Vermees

The vermees replaced the cadovermi and the gold-belly cadovermi. Originating in Darwin, they act as tiny macro detrivores that end up decomposing anything overlooked by larger creatures. They prefer aerated soil, and so are rarely found in aquatic biomes. They have several new adaptations that allowed them to outcompete their ancestor. First, they have lost their large central segment, no longer having them visually distinct from the other body segments, giving them a more streamlined body. Second, vermees have contractable muscles in between their segments, allowing them to stretch greater distances; the segments have a rough texture in order to grip the soil they travel on or in. Some species even have their mouthparts on an extendable trunk in order to eat from a distance. Like their ancestor, vermees have yellow eye spots on their "tails" in order to help individuals tell whether they are exposed to light or protected under dirt or debris. However, some vermi species have multiple rows of eye-spots for greater detection. Individuals live for 2 years, reproducing in time with the lunar cycle, mating every new moon. Vermi reproduction is slightly different from their ancestor, in fact it allowed them to become so widespread. Individuals still give birth to live young (approximately one fifth adult size), however these young have a sticky coating of mucus that allows them to adhere to and climb on larger flora and fauna. The young live like this for 2 months, nibbling on the outer epithelial layers of larger creatures before the mucus wears off and they fall to their new home. In this way they were able to spread to all land biomes on Sagan 4.