The colloquially named Sandworm is a member of the Hydra family. Inhabiting seemingly inhospitable desert landscapes this creature lives most of it’s live under the sands, traversing it much like the oceans. It rarely breaches, but when it does it is quite the sight due to its massive stature and impressive markings.
As with all Hydra, copulation takes place via copulative parasitism. Male Sandworms are minuscule in comparison to their female counterparts. Her rough and impenetrable hide makes it impossible for customary adhesion noted in the species so males take a far more “disturbing” course of action.
Male Sandworms will enter the female through her ventral slit just behind her head. From there, the male will bite her tongue, releasing a natural anesthetic to numb the skin and ultimately sever the blood supply to her tongue. Feeding on the blood supply this will cause it to atrophy to which the male will attach itself to the remaining stub and ultimately become her living tongue. This practice is not always successful however and most males will fall prey to his potential mate should she notice before. Males will grow triple in size throughout it’s life once adhered.
