(Art: A king Fylitrompetas emerges from his finished comb as he prepares to search for a queen) One of the first eusocial animals to ever evolve, the Fylitrompetas may look like a plastic straw from far away, but this slender creature is perhaps a ray of light for its descendants, as its build and appearance are all used to maximum effect while a colony of them works together. Description and nest. The Fylitrompetas is about a meter long and can weigh up to 30 grams. The king is slightly larger than the queen. An elongated snout and a long dorsal fin makes it similar to an eel, along with many fins to help it swim quicker. The nest, known as a comb, has a pattern is similar to a honeycomb and is made of a special coral that attracts their prey. The comb also provides a shelter for all members of the colony, especially their young. Diet The Fylitrompetas is an expert predator, with workers doing most of the hunting. When hunting, a worker will take a small chunk off of the comb and place it a fair distance away from the nest. Once it chooses a spot, it places the chunk down and buries itself near it. Once it detects that prey has wandered near the chunk, the Fylitrompetas will lunge forward, constricting its prey and carrying back to the nest. Ecology Unlike other eusocial animals, the king must attract a queen first before they can found the colony. First, he must prepare the comb by finding a suitable coral and drilling through it using his powerful jaws. When the hole is finally big enough to hold him and a queen, he will begin to search for a mate. His flashy colours allow most females to spot him from afar, allowing him to find a queen extremely quickly.
I only drew the king as I'm a bit lazy on the others lol. They will come soon, as well as a better model for the comb. But anyways, here's a description about all of them: Workers: Can be both male or female. They are the ones who do the most hunting and aid the king in feeding the young. Soldiers: Can be both male and female. During an invasion, soldiers will use their snouts to block all entrances of the comb and snap at foes if they get too close. Builders: Can be both male and female. They are responsible for expanding the size of the comb and repairing the damage it sustains. The King: The largest Fylitrompetas of his colony and the founder of it. He is responsible for raising the young along with the workers. Can be identified by a large crest on his head and an orange head. The Queen: The most important and respected Fylitrompetas in the colony. She can lay up to 800 eggs in a single day. She also has a crest like the king but even larger. If this is used, give me credit. Music: Jurassic park piano cover
