[Marine] Quatroi

The Quatroi is a type of fish found in the ocean of Tidix-c II, where it feeds on smaller fishes and lives up to five years. To catch preys, this scaly blue species use an interesting method: with its very long, sticky and flexible tongue it catches fishes and bring them back to their mouth thanks to the agility and grip of their hunter weapon. When unused, the tongue doesn’t stay fully in the mouth as it is too big to fit properly. The majority of it stays in the Quatroi’s entrance of the neck pouch, surrounded by an elastic and firm membrane. The neck pouch is also where most of the organs are. The tongue is not the only advantage of a Quatroi, it also has two pairs of eyes and a powerful tail. The side eyes are the main eyes of this animal, allowing it to see most of its environnement clearly and with colors, where the face ones don’t have this sight quality but are extremely good to detect movements. Its big fin tail is perfect to swim with a heavy speed boost.

Quatrois are always able to reproduce, surprisingly in a way commonly associated with mammals rather than fishes, but for that to happen a female must accept a male and it is a long and complicated process. To seduce, males use both their movements by showing how fast and reactive they are, and the heart fat they have on their head. While it may seems odd, it is actually a powerful seduction tool. When a Quatroi has its stomach full and keeps eating, the food is used to make this pouch fatter rather than using it for body’s energy. It show the male is skilled at catching preys, which is a hugely important skill to have because Quatrois fathers have to feed their babies. They also have to protect them, so physical agility and strength is also considered an attractive trait.

When males are accepted by females, the mating begins immediately and is very painful for the females involved making them willing to flee. To keep the process going, the male use its claws on its partner’s body to stay gripped and not release. This is of course a sad reminder of how cruel nature can be sometimes. When it is done, the new couple stay together and wait for the eggs to hatch in a protected “nest”. Both the male and the female protect their children, but only the male goes hunting to feed the whole family. When children are ready to live by themselves, the couple stop caring for them and separate. They may or may not rebuild a new couple later with others Quatrois.