Slither Longbeak

The slither longbeak evolved from a population of slither longtails in the LadyM Ocean (Twilight Zone) biome that migrated to the North LadyM Polar Ocean (Sunlight Zone) biome. Those slither longtails may have been motivated by a lack of food in their former biome, for there were no tetracrusicruges in their biomes, nor was there much to scavenge on. Upon arriving in their new biome, the slither longtails resumed their habits of feeding on tetracrusicruges.

The slither longbeak avoids the tetracrusicruge's irritant-packed tentacles by targeting the tetracrusicruge's unprotected mouth with its beak. The beak is insensitive, and even has a thin, woodlike sheath. (To be more precise, it's made of mannan, like an ivory nut.) To feed, the slither longbeak "hovers" above a tetracrusicruge like a hummingbird, inserts its beak, and sucks out its prey's insides. Its acidic saliva makes the slurry easier to slurp, but if the slurry is still too viscous, the slither longbeak will pump more saliva through secondary channels in its lower mandible. The slither longbeak's saliva contains acetic acid, the main component of vinegar. To produce suction, the slither longbeak will produce a vacuum in its gut by expelling water from its rear end. The slurry then flows in to fill the vacuum. At 10 decibels, the slither longbeak's "fart" is quiet, but it can be detected by its faintly vinegar-like smell. (The slither longbeak is not entirely efficient at recycling its vinegar-saliva.)

Though the slither longbeak avoids the tentacles by targeting the tetracrusicruge's mouth, the provoked tetracrusicruge will eventually respond by emitting its irritants into the water. The cloud of irritants moves slowly in still water. The beak, due to its insensitivity, cannot feel pain induced by the cloud. The slither longbeak's eyes are set far from the beak, giving the organism more time to escape before the cloud of irritants reaches the eyes. The intake hole, which can detect the extreme bitterness of the cloud, is even farther away.

Due to all of these adaptations, a slither longbeak will often take its meal without feeling any pain. The tetracrusicruge may even survive the feeding, allowing the slither longbeak to come back later and feed on it again.

The slither longbeak lays its eggs underneath the symbioraft diaminet.