Paneltopedes

The Paneltopedes have developed specialized legs in their adulthood. Their front most pair has developed into a simple jaw. This jaw is laterally oriented and is adapted to tearing off bits of flora to then be passed along to the rest of its digestive system. Its front four pairs of legs and its rear three pairs are much like its ancestor's limbs, adapted for locomotion. The remainder of its limbs are modified into flat structures utilized for photosynthesis. These panel limbs have a wide range of articulation allowing them to be oriented such that no matter where a Paneltopede decides to sunbathe, they will have a large surface area with which to do so. When needing to move quickly these limbs can be tucked alongside the body so as to prevent snagging on objects. Species differ mainly in the number and shape of their panel limbs. Montane and temperate species are generally darker in coloration with long thin panels. Tropical and Subtropical species are lighter in coloration and have short broad panels. They have taken to feeding on flora rather than detritus, with shootstems, fern asterplents, grassterplents and various violetpalm species making up their diets. Juveniles still start life as males but some individuals will remain male throughout their lives while others will develop into females. This sex determination is random and reproduction occurs through their spiracles. Females will produce eggs in specialized gonopores in each segment. Some species will produce only one egg per segment while others will produce up to a dozen per segment. These eggs will be laid on the underside of leaves and rocks and then left to develop and hatch.