Micropredestar

Unlike other branches of its family tree which became larger, the Micropredestar got smaller so it could claim a different niche—hunting and eating cells as a primary food source, though it continues to filter-feed using its bait cells. It has developed a simple thru-gut from its mouth to its anus lined with bait cells, which catch microscopic food as it is funneled into the mouth by its now mobile, cilia-like mouth bristles. It has developed a pair of photoreceptors atop its head, which help it detect and avoid predators as well as find areas with lots of light where microscopic phototrophic prey may be present. It has lost some of the webbing around its arms, instead opting to use them more like flagella than like fins.

The micropredestar was able to spread very far and wide thanks to there not being many species that ate cells directly rather than passively. This has resulted in it also being a ring species—populations which neighbor one another can interbreed, but, for example, those in the northern part of LadyM and the northern part of Vailnoff, which are on opposite ends of the “ring”, would not be able to interbreed if they met.

The Micropredestar is otherwise much like its ancestor. It mates with any individual it comes across with a 50% success rate by linking anal arms, and babies develop inside the mother—feeding on the remains of her previous meals—until they are developed enough to swim out on their own.