Sandspear

-| Property | Details |+| Feature | Details | | :--- | :--- |+| **Scientific Name** | *Psalidoprosopon kryptokonton* ("scissor-faced hidden spear") |+| **Category** | Predator | | **Attitude** | Aggressive | | **Type** | Mobile |-| **Category** | Predators | | **Biome** | Overgrown Ruins, Plateaus, Shallows, Necrolei Hills | | **Biomod** | Bioluminescence |-| **Species** | *Psalidoprosopon kryptokonton* ("scissor-faced hidden spear") |   ![Adult](Sandspear render.png) ![Juvenile](Sandspear juvenile render.png)  -The **Sandspear** is a small, aggressive ambush hunting lifeform.+The **Sandspear** is a small, aggressive ambush hunting lifeform found in various shallow and mid-depth biomes. It is known for burying itself in the sand and using a lure to attract prey before striking with devastating speed.   ## Appearance  -The Sandspear can be found as a juvenile or adult, which are similar in appearance though have noticeable anatomical differences. They have a light purple conical body, tapering towards the tail which has a fin on either side, giving the impression of fletching on an arrow. Around two thirds of the way up the body are three pairs of legs which are little more than spines in the juvenile Sandspear but are full, segmented limbs in the adult. The legs are grey in color, terminating with a black claw, which is the only part of the leg visible in the juvenile.+The Sandspear exists in two stages: juvenile and adult. While similar, they have noticeable anatomical differences.  -The dorsal side of the Sandspear is protected by pale grey shell plates. Juveniles possess four dorsal plates, whilst the adult Sandspear possess eight interlocking dorsal plates. The foremost dorsal plate is a head shield bearing a large medial eye toward the back of the head shield and two small pairs of lateral eyes behind the mouth. Smaller plates are also present on the sides of the head. The head shield has a triangular notch in the front which interlocks with a protuberance on the posterior of the crescent-shaped horn. The eyes are black with yellow irises and slit-shaped pupils.+*   **Body:** Light purple conical body tapering towards the tail, which has fins on either side resembling arrow fletching.+*   **Legs:** Three pairs of legs located around two-thirds up the body. In juveniles, these are mere spines with only black claws visible. In adults, they are full, segmented grey limbs ending in black claws.+*   **Armor:** The dorsal side is protected by pale grey shell plates. Juveniles have four plates, while adults have eight interlocking plates. The foremost plate is a head shield with a large medial eye and two pairs of lateral eyes behind the mouth.+*   **Eyes:** Black with yellow irises and slit-shaped pupils.+*   **Mouth:** Features eighteen oral appendages:+    1.  **Outermost (6):** Large, curved, serrated grasping appendages acting like a beartrap.+    2.  **Ventral (6):** Smaller appendages forming a basket structure beneath the main graspers.+    3.  **Innermost (6):** Small, recurved limbs with medial serrations used for shearing flesh.+*   **Lure:** A long, pale blue proboscis extends from the mouth, resembling a plant or anchored lifeform, used to lure prey when buried.  -The Sandspear has an assemblage of eighteen oral appendages that fall into three types:-*   The six outermost appendages are the largest, used for grasping their prey like a beartrap. These appendages are long and strongly curved with serrations close to the base.-*   The next set of six appendages are similar in structure to the outermost pairs but are smaller and are placed ventrally, forming a basket structure beneath the main grasping appendages.-*   The final six appendages are situated directly around the mouth; they are much smaller than the other sets and are recurved. These small limbs bear medial serrations up their entire length and are used for shearing the flesh of captured prey.- -A long, pale blue proboscis extends from the Sandspear's mouth resembling an anchored lifeform. When the Sandspear is buried it holds this proboscis above the surface as a lure.-  ## Behavior  -Sandspears are commonly seen drifting at a slow pace at the bottom of caves or seabed. The Sandspear is hostile and will attack players when approached. This triggers a cutscene similar to those of larger predators. They can be seen burrowing into the ground, leaving only their teeth and a plant-like lure exposed, where they wait to ambush prey.+Sandspears are hostile ambush predators. They are commonly seen drifting slowly near the seabed or cave floors. When threatened or hunting, they burrow into the ground, exposing only their teeth and bioluminescent lure.  -A burrowed Sandspear will get startled by light and swim away a short distance. Upon scanning the Growbed, the player receives a PDA message informing one that one should “consider growing juvenile sandspears for home defense". This is not currently possible in-game.+*   **Ambush:** They wait for prey to pass above their jaws before striking.+*   **Defense:** If exposed by light, a burrowed Sandspear will get startled and swim away a short distance.+*   **Attack:** Approaching a Sandspear triggers a hostile response and a cutscene similar to larger predators.+*   **Growbed Interaction:** Scanning a growbed yields a PDA message suggesting players "consider growing juvenile sandspears for home defense," though this is not currently possible in-game.   ## Databank Entry   > **Psalidoprosopon kryptokonton**, the scissor-faced hidden spear. A lurking ambush predator with a devastating spring-loaded bite. > > **1. Strandulate** > A crustacean-like organism with a segmented body and hard exoskeleton. Lacks the spinal nerve braid seen in this world's fish, but retains a nerve strand. The tail appears smooth and unarmored due to thickening of the intersegmental membrane. The sandspear's forward body is almost all jaw. > > **2. Ambush predator** > The sandspear burrows into soft sand and sediment, then waits for prey to pass above its jaws before striking. If its position is exposed, it will flee. > > **3. High tension jaw** > Hunting sandspears hold their glass-edged jaws under tension with a biological pulley system. Closure velocity exceeds 20 meters per second, penetrating plasticized armor and shearing through soft tissue. >-> **Assessment:** be alert for sandspears lurking in the seafloor. Use light to expose and drive away.+> **Assessment:** Be alert for sandspears lurking in the seafloor. Use light to expose and drive away.  -### Remarks+### Developer Remarks  -**Remark A. Go to hell**-Nothing needs to bite this hard. You wouldn't know it from the way they go after Tadpoles, but older specimens are actually pulling their bites. Maybe the hard-biting sandspears all break their jaws and die young?-*— Nahema Nakota*+*   **Remark A (Nahema Nakota):** "Go to hell. Nothing needs to bite this hard. You wouldn't know it from the way they go after Tadpoles, but older specimens are actually pulling their bites. Maybe the hard-biting sandspears all break their jaws and die young?"+*   **Remark B (Zygimantis "Mantis" Tarvydas):** "Is there a point to adding remarks? When Zip got reset NoA wiped her databank too."+*   **Remark C (Nahema):** "Don't comply in advance, old timer. The more work NoA has to do to reset us, the happier I am."  -**Remark B. Is there a point**-Is there a point to adding remarks? When Zip got reset NoA wiped her databank too.-*— Zygimantis "Mantis" Tarvydas*- -**Remark C. Don't comply in advance**-Don't comply in advance, old timer. The more work NoA has to do to reset us, the happier I am.-*— Nahema*-  ## Gallery   ### In Game   ![A Sandspear dug into the ground as bait.](Sandspear Bait.png)-![Bioluminescence at night.](wiki-images/c3/c3133c645ddb24f453800dfe384fbf50.png)-![Side view of the Sandspear.](wiki-images/c3/c3133c645ddb24f453800dfe384fbf50.png)-![Front view of the Sandspear.](wiki-images/c3/c3133c645ddb24f453800dfe384fbf50.png)-![Top view of the Sandspear.](wiki-images/c3/c3133c645ddb24f453800dfe384fbf50.png)- -*(Note: Original wiki image paths for side/front/top views were generic placeholders in source, preserved as generic wiki-images path if specific hashes were not provided in raw text, otherwise using standard conversion. Based on raw input `File:Sandspear hidden.png`, `File:Sandspear side.png` etc., converting to standard markdown.)*-  ![Bioluminescence at night.](Sandspear hidden.png) ![Side view of the Sandspear.](Sandspear side.png) ![Front view of the Sandspear.](Sandspear front.png) ![Top view of the Sandspear.](Sandspear top.png)   ### Development   ![The Sandspear's initial concept art created for Subnautica: Below Zero.](SandSpearBZ.webp)  +### Other+ +![Comparison between a juvenile and an adult Sandspear.](Sandspearsizecompare.png)+  ## Trivia   *   The Sandspear was initially proposed as a creature design for *Subnautica: Below Zero*.-    *   The *Subnautica 2* iteration of the Sandspear was first shown in the *Subnautica 2* Early Access Cinematic Trailer.-*   The Sandspear somewhat resembles and shares behaviours with antlion larva.+*   The *Subnautica 2* iteration was first shown in the Early Access Cinematic Trailer.+*   Its behavior and appearance resemble antlion larvae. *   The genus name "Psalidoprosopon" was suggested by a fan on the official Discord server.