After designing organs I had to revamp the nervous and circulatory system of the Sword, so it is now fully integrated.
Explaining the Key:
1 - The flotation bladder secretes and absorbs gas to form a variable volume balloon, which helps the Sword stay at its feeding or resting depths without physical effort.
2 - This simple stomach secretes antitoxins and digestive chemicals to neutralize and break down food. There is no complex earthlife-like intestine, so digestion proceeds more slowly than for earth creatures.
3 - The mouth eats the mucus strings constantly flowing from the long yellow glands, and any plankton that gets trapped in it
4 - The crop is made from two sacs on either side of the upper mouth. During heavy feeding these membranes become bloated with plankton where it can be stored until the stomach is ready for it.
5 - Much like a cuttlefish fin, small muscle banks produce undulations which push the Sword wherever it needs to go, and draws water into the feeding area.
6 - Long strands of gametes [reproductive cells] are secreted from this organ, to be released when the sword detects the chemical signals of a mate nearby.
7 - The bladder produces liquid waste.
8 - These glands produce strings of sticky proteins similar to a spiders silk, which form a basket leading to the mouth.
9 - A simple nervous system controls the bodies functions
10 - A series of hearts draw blood into the gill loops and pumps it around the body.
11 - The simple brain co-ordinates activity and bodily functions.
You'll note I didn't mention eyes, however they are present but tiny, forming a line of light sensitive spots on the Swords' back to inform it of the time of day.
2 comments:
First, I must say that you have a tremendous gift... I still cant make photoshop work for me (but I still practice). For me, this design is incredible, but you're wanting to have comments or critics... so, I decided to put an small one... I think it should have a way of selecting the kind of particle that will become the meal... let's say some kind of tentacle or net (selecting by size). If not, I imagine that every fragment of anything that enters the eating aparatus would be eaten... I dunno... I thought in different animals (particularly the "pasive" ones) and most of them have something like this, as the JellyFishes, Bivalvia, etc...
Anyway, I can say more... incredible work!
(sorry for my english... not my native languaje)
Well written article.
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