Ollie

CELESTIAL VEIL MOTH
Field Report: #97562187
Head Researcher: LunaMoon29
Scientific Name: Erybipureus [Eh/Ree/By/Pure/Us]
Common name: Celestial Veil Moth
Family: Aberration

Possible Origins:
Now a bug but once a dragon. The lineage originated in the Wyrmwound, a cauldron of disease that sits in a toxic wasteland. The contents unknown but nonetheless intriguing for the Aberrations. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact day this variation of Aberration emerged from the contagion. No longer the dragon it used to be, but into something much more bizarre.

Physical Attributes:
The Erybipureus’ striking purple body, a shade of plum that matches its glowing amethyst eyes. As well as, a contrasting crimson red at the tip of its wings. The purple, not a pigment, but a result of the way light reflects off the microscopic structure of the Aberrations new endoskeleton that came with its newest mutation, a phenomenon called iridescence. The crimson red that we see is certainly a colour that is far from normal in mother nature, and it comes from the carminic acid produced by enzymes within the insect. The carminic acid accumulates in the hemolymph (blood) of the Erybipureus. Large concentrations of the produced acid led to the bright crimson red on the bodies of these bugs.

A furry coat that covers the endoskeleton, allowing the Erybipureus to survive from dehydration in the dry plague lands. However, the generation that was born in the Shadow lands, used the fur as a form of insulation to prevent warmth from their bodies escaping into the cold and dark parts of The Tangled Wood. Now in the present, as the species settles down in Arcane territory, their fur serves as a tool for collecting debris in the air caused by astral “rain”, preventing Erybipureus from breathing in harmful dust.

Though not a common sight in insects, due to their link to the Aberration family, black skin still remains as a prominent feature for the Erybipureus. Once developed as a way to overcome the cold as well as camouflage in the Tangled Grove, now serves as a reminder of their land of birth. Being rehomed in the Arcane lands, free from the cold shadows and predators, namely Death Seekers and Blackwing Croakers that blend into the night sky.

Stripes, a common pattern among insects alike similar to the Erybipureus. Its black and yellow stripes on its tail, gives the look of many deadly predators. An example being the Basalt Vent Hop that thrives in the Volcanic Vents, it uses its powerful legs and the reliable burst of hot air from magma vents from its homeland to quickly traverse lava floes. Effectively burning its foes. Or another commonly known example of creatures with bright yellow and black stripes, are Yellowjackets with their venomous sting. Predators that have had a negative experience with a stinging insect learn to associate the black and yellow pattern with pain, oftentimes choosing to ignore the Erybipureus whenever spotted. Another way the stripes are used, is to confuse predators similarly like Rambras. Rambra’s use their black and white stripes to put their enemies in a "motion dazzle" effect, effectively putting them in a trance of sorts and the continuous moving patterns. Due to the Erybipureus’ small size, speed proves to be one of its many strengths, allowing it to mimic the “motion dazzle” effect confusing enemies when it flies around them over and over again.

Ever notice the faint glow radiating from the Erybipureus’? The Erybipureus’ are known for producing a sticky glue-like substance that they used to glue fireflies onto themselves during the night. The purple eyes that came from its land of birth, prove to be the opposite of beneficial to these creatures which hold the Aberrations genetics. Unlike the creatures that originated from The Tangled Wood, Erybipureus’ have terrible eyesight, though their vision is limited under the sun rays in the Plague lands, when bathed in eternal night in the Tangled Grove, their vision turns pitch black. Fireflies serve as a way to bring back Erybipureus’ limited vision, as well as a way to intimidate enemies. Nowadays as the species calls the Arcane land their home, the fireflies on their back serve as a form of camouflage.

Observed Habitat:
This Erybipureus can be found nestling in the Starwood Strand. The millions of flowers that hang from the trees, look like stars twinkling in the moonlight. It serves as the perfect environment for these little bugs to hide out of sight. The glowing fireflies glued onto their bodies allow them to move out of harm's way during the night.

Diet:
Their diet consists of anything and everything. Originating from the Plague lands, mammals, water, plants, insects, were all nothing but a myth. Rare it is to come across forms of life that weren’t rotting heaps that have not been sacrificed towards their deity. Food scarcity often led to desperate rationing or fights till the death between the different species of the Aberrations. Whatever bite of food gets eaten up in the matter of minutes, it is said that these insects can gobble up an assassin bug that is twice its size in the blink of an eye. The generation that was born in the Shadowlands, faced no difficulty anymore with scarcity of food, but still holds the eating habits from their ancestors.

Behavioral Analysis:
The Erybipureus’ existence is to only bring chaos to the predators that are looking for easy prey. Repeated food shortage has molded the current generation with tricks no opponent can beat. Using its stripes to confuse other starving insects alike to disguising like stars to confuse those that hunt in the night. The Erybipureus is a mimic with tricks forever up their sleeves, a bit selfish as well. Often known for invading native insects’ colonies and claiming it as their own, kicking out all prior residents that called the land home.

Threat Level:
The field deems that the Erybipureus puts the environment as well as the species that colive with it in grave danger. The rate that they consume and produce has been on a rapid rise due to the conditions that the Plague land failed to provide being an abundance in the Arcane Woods that they now inhabit. We have seen this pattern happen before in the Tangled Grove that this generation was born in.

Notes:
- Ways to control the population have to be studied to prevent ecosystems becoming unstable.
- How the Erybipureus know which new location would be suitable for them to optimize all the features that were fit for only the Plague lands

Photo References
Erybipureus sightings are few and far between, and actual photo evidence is nigh impossible. Thus some of our most talented field artist have provided visuals of the Celestial Viel Moth. We thank them for their service to helping uncover the mysteries of this species.

Scientist: @Siamesetiger


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Effect: Bumble Buddies
Accent: Starwood bound

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