Petro-Boring Knightworms
Petro-Boring Knightworms are various knightworms which are commonly found within the trunks of Petrolignopsida crystal flora. They use their powerful antennae to pick at imperfections in the mineralized bone-like bark, allowing them access to the soft, delicious core. They have developed mobile, grapple-like front spikes which help them to climb such flora and hold on while they tear at the trunk. Like their ancestor, their exoskeleton grows in scale-like layers which flake off periodically. They are absent in hot deserts but present in both Glicker and Barlowe regardless thanks to petrolignopsids living along beaches.
There are many species of Petro-Boring Knightworm, some of them specializing for specific host species. They are usually dark brown or greyish in color with dark spots or stripes, matching the trunks of their hosts and making them less conspicuous to predators. At least some species are bright green instead, matching the color of the crystal leaves. Species in cold regions hibernate over winter, sometimes inside petrolignopsid trunks. They breed by spawning in pools of water created by rain or thaw, but some species also spawn inside the trunks of Petrolignopsids where there is lots of moisture, the eggs and larvae being resistant to any potential digestive enzymes they may be exposed to. They hatch only 1 millimeter long but mature quickly. In the absence of petrolignopsids, they also readily feed on detritus.