Martyr

Martyrs are a new breed of ventrapper, which they have split from. They have since developed one of the most interesting adaptations in the entire Anipedia kingdom. Like many other recent diversifications of the ventrappers, the martyrs have become free-swimming. Unlike the others, however, the martyrs are pack-oriented.

Two eyespots have been developed in order to allow them to view the bioluminescence which has become an important part of their existence. They are very communicative between their own kind, although have a very small language. When hunger consumes their pack, they will communicate between one another. One of their kind - generally the oldest or weakest - will then stop and begin swimming in tight circles end over end. It will then set off its bioluminescence, flashing crazily. The bioluminescence in their species is more complex than their ancestors, and multiple small areas around their body now have luminescent spots on them, such as the tips of their arms and their along their caudal fin, not to mention that those on the tips of their jaws have not changed. This has a very specific purpose: to attract predators. Typically they will attract either a marfos or a marocta by mimicking what an injured member of another species might look like, and when it gets close enough, the martyred martyr will attempt to flee out of instinct, although this is not always successful. Whether the martyr is consumed or not, the predator is then swarmed upon by the entire pack, who will pick at and bite off small chunks from the predator, quickly burrowing their head into its body so that its likely escape attempt will not prevent their feeding. Since they won't stop feeding until no more flesh is left and since their victims cannot really get rid of them, they often die in the entrapment.

Their "tail" at the end of their body has evolved into a caudal fin with the aid of their swimming ability. The young are glued to each individual's own body, under their segments by placing them their with their many arms. Those with young often won't operate as martyrs, and during breeding seasons they are far more likely to scavenge off any bit they can find. They will feed on large, dead organisms at any point they can during the year.