Hoverthorn

The Hoverthorn is a passive fish native to the Axum Ruins region. It can be caught and cooked into food. Obtaining a Hoverthorn for the first time unlocks the recipes for Cooked Hoverthorn and Hoverthorn Souvlaki.

When consumed, it provides +15 Food and -5 Water. Note that the Digestion adaptation is required to safely consume alien lifeforms. A player without this adaptation will not receive its nutritional effects and will instead lose health.


Appearance

The Hoverthorn has a long, slender body that is two-toned along a central, horizontal axis. The upper half is blue while the lower half is orange. It has a sharp, slender mouth, behind which sit two round eyes. Its tail end is marked by a long, pointed crystal, which makes up about a third of its length. Above the crystal sits a small, blue and purple fin.

Behavior

Hoverthorns swim passively around their home biomes and are usually seen alone, or occasionally in small groups of 2-4. They will flee from the Player and nearby Predators.

Uses in Crafting

• Cooked Hoverthorn: Crafted using a Fabricator.
• Hoverthorn Souvlaki: Crafted using a Fabricator.

Databank Entry

Source: Scan a Hoverthorn

Monopter astrapakantha, the one-finned lightning thorn. A small fish that has discarded fins in favor of a living magnetohydrodynamic thruster.

1. Monopter

Fish are a common body plan across alien worlds, but they usually evolve fins or wings for propulsion. The hover thorn has just a single fin — a tail rudder at the base of the spinal braid. Spiracles behind the double eyes draw water for an internal gill.

2. Doubled eye

The hoverthorn's large primary eye is duplicated by a small secondary eye which contains columns of electro-active jelly. The hoverthorn can effectively see electromagnetic fields. The second eye was created by a duplication in the hoverthorn's HOLOX genes, which organize the thorn's body plan. A viral gene sequence copying itself throughout the hoverthorn's genome apparently copy-pasted the eye 'blueprint' several million years ago.

3. Hoverthorn

The hoverthorn's most incredible trait is its charge crystal, a mineralized swim bladder which fills the lower body cavity and protrudes from what was once a thruster orifice. A mineral Campbell matrix in the crystal organizes electric charge. When a portion of the crystal is charged, it polarizes and attracts surrounding seawater. Moving the charge along the crystal creates currents in the seawater — allowing the hoverthorn to generate and ride its own water currents.

4. Mating behavior

Hoverthorns joust with their charge crystals, approaching each other tail-first. As the crystals approach, their fields interact, and the weaker or less skilled hoverthorn will lose control. Both male and female hoverfish use this to either drive away or select fit mates.

Assessment: fascinating, and edible.

Gallery

In Game

 Side view of the Hoverthorn.

 Front view of the Hoverthorn.

 Top down view of the Hoverthorn.

 Back side view of the Hoverthorn.

 Bioluminescence seen on the tail at night.

Development

 A Hoverthorn seen in the Hycean concept art.