Gillcrest

The gillcrest split from its ancestor the comet snark. It has returned to shallow waters where it scavenges for food. They stay close to the bottom trying to blend in with the golden sand. They can even bury themselves under the sand to hide from predators. They leave their new "gill crest" outside the sand to breathe. All 4 gills have combined into a single gill on a crest protruding out of its forehead. Like its ancestors it not only uses it to breathe but to sniff out food. They can smell a rotting carcass for kilometers. They have a more streamlined shape and a stronger tail to help it quickly escape from predators. The gillcrest are solitary creatures however when they meet they will mate. After mating, the male leaves and the female digs a small burrow in the sand. Then it lays huge, slimy clusters of eggs, which are taken care of until they hatch. After they hatch, the young immediately leave.