Termincrawlers

Inanis capere, otherwise known as the Termincrawlers, or in Blackwater, Voidwalkers, are a species of remipedes related to I. concitus or the Voidcrawlers. They branched from the Voidcrawlers sometime during the Early Zamotzic due to the rising tectonic plates, forcing these fringe Voidcrawlers to shrink in size. They evolved to appear more like remipedes than their brethren, and became parasitic, sneaking into drinking water and infecting hosts.

Anatomy
Termincrawlers, despite their much closer resemblance to common remipedes, are still very different from their other relatives. Their main body is segmented into an average of seventeen segments, the first segment is their head. They average at a size of 27.5mm in length. On the tail, are eight legs, eight function like teeth, gripping onto nearby things for dear life, and the front two are for capturing prey, dragging them into their usually barely visible mouth. Their facial features include a barely visible mouth, nasal cavities, and rhombus shaped eyes, usually with three lines branching out from them. On the back of the creature are three spines made of a keratin-like substance.

Diet
I. capere, despite being parasitic, do not gain sustenance from their host. In reality, they can survive just fine without a host, but have evolved to inhabit one for reasons that will be explained. Termincrawlers typically feed on algae, krill, and phytoplankton. They are extremely fast swimmers, so catching their prey is usually a breeze. For example, they have been observed to capture krill by zeroing in on the target, then swimming at top speed before grabbing the krill with their mantis-like legs.

Parasitic Tendencies
Termincrawlers are a well known parasite in the southeast, having been famous for the Voidwalker incidents. The Termincrawlers, like Voidcrawlers, are extremely intelligent, but their evolution has prevented them from using their brains affectively. So, the Termincrawlers evolved to inhabit hosts and intercept their neural pathways and entire nervous system, affectively taking control of the entire body. These infections are known to cause changes to people's physical appearance, although the cause for this is still heavily debated.

Predators
[WIP]