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| Gladiator spade | |
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| Topic Started: Jan 1 2011, 02:41 PM (699 Views) | |
| StinglessBee | Jan 1 2011, 02:41 PM Post #1 |
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Gladiator spade (cephalostia) Size: 15-40cm Time: Mid-late Carboniferous Diet: omnivorous Habitat: Varied, with different species living in shallow sea water, brackish water, and fresh water, whilst a few species may be found in neospoggia forests (can be found across the globe). Gladiator spades are a genus of smaller spades originating in the mid Carboniferous and diversifying greatly by the late Carboniferous. They are named for having small blades on their lower reproductive tentacles, having originally evolved in order to help fight against rivals that would attempt to gain access to their territory. Ironically, the development of these blades actually made fighting so dangerous as to make gladiator spades avoid far more often than other spades, instead performing a "dance" to rivals in order to intimidate them into backing down. Only when the two spades in question are evenly matched are the blades used. These blades also affect courtship: other genus of spade use the tentacles to clasp the mating females, but with gladiator spades the pair merely link whilst the blades are thrust out of the way (however, in other ways breeding differs little from other spades). The blades are occasionally used to defend themselves from predators, but the spades rarely get the chance to use them in this way, with most predators either striking from afar (like the ocean dragons, which use their front legs or long beaks to catch prey) or striking with astonishing speed (as is the case with the speed kites). As a result, most species of gladiator spade use camouflage to hide from predators. Whilst the diet of the majority of species is mostly herbivorous, all species will use their camouflage to hunt sigmatatora and larva cephalostia in times of food shortages and there are several species with more carnivorous tendencies. |
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2:19 PM Jul 11