Bigmouthed Muckraker

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Bigmouthed Muckraker
(Borborophilocaris osingens)
Main image of Bigmouthed Muckraker
Species is extant.
Information
CreatorCoolsteph Other
Week/Generation24/154
HabitatManeiac Polar Coast
Size4 cm Long
Primary MobilityUnknown
SupportExoskeleton (Chitin, Aragonite)
DietOmnivore (Vermees, Krillpedes, Miniswarmers, Burrarom larvae, Strainerbeak larvae, planktonic Scuttler larvae, Marine Filtersquid eggs, Sticky Urphish eggs, Greengill eggs, Ebony Pump Gilltail eggs, Marine Tuffdra seeds, Snotflora, Marbleflora, Pioneeroots, Twinkiiros) Coprovore, Detritivore, Scavenger
RespirationSemi-Active (Internal Gills)
ThermoregulationEctotherm
ReproductionHermaphrodite, Sexual Spores
Taxonomy
Domain
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Subclass
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Eukaryota
Ciliognathiozoa
Siphonoverma (info)
Placohelminthes
Sagittae
Chelatisagittae
Loricatiscorpidae
Borborophilocaris
Borborophilocaris osingens
Ancestor:Descendants:

The bigmouthed muckraker eats practically anything in its habitat 1 cm long or smaller. As it has no teeth, it cannot break large foods into suitably sized pieces. Consequently, it prefers squishy foods like dung. Its bristled "paws" (modified mandibles) manipulate food, and can push food into its mouth or draw out pieces of a large clod of food. Much of its diet consists of immobile things that are easy to acquire and digest, but if an organism happens to stumble into its mouth, it will eat it.

Its predators include speartooth seaswimmers and speckled spinderorms. The bigmouthed muckraker's mouth is permanently tilted up, which makes eating foods on the ground difficult. However, it is a suitable adaptation to eating strands of waste floating gently to the seafloor.

Lyngbakrs produce so much waste that occasionally a bigmouthed muckraker will eat itself to bursting. Less lethally, a bigmouthed muckraker may become obese from eating huge piles of lyngbakr waste, and consequently become more sluggish than usual. Bigmouthed muckrakers have boxier bodies than their ancestor. The boxy shape may compromise strength. Fortunately for bigmouthed muckrakers, they look more like rocks than their ancestor, especially when they let themselves be coated in gray mud.