Sad Gendia
Gendia extendum
Evolved from G. lastimosa
Evolved to hunt prey better
Zone 28
These gendia are kinda weird. They have a neck, for one, but that's about it. They're big for Zone 28 at a whopping 10 centimeters in length, which allows them to expand their diet to bigger prey (including their ancestor, G. lastimosa). Due to their longer necks, not only can they better attack their victims, but they can also reach down into holes and crevices to capture hiding prey-- A useful adaptation for living in a rocky environment. This has caused them to suddenly become a prominent predator. Their neck started off as what was essentially just a longer space behind the head, expanding over generations to make up about a third of entire body (even without the head, it still takes up a fourth of G. extendum's body). Their flexible neck offers them a nearly 180 degree strike radius, and allows them to maneuver their head into holes and crevices.
Like their ancestor, G. lastimosa, G. extendum forms schools of 25-50 individuals. However, due to their new hunting strategy, these schools are more loosely-defined, with extendum splitting off to sift around through the rocks and other spaces in search of prey. Their schools offer protection from would-be predators. Unfortunately, due to their resemblance to some of their prey and their more-independent hunting style, accidental cannibalism is more prevalent when they come across fellow extendum hiding or foraging among the rocks.
Diet
Extendum is a small generalist carnivore, some of its dietary staples being G. gobinsus, G. lastimosa, F. foliumegaeus, and other small muscals in Zone 28, such as G. herbistus and young W. tapolus. To eat, it simply chases down its prey and swallows it whole. As a generalist, the only thing they won't eat is prey too large to fit in its mouth or be swallowed. It can consume prey up to half of the size of its body, but generally prefers smaller prey items to avoid the potential choking hazard.
Reproduction
Individuals are still sexually dimorphic, however the differences between genders are less-pronounced than those of their ancestor. Both males are females are primarily a drab yellow-brown in color, with males featuring yellow-orange fin tips when the are sexually mature. The less-flashy colors help them avoid predators, and, in the case of young under ~7 centimeters, potential cannibalism from older extendum.
When mating, a male and female unceremoniously meet up in shallow water, release their gametes, and go their separate ways. The female lays about 5 eggs, which are covered with sediment and left to develop. The entire process is very quick to avoid attention from potential predators.
After hatching, young extendum school amongst themselves in the upper levels of the water column feeding on L. byssumcoda, away from foraging adults.
