Gundiseater

The Gundiseater split from the Teacup Saucebacks. Gamergate Gundis are found throughout the mega-continent of Dixon-Vivus-Darwin-Javen and provide plentiful prey to a number of specialized predators. In the grasslands and temperate woodlands of the south the Twigfisher Shrog uses sticks coated in sticky saliva to hunt for the small organisms. In the forests of the east the Smirking Soriparasite preys on small plents like the Gamergate Gundis while searching for a host. The Smirking Sorioparasite shares this range with the Spinebutt Plexo, which digs up burrows and nests using its powerful legs. In the Dixon Tropical Rainforest and Javen Temperate Rainforest there were no such predators, with the exception of the generalist Interbiat, which will eat most any small organism it finds in the grass. The Gundiseater now fills this niche.

The Gundiseater has evolved a longer proboscis and tongue. This tongue is coated in a sticky saliva, like that of the Twigfisher Shrog, which allows it to grab Gamergate Gundis deep in their colonies. When a colony is too deep for the tongue to reach, its tusks and hooves are used to dig a hole that will grant access. The Gundiseater retains the olfactory pits common to all saucebacks, with some modifications. These pits are larger on the organism than they are on its ancestor, the Teacup Sauceback. While it has ears, these olfactory sensors are the primary method by which it hunts. They are mainly used to track the scent of Tamed Berry Arbourshrooms fruit, which is usually found near a Gamergate Gundis nest. With a reliable source of food and little competition the Gundiseater is larger than previously existing Teacup Saucebacks. The Gundiseater remains a very small organism, however, and easy prey for most large predators.

The Gundiseater has a number of traits that help it avoid predators like the Interbiat. The sizeable ears are affixed to the long proboscis of the organism, when it feeds it will often twist this portion of its body so as to position one ear towards the sky to listen for approaching Interbiats and the other near the ground to listen for terrestrial predators such as the Twinpaw Twintail. Its white coat allows the Gundiseater to blend in with the white mud of the Javen Temperate Rainforest and Dixon Tropical Rainforest. If chased the Gundiseater will spit large quantities of sticky saliva to try and slow down or trip up pursuers.

The larvae of a Gundiseater is a small, wormlike organism that burrows through the mud. It subsists on a diet of Vermees, Dungshell Fraboo larva and Krugg larva. Very few larval Gundiseaters survive to adulthood, but the species lays many eggs and at least a few from every batch survives.