On the world of Gepara, there resides an eusocial species along the planet’s tropical mountain ranges. On the map below, the red dots indicate the location of multiple colonies. They live in the lush jungle areas where food is plentiful but competition is high. Because they live in fortified colonies within the mountains, the males need to hunt for food. In large packs consisting of hundreds of males, they hunt near rivers and in the dense forest. They have their colonies high enough because of the danger of flooding and near enough to the ground to go on hunting trips.
Description
Tectonids are a species of soft-bodied creatures with hardened shells. The strength of this Tectonid species lies in numbers. As individuals, they are highly vulnerable, even the queen of a colony, despite its size roughly that of a school bus. It stays its whole life anchored in a cave wall, caring for and protecting the offspring. Within the colony, all individuals act as one, and each has their own role. The workers make new tunnels, providing an efficient infrastructure. For food, the colony relies on the hunting lifestyle of the drones or soldiers. The Queens manage resources and care for the larvae and are the only fertile females of this species. As an added measure of protection, the colony has multiple chambers where soldiers wait to ambush rival colony soldiers or predators.
Sexual Dimorphism
Males and females differ significantly from each other in both appearance and role. With male Tectonids filling the role of soldiers and females that of workers and possibly queens. Males reach only on average 0.9 meters in length, females can grow up to 2.2 meters, and queens can reach 10 meters. Drastic difference! This difference in appearance is advantageous to the colony structure. Males are more agile compared to females, who have sturdier builds.
Their smaller size allows them to move efficiently in dense jungle environments, searching for food and quickly coming to the aid of the colony. Females are built for labor. Workers (non-reproductive females) are larger because they need the strength to create tunnels and maintain colony infrastructure. These tectonids have specialized plates that cover their head, shielding them from falling debris. Smaller or more juvenile females act as the nurses of the colony, removing parasites and other harmful creatures. If a tectonid female exceeds a size of 3 meters [10 ft], it’s safe to say that she will become a new queen. Then she gets the urge to create a hole for herself to settle in. The queen, being entirely stationary, devotes all energy to reproduction and colony control. Males from outside colonies are welcomed for reproduction, ensuring genetic diversity. Mating occurs when males use specialized tentacles to fertilize the queen’s eggs through openings in her shell, which seal immediately after fertilization.
This entry was made by the talented Sijbren Reitsma