Pectukoids

Pectukoida are a subtype of skeletal animals, close relative of ambarrian vertebrates. These weird creatures begin their lives as vertebrate-like larvae, but instead of metamorphosing into advanced hexapods they turn into primitive sedentary beings. Their degraded bodies are mostly gelatinous, with simplified anatomy, and usually with long elastic tentacles. Jadongs know a dozen of pektukoid species, but classify them in just three groups. 

Left - pectukoi, the least specialized and the most widespread and diverse among these creatures. They have a long stalk that ends with multiple suckers. All six pectukoi's fins look like tiny scales and are very hard to recognize even for the best scientists. Many of their species have feather-like filter tentacles, other are hunters. 

Top right - saudoon, an endemic of the flooded caves that were found under desert lands. It resembles jellyfish, but, similar to pectukoi, attaches to the rocky surface with sticky disc that grows on its back. Now these animals slowly spread over The River and seem to be ineradicable - hopefully they can`t be dangerous. 

Bottom right - querenge, the most anatomically simplified group of pectukoids that attach to bigger aquatic animals, burrow under skin and accrete with victim's blood vessels. Their main bodies have only a few eyes, simple brain and a gland that produces signal substance to warn their host when the creature notices any danger. They don't have any heart, gills etc. 

Interestingly, all pectukoids except querenge still have the same basic anatomy as vertebrates. 

No Encyclopedia entry for them yet.