The Afafâu: The Rising Time

Diversification continues, though more slowly. There are more predators, fewer fja’uk (proportionately), and the vast forests of algae in the oceans become more heterogeneous as vewt devour them.

It is, at this point, important to consider a note on geography. During this time, Eclek's continents are not united. On the contrary, they are spread far, far apart. One, Ix, is where the majority of the clades previously described originated. While ocean currents flow from Ix's western continental shelf towards Vo-Ar, and from there to yet more continents, multicellular life from Ix tends not to be good at dispersing. The exception were quarat, which are floating primary producers, and the tsepa (Sir: "fin"), which can survive on the plankton available in the open ocean. These spread far and wide, but do not diverge significantly... yet.

The vewt develop deposits of oxides, sulfides, and carbonates. Major components include cupric oxide, iron oxide, and calcium carbonate. In addition, they also develop a circulatory system that formed as an outgrowth of their digestive system. At the time, this circulatory system has no blood pigments, nor any other special mechanism to carry oxygen. The vewt of the time have such a slow metabolism and are small enough that this is a workable system.

The fja’uk are no longer just fja’uk. While there remains a plesion group of small, extremely simple, primitive vermiform organisms, the lineages start to diverge as they partition into different niches. The featherworms develop large, elaborate gill structures, which are of aid in low-oxygen waters. Another group, the tsepa, becomes long and flattened, the better to swim through the open ocean. A third lineage becomes rock borers, vomiting acidic stomach juices onto soft rock and burrowing into the substrate with a stylet.

It is during the Afafâu that the representatives of modern tsulaing evolved. While stem tsulaing were already around prior to the Afafâu, none had jaws. They could open and close their mouths but were incapable of processing food. However, during this time, a lineage of tsulaing evolved spicules composed of protein and silica. By the end of the Afafâu, this had given rise to bones--and with bones, jaws. Teeth and scales also developed, both of which were formed of bone. This marked a major shift in Eclek's predator guilds. While fja'uk clades remain important, the tsulaing are rapidly beginning to displace them.

Meanwhile, Dzecabava life remains solely photosynthetic. However, they, like the Dzequareya ñåich before them, begin to develop tall, branching forms.

Featherworms: The Afafâu is not kind to featherworms. While they reach unprecedented beauty and complexity during this time period, they are unable to compete with other lineages of fja'uk except in the hypoxic waters off the shore of Ix, where their gill structures are necessary for survival. There, they feed upon detritus falling from above.

In these dark, cold depths, coboglobins are well-suited for gathering oxygen from nearly anoxic water. While cobalt is much less common in seawater than iron, it has a concentration of only a little less than half of copper (both on Earth and Eclek). Coboglobins decay when exposed to sunlight, but this deep that is not a concern.

Tsepa: During this time, the tsepa take the place of the top predators. Some grow several meters in length and feed on tiny plankton, with their paired stylets developing into elaborate combs and baskets, but most remain predators.

Tsulaing: Survival for the tsulaing was always somewhat tenuous. Niches for small bottom-dwelling motile filter feeds are few--while filter-feeding is a common method of feeding for bottom-dwelling life, the filter feeds tend to be rather sessile. With the evolution of jaws, however, the tsulaing can walk along the bottom and take bites out of anything they happen to come across. Vewt, gutshâ, whatever--if they find it, they'll eat it.

Vewt: The vewt of this period have finally developed the mineral deposits that characterize the phylum. The deposits do not cover the body, but are concentrated on the dorsal side of the body and on the tongue. Vewt throughout history can often be identified by the composition and structure of the mineral deposits on their tongue, and vewt in the Afafâu are no exception. While vewt do grow larger during this time, they continue to hold themselves flat against the seafloor.

During the Afafâu, vewt eyes become noticeably more complex, developing lenses.

 

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