Long Sukopode

Long Sukopode
Creator	KING
Information
Status	Extant
Common Name(s)	Long Sukopode, Long Sukapode
Zones	I1
Roles	Base-Consumer, Detritivore, Scavenger
Classification
Genus	Polysegsukapredadensis
Species	Polysegsukapredadensis segmatnemtug
Evolution
Date	December 26th, 2018
Ancestor	Pinktip Sukapod
Descendants	Pitchfork Mudbug

Descended from Monodactylsukapredadensis burrapredadensis by adapting to living around finer substrates and a diet of polyphs. The body has become dorsoventrally flattened so M. segmatnemtug can move through loose substrate easily. The forelegs have greatly reduced in size and width because they are not used for catching burrowed prey. The head is blunter and round to act as a shovel when M. segmatnemtug digs. The second segment does not form a plate that covers the third and fourth segments anymore. The final segment of the body has lost the paired appendages of the ancestor and now grow in a wide circular shape. The tail is still able to push the muscal backwards as a defense. The fourth pair of legs are now mostly used as mechanoreceptors, they are covered in hairs that detect water movements.

M. segmatnemtug’s organs are vastly towards the center of the body allowing it to take damage on its sides and regenerate whatever was lost in subsequent molts. It is capable of completely regrowing the final segment if it is lost. Part of this is due to M. segmatnemtug having multipotent cells in it’s tissue that can specialize and reform lost tissue.
M. segmatnemtug feeds on aquatic polyphs by grabbing them in its claws and chewing them with its mandibles. Due to the lower nutrient content of this new food M. segmatnemtug has a slower metabolism causing the adults to move and grow slower.
M. segmatnemtug reproduces by external fertilization. The males will now move in spirals to display their fitness. When a female chooses a male she will grab him with her claws and lead him to an egg-laying substrate such as a rock or shell. Once she has laid her eggs he will stand over them and release sperm onto them. The parents will leave the eggs after fertilization. This behavior was selected for because it increased female survival making them more likely to produce more offspring. As a result of the new egg-laying behavior the paired abdominal appendages have disappeared.

M. segmatnemtug has four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The egg is a 0.1cm round typically brown sphere that adheres to whatever substrate it was laid on, they will hatch after a month. The larva is a brown eight segment limbless soft-bodied detritivore, the loss of appendages and development of a soft body aid in moving through the substrate. The larva lives in the substrate feeding on polyphs and detritus and will undergo several molts as it grows. The larva is about 0.5cm when it hatches and will grow to 20cm-25cm over the course of 8-12 months. Once it reaches 20-25cm it will burrow into the substrate and molt into the pupal stage. The pupa is round, 20cm long, featureless, and dark brown. The pupa’s more uniform appearance makes it more structurally sound and hard to damage by pressure. The pupal stage is dormant as M. segmatnemtug metamorphoses into the adult stage, this usually takes 4-5 weeks. The newly emerged adult will remain in the substrate for another 2 weeks as it’s exoskeleton sclerotizes. Once it is ready it will emerge and begin life as an adult. The adults will continue to molt their exoskeleton and grow continuously typically reach maximum sizes of 30cms long and some individuals may reach 45cms.