Jocklit
The jocklit split from its ancestor when some jockey charnlit larvae developed gonads on the tops of their heads. The mutant larvae then began to frequent the water column, forming massive, self-sufficient swarms. Then, one swarm came across a twilight gill. While some were consumed, the rest settled on its back en masse, giving rise to the first jocklit colony.
The jocklit larvae have undergone numerous changes. The first change is the aforementioned gonads, which allow the larvae to reproduce with each other. The larvae also have developed nephridia that allow them to filter out waste. The nephridia form a chain-like structure that runs along the sides of the body, and are closely intertwined with the nutrient ducts. The nutrient ducts are now connected to a large gastric sac that ends in a large, gaping mouth. The gastric sac formed from an infolding of its ancestor’s digestive surface, and increases their ability to capture and digest prey. The digestive surface inside of the sac has become more complex, with some cells being devoted to producing an adhesive substance, and others being devoted to producing enzymes. When the sac is filled with enough microbes, the mouth will close and the sac will fill with enzymes, digesting its contents. Once the food has been digested, the sac will then force it into the nutrient ducts via muscular contractions. If the ducts and nephridia are filled with enough waste, the sac and nutrient ducts will work in concert to expel the waste.
As mentioned before, the larvae often live in massive swarms numbering in the tens of thousands. In order to engage in this behavior, the larvae’s brain has become more advanced, and the chemoreceptors have become more sensitive. Individuals communicate with each other by using a wide variety of pheromones that induce various behaviors. If two swarms come across each other, a mating frenzy will begin. The two swarms will form a hollow sphere-like formation and release the eggs and sperm from their gonads. The gametes will then accumulate and fuse in the center of the sphere. After the frenzy ends, the two swarms will then part ways. If a swarm detects a twilight gill nearby, they will begin to colonize it en masse, resulting in a colony of adults.
Adult jocklit are largely unchanged from their ancestor. They are simple filter-feeders that passively digest any microbe unfortunate enough to collide with its isomers. They live in massive colonies that can sometimes coat the majority of its host’s body. This coat makes its host look like it has a coat of pale fur. The colony has a mutualistic relationship with its host. The colony uses its host as habitation, while the host is protected from parasites. When twilight nippers attempt to take a bite out of a colonized twilight gill, they will instead make off with some jocklit isomers. It is also difficult for leechusfoi and backhuggers to stick to a colonized twilight gill. Like its ancestor, adult jocklits will reproduce through budding. Typically, the buds will either fall onto uncolonized surfaces or be consumed by the host. However, buds that trail behind the host will develop into larvae, and become a new swarm.