Creature Feature
Tuesday, January 27th, 2009Created by Saganmainiac
The grouperbean split from its ancestor. It has taken up the niche of a small grouper. It has doubled its size, and has changed its color to blend in with the mud. Its eyes have gotten better so it can see through the mud. Its mouth has widened and has developed bristles on the sides of it to filter feed better. Its behavior is also different. It now gobbles up the eggs of other macroscopic creatures as well as snapping up river swarmers. It still filter feeds and photosynthesis though. When the mother lays its own eggs, it then gobbles them up, which then stick to its britsles. While the eggs are incubating, it shuts its mouth and doesn’t eat until the eggs hatch, keeping them warm and safe. While it waits for the eggs to hatch, it captures sunlight to keep it alive. When the eggs hatch, the young are kept inside the mouth, feeding on any microscopic organisms its mother filters in. After a week, the young can venture out of the mouth and feed within sight of the mother. When the mother senses danger, it gobbles its young back into its mouth, keeping them protected from predators, until the coast is clear. After two or three months, the young are old enough to leave the protection of its mother. It lives for five to ten years.
