Pikaia boggsi is a basal chordate that originally lived during the Cambrian as an extinct species of Pikaia and the genus itself was originally extinct, but has since been recreated by SciiFii and sold as aquarium pets. They are detritivores, and are often used in a similar manner to plectostomus or shrimp, as a sort of aquarium “clean-up crew”. They are very tolerant of other animals in their aquariums, but seem to find safety in numbers, being most comfortable around their own species. They often gather to rest in a secluded area, wrapping around one another in a behaviour known as “knotting”. People have observed their Pikaia behaving what they describe as affectionately with one another. Some scientists dispute this idea based on the primitive nature of the species. However, perhaps due to SciiFii’s genetic tampering, Pikaia are indeed very affectionate, possibly suggesting that the view of basal species lacking social bonds is outdated.
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