Waterside Windfilter

Descended from the windfilter, the waterside windfilter has moved into the watersheds of Maineiac river. It originated from a population of windfilters that lived alongside Maineiac river in Lamarck Rocky, where they exploited the clouds of kuyasha that were sometimes found near the river. This population slowly spread downstream, making their way into Maineiac Palus. This is where they fully transitioned into their modern form. The clouds of kuyasha were much thicker over the still waters of the palus and lake, allowing the windfilters to grow larger and stouter. This produced the modern waterside windfilter, which outcompeted that errant population that gave rise to it.

Waterside Windfilters often grow partially submerged in shallow water, preferring depths less than 60 cm. They also fare well in waterlogged areas. They prefer lower elevation habitats where the water flows more slowly and the river is wider. They are also very common in the lake and palus. While the waterside windfilter has attempted to enter the salt marsh many times, it has failed due to the larvae's intolerance to salt water. Their main source of food is the kuyasha. In order to better consume the low-hanging clouds, the waterside windfilter has grown stouter in its midsection, increasing the amount of surface area exposed to the kuyasha clouds. It will also feed on other forms of aeroplankton but receive less of it due to the lower elevation of its habitat.

The waterside windfilter reproduces much like its ancestor by emitting spores from its uppermost segment. However, its spores are able to survive and thrive when submerged in fresh water. Because shrubites can filter-feed more easily in aquatic environments, the larvae grow much more rapidly than their ancestor. Waterside Windfilters start life as a completely naked lump of cells. While many are consumed, some will survive long enough to produce their shell. Until they breach the water's surface, they look much like their spiral shrubite ancestors. Upon breaching the surface of the water, they begin developing their signature air channels. However, these juvenile windfilters still look much like their immediate ancestor. It's not until they almost reach full size that they fill out their midsection and achieve their final form.