Ferrumvac

The ferrumvac split from the ferrumworm and is now half its ancestor’s size. Though it is much smaller than its ancestor, it is much more complex and has many more cells. To adapt to the aquatic environment, the ferrumvac has gained paddle-lik limbs which it uses for locomotion. It also has a gas bladder near the end of its tail to keep it afloat. Because the gas bladder is situated near the rear of the body, the rear is almost always above the rest of the body.

The ferrumvacs biggest adaptation is probably its digestive system. It now has two tubes at the side of its face through which the food enters, and a bubble-shaped organ in the middle that aids in the ingestion of the food. The organ is connected to both the tubes and the intestines, each guarded by a sphincter. To suck the food into its mouth, the ferrumvac will close off the passage to the intestines, and open up the tube passages. Then the bubble organ will expand, creating a vacuum sucking in whatever may be in front of its mouths. Then, when the food lies within the bubble organ, it will close off the tube passages and open up the passage leading to the intestines. Then it will squeeze the bubble, shooting the food into the intestines. The intestines, powered by peristalsis, will then carry the food up to its cloaca where the waste is then deposited.

Because the ferrumvac's digestive system favors the consumption of liquids over solids, the ferrumvac had to develop a way of turning the food it eats into a liquid. So, it now has a blunt “stinger” that sprays formic acid onto the ironbuds prior to consumption. The acid will soften up the ironbuds to a consistency fit to eat. The “stinger” can also help protect the ferrumvac from any possible predators.

Along with diet and self-defence, the stinger also plays a sexual role. During mating season, the ferrumvac will give off a sweet scent into the water. This scent will stimulate other ferrumvacs, who will spray gametes out their stingers in response. These gametes will form small larvae that live a life similar to their parents. There is no difference between the larvae and the adult except for the fact that larvae are much stockier due to a larger, sturdier exoskeleton. The larvae go through 3 molts before they reach maturity. It usually takes a month to reach maturity, and after maturity the ferrumvac will fulfill its lifespan of one year.

Another large adaptation is its nose-eyes. The olfactory patches of its ancestor are now larger and contain more sensory cells. They “see” smell in a similar fashion to the saucebacks, but the ferrumvacs olfactory organs are arranged in a fashion more similar eyes than nostrils. The middle olfactory patch has even formed what could be considered an olfactory ocelli, while the side patches are more like the compound eyes of earth insect.