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Vinegoon (Lapilluvam fonsiratus)
Creator: Jarlaxle
Ancestor: Mucus Quataetar
Habitat: Adult: Ovi Tropical Beach, Ovi Subtropical Beach, West Dixon Subtropical Beach, Rose Subtropical Riparian, Ovi subtropical Riparian, Banelord Subtropical Riparian; Juveniles: West Ovi Tropical Coast, West Ovi Subtropical Coast, West Dixon Subtropical Coast, Rose Subtropical River, Ovi Subtropical River, Banelord Subtropical River, Rose Subtropical Watershed, Ovi Tropical Watershed, Banelord Subtropical Watershed
Size: 20mm tall adults, 4mm tall juveniles
Support: Soft-Bodied (Muscular Hydrostat), Shell (Calcite)
Diet: Adult: Harbivore (Corcraonach, Wright Caonach, Starfruit Caonach, Gelatinous Caonach, Veinnach, Violetpalm litter, Shootstems litter); Juveniles: Filter feeders
Respiration: Active (Lung-hearts, gills)
Thermoregulation: Ectotherm
Reproduction: cryptosexual (unisex, water spawning)

The Vinegoon has split from its ancestor, stemming from a branch of Mucus Quataetars that favored sour mucus rather than bitter mucus to make them unpalatable to predators, increasing the Mucus pH levels to do so, which had the unfortunate effect of harming the shell over time. Their ancestors fought off the negative effects through shell overgrowth and mucus output restrictions, the latter culminating in "mucus lines", specialized mucus transportation vessels reaching from glands near the anus into various lines of mucus output pours stretching along the skin. Using the mucus lines to break the shell overgrowth around the pseudopods into their own segments allowed the overgrowths to continue without restricting movement while providing additional protection.

==Juveniles: ==
The young grow entirely within the shell, anchoring to the coastal sediment and growing as filter feeders, but unlike their Shellstar forebears who reached out of their armor, they siphon water through the front opening of the armor and out of the 4 side openings by the gills. Once they are ready, they'll break the bottom oral sections of the armor into 4 helmet segments, which will provide them with protection and additional support once they leave the water. The curves of the helmets raise the eyes and the area just above the gills, allowing them to breathe while eating.

==Lifestyle: ==
They are crepuscular, spending the twilight hours feeding on Caonach, supplemented by purple flora litter, for which they've developed a taste, quite literally, evolving taste buds around the rim of their mouths to distinguish what they are eating. During the day and night, or when in danger, they will roll into a ball to avoid desiccation and predation. If attacked they will squeeze their pseudopods around their anal glands and squirt acidic mucus at the attacker. Their mucus gives them their distinct vinegar-like smell, for which they are named.

==Reproduction: ==
They reproduce by spawning large swarms of gametes into the water out of a protective circular genital flap around the anus. To further ensure healthy numbers, their gametes have evolved a distinct key system, each gamete carrying their parent randomized key and a specialized ribosome that reads the keys of potential mating gametes and will only allow mating if it finds a mismatch, preventing inbreeding and saving the gamete to find other potential mates, without the use of genders and wasteful mismatches between gender counts.

This post has been edited by Jarlaxle: Feb 14 2023, 08:09 PM

Wow, you actually remembered my Starfruit Caonach, Gelatinous Caonach, and Veinnach artworks from years ago. Since the map changed, I'll have to adjust their ranges, and I might have to re-do the art for the Gelatinous Caonach, so it will take longer. The Veinnach will likely be released first.

Of all the things I think need change here, it'd be the name. I know it's the whole point, but it just seems a little too similar to "vinegaroon", especially for something that doesn't resemble one. Maybe this can be a quataeroon? Just a little nitpick.

QUOTE (Coolsteph @ Feb 15 2023, 01:28 AM)

Wow, you actually remembered my Starfruit Caonach, Gelatinous Caonach, and Veinnach artworks from years ago. Since the map changed, I'll have to adjust their ranges, and I might have to re-do the art for the Gelatinous Caonach, so it will take longer. The Veinnach will likely be released first.

I'll follow which ones you've releaseed this generation and update the diet

QUOTE (Cube67 @ Feb 15 2023, 02:11 AM)

Of all the things I think need change here, it'd be the name. I know it's the whole point, but it just seems a little too similar to "vinegaroon", especially for something that doesn't resemble one. Maybe this can be a quataeroon? Just a little nitpick.

Updated to Vinegoon, thanks for TheBigDeepCheatsy for the name idea.

To me the name Vinagoon makes it sound like it's a Vinagob descendant, and Vinegoon also kind of makes me think of them

QUOTE (Oceansky @ May 9 2023, 09:45 PM)

To me the name Vinagoon makes it sound like it's a Vinagob descendant, and Vinegoon also kind of makes me think of them

I am open to name ideas, but something with a vinegar reference and a good postfix for future species is preferable, I was planning to use "-goon" as one.

for some reason i thought the name was related to vinegaroons.

which is one of my favorite animals, so I support it as a noncontributor.

This post has been edited by colddigger: May 11 2023, 10:31 PM

I think i remember coming up with that name after hearing that this guy uses a similar vinegar-smelling acidic secretion. Im glad that name was remembered after all this time (even if the name was changed)

QUOTE (colddigger @ May 12 2023, 06:30 AM)

for some reason i thought the name was related to vinegaroons. which is one of my favorite animals, so I support it as a noncontributor.

That was Beans idea, I thought it worked well because of the vinegaroons similar squirt defense and because it has the word vinegar in it, but I agree with cube that it doesn't look like one.

If I don't find a name I'm going to call it MadeForPlushies.

QUOTE (Beans @ May 13 2023, 12:27 AM)

I think i remember coming up with that name after hearing that this guy uses a similar vinegar-smelling acidic secretion. Im glad that name was remembered after all this time (even if the name was changed)

Timing