Mrillapo \mril 'ä pō\
A carnivorous aquatic schooling fish indigenous to Zygarosse River which has unique diurnal hunting patterns. Their habitat stretches all the way from the mountains to within a few hundred miles of the river's mouth.
Each fish is about 8 to 12 inches in length and covered with narrow horizontal scales layered over each other in fine lateral rows. The prominent interlocking teeth of a full-grown specimen can easily reach over an inch in length. While the scales appear to be the normal silvery scales of a fish, a closer examination of specimens reveals the scales are actually more metallic in nature and in truth have a hardness capable of chipping bone.
They swim up and down the river in large schools which can number in the hundreds. When swimming downriver, the school can move at speeds nearing 40 miles per hour. Upriver, they slow considerably to less than 15 miles per hour and are rarely a threat to any prey outside of the water. The range of a single school of fish can be over 100 miles.
When the school encounters prey in the water, it will make single passes and the whole school will circle back to devour the prey quickly, much like its related cousin, the African tigerfish.
It's their hunting method when swimming downriver which makes them so vicious and feared. Moving in unison, the entire school will leap out of the water and each individual will transform into a small hawk-like bird covered in metallic silver feathers. While not capable of actual flight, their speed coming out of the what allows them to glide for hundreds of feet before needing to touch down again in the water where they immediately transform back into their aquatic form. During each glide, the flock of birds will gracefully glide out over the land, sometimes reaching targets up to 30 yards from the shoreline. Seeing the glide from a distance is quite exotic and beautiful. Getting closer, a fine metallic sound like pieces of fine glass shattering can be heard as the flock's feathers rub against each other.
When gliding, the mrillapo generally do not use their teeth (which has now become a beak), instead they fly by and brush the target with their wings. Each wing will rip a small portion of flesh away, the fine grooves on each feather capturing and clinging to the food until the mrillapo returns to the water. Once most of the flesh is ripped away, the birds at the rear of the glide will continue to fly by the prey, their sharp wings actually able to remove small pieces of bone. A single glide has been known to completely flay the flesh and muscle of full-grown elephants which were too close the water, their skeletal remains only collapsing once the entire glide has swept by.
When the glide returns to the water, the wings fold back and reform into the horizontal scales of each fish and the pieces of flesh caught in their feathers merge into the fish, giving the fish sustenance just as if the piece of flesh had been consumed normally.
The glides have been known to attack smaller targets like swarms of insects and small birds too slow to get out of the way. When this happens, the mrillapo use their beaks instead to attack the prey and then pull them back underwater if they can't swallow the prey whole.
The vegetation along the shores of their hunting grounds is usually woody with little to no leaves. While the fish agilely avoid trees, they will often pass through greenery and collect pieces of vegetable matter to help sustain their diet.
Most animals along the shoreline have learned to identify when the school is coming down river from hundreds of yards away and will move away from the river edge quickly. As the fish are diurnal, it is safe to approach the water once the suns have completely gone down.
The various elf tribes along the river will hunt the schools of mrillapo - following them closely and knowing that the school will usually travel for a few days downriver before turning around and making it's way back up the river. As long as the elves don't get in front of their targets, they can safely use arrows to hunt them from behind once they start their glide.
A characteristic utilized by the elves hunting the mrillapo is that their bird from is not their natural form; slain birds automatically return to their normal fish body. The scales are useful substitutes for metal implements in the mineral deprived jungle where mrillapo are found.
Some elves claim to be able to recognize the various schools and while there are countless schools along the thousands of miles the Zygarosse stretches, each section of the river will only have a handful of schools.
Basic Information
Anatomy
See above
Genetics and Reproduction
Each school spawns every other year creating thousands of more members. Many of the young will be devoured by the adults early on. Regardless of the school or location, there is no offsetting of cycles. There is a spawning year river wide followed by a nonspawning year.
Growth Rate & Stages
Like most fish, a newly hatched mrillapo is tiny compared to the adult, however it can reach adult size in a matter of 6 months when well fed. Lifespan unknown.
Ecology and Habitats
Zygarosse River. While it may appear to be top of the food chain, many predators have found ways to pick individual members safely out of the school.
Dietary Needs and Habits
See Source Material. Primarily carnivorous, however occasional consumption of vegetable matter qualifies the fish as omnivorous. This fish will never eat carrion.
Biological Cycle
Will swim up shallow tributaries every other year and spawn in the same location. Mrillapo do not molt their scales.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Vision is indeterminate. When gliding, the flock can see well enough to attack prey, usually avoid trees and tree limbs, and make its way back to the water before its glide terminates.
Scientific Name
Undefined. Magical Zoolology. Class: Osteichthyes.
Origin/Ancestry
African Tigerfish
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