Greater Fortresscrab

The greater fortresscrab, also known as the stickyshell fortresscrab, replaced it's ancestor. Due to the pressure from gladiator lizardworms, only the strongest stickyball fortresscrabs survived. These survivors eventually developed a harder exoskeleton, and eventually gave way to the greater fortresscrab's harder, thicker carapace-like shell and a larger 'claw' in which to defend itself. Greater fortresscrabs are expert builders, to the point that they make stickyball crabs look like amateurs. The beacon-towers have not only reached 10 meters in height, but have exceeded even that. A colony of greater fortresscrabs have entrance ways on high ledges that prevent creatures from entering their nests, and can support up to 50-90 individuals. They are able to get out by repelling themselves down using a thick guide web thread as a lifeline, however they have to climb back up themselves. Another adaptation is that it's second set of eyes grew into it's first set of eyes creating a complex compound eye.

The shell on it's back is also useful in carrying around superstickyballs and stickyball glue, letting them live farther from the stickyballs then before. This also helps the superstickballs by moving them to new areas to eventually grow. Greater fortresscrabs also use the stickyball glue for a variety of new uses as well. One such use is the repair and maintenance of their carapace. Superstickyballs and their glue-juice have become so important to fortresscrabs that they will sometimes 'plant' superstickyballs on specifically built plateaus on their towers. In dire situations, a fortresscrab may even use the stickyballs as a weapons or distraction by throwing them at a predator's sensory organs, mouth, or appendages, allowing them to escape. Stickyball glue can even be used to cover wounds, preventing blood-loss. The fortresscrabs claws secrete a special fluid that allows them grab but not completely dissolve the stickiness of superstickyballs and stickyball glue. This allows them manipulate superstickyballs, and stickyball glue more effectively.

Little about their behavior has changed, except that males will spar with each other regularly and during mating season they will fight aggressively for the right to mate. The strongest, largest, and most battle-scarred males often get to mate first. One of the major weaknesses of the greater fortresscrab is that in order to compensate for the extra weight, the energy needed to move that weight, and the heat generated from the energy expenditure it has exposed fleshy portions between it's exoskeleton that are vulnerable. Males are not only the defenders, aggressors, and hunters but also the gardeners. If the colony is currently growing a superstickyball field, males often tend to them. Females do most of the other work, including raising young and looking after the queen.

Multiple males can mate, it's just the strongest which go first. Female Queens can lay eggs in batches after each coupling, but they eventually run out of eggs for that brood. This limits the amount of times they can mate, per mating period, so in order to make the most of this, queens usually choose the strongest males first. If there are any eggs left, she'll choose the most productive male(s) next. Broods can have up to 200 eggs but less than half usually survive.