Mini Wormbacks
Mini Wormbacks are small descendants of the Wormback which thrive throughout mainland Wright. As burrowing detritivores, they help clean up dead flora and contribute greatly to soil formation, much like Terran earthworms. Like most of their relatives, they are reasonably adapted to living in arid environments, and as such they have easily crossed the hot deserts dividing up parts of Wright.
Like their ancestor, Mini Wormbacks use hemerythrin as their blood pigment and are active air breathers. Their tympanic ears allow them to detect rain and return to the surface, as they would drown otherwise, unlike Terran earthworms. They are almost completely blind, mainly using their eyes to help them judge how deep underground they are—and detect when they are exposed. They can occasionally fight over mates, and they lay their soft-shelled eggs in deep or well-shaded soil as they burrow along.
There are many, many species of Mini Wormback. They can live anywhere on land where there is flora present to create detritus. Species living in hot deserts are commonly found in association with oases, where flora and therefore detritus, as well as moisture for their eggs, is more abundant. Species in colder climates often hibernate deep underground over the winter. Multiple species of different sizes can exist in the same habitat at the same time, and their coloration tends to match local soil colors.