Laminato
The Laminato originally evolved from a population of greater knightworms that fed on baraclestars they found among the crystalline undergrowth. As the descendants of the lilstar proliferated into more and more niches, a new food source made itself apparent. Small, soft morsels drifted about everywhere among the lofty heights of the towering crystal growth that distinguishes the region. In order to better find their newfound prey, this deviant population of greater knightworms began to use their bodies and limbs to awkwardly swim through the water column, patrolling the sides of crystal towers, bushes, and groves in search of food. This ultimately culminated in a radical change in their anatomy, in which the muscle groups associated with bodily extension were selected against, while the muscle groups suitable for sub-carangiform swimming were favored. This resulted in the closing of the gaps between their segments—aside from a narrow opening less than half a millimeter wide that allows for water to reach their spiracles. The spikes that once covered their back, made useless by the lack of predators, have been largely selected against. The remaining spikes on the back of the middle two segments have been modified into dorsal fins. Their cloaca has been modified into a tail fin that suits their new style of swimming. This cloaca can still be opened, and was and still is used as a sort of airbrake while swimming. Their second and third pair of legs were modified into fins, which allowed for greater maneuverability.
Due to the size disparity between the greater knightworm and lilstar descendants, the derived greater knightworm population selected for smaller sizes, allowing them to make greater use of the nutrients gained from their new prey. Their antennae and first pair of limbs have evolved into structures that greatly aid their ability to capture and break down their prey. Their antennae have gained another segment, which is covered in mucus-laden bristles adapted to capture their prey. Their antennae will then be moved down to the bottom of the head where a pair of mandibles await to grab and move their prey to the mouth. These mandibles have a wide range of motion and allow for both horizontal and vertical movement. Today, the laminato's hunting behavior varies depending on the prey species. Barnaclestars and stickerstars are pried and/or torn off of the sides of the crystals they reside on with the laminato's mandibles before being moved to the mouth on the ventral side of the head. Predestars, leslilstars, and leafstars are captured with the antennae, and then scraped off and moved to the jaw by the mandibles. Anemonestars are much more difficult to consume, as the laminato must poke the prey item with its antennae or mandible to trigger all of its nematocysts. Once the prey's defense is disabled, it will then be torn off of its crystal and moved to the mouth by the mandibles. The only lilstar descendant to fully evade predation is the shellstar, as its shell proves to be an excellent defense against the laminato's mandibles.
The laminato reproduces much like its ancestor. However, copulation is made much more clumsy due to the modified cloaca. Mating is typically done in hollowed-out crystal flora, where organisms are least likely to disturb the eggs.