Parime – The Double-mouth Planet
The endless seas of Parime are cold and full of life. This planet’s atmosphere is composed mostly of hydrogen, and the watery seas by necessity carry oxygen, but are also very rich in hydrogen. Parime’s climate is generally quite cold, the tropics are more temperate than Earth’s, and the polar seas are icy. There are no terrestrial landmasses, the entire planet is covered in vast oceans, varying in depth from calm shallows to abyssal trenches.
Plant-life here is relatively poor, only consisting of primitive green and brown algae. Some are a clinging film of slime on rocks or the seafloor; others look like carpets of filamentous hair. A slightly more advanced group maintains structural integrity by having filaments tangle and cling to each-other, forming simple branching structures or thick pillowy mats. One reason there are less marine plants here, is because sea-sponges, or something like them, are so ubiquitous. They are masses of cooperative simple cells, living in a branching structural lattice, much like the sea sponges of Earth (with the exception of their chemical composition). These sponges take on a variety of shapes, from lumpy mounds, to lobed branching columns, to huge aggregations of rounded oblongs clumped together in a bushy mass. Herbivorous marine animals here are unpretentious feeders, eating algae and sponges in usually equal measure. Parime’s oceans also play host to a large amount of phytoplankton and zooplankton, composed of relatively large unicellular algae, as well as the free-swimming gametes and larvae of the sea-sponges, and various invertebrates.
The animals here have an exotic biochemistry. Though carbon-based, their blood and body-fluids are complex hydrocarbons, and muscles are hydraulic. Their hard parts such as beaks, teeth and bones are formed from hydrocarbons into a durable plastic-like material, which is unstable at very high temperatures. Most animals on Parime are marine, and have gills to extract hydrogen from the water to breathe. However, some flying creatures that hawk above the surface of the water and breathe air, are the exception to the rule. Breathing and eating is an interesting affair for a Parime vertebrate because they actually have 2 mouths, leading to the colloquial name “double-mouth”. The primary-mouth is an extendable structure that leads to the throat and gills, and below it hangs the secondary-mouth, which is a pair of strong toothed jaws, generally used for eating. Most species have a secondary-mouth that can retract inside the cavity behind the primary-mouth, but many variations on this theme occur. Some only use their primary-mouth to breathe and smell, with the secondary-mouth forming a large pair of snapping jaws. Vision in most of these animals is keen; many vertebrates have multiple pairs of eyes, and hearing is similar to that of Earth fish, achieved by a pair of bony organs near the base of the skull. Propulsion is generally achieved by beating flippers or undulating fins, though flying creatures do exist here. All “double-mouthed” vertebrates reproduce via internal fertilisation, producing large broods of eggs that hatch into small independent young.
The marine invertebrates of Parime are quite varied. Encrusting shelled organisms resembling barnacles are commonly found attached to rocks, they differ from those on Earth by being radially symmetrical. Segmented, arthropod-like creatures, the Parime equivalent of crabs and lobsters, are unique in structure. They are six-segmented; the four middle segments bear a pair of legs and gills each, the outer two segments bear a head each. These heads have a mouth, mandibles and 4 compound eyes; each mouth eventually leads to an anus next to the opposing head. Small serpentine creatures that resemble a cross between a worm and a primitive vertebrate, can be found burrowing through the seabed, some of them swim in the water-column with rows of lobed appendages along their sides. Most of these invertebrates give birth to swarms of tiny, planktonic larvae.
Parime is named after the mythical lake which was the location of El Dorado. It was given this name due to the veritable treasure of knowledge that it was, one of the first planets to be discovered with truly alien biochemistry.
The endless seas of Parime are cold and full of life. This planet’s atmosphere is composed mostly of hydrogen, and the watery seas by necessity carry oxygen, but are also very rich in hydrogen. Parime’s climate is generally quite cold, the tropics are more temperate than Earth’s, and the polar seas are icy. There are no terrestrial landmasses, the entire planet is covered in vast oceans, varying in depth from calm shallows to abyssal trenches.
Plant-life here is relatively poor, only consisting of primitive green and brown algae. Some are a clinging film of slime on rocks or the seafloor; others look like carpets of filamentous hair. A slightly more advanced group maintains structural integrity by having filaments tangle and cling to each-other, forming simple branching structures or thick pillowy mats. One reason there are less marine plants here, is because sea-sponges, or something like them, are so ubiquitous. They are masses of cooperative simple cells, living in a branching structural lattice, much like the sea sponges of Earth (with the exception of their chemical composition). These sponges take on a variety of shapes, from lumpy mounds, to lobed branching columns, to huge aggregations of rounded oblongs clumped together in a bushy mass. Herbivorous marine animals here are unpretentious feeders, eating algae and sponges in usually equal measure. Parime’s oceans also play host to a large amount of phytoplankton and zooplankton, composed of relatively large unicellular algae, as well as the free-swimming gametes and larvae of the sea-sponges, and various invertebrates.
The animals here have an exotic biochemistry. Though carbon-based, their blood and body-fluids are complex hydrocarbons, and muscles are hydraulic. Their hard parts such as beaks, teeth and bones are formed from hydrocarbons into a durable plastic-like material, which is unstable at very high temperatures. Most animals on Parime are marine, and have gills to extract hydrogen from the water to breathe. However, some flying creatures that hawk above the surface of the water and breathe air, are the exception to the rule. Breathing and eating is an interesting affair for a Parime vertebrate because they actually have 2 mouths, leading to the colloquial name “double-mouth”. The primary-mouth is an extendable structure that leads to the throat and gills, and below it hangs the secondary-mouth, which is a pair of strong toothed jaws, generally used for eating. Most species have a secondary-mouth that can retract inside the cavity behind the primary-mouth, but many variations on this theme occur. Some only use their primary-mouth to breathe and smell, with the secondary-mouth forming a large pair of snapping jaws. Vision in most of these animals is keen; many vertebrates have multiple pairs of eyes, and hearing is similar to that of Earth fish, achieved by a pair of bony organs near the base of the skull. Propulsion is generally achieved by beating flippers or undulating fins, though flying creatures do exist here. All “double-mouthed” vertebrates reproduce via internal fertilisation, producing large broods of eggs that hatch into small independent young.
The marine invertebrates of Parime are quite varied. Encrusting shelled organisms resembling barnacles are commonly found attached to rocks, they differ from those on Earth by being radially symmetrical. Segmented, arthropod-like creatures, the Parime equivalent of crabs and lobsters, are unique in structure. They are six-segmented; the four middle segments bear a pair of legs and gills each, the outer two segments bear a head each. These heads have a mouth, mandibles and 4 compound eyes; each mouth eventually leads to an anus next to the opposing head. Small serpentine creatures that resemble a cross between a worm and a primitive vertebrate, can be found burrowing through the seabed, some of them swim in the water-column with rows of lobed appendages along their sides. Most of these invertebrates give birth to swarms of tiny, planktonic larvae.
Parime is named after the mythical lake which was the location of El Dorado. It was given this name due to the veritable treasure of knowledge that it was, one of the first planets to be discovered with truly alien biochemistry.
Faunal Examples -
Pseudo-anchovy (Xenosprattus nanus)
Measuring only 10 centimetres long, the pseudo-anchovy are one of the smallest “vertebrates” inhabiting Parime’s global ocean. Beating their fore fins for propulsion, these little fish-like creatures swim in large shoals, sucking up plankton. The secondary-mouth is usually held folded inside the primary-mouth as both gape wide, funnelling plankton-filled water inside. With every large mouthful, it closes its sieve-like secondary-mouth, and forces the strained water back out past its gills. Thus, this creature got its name because it is the ecological analogue to the anchovies of Earth.
Measuring only 10 centimetres long, the pseudo-anchovy are one of the smallest “vertebrates” inhabiting Parime’s global ocean. Beating their fore fins for propulsion, these little fish-like creatures swim in large shoals, sucking up plankton. The secondary-mouth is usually held folded inside the primary-mouth as both gape wide, funnelling plankton-filled water inside. With every large mouthful, it closes its sieve-like secondary-mouth, and forces the strained water back out past its gills. Thus, this creature got its name because it is the ecological analogue to the anchovies of Earth.
Clacker-cow (Marebovis percussus)
Clacker-cows are 7 meter-long inhabitants of the relatively shallow, sunlit seaways that girt the equator. They move slowly and methodically across the seafloor, body fins rippling, as they steadily consume growths of algae and sea-sponges. In this way they serve as aquatic grazers much like dugongs would on Earth. The cropping primary-mouth is at the end of a long proboscis, which can move in a wide arc as the animal feeds. A slit atop its head expands to take in water and pass it over the large gills, as the primary-mouth is usually too full of food. Its secondary-mouth sits on the underside of the head, and is used only to make loud clacking and snapping noises for communication. Clacker cows live in large underwater herds, and use this percussive vocalisation to stay in touch with one-another.
Clacker-cows are 7 meter-long inhabitants of the relatively shallow, sunlit seaways that girt the equator. They move slowly and methodically across the seafloor, body fins rippling, as they steadily consume growths of algae and sea-sponges. In this way they serve as aquatic grazers much like dugongs would on Earth. The cropping primary-mouth is at the end of a long proboscis, which can move in a wide arc as the animal feeds. A slit atop its head expands to take in water and pass it over the large gills, as the primary-mouth is usually too full of food. Its secondary-mouth sits on the underside of the head, and is used only to make loud clacking and snapping noises for communication. Clacker cows live in large underwater herds, and use this percussive vocalisation to stay in touch with one-another.
Ripplewhale (Duodecioclulus agilis)
The Ripplewhale is a keen-eyed, speedy predator that grows to a maximum of 5 meters long. Swimming with powerful rippling strokes of its lateral fins, it is a hunter, chasing and consuming other double-mouth vertebrates, from relatively small species to some that are as large as swordfish. It has 12 large eyes that allow it to track the movement of whole shoals of prey at any one time, and its powerful swimming stroke renders it one of the fastest aquatic animals on this planet. The primary-mouth is reduced to a funnel-like orifice used for respiration and scenting prey, and the secondary-mouth forms a large snapping snout, not unlike a crocodile or dolphin.
The Ripplewhale is a keen-eyed, speedy predator that grows to a maximum of 5 meters long. Swimming with powerful rippling strokes of its lateral fins, it is a hunter, chasing and consuming other double-mouth vertebrates, from relatively small species to some that are as large as swordfish. It has 12 large eyes that allow it to track the movement of whole shoals of prey at any one time, and its powerful swimming stroke renders it one of the fastest aquatic animals on this planet. The primary-mouth is reduced to a funnel-like orifice used for respiration and scenting prey, and the secondary-mouth forms a large snapping snout, not unlike a crocodile or dolphin.
Rippledrum (Ichthyosepia durophagus)
At only 1.5 meters long, the rippledrum is not the most spectacular animal found in Parime’s oceans, but is indeed one of the most interesting. They feed mainly on hard-shelled invertebrates found on the sea-floor or attached to rocks. This species serves as a good example of how the double-mouth arrangement can work. It can hold the secondary-mouth tucked inside the primary-mouth, like this it can suck shelled creatures from the seafloor, crushing them in the secondary-jaws before spitting the shells back out the front. When feeding on encrusting shellfish, they can hold their secondary-mouth underneath instead to pry them off the rocks before consuming them, whilst breathing steadily with the aid of the primary-mouth.
At only 1.5 meters long, the rippledrum is not the most spectacular animal found in Parime’s oceans, but is indeed one of the most interesting. They feed mainly on hard-shelled invertebrates found on the sea-floor or attached to rocks. This species serves as a good example of how the double-mouth arrangement can work. It can hold the secondary-mouth tucked inside the primary-mouth, like this it can suck shelled creatures from the seafloor, crushing them in the secondary-jaws before spitting the shells back out the front. When feeding on encrusting shellfish, they can hold their secondary-mouth underneath instead to pry them off the rocks before consuming them, whilst breathing steadily with the aid of the primary-mouth.
Puff-hawker (Jetornis sp)
Puff-hawkers are unusual in being some of the only non-aquatic animals inhabiting Parime. They are aerial, bird-shaped creatures, usually about as large as a gull or raven. These creatures have lightweight skeletons, powerful wings and a primary-mouth that has 2 main purposes. The primary-mouth is modified into a sort of combined lung and jetpack, air is passed rapidly through the front of it and forced out an orifice in the rear. At the same time, hydrogen is constantly extracted from the air as it flies; the inner surface of this organ is filled with a network of blood-vessels. Their secondary-jaws are more conventional by comparison, being pointed and filled with teeth. Puff-hawkers feed mainly by snatching small creatures from the water’s surface, but will also feed on each-other’s young. A cluster of about 10 eggs are dropped in a raft-like cluster onto the surface of the water, babies are able to fly within minutes of hatching.
Puff-hawkers are unusual in being some of the only non-aquatic animals inhabiting Parime. They are aerial, bird-shaped creatures, usually about as large as a gull or raven. These creatures have lightweight skeletons, powerful wings and a primary-mouth that has 2 main purposes. The primary-mouth is modified into a sort of combined lung and jetpack, air is passed rapidly through the front of it and forced out an orifice in the rear. At the same time, hydrogen is constantly extracted from the air as it flies; the inner surface of this organ is filled with a network of blood-vessels. Their secondary-jaws are more conventional by comparison, being pointed and filled with teeth. Puff-hawkers feed mainly by snatching small creatures from the water’s surface, but will also feed on each-other’s young. A cluster of about 10 eggs are dropped in a raft-like cluster onto the surface of the water, babies are able to fly within minutes of hatching.