Roper clam

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Revision as of 21:07, 4 September 2023 by Clé (talk | contribs) (Clé moved page Angler clam to Roper clam without leaving a redirect: Why in the world did I call these "angler clams"? What they're doing bears no resemblance to angling. (Yes, the text still uses the name "angler clam", but I'm working on a rewrite and expansion, so that'll be changed soon anyway; may as well move the page in the meantime.))
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A denizen of the oceans of Dadauar, the angler clam is not intentionally hostile to humans, but has led to many deaths nonetheless. Angler clams are giant clams, varying widely in size but reaching up to three meters in diameter in extreme cases, that hunt prey with their long "tongues", long, sticky extensions of their feet that they can whip out with extreme rapidity and accuracy. The tongues sometimes wrap around their targets, holding them fast both by their gluey secretions and by the strength of their grip. Once a victim is caught, the clam pulls it in toward its mouth.

The angler clam's intended prey is small fish, and occasionally crustaceans. An unintelligent creature, however, it tends to lash out at anything nearby making similar motions, and may grab a human or other intelligent creature by accident. Humans are in no danger of being eaten by the clams--only the largest clams could fit an adult human inside their shells, and even they couldn't actually get them into their mouths--but may be in danger of drowning. After some time of trying and failing to ingest a too-large captive, the clam will eventually give up and let go, but this may take fifteen minutes to half an hour, and by then it may be too late.

Escaping from an angler clam, once grabbed, is a difficult proposition, given the clams' strength and the stickiness of their tongues. It's not impossible to break free, but it's beyond the capabilities of most humans. If the victim has a sharp instrument--or can reach a nearby rock or piece of coral--cutting through the tongue may be an option. An angler clam's severed tongue will grow back within about a week.

Angler clams are edible, and are considered something of a delicacy in the nations of Malchec and Niphachar.