HOME | DD

Description
The Phonopods are perhaps one of the scarier inhabitants of Terra Pecunia; with a legspan of 2 meters, these large arachnids dwell in dark jungles, where they often ensnare the first few animals that cross their path. They have a generally araneidan look, with 8 eyes on the front of their cephalothorax (two pairs of eyes being bigger than the rest), two large, fanged chelicerae, 4 pairs of long, jointed walking legs (along with a pair of pedipalps), and a large abdomen with spinnerets on its posterior; however, even for creepy chelicerates, there is something I find very strange about them. It is perhaps the many sharp, curved points that cover the top of their cephalothorax, abdomen and legs; these points are not for offensive measures, but they are for anchoring bits of undergrowth (like sticks, dirt, and vines) to their abdomen, which is then lined with a sheet of silk to form natural armor. Combined with the fact that they often steer clear of extreme threats and can bypass small barriers, this proves that the Phonopods exhibit a high level of intelligence (especially for a large arthropod); only jumping spiders, octopi, squamates, crocodilians, and some birds and mammals rival them in intelligence.

Phonopods often hide in fallen trees or large holes, waiting for prey to come by. Once they sense a prey item coming by, they will rapidly pursue their victim before grabbing them with their pedipalps, wrapping them in silk, and injecting venom into them through their fangs; once that is done, they will then inject tissue-liquefying digestive enzymes into their prey before sucking out all their innards, which is perhaps the most morbid phenomenon you could ever think of. When their prey is too far away from them or in an area they cannot directly access, they tend to spit a strand of venom-drenched silk at their victims with surprising accuracy, both envenoming them and rendering them helpless. These hunting methods make Phonopods one of the most dangerous jungle dwellers; always wear protective armor and bring your wits about you whenever you are in the dark rainforests, as there is a high chance you will run into at least one of these venomous sharpshooters.

“It was a sharp struggle, but worth it. What nasty thick skins they have to be sure, but I’ll wager there is good juice inside.”

My sixth mythical creature factfile so far, featuring the last new and unique mythical beast for now: the clever, armor-weaving Phonopod! If you have any questions about it, ask me!

Description
The Phonopods are perhaps one of the scarier inhabitants of Terra Pecunia; with a legspan of 2 meters, these large arachnids dwell in dark jungles, where they often ensnare the first few animals that cross their path. They have a generally araneidan look, with 8 eyes on the front of their cephalothorax (two pairs of eyes being bigger than the rest), two large, fanged chelicerae, 4 pairs of long, jointed walking legs (along with a pair of pedipalps), and a large abdomen with spinnerets on its posterior; however, even for creepy chelicerates, there is something I find very strange about them. It is perhaps the many sharp, curved points that cover the top of their cephalothorax, abdomen and legs; these points are not for offensive measures, but they are for anchoring bits of undergrowth (like sticks, dirt, and vines) to their abdomen, which is then lined with a sheet of silk to form natural armor. Combined with the fact that they often steer clear of extreme threats and can bypass small barriers, this proves that the Phonopods exhibit a high level of intelligence (especially for a large arthropod); only jumping spiders, octopi, squamates, crocodilians, and some birds and mammals rival them in intelligence.

Phonopods often hide in fallen trees or large holes, waiting for prey to come by. Once they sense a prey item coming by, they will rapidly pursue their victim before grabbing them with their pedipalps, wrapping them in silk, and injecting venom into them through their fangs; once that is done, they will then inject tissue-liquefying digestive enzymes into their prey before sucking out all their innards, which is perhaps the most morbid phenomenon you could ever think of. When their prey is too far away from them or in an area they cannot directly access, they tend to spit a strand of venom-drenched silk at their victims with surprising accuracy, both envenoming them and rendering them helpless. These hunting methods make Phonopods one of the most dangerous jungle dwellers; always wear protective armor and bring your wits about you whenever you are in the dark rainforests, as there is a high chance you will run into at least one of these venomous sharpshooters.

“It was a sharp struggle, but worth it. What nasty thick skins they have to be sure, but I’ll wager there is good juice inside.”

My sixth mythical creature factfile so far, featuring the last new and unique mythical beast for now: the clever, armor-weaving Phonopod! If you have any questions about it, ask me!