Lipozancudo
The Lipozancudo is an insect native to the Illuminatian continent, known for its inclination to feed on human fat as its primary source of nutrition. The Lipozancudo is an avian insect, capable of self-propelled flight over moderate distances. The Lipozancudo is also able to crawl short distances upon surfaces, can float, and can also immerse itself and dive to relatively shallow depths.
To engage in feeding, the Lipozancudo uses its proboscis to pierce the skin of its living mammalian host, after which the endoskeletal structure of the insect's beak engages to penetrate the flesh of the host more deeply in order to access layers of adipose tissue deeper under the skin. Lipozancudos are not known to carry or transmit any diseases which can affect human, and as a result a Lipozancudo bite is not in any way harmful for humans.
It is believed the Lipozancudo evolved from a crossbreeding between insects carried aboard the Lucidus mission and one or more life forms native to the planet of Neonisi. It is further understood that the development of this new species began shortly after the Lucidus landings, when new species were introduced to the environment in select locations adjacent to anticipated human settlement.
The Lipozancudo is most prevalent within the vicinity of significant human habitation but survives in lower population densities in rural areas where the insect's primary source of nutrition comes from non-human mammals and some locomotive meat plants. The Lipozancudo is endemic to southern regions of Illuminatia, including coastal regions near Symphonic Bay, the River Sinfonia valley, Concerto Island, Quarentenam Island, and Supplicium Island. The insect is known to thrive in warm climates.
The adult Lipozancudo on average can grow to a length of 3 to 9 decilinear units (dLU) and reach a weight of 7 to 15 centimassive units (cMU) when fully engorged after feeding, making the insect slightly larger than the average avian insect species in Illuminatia. Lipozancudos tend to seek mammals to feed upon using cooperative techniques, with members of swarms informing others of the location of potential food sources. The insects are understood to communicate the location of potential adipose-laden subjects to their colonies using high-pitched calls and pheromone transmission. Pairs and triads of Lipozancudos often pursue their subjects, tasking one or two peers with distracting the potential meal source, while the remaining insect pierces and feeds from the distracted host. Collaborating sets of Lipozancudo will then alternate roles, allowing each individual to feed while others risk their lives by distracting the host.
A human Lipozancudo bite is minuscule and nearly unnoticeable, as the insect tends to piece the skin through pores or other natural breaks in the skin. The Lipozancudo proboscis has evolved into a very thin, rigid, and lengthy tubular structure, giving the feeding insect the advantage of stealth. Lipozancudo bites often are painless, and the feeding insect does not inject the host with any foreign substances of poisons, so the host is left with no allergic reaction or irritation at the site of penetration.
Lipomeiosi and therapeutic uses
- See article: Lipomeiosi
Domesticated Lipozancudo cultivation is not uncommon in many parts of southern Illuminatia, where individuals and commercial producers are known to breed and train colonies of Lipozancudos for whose services are employed to perform lipomeiosi therapy.
Lipomeiosi therapy consists of using captive Lipozancudos which are trained to, upon command, engage in a feeding upon a consenting human subject or subjects. The Lipozancudos relieve the subject of excess adipose tissue, gradually, bite by bite, over the course of a sequence of regular therapy sessions. Individuals who partake in Lipozancudo therapy can lose several massive units (MU) of weight in fat tissue within one course of lipomeiosi therapy in less than one AU.