Xxeltrapper

The xxeltrappers evolved from the ventrapper as an offshoot when the swarmers became more difficult to feed upon due to their own personal evolutions. They mainly gave up the tubes of their ancestors, and spend most of their time swimming about the Rhodix Vents, hunting the xxeljets that call it home. To maximize the effectiveness of catching these organisms, they have adapted visual mimicry. This occurred over time as those whom more resembled their prey were able to more easily predate upon them as xxeljets possess eyes and can therefore view them should they get too close if close enough to a bioluminescent light source, and thereby jet away before it could be caught and fed upon. They swim on their side for better mimicry, and since they cannot jet forward they must get close to their prey and suddenly assault them. A new, somewhat short arm has evolved to extend from near their jaws and is sensitive to methane, allowing them to "smell" nearby xxeljets; this arm also allows them to more properly mimic as well as allowing them to push food down their throat.

During mating seasons, they will return to building their ancestral tubes, where they will cement their eggs for better protection. They will still leave to feed on occasion, but will spend much of their time in the tubes protecting their eggs. After the eggs hatch, all but the least intelligent will stay in the tubes and feed upon microscopic organisms until they are too large to properly do this, and at this point they will leave the tubes to try hunting young xxeljets, and proceed from there. Only young will feed on microbes as they are born at a length of 1mm, thereby belonging to the mesoplanktonic 'community'. The young are an important part of the planktonic ecosystem around the Rhodix Vents. These young will predate opportunistically on any of the following microscopic organisms while they are still small enough to do so: radia primus, membranae infinitus, vent plerp, radia tree, penitoflora aquanus, and placosubs.

Unfortunately, they are mistaken for xxeljets by predators of xxeljets and can often be eaten by them because of this.