Cyclops Herring
Evolved from G. cyclopsi that moved to zone 4 in the search for more food and less predation, they form large schools like their relatives. They breed in large numbers and lay large amounts of eggs due to the high mortality rate of eggs and hatchlings. They have a counter shaded colour scheme, being dark blue on the top of the body and being light blue on the underside of the body.
Normally found in zone 4, the Gendia makari form large shoals, the numbers of these shoals get so high that from above they look like oil slicks, with the smallest shoals being about 70 fish in a shoal, and the largest shoals having up to 200 fish, the larger shoal numbers evolved due to pressure from predators. Males and females look almost the same, with the males having a lighter green line on the sides of the stomach and a darker green line on the sides of the back, the females lack the green stripes the males have, and instead have a very faint green “mask” on their heads. Their body plan stays relatively the same when compared to G. cyclopsi, but the most notable differences are their wider tails to help achieve higher speeds when dodging predators, the small bumps on the top and underside of their bodies developed due to a mutation while adjusting to the more shallow and tropical waters. Unlike G. cyclopsi, G. makari is a occasional filter feeder, staying near the surface to feed on small microorganisms and bits of detritus, with their main threat being from the sky, their eye is more situated to look up, so they can tell if there are predators in the sky. Their main predators are B. mimicus, C. aquatillium, D. albatrogornis, D. espeare, D. katharagnathus, G. gigas, H. pelagicus, M. pygmybrachium, P. natans and S. gulperious
Males average about 6-7 cm while females average about 5-6 cm, but when shoals are about to spawn the females start to increase in size to accommodate the large amount of egg’s they produce. Generally, gravid females get to about 7-8 cm in size, when spawning they release large amounts of eggs and milt into the water, letting eggs attach to plants, rocks, or floating debris, or just letting them float in the water column, eggs that are left to float are generally the result of the messy breeding strategy, these free floating eggs have a higher mortality rate compared to those laid on vegetation and rocks.
G. makari preys on C. communis eggs, A. okeanus, C. retiarus, N. quadratus, O gigantequitus, R. extensienus, R. flotatensis, R. magnideus, G. thiccensis, L. byssumcoda, M. bitentaculum, M. pygmybrachium, small M. tesla, T. pilosa, A. networkus, B. cyanus, C. bromkolis, F. cenafolius, F. foliumicroeus, L. cytosol, L. layoraft, R. electra, S. podius, A. okeanus, C. retiarius, N. quadratus, O. gigantequitus, R. extensienus, R. flotatensis, R. magnideus
the filter feeding mouth parts are derived from enlarged groupings of taste receptors and taste buds, growing more sensitive and elongated as G. makari started to eat smaller and smaller organisms, the mouth parts makes eating larger prey more difficult but being able to consume both large and small prey gives G. makari much more options for food.
the small bumps that formed on the top and underside of the body are derived from parts of the spine that grew longer due to a mutation, members with these bumps tend to have more stability when swimming at high speeds. members with the larger dorsal and anal bumps tend to be more stable when swimming at high speeds compared to members with smaller dorsal and anal bumps.
