Thinking more about differences in octs depending on where they've been sprouting. So forgive me is this is a bit rambly, I just wanna throw out some of my thoughts. I'll probably draw this stuff out eventually. Maybe journal style.
-octarians from both the metro and the domes are larger in size than their surface counterparts through abyssal gigantism.
-dome octarians are often also referred too as 'primordial' octolings in some cases. With them often being cited as the closest thing to octarians of old. Though these claims have never been fully confirmed. Known for being a sort of all rounder baseline when it comes to octarians.
-Only metro octarians have the tapetum lucidum trait due to the zero light in the deeper areas. Of the two, metro octarians are larger and sometimes even come out bioluminescent.
-the metro octarians are the only ones that have pretty much lost their ability to reproduce sexually. While it can still happen, it is very rare. With most octolings creating octolinhs via chopping off their tentacles. This has created a very odd population of very similar octarians, where family names and numbers are more of a sorting tools.
-metro octarians are the only ones that get modified with metal augments. With these metal augments being treated with some level of disaste by most surface born or even dome born octarians.
-octarians from areas like octocanyon have claws. Much more pronounced than any of their counterparts. These claws as well as stronger tentacles allowed for them to traverse the odd floating islands above the canyon itself. (I will be talking much more about octo canyons environment another time.)
-although without tapetum lucidum, the octocanyon octarians have developed their own eye adaptations. Changing their pupil shapes depending on how bright it is much like extinct cats of old. This is thought to be because of unique the environment of the floating islands are.
-easily amongst the physically strongest amongst the octarians. The rough terrain and hard to navigate islands created a rough and tough group of octs. Although still very technologically gifted, it's a much different feel than the domes.
-this also means that cutlings of the octocanyon are by far some of the physically strongest as well as some of the best inkers. Especially in their native environment.
-octarians from the splatlands are the smallest octarians, much more close to the average inkling in height. As well as the most similar in shape to them.
-many splatland octolings aren't full octoling. (The same could be said for the inklings here as well.) With many being hybrids due to the mingling that's been happening much longer than in any other area.
-for this reason the splatlands has the most diverse population of octolings. Which also resulted in the loss of reproducing asexually, a trait which every other octarian type possesses in some wat. Cut tentacles will not result in a cutling or octoling offshoot. Meaning octoling hairstyles can also come to resemble inklings more in this area.
