Hellworm Sucker

As time marched on and species changed, the tudeep sucker remained virtually unchanged, even as the world above it was utterly transformed over millions of years. As their one major predator died, their numbers exploded, but still did not leave where they inhabited. However, that all changed when some tudeep suckers noticed a descendant of another prey item, the greater hellworm, venture deeper into the dark depths of the ocean. Though some stayed behind with the rest of their kin, others followed their prey deeper. What they found was a place devoid of light where the local organisms didn't know what to make of them. Some came back, but some went ever deeper into the abyss, adapting and speciating accordingly. And thus birthed the hellworm sucker.

In response to the greater pressure of the waters of the abyssal zone and the now total lack of sunlight shining down from above, it has noticeably shrunk in size. Due to the lack of light, its useless lower eyes have completely vanished, and its larger upper eyes have noticeably shrunk. Its fins are also partially transparent. Despite its smaller eyes, it still reacts to light, typically being surprised and swimming away when the UV floodlights of a filterclad shine on it. Its ability to perceive infrared has been forsaken in exchange for a heightened sense of smell, with the heat detection organs in its gill holes modified for the purpose of finding prey. Aside from using their tongue-like skin-flap to scoop up their primary foods and the occasional Supergoliathpseudopodia, it will also use it to scoop up marine snow if food is scarce. When it eats marine snow, it will typically bend the appendage into a spoon-like shape to get as much marine snow as it can. As there are no tudeeps in the abyssal zone, it will typically bury itself in marine snow if startled by a larger organism. Aside from the various adaptations and behavioral changes, it is otherwise much like its ancestor.