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Abyssal Keelback — Description

Animals and plants come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, the possibilities are quite endless it seems. I have seen my fair share of the bizarre and unconventional, so I feel that I have a firm grasp on the concept. Hard to get this tree swaying, I tell you! Well, that is what I think until some weird beast is suddenly introduced to me. But here is the thing! It isn't a new shape! It isn't something so wildly different or bizarre, I know this shape! But why are you that shape?! You're a slug! A big slimy slug! Why are you shaped like a fish?! How did you even wind up like that?! Look at the rest of your family, they aren't fish! They are slugs! HOW?! I know you are from the ocean and have "abyssal" in the name, so folks will lean towards the same tired joke of the sea being weird, but this is different! People get hung up on things with no eyes, or glow-in-the-dark or have crazy teeth, but I feel I am the only one here properly acknowledging the real weirdness of a slug turning into a fish! And I feel that is a good intro for the Abyssal Keelback.
What else is there to say about the Abyssal Keelback? I kinda already laid out the basics. It is a member of the Keelback group, which is a group of big slugs, but this one is found in the deep ocean and is all weird. It has the head of one, yet the body of a fish. The long sluggy form has become a bit more stout, and has fleshy growths that look like fins. Their bodies are more laterally compressed, making them thin like a fish. It helps them better cut through the water, and the fleshy fins aid in swimming. Their foot has been modified into two wavy membranes running down its side, which undulate to push it forward and steer its direction. The fleshy eye stalks have lost their flexibility and floppiness, instead hardening into something more akin to horns. The two smaller stalks point straight up, while the others jut out from the side, almost like a bow laying on the ground. The toothy radula is still there, but now it has a row of venomous spikes on the upper "jaw" to aid in grasping prey. I am sure people don't think this is all that weird, but remember! This is supposed to be a slug!
As I have stated before, the Abyssal Keelback is a deep sea dweller, lurking about in the watery darkness. Glowing patches run down its side, which may be used to lure prey and communicate with others of its kind. Abyssal Keelbacks are a rare member of their sluggy group, as they are one of the only species within it that travels and hunts in numbers. Of course, this is not a constant thing, they only really group up in times of plentiful food. This appears to be mainly at night, when life from the depths migrates closer to the surface. During the day, the Abyssals kind of drift about on their own, eating whatever prey they come across. But when driven upward in the dark, they begin to group up to coordinate attacks that allow them to truly benefit from the feast at hand. Flashing lights signal position and intent, helping them corral prey and swoop in for a quick bite. They move slow most of the time, but that hides their explosive speed, letting them lurch forward to seize prey. Their fang-covered radula grabs hold of fish, and venomous spines above inject a paralytic toxin. This same bite may be used on larger prey, often when groups gang up on bigger beasts to immobilize them and tear out pieces of meat. Wounded prey is easy prey, for the Abyssal has an incredible sense of smell. That hole-covered back of theirs acts like a big underwater nose, helping them locate bleeding prey or others of their kind. It is how they are able to swarm on the wounded so quickly, or how they can sniff out corpses faster than others. Abyssal Keelbacks are eager predators, and there are few things they won't try to take a bite out of.
But of course, it is the ocean, which means there are plenty of other hungry fish. What is stopping the Abyssal from landing on someone else's menu? Slime! That good ol slug slime has been retained, and not just as a mucus covering for their bodies! Their back orifice and snout nozzles are able to spew out big clots and clouds of slimy, bitter gunk. It isn't poisonous, but it can still be deadly! Attackers will get a big mouthful of snot, which can clog up throats and gum up gills! Hard to swallow a slug when you can't breath! The Abyssals cloud up the waters with this slime and then make a hasty get away. But of course, if a predator cannot free themselves from the slime cloud, then the Abyssal may decide to turn the tables!
As a creature of the deep sea, the Abyssal Keelback doesn't get a whole lot of attention for surface dwellers. Cultures can't really do much with a species they rarely see! But I have heard some spooky stories floating about, some who think the Abyssal Keelback is some kind of phantom of the deep, a horrid creature of the night that rises to claim those who fish late. The tales mainly revolve around those who have fallen overboard at night, with mentions of glowing fanged fish tearing at swimmers and dragging them down below. Their glow and flesh certainly gives the impression, and them showing up only at night does add to the terror. I myself can't really see it that much, mainly because if I have fallen overboard, I am panicking for a whole other reason. I couldn't care less about some hungry fish, get me out of the saltwater! But there is another interesting view to the Abyssal Keelback, and that is treating it like food!
Some folks actually fish for these slugs at night! They use tangles of barbs to hook their soft flesh and hull them up! Clean them, gut them and then cook- NO! Do not cook the Abyssal Keelback! Their flesh practically melts into goo when put to flame! Instead, you eat them raw! And I can already hear some ignorant people reeling back in disgust. Raw?! Yuck! But don't get your branches all in a tangle! People do it all the time! It is safe when you properly clean it, like certain other seafoods. Abyssal Keelback flesh is used in sushi-making mostly, or at least that is where I have had it! Mmmm, I do love sushi! Which shouldn't be a shock to people, especially since I am a dryad! Remember, dryads rarely use cooking fires, thus a lot of our dishes are prepared cold and somewhat raw. Thus, sushi is one of those human-made cuisines that fits right in with us! And that is how I got to taste some Abyssal Keelback!
I imagine now that I mentioned that I have eaten one before that people are curious on how it tastes. They wish for me to describe the sensation, to let them know what it is like. Well, you see, Abyssal Keelback tastes like.....um.....it uh....tastes a little fishy, but....hmmmmmmmm...it....it tastes pretty good!
You may be able to see why I write nature entries and not food reviews....
Chlora Myron
Dryad Natural Historian