Alien Name: Kak*Ka*~ (Human translation: Glide-Feaster)

Planet of Origin: Malegara

Ecosystem Component: Bacteriovore

Base Habitat: deep trenches, volcanic level

Grouping: solitary

Size: 1 foot

Appearance: it greatly resembles an earth Nudibranch. It is, however, colored only a dull red with reverse counter shading and it is covered with intricate green-blue bioluminescent patterning. It has a large, chubby body that tapers to a tail, with a finlike appendage running along the entire side. It swims by undulating the fins in a sine-wave like motion and bending its body in tune. Like a lamprey, it has a mouth on the bottom of its front. This mouth is ringed with tiny teeth. It is used to sucker on to a bacteria-laden surface and scrape bits off while creeping along the rock surface, transferring them to the digestive system by simple suction.
Although it is blind and cannot detect bioluminescence, its riotous light display is there to warn predators of a venomous nature. It is not actually venomous, though there is a species that appears very similar to the Kak*Ka*~ that can kill the symbiotic bacteria living in most trench-goers systems, as well as damage their host.
Though it is blind, it uses a form of sonar to find its way.
One of its most distinctive features is the lack of bioluminescence on its fins and on a section of its back. It seems to help Kak*Ka*~ tell their species apart. The patches of nonluminescence might echo back as a distinctive signal that helps them figure out potential mates or competitors to a particular spot of bacteria.

Lifespan/Reproduction:
they can live anywhere from ¼ a year to 2 years naturally, depending on conditions, genetics, and subspecies.
They reproduce by two different ways, depending on conditions.
They bud, usually near the end of their life. Their underbelly begins to develop lumps which grow quickly. Eventually, these lumps burst and miniature Kak*Ka*~ swim out and go their own way. The parent often dies. This usually occurs if the parent is stressed or injured.
However, they can reproduce sexually, too. They find another Kak*Ka*~ with their sonar and begin to emit a strange sound. This can be detected by most of the auditory organs in the trenches as a whine.
They swim up to one another and touch bellies. A small penislike organ stabs out from a hidden hydrodynamic fold in their stomach regions and they begin to stab each other. The wounds close quickly and they are on their separate ways.
The organ deposits cells that quickly fuse and merge with other cells and begins the budding process. The budding parents have a lower chance of dying from the process and the offspring have much more diverse genetics.
Either way, the offspring are technically adults and grow to their full size within a week.


Note: for all intents and purposes, the dome variety is only a single subspecies, and goes through its whole life cycle in a Malegaran year

Territory: 60 square feet of bacteria-rich rocks can support about 250 individuals

Known Predators/Dangers: Kk’k’srk**~**~, various other carnivores or part-bacteriovores, certain bacterial strains