So, you got any more notes on Scalebug biology? I find them fairly interesting.
Sure! I’ve changed some things about them since I last posted anything about them here. (You can see more of the workshopping process and other species on my patreon). One of the main things has been in their overall bauplan, in which the core body is now very small and much of the organ mass is distributed across their 12 appendages (one antenna at each end, ten legs). Scaley-winged species still exist, but I think the single-feather-wing forms as shown in the sketch are a more diverse and successful family. In many crawling species, the flexibility is limited mostly to lateral movement, similar to brittle stars. A thin but tough bristle or rod supports the core of each appendage.
Also, to avoid confusion with real life scale insects from earth, I’ve started calling these creatures “leglings” instead. They are not as diverse as insects due to competition with motile feathervanes. In terms of niche, a majority are detritivores, a most of the others are predators of othe leglings, or have some kind of symbiosis with a feathervane.
