Post by doublea on May 16, 2022 20:35:14 GMT
Creep Sand (Pagurosimila serpere)
Range: Temperate to tropical regions planetwide, though infuriatingly also anywhere else
Habitat: Sandy shorelines, sometimes found far inland in windy climes
Length 0.125mm to .250mm, typically
Weight: Negligible
Frequency: Uncommon
Threat Level: Low*
It's a common expression about the ability of sand to seeming get everywhere and into everything as if it had a mind of its own, but Poseidon's ecology being ever ambitious can lend credence to this claim.
'Creep Sand' is the common name for a vexing crustacean or possibly insect analog which has the dubious honor of being one of the smallest exoskeletal, ambulatory fauna on planet. The name comes from the curious behavior of the animal constructing a shell from silica, causing the casual observer to mistake the creature for a large grain of sand.
While the specific mechanism has not been understood outside of some sort of inexplicable biological process involving potassium hydroxide excretions, Pagurosimila Serpere will at several stages in their lives discard their old shells and create new, typically in response to growth or damage.
While these animals seem harmless in and of themselves, the mechanism of reproduction is what causes the most difficulty. Females of the species will carry 50 to 100 eggs in their shells, and find a silica rich area to disperse their eggs, such that the tiny larva may themselves be able to construct their first shells after their initial growth stage.
In their search for food, these creatures can (and often do) end up attached to equipment, dive suits, remotes, in boots and gloves, masks, etc.. If they are able to find any biologic material to eat, they will soon start to dismantle any silicon deposits around to form their shells. This includes lenses, seals, gaskets, or even just sand particles tracked along flooring. The creatures diet consists of both vegetable matter as well as decomposing animal flesh, meaning humans themselves are a walking buffet of carried flora, fauna and food waste scattered about.
The only sign of a possible creep sand infestation is inexplicable sand particles that keep appearing and vanishing over time. By the time discarded shells are found, usually that is a good indication that many important silicon-containing components have been nibbled on.
Range: Temperate to tropical regions planetwide, though infuriatingly also anywhere else
Habitat: Sandy shorelines, sometimes found far inland in windy climes
Length 0.125mm to .250mm, typically
Weight: Negligible
Frequency: Uncommon
Threat Level: Low*
It's a common expression about the ability of sand to seeming get everywhere and into everything as if it had a mind of its own, but Poseidon's ecology being ever ambitious can lend credence to this claim.
'Creep Sand' is the common name for a vexing crustacean or possibly insect analog which has the dubious honor of being one of the smallest exoskeletal, ambulatory fauna on planet. The name comes from the curious behavior of the animal constructing a shell from silica, causing the casual observer to mistake the creature for a large grain of sand.
While the specific mechanism has not been understood outside of some sort of inexplicable biological process involving potassium hydroxide excretions, Pagurosimila Serpere will at several stages in their lives discard their old shells and create new, typically in response to growth or damage.
While these animals seem harmless in and of themselves, the mechanism of reproduction is what causes the most difficulty. Females of the species will carry 50 to 100 eggs in their shells, and find a silica rich area to disperse their eggs, such that the tiny larva may themselves be able to construct their first shells after their initial growth stage.
In their search for food, these creatures can (and often do) end up attached to equipment, dive suits, remotes, in boots and gloves, masks, etc.. If they are able to find any biologic material to eat, they will soon start to dismantle any silicon deposits around to form their shells. This includes lenses, seals, gaskets, or even just sand particles tracked along flooring. The creatures diet consists of both vegetable matter as well as decomposing animal flesh, meaning humans themselves are a walking buffet of carried flora, fauna and food waste scattered about.
The only sign of a possible creep sand infestation is inexplicable sand particles that keep appearing and vanishing over time. By the time discarded shells are found, usually that is a good indication that many important silicon-containing components have been nibbled on.