Smirking Soriparasite: Difference between revisions

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As the [[Lazarus Soriparasite|lazarus soriparasite]] thrived, they would occasionally land on arguably the most abundant kingdom of fauna around, the [[plents]]. The “blood” from plents was different from those of the carpozoans in a few minor aspects but it was relatively similar enough for the lazarus soriparasite to digest it. The one major problem with plent blood is the relative lack of iron, which meant lazarus soriparasites that only fed on plent blood would suffer from iron deficiency anemia. The tissues of ~~plants~~, however, was filled with iron and could stand as a decent substitute but the mouth anatomy of lazarus soriparasites were built to hold onto a host and suck blood and not slice off bits of flesh. Still, the relatively abundant food source and relatively little competition of major size was a big temptation, and so the ancestors of the '''smirking soriparasite''' would evolve to take advantage of such a common type of prey.

As the [[Lazarus Soriparasite|lazarus soriparasite]] thrived, they would occasionally land on arguably the most abundant kingdom of fauna around, the [[plents]]. The “blood” from plents was different from those of the carpozoans in a few minor aspects but it was relatively similar enough for the lazarus soriparasite to digest it. The one major problem with plent blood is the relative lack of iron, which meant lazarus soriparasites that only fed on plent blood would suffer from iron deficiency anemia. The tissues of plents, however, was filled with iron and could stand as a decent substitute but the mouth anatomy of lazarus soriparasites were built to hold onto a host and suck blood and not slice off bits of flesh. Still, the relatively abundant food source and relatively little competition of major size was a big temptation, and so the ancestors of the '''smirking soriparasite''' would evolve to take advantage of such a common type of prey.

To feed on the skin of ~~plants~~, the smirking soriparasite had to make some important changes in its mouth anatomy. The biggest change is the smirking soriparasite regaining 8 total teeth on the lower jaw. 8 teeth in the back of the upper jaw and the teeth on the lower jaw are also very different from its ancestors. Unlike the teeth at the front of the upper jaw which still act as hooks for their normal suction feeding strategy, those 16 teeth at the back of the mouth have become sharp blades adapted to shear through meat. Such teeth have no assistance with getting blood and would even act as a minor handicap if they were at the front of the mouth for their suction feeding. This is why the smirking soriparasite has the back teeth poke outside of the mouth at an angle where they intersect with one another. This goes hand-in-hand with their ability to fully close the mouth, which has not been seen in this lineage after the [[Blood Shrew|bloodshrew]], because of their second method of feeding.

To feed on the skin of plents, the smirking soriparasite had to make some important changes in its mouth anatomy. The biggest change is the smirking soriparasite regaining 8 total teeth on the lower jaw. 8 teeth in the back of the upper jaw and the teeth on the lower jaw are also very different from its ancestors. Unlike the teeth at the front of the upper jaw which still act as hooks for their normal suction feeding strategy, those 16 teeth at the back of the mouth have become sharp blades adapted to shear through meat. Such teeth have no assistance with getting blood and would even act as a minor handicap if they were at the front of the mouth for their suction feeding. This is why the smirking soriparasite has the back teeth poke outside of the mouth at an angle where they intersect with one another. This goes hand-in-hand with their ability to fully close the mouth, which has not been seen in this lineage after the [[Blood Shrew|bloodshrew]], because of their second method of feeding.

[[File:Smirking Soriparasite face.png|thumb|left|Close up of face when mouth is closed.]]

To get the iron they need from ~~plants~~, the smirking soriparasite will press the sides of their face against the skin and use their back teeth to slice off strips of skin that are then swallowed whole. To help with this feeding strategy, the shoulder joint has gained increased flexibility to make it more comfortable for the smirking soriparasite to twist its neck at a relatively awkward angle. After feeding on the skin, smirking soriparasites often press their lips against the already made wound and deploy their suction feeding method to get blood. The whole time, the anesthetic compounds found in its saliva prevent the host from feeling a thing.

To get the iron they need from plents, the smirking soriparasite will press the sides of their face against the skin and use their back teeth to slice off strips of skin that are then swallowed whole. To help with this feeding strategy, the shoulder joint has gained increased flexibility to make it more comfortable for the smirking soriparasite to twist its neck at a relatively awkward angle. After feeding on the skin, smirking soriparasites often press their lips against the already made wound and deploy their suction feeding method to get blood. The whole time, the anesthetic compounds found in its saliva prevent the host from feeling a thing.

While the smirking soriparasite also feeds on carpozoan blood, they generally have to contend with the lazarus soriparasite whose dentition is much better suited to only feed on blood which thus tends to result in smirking soriparasites being more uncommon on carpozoans. On the flip-side, the smirking soriparasites adaptations to slice off bits of skin on plents gives it a distinct advantage over its ancestor on this specific group of hosts. This results in relative niche partitioning between the two species, although smirking soriparasites are common on both carpozoans and plents in areas where their ancestor is absent.

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-As the [[Lazarus Soriparasite|lazarus soriparasite]] thrived, they would occasionally land on arguably the most abundant kingdom of fauna around, the [[plents]]. The “blood” from plents was different from those of the carpozoans in a few minor aspects but it was relatively similar enough for the lazarus soriparasite to digest it. The one major problem with plent blood is the relative lack of iron, which meant lazarus soriparasites that only fed on plent blood would suffer from iron deficiency anemia. The tissues of plants, however, was filled with iron and could stand as a decent substitute but the mouth anatomy of lazarus soriparasites were built to hold onto a host and suck blood and not slice off bits of flesh. Still, the relatively abundant food source and relatively little competition of major size was a big temptation, and so the ancestors of the '''smirking soriparasite''' would evolve to take advantage of such a common type of prey.
+As the [[Lazarus Soriparasite|lazarus soriparasite]] thrived, they would occasionally land on arguably the most abundant kingdom of fauna around, the [[plents]]. The “blood” from plents was different from those of the carpozoans in a few minor aspects but it was relatively similar enough for the lazarus soriparasite to digest it. The one major problem with plent blood is the relative lack of iron, which meant lazarus soriparasites that only fed on plent blood would suffer from iron deficiency anemia. The tissues of plents, however, was filled with iron and could stand as a decent substitute but the mouth anatomy of lazarus soriparasites were built to hold onto a host and suck blood and not slice off bits of flesh. Still, the relatively abundant food source and relatively little competition of major size was a big temptation, and so the ancestors of the '''smirking soriparasite''' would evolve to take advantage of such a common type of prey.
-To feed on the skin of plants, the smirking soriparasite had to make some important changes in its mouth anatomy. The biggest change is the smirking soriparasite regaining 8 total teeth on the lower jaw. 8 teeth in the back of the upper jaw and the teeth on the lower jaw are also very different from its ancestors. Unlike the teeth at the front of the upper jaw which still act as hooks for their normal suction feeding strategy, those 16 teeth at the back of the mouth have become sharp blades adapted to shear through meat. Such teeth have no assistance with getting blood and would even act as a minor handicap if they were at the front of the mouth for their suction feeding. This is why the smirking soriparasite has the back teeth poke outside of the mouth at an angle where they intersect with one another. This goes hand-in-hand with their ability to fully close the mouth, which has not been seen in this lineage after the [[Blood Shrew|bloodshrew]], because of their second method of feeding.
+To feed on the skin of plents, the smirking soriparasite had to make some important changes in its mouth anatomy. The biggest change is the smirking soriparasite regaining 8 total teeth on the lower jaw. 8 teeth in the back of the upper jaw and the teeth on the lower jaw are also very different from its ancestors. Unlike the teeth at the front of the upper jaw which still act as hooks for their normal suction feeding strategy, those 16 teeth at the back of the mouth have become sharp blades adapted to shear through meat. Such teeth have no assistance with getting blood and would even act as a minor handicap if they were at the front of the mouth for their suction feeding. This is why the smirking soriparasite has the back teeth poke outside of the mouth at an angle where they intersect with one another. This goes hand-in-hand with their ability to fully close the mouth, which has not been seen in this lineage after the [[Blood Shrew|bloodshrew]], because of their second method of feeding.
 [[File:Smirking Soriparasite face.png|thumb|left|Close up of face when mouth is closed.]]
-To get the iron they need from plants, the smirking soriparasite will press the sides of their face against the skin and use their back teeth to slice off strips of skin that are then swallowed whole. To help with this feeding strategy, the shoulder joint has gained increased flexibility to make it more comfortable for the smirking soriparasite to twist its neck at a relatively awkward angle. After feeding on the skin, smirking soriparasites often press their lips against the already made wound and deploy their suction feeding method to get blood. The whole time, the anesthetic compounds found in its saliva prevent the host from feeling a thing.
+To get the iron they need from plents, the smirking soriparasite will press the sides of their face against the skin and use their back teeth to slice off strips of skin that are then swallowed whole. To help with this feeding strategy, the shoulder joint has gained increased flexibility to make it more comfortable for the smirking soriparasite to twist its neck at a relatively awkward angle. After feeding on the skin, smirking soriparasites often press their lips against the already made wound and deploy their suction feeding method to get blood. The whole time, the anesthetic compounds found in its saliva prevent the host from feeling a thing.
 While the smirking soriparasite also feeds on carpozoan blood, they generally have to contend with the lazarus soriparasite whose dentition is much better suited to only feed on blood which thus tends to result in smirking soriparasites being more uncommon on carpozoans. On the flip-side, the smirking soriparasites adaptations to slice off bits of skin on plents gives it a distinct advantage over its ancestor on this specific group of hosts. This results in relative niche partitioning between the two species, although smirking soriparasites are common on both carpozoans and plents in areas where their ancestor is absent.

Smirking Soriparasite: Difference between revisions

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