>>5399424>>5399435>>5399449>>5399451>Beneath the wrathful waves, a young Flounder Feeder treads water near its birther. It has no comprehension of the significance, but it smells the adult and instinctively recognizes it’s of its own species. Only the simplest of instincts are possible, written in genetic code by countless generations of trial and error. Not food. Stay close. These alone have saved many lives.The Flounder Feeders have developed a small gland near the base of their tail which occasionally releases a distinct scent in the waters nearby. The pheromone serves as a loose identifier, keeping packs together and causing the young to stay near their parent. Although no true dialogue is possible, emergent behavior spurred by natural selection manages the next best thing. Protection of the young by attacking nearby outsiders has reversed the population decline and the Flounder Feeder’s numbers have started to climb once again.
These pheromones aren’t perfect, they’re constantly washed away by the tide and rarely cause confusion when they stain a rock or particularly large Lump Grazer, but they are a major adaptation. Among the narrow band ecosystem, the Flounder Feeders are the first species to actively protect their young, even if by coincidence. The long-term implications of this are nothing short of enormous.
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