Grappler

With the explosion of new, parasitic Protomancerxians in LadyM ridge, it was only a matter of time before a predator evolved to hunt this new source of food. Ironically, it was a Protomancerxian that evolved to consume them. The grappler has duplicated its flagella and the concaved base they sit on, giving them a distinct, ticket-like shape. Their old front flagella have been replaced with a segmented, claw-like apparatus that is moved with a series of microtubules and motor proteins. These claws are used to grab onto its prey. Once it has grabbed onto its prey, it will plunge its proboscis into said prey and siphon out the cytoplasm. It is no stranger to extreme environments and can survive inside most multicellular organisms and in the enzyme-saturated waters surrounding some crystal flora species. However, they are not uncommon in open waters. However, these specimens are typically in a state of torpor, as there are no food sources nearby. Grapplers awaken from their torpor when they come in contact with certain enzymes, which signify the presence of a potentially infected host.

Image drawn by Speed Towel and edited by Bufforpington