| Swampus | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Naming | |||
| Binomen | N/A | ||
| Morphology | |||
| Body type | Octopus-like | ||
| Average height | 5 ft. long, 10 ft. arm span (estimate) | ||
| Average legspan | N/A | ||
| Intelligence | |||
| Sentience | Sentient | ||
| Sapience | Semi-Sapient | ||
| Aggressivity | High | ||
| Ecology | |||
| Habitat | Swamp | ||
| Diet | Carnivore | ||
| Lifespan | DD | ||
| Subspecies | N/A | ||
| Related species | Octopus (Ancestor) | ||
| Status | DD | ||
| Behind the Scenes | |||
| Universe | The Future is Wild | ||
Swampuses are a species of semi-terrestrial octopuses which inhabit the Indian marshlands about 100 million years in the future. They have a 10 foot arm span.
Overview[]
They live in the brackish Bengal swamps, formed when Africa merged with and blocked the Bay of Bengal. They have a deadly venomous bite that can even kill a baby toraton. Unfortunately for the swampus, adult toratons have no predators and are not affected by their venom. One of the few creatures capable of killing a swampus is the lurkfish, which uses the electric field surrounding its body to stun the swampus and another creature that can kill swampus is the Bengal Shrimp, which fights the swampus for food and its armor can withstand bites.
Unlike its ancestors, the swampus has only four arms. The other four have evolved into flattened pad-like structures, which can be used to move around on land, as well as propel it like flippers when it swims. Its skin can change color, much like its modern brethren, and it uses this ability to flash out warnings about its deadly venomous nature and settle territorial disputes. Inside its mantle, a specialized cavity with a rich blood supply has developed as a primitive lung, allowing it to extract oxygen from air, provided it's humid enough.
One remarkable thing about the swampus is that it is the first cephalopod to venture out onto land. Infant swampuses are nurtured in a leafy plant named the Nursey Vase filled with fresh water, into which the mother urinates to maintain the proper salinity. Four of the swampus' arms have changed into four individual snail-style foot-muscles, and its mantle cavity can also be used as a lung, allowing it to stay out of water for up to four days. One male will mate with three females and help raise their young. When the young swampus are ready to leave their nest the mother will escort them to the shore and see them a safe journey.