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Description
Other species from Settlers from the Deep. On the left, the mudstinger is a small hopping typhlotherian that probes mud flats with beak-like teeth in search for tiny organisms living in the mud, like those depicted on the upper right (from top to bottom: a flatworm, a burrowing snail, a crustacean, a blind millipede and a fish larva). Lower right: the anarteq develops from larvae living in the mud; its adult life lasts only a single winter, in which it scrapes food off the lower surface of the ice crust.
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VIII. The Years of Ice and Salt (part 1)
Polar deltas, northern Cisuralia
The majestic cisuralian rivers eventually pour in the vast Arctic Ocean - closer and closer to the North Pole every year, as the slow movement of what used to be Africa pushes Cisuralia ever northwards. Here, the sediments ripped from the Mediterranean Plateau form intertwined deltas and brackish lagoons; the land is pierced by countless lakes and bayous choked with pondscum. Twice a day, the tide retreats from the coasts and uncovers immense flat plains of grey mud. In the summer, the wetlands are green and lush: Earth is far warmer than in the Human Age, and there is no permanent ice anywhere on Earth.
But this doesn't mean it can never be cold. At such high latitudes, sunlight still falls at a very shallow angle, and the smallest hill casts a very long shadow. During the long, dark winter, the deltas freeze over and abundant snow covers the plains. Bitter winds and frozen ground hinder the growth of trees. Most animal life retreats in burrows or migrates to the southern woodlands. Even in spring, the soil never thaws entirely, and prevents water from seeping down; freshwater ponds form everywhere, merging with the tide pools and the lagoons.
Polar deltas, northern Cisuralia
The majestic cisuralian rivers eventually pour in the vast Arctic Ocean - closer and closer to the North Pole every year, as the slow movement of what used to be Africa pushes Cisuralia ever northwards. Here, the sediments ripped from the Mediterranean Plateau form intertwined deltas and brackish lagoons; the land is pierced by countless lakes and bayous choked with pondscum. Twice a day, the tide retreats from the coasts and uncovers immense flat plains of grey mud. In the summer, the wetlands are green and lush: Earth is far warmer than in the Human Age, and there is no permanent ice anywhere on Earth.
But this doesn't mean it can never be cold. At such high latitudes, sunlight still falls at a very shallow angle, and the smallest hill casts a very long shadow. During the long, dark winter, the deltas freeze over and abundant snow covers the plains. Bitter winds and frozen ground hinder the growth of trees. Most animal life retreats in burrows or migrates to the southern woodlands. Even in spring, the soil never thaws entirely, and prevents water from seeping down; freshwater ponds form everywhere, merging with the tide pools and the lagoons.
The greatest concentration of life is found in the wet mud flats, where burrowing snails, crustaceans, all sorts of worms, and even fish larvae feed on the detritus gathered by the tides, well protected from the winter frost. The minute anarteq (Strigilabia diplomorpha) begins its life here. Its eggs hatch on the wet strandline, releasing the wriggling, transparent bodies of larvae no longer than 2 cm. They crawl in the silt and the mud, feasting on this abundance of tiny preys.
They are, in turn, prey for the mudstinger (Pelokentron rotundus). This little typhlotherian, about as large as a hare, has a rounded body with a heavy coat of fat layers and dead skin that effectively protects it from cold; a short tail provides balance as it jumps around on its long feet, as well as storing a rich reserve of fat. The incisors teeth are fused in a long, slightly curved beak.
In summer, mudstingers forage alone; in winter, they form colonies of tens or hundreds to share body heat. They proceed in short hops, piercing the mud with the long beak, like plovers. Still in early winter, when few predators are around, they burrow in the flank of hills to give birth and tend to the young. They form stable couples until spring, when the youngs are weaned as their beaks appear, and mates separate again.
As soon as the mudstingers are distracted by the winter burrowing for a few precious days, the anarteq emerge from the mud in vast glittering swarms to be dragged into the water by the tide. Once safe in the sea, they undergo a surprising transformation. They're actually derived pigfish, distinguished by a flat belly and fingerlike pelvic fins that grip the ice. With these structures the anarteq cling to the lower surface of the ice shelf and slowly push themselves across it, scraping away algae and other organic matter with their bony lips.
They grow to full size - 7-10 cm in length - in late winter. Once the ice begins to crack and melt, they swim closer to the shore to mate, and during a high tide they release thousands of eggs that will strand on the mud flat. A few minutes later, they die, their whole life consumed in a season.
They are, in turn, prey for the mudstinger (Pelokentron rotundus). This little typhlotherian, about as large as a hare, has a rounded body with a heavy coat of fat layers and dead skin that effectively protects it from cold; a short tail provides balance as it jumps around on its long feet, as well as storing a rich reserve of fat. The incisors teeth are fused in a long, slightly curved beak.
In summer, mudstingers forage alone; in winter, they form colonies of tens or hundreds to share body heat. They proceed in short hops, piercing the mud with the long beak, like plovers. Still in early winter, when few predators are around, they burrow in the flank of hills to give birth and tend to the young. They form stable couples until spring, when the youngs are weaned as their beaks appear, and mates separate again.
As soon as the mudstingers are distracted by the winter burrowing for a few precious days, the anarteq emerge from the mud in vast glittering swarms to be dragged into the water by the tide. Once safe in the sea, they undergo a surprising transformation. They're actually derived pigfish, distinguished by a flat belly and fingerlike pelvic fins that grip the ice. With these structures the anarteq cling to the lower surface of the ice shelf and slowly push themselves across it, scraping away algae and other organic matter with their bony lips.
They grow to full size - 7-10 cm in length - in late winter. Once the ice begins to crack and melt, they swim closer to the shore to mate, and during a high tide they release thousands of eggs that will strand on the mud flat. A few minutes later, they die, their whole life consumed in a season.
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Comments6
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My only criticism of Typhlotheres, is why do they retain the bald, wrinkled hide of their ancestors? Wouldnt coats of hair or more typical rhino or pig-like skin textures evolve? The fact that they have no eyes is great, it is wholly possible that mole rats might just do away with them once they evolve into these other forms. But remember, near-useless burrower eyes exapting and evolving BACK INTO useful eyes has happened in the ancestors of snakes, so maybe don't rule it out.