Bigmauch

The Bigmauchs are Natura Oceans Malerceans often found leading groups of Camauth, traversing the cold waters of Mareala in pursuit of the Balley they hunt.

They are elongated and notably large, adorned with protruding lumps across their bodies. Their defining features include a lengthy, tooth-filled mouth and a conspicuously enlarged and disfigured forehead, marked by a prominent scar shared by all Bigmauchs.

These creatures form herds among Camauths, assuming leadership roles without a known reason or origin for this behavior within either species.

Each Camauth herd houses only one Bigmauch, and competitions for herd control occur among these leaders. The victorious Bigmauch assumes control, while the defeated is typically consumed by the new leader's Camauths. Even if the loser survives this event, it succumbs later due to refusing food, leading to starvation.

When hunting Balleys, Bigmauchs employ a strategic approach: aiming to disable their visibility by attacking the eyes and subsequently targeting their belly, while their herd of Camauths focuses on immobilizing the fins and tail.

Bigmauchs possess a modest resistance to electricity, serving as a defense when hunting Balleys, that might also be targeting the electric Thunderhuds.

In extreme circumstances, a Bigmauch may resort to consuming its herd's Camauths to survive, but not if only a few remain.

Their tolerance for warm waters, particularly when young, is limited, prompting them to deposit eggs in the waters near Borealis. The new generation's eggs often hatch after their parents' demise due to the prolonged incubation period.

Repeated reproduction between Camauths and their respective Bigmauch leaders has led to deformities (manifested as their characteristic body lumps) in the offspring of both species over time.

Bigmauch eggs display a deformity wherein a portion of their skin adheres to the eggshell. Consequently, during hatching, the attached skin tears off, leading to a scarred forehead, which leaves a permanent mark that does not heal.

The significant fat deposits stored in their foreheads serve as a protective barrier, preventing infections from reaching the Bigmauch's internal organs through the scarred area.

Regarded as monsters or marine nuisances due to their appearance and predation of the cherished Balleys, Bigmauchs are actively hunted for the substantial fat reserves stored in their foreheads. This fat is processed within the Second Kingdom and utilized for various purposes worldwide.