Air Rods are the most diverse category of atmospheric beast; they can look like jelly-filled bats, winged worms, bubbly fish, frilly leaves, or even strange centipedes. Some eat only plants or other Air Rods, and some are scavengers. Difficult to spot even by other high sky inhabitants, they are translucent and dainty; outlined in a milky white, each section of their body is dotted with a set of eyes and wings. Mostly hollow, the are aerodynamic and incredibly fast.
Air Rods are divided into over 140 species, but all are skilled pilots and have long, tube-like shapes. With two to twenty-four wings and one to twelve segments, they can change direction on a whim and with ease, losing little speed in the process. Some species flap in billowy waves like laundry out to dry. Some arrhythmically beat like an anxious bat. Others buzz uniformly like a bumblebee. Regardless of their locomotion, they outfly all other high sky animals.
Air Rods not only have specialized wings, but complex, light-detecting eyes. Used to find food, spot dangers, and sometimes trick or lure other organisms, they interact with and respond to their environment more than scientists originally predicted. Intelligent and active, these creatures are more animal-like than plant-like—especially since they don't gain energy from the sun but from finding and eating other lifeforms.
Uniform cylinders, the head is nearly indistinguishable from the tail of the animal—and both ends have a mouth. The interior of each body part, each section, is almost completely see-through—it would be entirely so if the animals were organ-less. Where their internal processors reside, a saturation of color beams: yellows, greens, and oranges, the color dependant on their diet. All atmospheric creatures are so translucent that food can be observed throughout the entire dietary system.
Air Rods are divided into three different categories: Skyfish (herbivorous rods), Flashlight Eyes (carnivorous rods), and Airwafers (omnivorous scavenging rods). Their shape, size, color, and behavior helps to differentiate one from the other.
habitat
Air Rods can be found all over the world and throughout the troposphere—from top to bottom. Frail, they are easily injured, especially upon impacts from moving objects, like cars. Some Air Rods' bodies are so gooey that if they accidentally touch something in the environment or land on the ground, they are unable to fly back into the air.
ACTIVITY
Air Rods do not have complex, changing schedules; mostly diurnal or nocturnal, when they are not actively seeking food, they lazily float in the open air.
Roswell Rods are diurnal creatures, feeding and traveling during the day; they are more active on sunny days and more lethargic on cloudy ones.
Diet
Air Rods can be herbivorous, feeding solely on Atmoplankton, or carnivorous, hunting Air Rods and scavenging the remains of other atmospheric beasts.
categorization
Air Rods are separated into one of three kinds based on their dietary needs and habits:
Skyfish: Species that sustain themselves by preying upon Atmoplankton, harnessing energy from these airborne microorganisms. This category includes the Roswell Rod.
Flashlight Eyes: Predatory Air Rods that hunt and consume other members of their kind, showcasing a complex ecological balance within the atmospheric ecosystem.
Airwafer: Species that sustain themselves by preying upon Atmoplankton; they require sunlight to break down their food and convert some of the energy into predatory lures.
REPRODUCTION
The second smallest category of high sky life, Air Rods range from one to six inches in length. Like Atmoplankton, they cluster together at the end of their life and can form connected colonies that stretch up to four feet long!
While Air Rods can usually escape predation, they are particularly vulnerable when they gather to produce offspring. They reproduce through colonial fragmentation, a type of sexual reproduction where several individuals swap genetic information, morph into one organism, and break up into several small pieces—creating baby Air Rods. Like Atmoplankton, Air Rods are ready to reproduce once enough energy has been stored; child-creating also marks the end of their life.
Air Rods begin the process by flying above the clouds, making themselves clearly visible to potential mates. From there, they carry out dazzling performances; each species has its own preferences and displays: some develop coloration on their wings, creating vibrating neon stripes; others blink with moving patterns across their body or light their entire forms up in reds, oranges, greens, and yellows. As in all atmospheric animals, these colorful hues are only visible to their specialized eyes—they cannot be seen by our eyes without equipment.
Air Rods that are ready to mate attach themselves to the front or back of a partner; when enough partners have connected and swapped genetic material, the Air Rods cease to glow, harden together, and sink. Tethered in breeding colonies, their movement is awkward and slow. Luckily, they do not need to feed, only wait. After a few days, the group breaks into double or triple the number of Air Rods that gathered together. These Air Rod fragments are weak specks. It takes many months for them to mature and grow to their full potential.
