Aeromantas are a genus of enormous airborne creature. Vaguely resembling a manta ray.
Appearance[]
Aeromantas are unusually large, and are either dark gray or grayish blueish creatures that somewhat resemble stingrays, but have greatly enlarged and almost wing-like pectoral fins that they use as stabilizers. Their size is currently unknown, but due to their gargantuan size, it is estimated the wingspan of larger species is four Kilometres, while smaller ones are estimated to be about one kilometre to 350 meters. They also play host to what appear to be antennae on their heads, but these organs serve to help individuals sense the direction of the wind. Much like stingrays, the tips of their tails have venomous barbs that they use to defend themselves. While typical individuals can range from up to a kilometre long from head to tail, this average size can vary depending on the species, with the largest species among them being up to ten kilometres long when fully grown.
Aeromantas blend into the clouds via their partially translucent skin and grayish pigment.
The blood of an Aeromanta, regardless of species, is a deep black and very heavy gaseous substance that contains chemical compounds analogous to chlorocruorin, a compound used in the blood of certain marine worms. If inhaled, this substance causes feelings of being drowned. It could even kill in a varied amount of hours. This substance has no effect on Aerosharks and other Aeromantas.
Behavior[]
These creatures, as they are animalistic beings, display no signs of sapience or sentience. They behave and feed in a manner very similar to baleen whales, sifting the clouds and air for food particles and aeroplankton in small flocks. Though they typically ignore humans and their aircraft, smaller species of Aeromanta will attempt to spar with aircraft when in breeding season. While they appear to have no outward signs of being able to fly other than their pectoral fins, which they rarely flap, what appear to be eyes are actually openings to a complex organ system that allow Aeromantas to fly and maintain their direction via jet propulsion. They share this trait with Aerosharks, implying that they both share a common ancestor.
Breeding season typically occurs once every five years. When in breeding season, male Aeromantas will spar with each other over access to mates by flying past one another at high velocities, with some species nearly breaking the sound barrier. If there are too many males in a given area, multiple males in that area will gradually change sex to female to ease the competition. After mating, gestation typically takes three years, with their young being able to fly as soon as they are born. Despite their immense size when fully grown, while the adults are rarely bothered, their young are often preyed upon by aircraft sharks.