Leatherback Scuttlecrab

The Leatherback Scuttlecrab evolved from a line of the Crawling Stumpworm that had formed a symbiotic relationship with Testudohexapodia Spherus. T. Spherus benefits from this relationship as it can distribute its spores over a much larger area, and it can also bloom constantly due to the supply of nutrients it gains from its host. The Scuttlecrab benefits, as it gains a small amount of energy through photosynthesis, and the T. Spherus cells also secrete a substance which both neutralizes the acid of the Stumpworm Sucker and prevents the Stickyballs from attaching themselves.

The front legs on each side have fused into a pair of pincers, while the four rear legs have become strong enough to lift the Scuttlecrab's weight. As a result, the Leatherback Scuttlecrab is a fast and efficient small predator. It can hunt small plents, such as young Nobomaton, and even kills Stumpworms and other Scuttlecrabs. Another development of the Leatherback Scuttlecrab is a thick leather-like skin, which has grown over its exoskelleton. This hide is made from a combination of modified internal flesh cells and also those of T. Spherus. The Scuttlecrab lives predominantly on the beaches, although its range extends a short way into the flatlands.