Minizap

The Minizap split from its ancestor and moved inland, becoming fully terrestrial. It became very small due to island dwarfism. In order to retain good eyesight at its smaller size, its eye is dramatically enlarged and the pupil has split in two. It has developed a pair of tympanic ears on its cheeks, which are supported by an internal ring of vibration-sensitive cellulose and allow it to detect sound. Like its ancestor, it communicates using electrical arcs between its spikes, but now in addition to the visual it also communicates using the crackle and pop sounds they make. It has highly developed legs, allowing it to move swiftly despite its tiny size to evade dangers such as predators or even mere stomping feet.

Like its ancestor, the Minizap eats dung. In the relatively moist temperate woodland environment, dung is more readily available, which in combination with its smaller size means there is more food to go around for its kind. It will consume the dung of any fauna in its environment, and if dung is not available it will instead consume detritus. Because of how much more food there is in proportion to its size, it is highly social and fights are rare except over mates. The air can sometimes be filled with the chorus of Minizaps crackling and popping.

Like its ancestor, the Minizap reproduces by spawning. It does not need to return to the sea to do this, as pools of water created by rain are sufficient. Indeed, unlike its ancestor it does not need to return to the water at all; as long as it is moist, it can use its throat sac as a sort of lung. Its body actively moisturizes the inside to support this. It breathes through its mouth, as it lacks nostrils. It still needs to stay moist and drink plenty of water, but this is hardly an issue as its native habitat is far wetter than what its ancestor originally evolved in. Over the winter, it buries itself under leaf litter to hibernate, much like a Terran frog. Due to its small size, it can breed much faster than its ancestor did, and as such does not die after mating. Its active, non-hibernation period is the same one in which it breeds.