Creatures That Inspired Kahlaqrabs: Cambroraster

In recent worldbuilding posts for The Pirates of Sissa, I've discussed the kinds of animals that have inspired the creation of my terrifying fictional beasts, the kahlaqrabs. You can learn more about kahlaqrabs in Season 2 Episode 5 of my podcast. In this blog post, I want to talk about yet another creatures that inspired the kahlaqrab design. 

Once again, it's a creature that lived in the ocean millions of years ago: the cambroraster. 

Cambroraster

The cambroraster, like the aegirocassis benmoulai, is a filter feeder. How do I know? Take a look at those appendages in the front of its head:

They look a lot like the appendages we saw last time with the A. benmoulai, don't they? They're perfect for filtering stuff out. It actually apparently "sifted through sediment" using those appendages But, once again, these aren't really relevant to my kahlaqrabs. I just think they're cool. So, now let's move on to the features that I actually did take inspiration from for my kahlaqrabs!

 

Once again, I noticed with this creature that it has a sort of armored plate - a carapace, as I've learned it is now called - on top of its head and position in the front part of its body. This reinforced shield intrigues me, and it's something that I've decided to give my kahlaqrabs as well. While their entire exoskeleton is difficult to penetrate, this particular part of their body is simply impossible to break through, making it perfect for making something like, say, a shield for a soldier.

The only problem I see, however, is with the placement of the carapace. It creates a situation in which the eyes are way too far back in the body, and I wonder if that might have made it difficult for the cambroraster to see right in front of it. It probably couldn't see what it was sifting through on the ocean floor. 

 

The cambroraster's mouth is also of interest to me. It's a circular mouth, featuring serrated oral cones or tooth plates. This is interesting enough as it is, because I think I like the idea of a more circular-shaped mouth for the kahlaqrab. 

The eyes are too big and too far back, so I think it's an example of what I don't want to do with my kahlaqrabs in that sense, because I want their eyes to be - while not as big as the acutiramus eyes - in a similar position to the acutiramus eyes.

Putting Together the Kahlaqrab

Several fascinating creatures come together to create one terrible Frankenstein's monster for The Pirates of Sissa, and this is just one of them. Fearsome, loathsome, and entirely evil, the kahlaqrab predates on horses, camels, humans, and even other kahlaqrabs! It camouflages into the dark sand and awaits unfortunate prey, and uses its legs to move swiftly over the sands. To learn more about this horrifying beast, you can listen to Season 2 Episode 5: Kahlaqrabs - A Deadly Scourge.

If you have any questions, or want to share your thoughts about any of these cool animals or my fantasy creatures, leave a comment down below!