Leatherback Scuttlecrab

The leatherback scuttlecrab evolved from a line of the crawling stumpworm that had formed a symbiotic relationship with Testudohexapodia spherus. T. spherus benefits from this relationship as it can distribute its spores over a much larger area, and it can also bloom constantly due to the supply of nutrients it gains from its host. The scuttlecrab also benefits, as it gains a small amount of energy through photosynthesis, and the T. spherus cells also secrete a substance which both neutralizes the acid of the stumpworm sucker and prevents the stickyballs from attaching themselves.

The front legs on each side have fused into a pair of pincers, while the four rear legs have become strong enough to lift the scuttlecrab's weight. As a result, the leatherback scuttlecrab is a fast and efficient small predator. It can hunt small plents, such as young nobomaton, and even kills stumpworms and other scuttlecrabs. Another development of the leatherback scuttlecrab is a thick leather-like skin, which has grown over its exoskeleton. This hide is made from a combination of modified internal flesh cells and also those of t. spherus. The scuttlecrab lives predominantly on the beaches, although its range extends a short way into the flatlands.