Enormous desert worms that can be encountered in Sega's 1992 Phantasy Star Gaiden (Side Story) Game Gear roleplaying video game, which was never released outside of Japan (however, the ROM has been fan-translated into English). The monsters Annelid and Weevil share the same game sprite, they differ only in color and statistics.

An Annelid tunnels rapidly through its sandy environment, attracted by the vibrations created by moving objects (footsteps, spinning tires, digging, etc.) Upon reaching its destination, the upper third of the worm bursts up from the arid earth and attacks (said eruption is so violent that it usually knocks anyone nearby off their feet and has been known to overturn vehicles as well). When feeding, the Annelid grasps and entangles its prey with the three prehensile "tongues" dangling from it maw, which then draw the meal up to the mandibles to be torn apart and consumed. These ropy tendrils are also coated with a weak neurotoxin that may stun the victim, preventing them from escaping or fighting back. If taxed by particularly uncooperative prey, an Annelid can channel and focus the heat of the desert sun to cast the fire spell Flaeli, roasting the target where it stands.

The relationship between Annelids and Weevils is a topic that is still hotly debated by local biologists. As they look nearly identical, share the same environment, and are often encountered together, many scholars have asserted that they are simply male and female variations of the same organism, not unique species. However, clarification of this issue by anatomists has proven difficult, by virtue of the Annelids and Weevils devouring their dead . . . and the would-be researchers.


Materials:
Newsprint, white glue, acrylic paint, and gloss nail polish.

Dimensions:
1.7 cm (0.7") x 3.0 cm (1.2") [widest point x highest point]

Time:
Two days; April 20 and 21, 2013.
I modeled the figure in its entirety on the twentieth, and painted it the following day.