Monster Hunter When Fantasy Comes To Life

Evolutionary Anomalies from the Sea

But, with next to no teeth, how are these Leviathans supposed to carry out a killing blow on a struggling prey? This is where one of their ability comes in. Just like Gravios, Somnacanths have Selaguma in their intestinal track which they obtain by eating their parents' dung, allowing them to put targets to sleep. By using a similar system to Onkólithorios, these animals can distribute the sleep gasses throughout their bodies; however, Somnacanths emit the fumes through their mouth and slits in their neck and tail. Thanks to this, the Leviathans can impede their victims' abilities to escape or fight back. Of course, the animals will also use it to fend off predators.

Most of the time, these animals can simply knock out their attackers and make a break for it into water; however, if this isn't an option, Somnacanths still have many ways of protecting themselves. By placing their tail beneath their body, they can lift themselves off the ground, making themselves 2.1 meters tall, and exposing a pattern that resembles those seen on taiko drums, making the Leviathans more intimating. Despite standing on their tails, Somnacanths are surprisingly stable in this position, able to whip their head around without losing their balance. This is very important, as it allows them to reveal another surprise in their arsenal.

Normally, the huge fin that's positioned on top of their head is used to make them more streamline while swimming; however, when swinging with enough force, Somnacanths can launch loose, dart-like quills at the end of the appendage, allowing them to snipe enemies at a distance. But if the Leviathans are to use this weapon, they must get enough room to build momentum, meaning that they'll need stand on their tail; otherwise, their fin will keep hitting the ground when they're swinging their head. But if all else fails, these animals can use their long claws and massive headgear to smack around opponents.

Of course, not all fights happen on land, and when that occurs, Somnacanths have to change their fighting style. If for any reason their amazing swimming ability isn't enough to shake their pursuer, these animals get creative. By using Tridacna exparsus, soilidus, and biona, all of which are smaller relatives to the giant clams, the Cornicetamorphs can use their unique defense mechanism to their advantage.

Usually Somnacanths eat these 45 centimeter long clams, extracting their insides by using their hooked claws to pry open the shell, or breaking the armour by repeatedly striking it against the hard scales of their undersides; however, these Bivalves fight back. All three species of Tridacna have their own unique way of protecting themselves. Exparsus rapidly ejects blasts of water capable of pushing threats away. Soilidus, on the other hand, forces sediments into the eyes of attackers by blowing into the ground, while biona unleashes algae with medicinal properties that's been growing inside it, confusing hunters.

Having realized that the clams can be more than just food, Somnacanths will actually use the Bivalves against aquatic predators, giving them a way to fight back even in water. But despite all these abilities and strategies made for battle, these Leviathans are actually quite peaceful when left alone.

When they aren't being aggressive, these Leviathans will spend most of their time maintaining their fins, and ridding them of parasites. Since their fins are so numerous, and they predominantly use their claws to dislodge unwanted guests, it can take hours of grooming before Somnacanths are satisfied with the results.

Interestingly, these illusive animals have been observed singing while grooming themselves, seemingly to pass the time. These songs are especially common around bodies of water during the night. It's unknown why Somnacanths sing, but it seems likely that these could be how they mark their territories, considering how aggressive they are towards trespassers. Another possibility is that these songs are used to communicate with one another over long distances.

But whatever the reason for this behavior, these songs can be dangerous. Throughout history, people who were attracted by the melody of these sirens have found themselves running their ships aground. The scale of these accidents can vary greatly, but during WWII, one incident became legendary after an American aircraft carrier plowed straight into a cliff, due to the singing of the Leviathans and the incredibly foggy night. These accidents have happened so many times that folklore says the quills on Somnacanths are the souls of those who've fallen for the trickery and died at sea because of it.