Red Aetchna

Despite Lachoba being located quite close to Guralta, it seems the freshwater systems of Lachoba have been mostly isolated from Guraltan freshwater for a very long time. Because of this one can find some peculiar fish swimming between the vegetation in the murky rivers and lakes of Lachoba. Just one example of this is a particularly archaic bunnyfish that has likely been living here since long before Lachoba became an island continent.

The red aetchna (Lagesox rubicundus) is one of several species of somewhat pike like bunnyfish living in Lachoba. The name "aetchna" is, like many other names we use to designate animals on Eryobis, borrowed from a word that the natives use for it. 

These fish grow to about a meter in length and are known to be vicious and aggressive. With multiple rows of sharp, recurved teeth, an aetchna does not let go once it has bitten into its prey. Since their teeth are not serrated, they often fiercely thrash around to rip chunks of flesh off if their prey is not small enough to swallow whole.

Typically solitary and not particularly opposed to cannibalism, aetchna's are known to try to feed on pretty much anything that moves. This makes them a great target for native fishing efforts as they are quite easy to catch. It is said that their meat is toxic unless smoked, but studies are yet to confirm or deny this.

Aetchna's and a few other archaic bunnyfish were at first thought to be related to the Odontocoeiida (the toothed coeaaien), based on a number of physical characteristics. Recent genetic studies have shown however, that aetchna's are not only unrelated to toothed coeaaien, but that they in fact predate the majority of other living bunnyfish and are likely to have split off between 100 and 110 million years ago, somewhere in the early Anaktisian. Whether they have always lived exclusively in Lachoba or if this is their last stronghold remains unknown as of now.