Changes made to Baby Nikahrat... (Point 2)

Currently, my baby Nikatrat when it is still inside its host/mother looks more like an alien, a ball of tentacles.

This has come from the idea of a personal dislike and fear of sea creatures and slimy insects. It also derives from science-fiction and weird fiction such as H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu character, Ridley Scott's Xenomorph Facehugger and Tolkein's Watcher in the Water.

Cthulhu-Illustrated by Dominique Signoret.

Ridley Scott's Xenomorph Facehugger from the 1979 "Alien" film.

Screenshots of "The Watcher in the Water" outside the Mines of Moria

from the 2001 film "The Lord of the Rings:The Fellowship of the Ring"

directed by Peter Jackson.

However, I believe that this sort of creature is too steeped in folklore and fantasy. I still want The Nikahrat to seem like a believable tale: therefore, I want to look into science for inspiration and real natural oddities.



Cells are the very building blocks of a living object. Each cell has a job to do and helps an individual function.
However, cells can alter can react erratically and cause upset. Some cells only exist to cause upset...

Virus-
A virus is a minuscule organism that needs a human or animal cells for it to harbour in. Once attached, particular viruses target specific cells. A flu virus, for instance, will harbour in the lungs, throat and nose. This is so when the carrier sneezes or coughs, the virus cell can be carried through mucus. A virus is almost always contagious.

Cancer-
Cancer is also known as a Malignant Tumour. A Malignant Tumour is made up of a clump of abnormal, invasive cells. They spread the abnormal DNA quickly and affect healthy cells. Malignant Tumours also break off certain cells and these free cells filter into the blood stream; this is how secondary tumours appear.

Sickle Cell Disease-
Sickle Cell Disease is a serious inherited trait where certain blood cells harden and distort into boomerang-type shapes. This means they cannot fit down smaller blood vessels and quickly cause serious blockages. Sufferers experience regular anaemia and the Sickle Cells can strike when the sufferers' immune system is at its weakest (when then have a cold or they are dehydrated).

Heading up the evolution chain from here, we find invasive species of fungi and plants. When first mentioning "invasive plants" I look at things from a horticultural aspect and think of weeds. However, I am looking for something a lot more deadly to the host...

Mycobacterium Marinum-
Though it first starts off as a bacteria, M. Marinum develops into a fungal infection when it attaches itself onto plant organisms such al plankton and algae. M. Marinum occurs when exposed wounds in soft tissue are exposed to aquatic environments and animals. It attacks and harbours in soft tissue and, if not treated, and spread into deeper tissue creating joint and immune problems. Fishermen tend to suffer the most from its affects as they are always handling fish and exposing their skin to water.

Cordyceps-
Cordyceps are my favourite type of fungi to research! They are very brutal yet create quite beautiful result. Cordycep fungi spreads through releasing spores and attaching themselves onto insects and invertebrate. Only one type of Cordycep fungi affects one species of insect, meaning the insect reaction, death and fungal takeover varies significantly. For example, the Cordycep that attacks bullet ants predominately grows in a single stem from the top of the thorax, behind the head.

Bullet Ant

One of the most eerie yet beautiful Cordycep transformations appear in moths found in the tropics and in Asia. In this instance, the Cordyceps grow into spikes that vary in size. When the spores are released, some stick to the top of the spikes, giving the impression of miniature flowers.

Moth

Spider Cordyceps usually sees very small shoots and a fast bloom of spores, the spores exploded and cover the dead spider, encasing it what looks like a sheet of cotton wool.

Spider

A particualr Cordycep that attacks a caterpillar in the Tibetan Plateau is considered an important and highly prized herbal remedy. Significant scientific research has found that it does have positive properties, including reducing asthma in children, helps with shortness of breath and is beneficial to the kidneys.

Market trader with Caterpillar Cordyceps

Entomophthora-
Entomophthora muscae is a fungal infection that mainly attacks flies. The first notes taken on this disease were in 1855 where houseflies were found to harbour the disease. Signs of the infection include  swelling and difficulty to move. When the fly has died, the body continues to expand and striped patterns appear where the fungi expands and breaks the body into segments. A fly will usually be found with it's mouth clinging onto whatever it died on and a halo of spores are seen (particularly if the fly died on a glass window) floating around the fly as they escape.

A dead fly covered in Entomphthora muscae

Lastly, there are a variety of parasitic and parasitoid insects that feed off the bodies of others and need other living creatures to help them survive...

Phorid Fly-
Phorid flies are classed as a 'Parasitoid' (they need their host to die for them to survive) only attach to Fire Ants. The lifecycle in incredibly interesting, even though it looks like something from a horror film. The fly is minute, about the size of a Fire Ant's head. This way, the female Phorid Fly can land quickly on the back of an ant and lay an egg in the intersection connecting the ant's head and thorax. The ant continues as normal for about two weeks. Then, without warning the head detaches itself from the body and the ant dies. Throughout the two weeks, the Phorid Fly larvae has been feeding off the ant's internal body fluids but as it grows into a more substantial maggot, it moves into the head. This pressure forces the head away from the body.
From then on, the maggot resides inside the ant's head, feeding off the brain and the muscles. Once it has been 'cleaned out' the maggot seals off the mouth and neck openings and uses the head as a cocoon.  Once its final stage is complete,  the new Phorid Fly appears and is ready to mate.

Phorid Fly compared to the size of a Fire Ant

Decapitated Ant

New Phorid Fly emerging from it's ant-head cocoon

Liverfluke Flatworm-
This is a 'Parasite' (it keeps it's host alive to survive). The Liverfluke initially attacks ants. It is still unclear how the worm operates, but it seems that infected ants have their brains "reprogrammed" for the  worm's needs. What is interesting is the 'Jekyll and Hyde' behaviour. When there is no sunlight, and no flowers or grass, the ant acts normal and appears to show no abnormal signs. Once midday hits and the ant is in a field environment, the worm controls the ant and they march up to the top of flowers and grass. Here they hang off and wait to be eaten by cattle. This is the desired destination of the Liverfluke (hence the name). From the stomach, the worms make their way through the cow's internal tract and burrow into the liver. Once they have grown to a certain point and feed off enough nutrients, they produce eggs that are passed back through the cow and end up in the waste. Insects feed off this and digest the Liverfluke eggs, starting the cycle once more. The Liverfluke does not kill the cow: however, it does sufficiently weaken her and sometimes causes symptoms of anaemia.

Liverfluke Flatworm

Leucochloridium variae-
A similar type of parasitic worm attacks snails too. In this case, however, the effects are much more visually horrific. The worms resides in the eye stalks of the snail. The volume of worms swells the eye stalks into odd, pulsating, grub-like shapes. The worm also re-tracks the snails brain and in turn gets it to climb up plants and sit in broad daylight, the pulsating maggot effect combined with the snail's natural need to move its eyes attract birds which proceed to eat the snail. Like the ants, the worm then moves into the stomach of the bird where it is able to incubate, absorb nutrients and mate. Unlike the Liverfluke, however, it does not intend to stay inside the bird and once new eggs are produced, the worm and the eggs are excreted from the bird. The cycle continues as bird droppings are a popular food of snails! The whole process is a survival strategy.