| Reef Glider | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Naming | |||
| Binomen | N/A | ||
| Morphology | |||
| Body type | Gastropod | ||
| Average length | 3 meters | ||
| Average weight | 1 ton | ||
| Intelligence | |||
| Sentience | Sentient | ||
| Sapience | Non-Sapient | ||
| Ecology | |||
| Habitat | Shallow seas | ||
| Diet | Nectarivorous (young) Carnivorous (adult) | ||
| Locomotion | Swimming | ||
| Behind the Scenes | |||
| Universe | The Future Is Wild | ||
The Reef Gliders are a species of gastropods which swim across the red algal reeves in the warm shallow seas of the Earth circa 100 million years in the future.
Unlike the modern sea slugs which they evolved from, the Reef Gliders have a robust body, complete with three pairs of wing-like fins, a pair of thin eyestalks and a beak-like mouth. They are noted as fast and agile swimmers. Their red gills protrude from the rear side of the body, forming a structure similar to a long furry tail. The small horn-like structures on their heads are actually sensory organs, which pick up scents.
The juvenile Reef Gliders act as pollinators to the red algae, feeding on the nectar-like substance stored in their turret-like structures which are analogous to flowers, and carrying the algae gametes with them from one individual to the next. These young Reef Gliders are preyed upon by the Ocean Phantom. Conversely, the adult Reef Glider, which can grow up to three meters long and weighs about a ton, actively hunts for and feeds upon Ocean Phantoms but risking getting killed by the Spindletroopers.