nanomimics, and forms a brain often more advanced than that of humanoids. Additionally, bulbs house photoreceptors, allowing for very rudimentary vision alone, but complex, detailed, 360-degree vision when part of a nanomimic. The thick digestive fluid inherited from their Mimic ancestor remains their only method of digestion. Despite being digested in the bulbs, food does not enter the nanomimc through the bulb; rather, it enters via small pores on the ends of the probes which act as proboscises. The digestive fluid is the same fluid used to move the probes. Before being injected into the films in the probes, digestive fluid is filtered and the nutrients are removed from the fluid and sent to the bulb to use for reproduction. A nanomimic often has just one bulb, but some have been observed to have two or even three bulbs. Actual two and three-bulbed nanomimics are very rare to see, since partially-formed nanomimics are often mistaken for additional bulbs. Any extra bulbs on a nanomimic are most likely just a half-formed nanomimic almost ready to separate itself from its parent body.SHELL
Arguably the defining feature of the nanomimic, the shell is what allows for the highly complex and dynamic visual camouflage characteristic of the nanomimic. Rather than changing pigments, the shell of the nanomimic changes its shape on a nanoscopic level, causing light to reflect differently off the shell, thus resulting in different wavelengths. This coloration as a result of structure is also seen in some Ancient Earthen butterflies, giving them vibrant, beautiful colors. Because of this connection, it is often speculated that nanomimics are somehow related to Ancient Earthen butterflies. The shell of a nanomimic is rigid and separated into a massive array of sections that raise, lower, and tilt themselves in order to reflect light at the desired wavelengths.Genetics and Reproduction
Like their ancestors, nanomimics reproduce asexually by growing offspring from excess biomass. Once mature, the offspring will remove itself from its parent. Due to their small size and unrestrictive diet, nanomimics reproduce rapidly. In normal circumstances, a single nanomimic will spawn three to five new nanomimics in one Earth day.
A developing nanomimic is visually identicall to an extra bulb on the parent's body. The main distinction between a developing nanomimic and an extra bulb is that extra bulbs are a part of another bulb, with no internal barrier separating the bulbls, while a developing nanomimic actually grows around one of the probes of the parent, and is not directly connected to the internal structure of its parent. Once mature and ready to break off from its parent, the probe is cut off from the parent, pulled inside the child's body, drained of fluid, and reoriented and put through the hole where it was before. It is then integrated into the child's body and remains fully functional as a probe.
Growth Rate & Stages
A nanomimic's body doesn't change throughout its lifespan. It does not regrow lost probes or flush out contaminated fluid. Because of this, active nanomimics tend to have a very limited lifespan. In a Polymimic, a nanomimic usually lives through two to three interactions with other organisms. Even in significantly massive nests, killing one prey animal usually costs hundreds to thousands of nanomimcs. Because of their low resilience in battle, nanomimics cannibalize dead members of the same Polymimic, thus reducing the amount of mass lost. Depending on the foe, when a Polymimic loses a significant amount of nanomimics, it will change its form to discourage the foe from further attack by means of trickery. Various methods of discouraging have been observed. See Polymimic for more details.
Ecology and Habitats
Nanomimics are extremely resilient to hostile environments, able to thrive in temperatures as low as around -100°C (-148°F) and as high as around 100°C (around 200°F). This makes them viable in many different environments and on a variety of planets. Additionally, they do not respirate, making air content irrelevant in their survival. Despite their high tolerance for heat, nanomimics are very susceptible to fire, which is arguably the easiest way to eliminate large swaths of nanomimics. Nanomimics can also last multiple Earthen months without food alone. When joined into a Polymimic, dead nanomimics serve as a secondary food source, allowing even rodent-sized polymimics to survive for multiple Earthen years without any outside sources of nutrition or hydration. A nanomimic the size of an average human can last centuries without food or water. Despite their high environmental resilience, nanomimics easily die when confronted by other organisms.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Nanomimics have an extremely broad diet, with little to no restrictions. Nanomimics have purposes for nearly every element, including metals such as lead and lithium, and gases such as nitrogen and helium. There are very few elements that are harmful to a nanomimic. Even highly reactive elements like sodium and phosphorus can be processed and utilized by nanomimcs. When processing food, nanomimics break molecules down into individual atoms and use valence channels to sort the atoms into different categories. Through complex structures in the more dense digestive fluid located in the bulb, sorted atoms are then assembled into new molecules and sent to their respective locations. The main compounds created by this biological assembly line are acids for digestion, hard compounds for the shell, sulphates, phosphates, and other amphiphilic compounds for the films used to move the probes, and N-type and P-type materials for the cognitive matter (using phosphorus, arsenic, and antimony for N-type materials and boron, gallium, indium, and aluminum for P-type materials, and silicon for both). Highly conductive elements like gold and copper are used in "wires" that transmit information shared between probes of connected nanomimics, thus creating a faster link between the two "brains."
The main restrictions to the diet of a nanomimic include highly radioactive elements and isotopes such as uranium or plutonium, and highly nonreactive elements like noble gases. At their extremely small scale, nanomimics cannot afford their internal structure being disrupted by ionizing radiation. Even mildly radioactive elements, such as potassium, can easily become a problem if too much is collected in one nanomimic. Noble gases and other nonreactive elements are avoided by polymimics because of their lack of use. Since nanomimics gain energy from the compounds they form, elements that don't form bonds are just dead weight taking up space that could be used for useful elements.
A Polymimic must be selective when it eats non-living material, since nanomimics cannot remove material from their bodies unless it is in the form of offspring. Because of this, anything a nanomimic ingests stays in its body for the rest of its life, and because of the automatic nature of offspring spawning, no useless or harmful materials can be passed into the offspring. Just one Ancient Earthen banana could spell disaster for a nanomimc, since the potassium contained within can wipe out a quarter of the nanomimic population in a Polymimic the size of a small humanoid.
Behaviour
Nanomimics alone act purely on rigid programming, much like Ancient Earthen ants. They move automatically, find other nanomimics automatically, and join polymimics automatically. Only a Polymimic is capable of decision-making, thought, and sentience.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Alone, the sensory abilities of a nanomimic is extremely limited, with just enough sensory information to find and join with other nanomimics in a Polymimic. However, when joined into a Polymimic, the combined information collected from millions of nanomimics allows for highly advanced perception. Significantly large polymimics can even gain slight psionic senses, including mind reading, allowing for more advanced mimicry.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Genetic Descendants
Scientific Name
Simulo Minimus
Origin/Ancestry
Mimic
Lifespan
2-3 fights
Average Height
10-20 micrometers
Average Weight
1-2 milligrams (0.00000022 pounds)
Average Length
10-20 micrometers
Geographic Distribution
Related Ethnicities
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