Sormlicker Sauceback

The Sormlicker Sauceback split from its ancestor and moved into the grasslands. They now feed on the incredibly numerous Miner Pedesorm. However, in order to reach the grassland subspecies of miner pedesorm, their tongue has grown longer and stickier. They will stick their tongue into miner pedesorm tunnels and slurp up as many pedesorms as they can. The tongue is incredibly tough; as a thick layer of leathery flesh protects the blood vessels and muscles in its tongue. This keeps miner pedesorms from damaging the tongue while they stab it in a futile attempt to escape. These stab wounds heal quickly. Because its tongue is protected by a thick layer of flesh, it can't feel the pain of it being stabbed. However, the tongue's pain receptors can detect if it is being strained or in danger of being ripped off. Its tongue is covered in deep pores that contain taste receptors. The pores reach deep enough for the taste receptors to be adequately supplied with nutrients. Their stomachs contain powerful acid that is capable of dissolving the grassland miner pedesorm's stony shell. If the sormlicker sauceback can't find any miner pedesorms (which is rare because miner pedesorms are incredibly common in the grasslands, with dozens of them infesting a single dry shrubite), they will resort to eating various small minikrugg and vermee species. Those living in Maineiac Volcanic will also eat pedesorms, but they sometimes have a hard time fitting them in their narrow mouths. Their feathers have become less dense and shorter, as it isn't as cold in the grasslands and volcanic as it is in its ancestor's habitats. It is black to blend in with Maineiac's black soil. Their only predator is the camoback, which they can easily detect because they rely on smell and hearing, not sight. Like their ancestors, they lay their larvae in hot springs. However, in order to avoid competition with their ancestor's larvae, the sormlicker sauceback's larvae have become amphibious and partially carnivorous. The larvae will filter feed and come onto land for a limited amount of time to eat the young of small pedesorm species as well as small minkrugg and vermee species.