Grubby Flune

The grubby flune split from its ancestor. The very low density of predators in its habitat led to a reduction of the shell to mostly unconnected plates that support the musculature and the loss of the ability to roll up. Instead it developed a thick layer of fat as an insulation and energy reserve.

The harsh living conditions of the polar region it lives in made it become an omnivore, feeding on anything that is edible and not fast enough to escape. It is mostly solitary, although groups can gather around large, beached carcasses.

Both sexes possess spines on their hind plates that can be used for defense, but the males have longer spines with a pink band in the middle. The males use their spines to impress females during mating season. In cases where two or more males court a female, they will determine their strength through "butt-fencing".