Crimson Vuurix (singular, Crimson Vuurum) are a neogenetic hybrid of the Aurix, created through the combination of Aurix and Red VuukelpDNA, and serving their interstellar culture as their best aquatic assassins. Usually masters of patience, their planned areas of attack are marked out years in advance.
Information: Looking to their evolutionary past, the Aurix have created a hybrid using the Red Vuukelp. This has created an interesting subtype of Aurix - the Crimson Vuurix. Also known as the "Ghillie Beast", a nickname given to it by the Terran species, the Crimson Vuurix is the Aurix's best assassins. They are tremendously solitary and generally very slow-moving, in order to make their presence far less obvious. It would be folly to field Crimson Vuurix with other subtypes, and therefore a clever commander will always field them sparsely when preparing for an attack in the Red Vuukelp region; because most strikes would occur elsewhere, the Aurix have considered a tactic where Red Vuukelp would be seeded into the area a few years before striking. Mutations are as follows:
Given the Vuukelp's overall physiology, the Aurix has become almost entirely covered in the Vuukelp's photosynthetic blades, which are attached to the body with pneumatocysts (hydrogen-filled bladders). This not only provides the perfect camouflage in Red Vuukelp forests, but also provides the Vuurix with ample nutrients from photosynthesis.
Because of the existence of so much Vuukelp DNA, the Chlorolomba symbiotes have lost a foothold within the Vuurix's body and have been rejected. They still are found within Crimson Vuurix fetuses, but eventually are physically forced out of the body to make room for the soon-to-grow-in red blades. Since Chlorolomba and Vuukelp likely share a common ancestry, this is not viewed as any sort of hindrance; they are simply no longer useful (although the neogeneticists have been storing rejected Chlorolomba for further experiments).
Crimson Vuurix are entirely aquatic species, although they can exhibit amphibious traits. The gills of the subtype have become significantly more complex to re-allow permanent aquatic breathing. The gills have also been tinted a shade of crimson by some Vuukelp chloroplasts within them, which also aids in camouflage and helps to prevent potential parasitism from opportunistic ichthyoids and other local organisms. They can still move above ground but must keep not only their gills wet, but also the rest of their body must remain hydrated to keep from drying out, making movement on land a "slimy" experience. Because they are fully aquatic, they have lost their nostrils, as well.
The death petal has grown in size to more closely resemble vuukelp blades. In the same manner, the Aurix skin tone has faded away due to the massive influx of Vuukelp chloroplasts, turning the entire body - except for a small portion of the ends of each of their limbs - a shade of crimson. These limb-ends are instead tannish in color to blend in with the Vuukelp's root-holdfasts, being similarly colored by the DNA of the vuukelp.
The eyestalks and the "death petal leaves" that help to anchor the powerful muscles needed for the mouth have also gained fleshy extensions on them to resemble vuukelp blades.
The split-tentacles and feet have been affected by a case of polydactyly, causing them to grow many more phalanges. This is because both of these have become root-like structures for holding the Vuurix in place and allowing them to absorb nutrients while remaining relatively motionless. It also aids in completing the camouflage.
The hunting claws of the secondary tentacle-arms have become blunter, shorter, and significantly thicker. While this lowers the effectiveness in battle somewhat, they are more capable of "burrowing" into the sea floor for hiding them.
