voracious
cannibals
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Newborn Phlexx larvae gather around the scalding geothermal vents known as "Black Smokers." There, they become part of an intricate, violently competitive food chain.
The smallest Phlexx larvae are hungry grazers, eating the prolific vent bacteria. Slightly larger Phlexx larvae eat the grazers, including the smaller Phlexx larvae and any drifting Phlexx eggs. Even larger predators, including larger Phlexx larvae, catch and consume the smallest predators. And so it goes, all the way up to highly skilled predators weighing more than a kilogram.
Only one Phlexx larva out of a billion lives long enough to reach that size. They dart through the fantastic gardens of vent creatures, eagerly pursuing their smaller prey. When they have grown big enough, they feel an urge to migrate.
