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Description
Gilltail metamorph birds are a group not rare in the hothouse, but small and cryptic and so rarely seen. Most examples of these birds are little changed from their early Ultimocene roots, exhibiting simple bauplans (for metamorph birds) that need few changes to endure. Adults are usually insectivorous and associated with water, as this is where they lay their eggs, while larvae are free-living, respire underwater with many sets of fleshy gills along their long cartilaginous tails, and have grasping fore- and hind legs that make them resemble salamanders. Metamorphosis is complete, in contrast to larger metamorphs like aukvultures and skuorcs with stunted development, and the swimming larvae produces a cocoon of silk-like saliva fibers after burying itself safely in the sediment near the shore of the pond or lake it lived in. The mature bird takes around four weeks to develop, the tail (lacking any bone) being reabsorbed for energy used to grow flight feathers and muscles for flight. When it emerges, it is completely, utterly transformed and few traces of its infancy remain, save for a jaw which is usually still very wide, as the larvae are predators which often use suction feeding to collect small invertebrate prey. Gilltails are found on both continents in Serina in the hothouse, but are restricted to freshwater habitats.

Some gilltails have, however, adapted to live in more unusual sorts of those habitats. The gloomswallow is a relatively large species which has adapted to live in the damp, extensive system of caves under Serinarcta

Full entry: sites.google.com/site/worldofs…

Serina on patreon: www.patreon.com/sheatherius

Description
Gilltail metamorph birds are a group not rare in the hothouse, but small and cryptic and so rarely seen. Most examples of these birds are little changed from their early Ultimocene roots, exhibiting simple bauplans (for metamorph birds) that need few changes to endure. Adults are usually insectivorous and associated with water, as this is where they lay their eggs, while larvae are free-living, respire underwater with many sets of fleshy gills along their long cartilaginous tails, and have grasping fore- and hind legs that make them resemble salamanders. Metamorphosis is complete, in contrast to larger metamorphs like aukvultures and skuorcs with stunted development, and the swimming larvae produces a cocoon of silk-like saliva fibers after burying itself safely in the sediment near the shore of the pond or lake it lived in. The mature bird takes around four weeks to develop, the tail (lacking any bone) being reabsorbed for energy used to grow flight feathers and muscles for flight. When it emerges, it is completely, utterly transformed and few traces of its infancy remain, save for a jaw which is usually still very wide, as the larvae are predators which often use suction feeding to collect small invertebrate prey. Gilltails are found on both continents in Serina in the hothouse, but are restricted to freshwater habitats.

Some gilltails have, however, adapted to live in more unusual sorts of those habitats. The gloomswallow is a relatively large species which has adapted to live in the damp, extensive system of caves under Serinarcta

Full entry: sites.google.com/site/worldofs…

Serina on patreon: www.patreon.com/sheatherius