WWW.ASTROVITAE.COM By Reinhard Gutzat Not quite the traditional tadpole of an amphibian we are familiar with, the larval stage in the metamorphic life cycle of the Beaked Fungolopod nonetheless serves a similar function. The cycle begins when sporopods are dispersed in tidal pools, where they quickly germinate in the water and grow into tadpoles, developing ocelli, gills, a �in-like swimming tail, and their characteristic beak. They remain in larval form for several weeks, gathering food and storing nutrients in their tail before growing rudimentary legs and leaving their aquatic environs to complete the transformation into adults on land. It is unknown why this species prefers the saltwater of tidal pools to freshwater environments for the initial stages of metamorphosis. BEAKED FUNGOLOPOD TADPOLE
102 ASTROVITAE | APRIL CREATURE COMPENDIUM By Michal Sadowski (Ycyprid) Lobster people inhabit the warm seas of Planet Cyprid, hunting in the shallow reefs and lagoons looking for prey under rocks and crevices. They lay hundreds of eggs in secluded lagoons that nurture their larvae. When larvae reach their maximum size they crawl out from the water and bury themselves into sandy substrate where they pupate. LOBSTER PEOPLE
WWW.ASTROVITAE.COM Larvae Pupa Adult Lobster Person
104 ASTROVITAE | APRIL CONTRIBUTORS Domenic Pennetta Jay Eaton & Hye Mardikian Galen "Strop" Haecky Rowena Fowler Charlotte Bowman & Henry Thomas Joschua Knü ppe (hydrotrioskjan) Biblaridion Biegeltoren Bombynx28 Dragan Isabel Beis Alejandro Martinez Fluxa Hope C. Dixon Imagined_beasts Lorenzo Battilani (blackfrog96) Luna (foppop21) M. Moudry (webvein) OminipotentSpaceBagel T. Heath Sibilla Pepi Thien Anh Nguyen Christian Cline Reinhard Gutzat Mathijs Megens (foldwave) Evan Proctor (Battyboio) Michal Sadowski (ycyprid) Special thanks to Oliver Gries-Hoffman for assisting with editing again! Your help is always appreciated! And thank you all for your lovely submissions! CHIEF EDITOR GUEST ARTISTS NEW ARTISTS REOCCURRING ARTISTS SPECIAL THANKS CONTRIBUTORS:
WWW.ASTROVITAE.COM Planus Chasma. A landscape of the Planus Chasma region located on the planet Menir. (Illustration by Christian Cline)