Sayceback

As Mosshrooms spread to the shallows, Nightgrazers followed. However, the first group to gain a true foothold in the Mosshroom niche was not just a Nightgrazer, but a Carapacer as well—splitting off from both in hybrid form is the Sayceback. The reason for this strange hybrid’s success in claiming shallower mosshroom-eating niches is due to the carapacer’s genes granting it efficient blood pigment, digestive enzymes, a shell for mineral storage, and adaptations for the sunlight zone overall, which were not necessarily already present in non-hybrid Nightgrazer populations attempting the same transition. It retains the overall body form of its Nightgrazer half, and its carapace’s shape is adjusted to account for its larger lateral limb muscles. The awkward combination of traits and incompatible genes from the parent species resulted in its anal arm being significantly larger than in either ancestor and having large tentacle-like anal fingers. As a result, its center of gravity is shifted much further back than in either ancestor, enabling it to easily “walk” bipedally on the seafloor while looking for food. It still stands as a tripod while resting. Its hatchlings are similar to those of the Carapacer in that they do not hatch until after their limbs have differentiated, for the sake of developing the shell as soon as possible.