《地底百科：动物》 Underground Encyclopedia: Animals

一份年代久远的下层区动物生态的研究报告，部分动物已经不存于世了。 An old research report of the creatures of the Underworld. Some of those creatures no longer exist.

其一 Part I

【结晶宝石蜥蜴】

Crystalline Lizard

「在久远的神话故事里，结晶宝石蜥蜴被认为是矿山娘娘的小兵。」

"In old legends, Crystalline Lizards were thought to be soldiers of Mine Mama."

结晶宝石蜥蜴是一种穴居在矿道中的冷血爬虫类生物。其在成年的过程中，革质麟上会渐渐析出结晶体，并且根据地域、温度、健康程度的不同，结晶体的颜色还会产生变化。有生物学家指出，结晶宝石蜥蜴经由体内的渗透压将地髓等矿物质透过盐腺排出体外，这些结晶体是调节体液渗透平衡的副产物。

Crystalline Lizard is a cold-blooded reptile found in the underground mines. As it matures into adulthood, their leathery scales will produce Krystalloid, which will vary in color depending on the region, temperature, and health of the lizard. Experts have pointed out that Crystalline Lizards expel Geomarrow and other minerals from their salt glands through the osmotic pressure in the body. The Krystalloid is a byproduct of regulating the osmotic balance of body fluids.

因其革质麟上结晶体的颜色在形成阶段具有一定随机性，民间一度出现了许多结晶宝石蜥蜴的收藏家，哄抬价格回收稀有野生种，造成了矿穴生态失衡。历史上多次下层虫灾被认为与结晶宝石蜥蜴滥捕有关。贝洛伯格明令禁止私人捕猎野生结晶宝石蜥蜴的行为。

The randomness of the Krystalloid color has sparked a wave of collectors, who are willing to pay exorbitant prices for wild Crystalline Lizards with a rare color. This has caused an ecological imbalance in the mines. In the past, many pest outbreaks have been tied to the decline in the Crystalline Lizard population. In response, Belobog has prohibited the hunting of wild Crystalline Lizards.

结晶宝石蜥蜴体液中的生物碱常被用作药物成分。将其适量体液溶于水后制成喷剂，雾滴经上呼吸道进入人体肺泡腔内，可见其明显促进吸入肺部的矿尘从支气管排出体外，阻止粉尘倾入肺间质，阻滞粉尘在淋巴结的运行，原理不明。因此，常有下层区医生会饲养结晶宝石蜥蜴。不过，圈养的结晶宝石蜥蜴本身也不具有特殊的收藏价值。

The alkaloids in the body fluid of the Crystalline Lizard are often used in pharmaceutics. This body fluid is dissolved in water and made into a spray. When the spray is applied to a patient, the droplets reach the pulmonary alveoli via the upper respiratory tract and are shown to drive out mineral dust in the lung via the bronchi, preventing the dust from entering the interstitial lung and lymph nodes. Researchers, however, do not understand fully how this process works. Thus, it is common for Underworld doctors to breed Crystalline Lizards in captivity, but they don't have any value to the collectors.

【食髓洞螈】

Geomarrow Olm

「怎么会有以纯能量为食物的爬虫呢！」

"This amphibian survives solely on pure energy!"

食髓洞螈是一种穴居在地下水脉附近的一种两栖生物。羽毛一样的鳞片白皙粉嫩，视力退化、听觉和嗅觉非常发达，并且在水中和陆地都可以呼吸。根据旧开拓团的资料显示，历史上著名的大矿源的位置附近，往往存在食髓洞螈的生态，原因未知。于是有人认为这些洞螈以地髓为食，因此得名。

Geomarrow Olm is an amphibian that burrows near underground water sources. With white and pink feathery scales, its highly-developed hearing and smell make up for its degraded vision. It's able to survive both on land and in the water. According to the Geomarrow Development Group, populations of Geomarrow Olm were always found near large mines, for reasons unknown. People assumed that these olms fed on Geomarrow, hence the name.

有生物学家指出，食髓洞螈生存环境缺乏食物，新陈代谢和抗氧化能力较其他生物要强上许多。由于缓慢的代谢机制和受限的运动，食髓洞螈可以十年不进食生存下去，而在合理的科学假设里，未被人类观察的食髓洞螈可能进食周期在十五年以上。所以，并非食髓洞螈以地髓为食，而是进食行为难以被观测，专家普遍认为这种说法可能性很高。

Biologists have pointed out that the Geomarrow Olms live in an environment lacking in food. This severe environment has caused them to evolve into organisms with superior metabolism and antioxidant capacity. They are capable of surviving without food for up to 10 years, due to their slow metabolism and limited movement. However, it is scientifically reasonable to assume that they could survive more than 15 years without feeding. So, experts believe that it is more likely that their feeding behaviors are hard to observe, rather than draw the conclusion that they feed on Geomarrow.

因食髓洞螈栖息生态昏暗潮湿与人类几乎不重合，并且畏惧人类，基本上不会对人类构成威胁。

The Geomarrow Olms by nature are afraid of and reside away from the humans in darker and more moist areas. The Geomarrow Olms do not pose a threat to humans.

【葬礼虫】

Funeral Worm

「只有这些虫子不觉得恶心——它们从不缺席每一具尸体的葬礼。」

"When it's time to bury a corpse, these worms never pass up the opportunity for a feast."

葬礼虫是地下洞穴中广泛存在的鞘翅目埋葬虫亚种。葬礼虫的体长从极小到3.5厘米皆有，平均体长1.2厘米，外表多为黑色和橙色相间，身体扁平又柔软，利于其在动物的尸体下爬行。在发现疑似动物尸体后，葬礼虫会召集虫群在尸体旁集结，通过长时间确认尸体死亡后，才会开始挖掘尸体下面的土地、分解动物尸体。

Funeral Worms are a subspecies of coleoptera commonly found in underground caves. They range in lengths of up to 3.5 centimeters, with an average length of 1.2 centimeters. They are usually black and orange in appearance. Their flat soft bodies allow them to crawl under animal carcasses. After discovering a potential animal carcass, they gather in swarms around the body. They spend a great deal of time confirming that the animal is dead before they dig the ground beneath it to decompose it.

葬礼虫观测动物尸体的过程非常像参加葬礼，因此得名。有生物学家指出，他们这些特有的习性可能与食髓洞螈等极少运动的生物有关，如果判断尸体失误，可能反而会被捕食。葬礼虫是下层生态中最重要的一部分，他们广泛分解各种动物的尸体和粪便，是大自然的清道夫。在坟场、蝙蝠洞穴等地可以观测到葬礼虫的葬礼过程。

Funeral worms observing a dead animal is similar to attending a funeral, hence the name. Some biologists have suggested their unique habits may be related to creatures who barely move, like the Geomarrow Olm. If they misjudge prey, they might become prey themselves. Funeral worms are one of the most important parts of underground ecology, breaking down carcasses and feces of a wide range of animals. They are also commonly found in cemeteries and bat caves.

其二 Part II

【水晶蝎子】

Crystal Scorpion

「水晶蝎子没有水晶，这不是常识吗？」

Crystal Scorpions don't have crystals. Isn't it common knowledge?

成年的水晶蝎子表面几乎全是高度透明的甲壳。长约5～6厘米，身体分节明显，由头胸部和腹部组成。头胸部有附肢6对，第一对是助食作用的整肢，第二对是威胁十足、形似蟹螯的角须，能够捕食、触觉以及防御，剩下的四对附肢都是步足。而后腹部被称为蝎尾，弯向身体前方，用毒针蛰刺，其中毒液对人类虽不足以致命，但会引起灼烧一样的剧痛感。

Adult Crystal Scorpions are almost entirely covered with highly transparent carapaces. Growing up to five or six centimeters long, the body is clearly segmented into two: Head and chest, and the abdomen. There are six pairs of appendages on the head and chest. The first pair is used for feeding. The second pair is threatening crab-like claws for attacking and defending, and for touching things. The remaining appendages are all used for movement. The abdomen is the scorpion tail, which is bent forward and poisonous. The venom is not lethal to humans, but it will cause a burning sensation.

水晶蝎子最著名的透明甲壳实际上是对地髓的拟态，并非昂贵的水晶。地髓粉末在蝎子体外析出过程中，与角质硬甲皮同化，才形成了这种独特的透明甲壳。借助特殊的拟态，水晶蝎子能够在地髓附近以捕食宝石结晶蜥蜴为生。

The transparent carapace for which the Crystal Scorpion is famous turns out to be a mimicry of Geomarrow, and not some expensive crystal. While Geomarrow dust is processed from the body, it assimilates with the hard shell to form this unique transparent shell. With its help, Crystal Scorpions can feed on Crystal Lizards who live near Geomarrow.

在曾经宝石结晶蜥蜴收藏火热期间，水晶蝎子被人为捕杀导致种群数量大幅减少。由于这样的历史原因，水晶蝎子变成了奇货可居的濒危生物，在地下市场交易中价格居高不下。

During the period in which Crystal Lizards were hunted by collectors, crystal scorpions were also hunted. As a result, their population was reduced significantly to the point where they're now considered a rare and endangered species. They are traded at high prices in underground markets.

【疯地鼠】

Mad Moles

「我不禁心想，在黑暗中探索阴森的洞穴深渊时，不幸跌进这种老鼠的深坑中会有什么下场？」

"I can't help but wonder what would happen if I had the misfortune of stumbling into their burrow while exploring the dark depths of a cave?"

疯地鼠四肢短粗有力，前足爪尤其发达，适合挖掘，但更多地使用头和门齿而不是前肢来挖洞。它们的眼睛完全退化，几乎没有视力，没有外耳，耳壳则是围绕耳孔的小皮褶。尾巴短，略长于后足，通常裸毛或者稀毛。疯地鼠曾被认为主要以植物根茎为食，如今则被广泛认为是杂食动物。

The Mad Moles have stout powerful limbs and well-developed claws, which are good for digging. However, they would much prefer to use their head and teeth. Their eyes are completely defunct, with little or no vision. They have no outer ear, and the ear shell is a small fold of skin around the ear hole. With short tails that are slightly longer than their hind feet, the moles are usually bare or a little hairy. People once thought they fed primarily only on plant roots, but it is now common knowledge that they are omnivores.

生态学家观测到疯地鼠种群保有一些不利于种群存续的奇妙特征。目前，学界普遍认为此类特征的成因是裂界侵蚀的加速蔓延：疯地鼠似乎对裂界中的某种物质有着比其他物种更高的敏感性。这使其表现出极强的攻击性行为：对于自己体型数倍、甚至数十倍的哺乳动物也能毫不犹豫地一拥而上，并且快速啃噬。

Ecologists have discovered that Mad Moles have a number of distinct characteristics that are detrimental to the species' survival. Now, researchers believe that the rapid spread of Fragmentum is at the root of these characteristics: Mad Moles appear to be more sensitive to a specific substance in Fragmentum than other species. As a result, they have become extremely aggressive, with the ability to swarm and devour mammals several or even dozens of times their size.

然后是永无止境的生存地狱：疯地鼠种群基本不会离开洞穴，而是不断将洞穴扩张——原因有二：第一，疯地鼠对地表大气中的某些物质表现出强烈的不耐受性，这使它们难以在洞穴之外生存；第二，裂界加速侵蚀、挤占其有限的生存空间，这使疯地鼠必须在地下不断寻找新的宜居地点。若有不幸的生物掉进洞穴中，他们会吃掉生物；如果没有这样的生物，他们则吃掉彼此。潮水般的疯地鼠洞穴里总是有着成堆的尸骨。

Then, it is the never-ending hell of survival. Mad Moles rarely leave their burrows, but keep expanding them because of two factors: First, Mad Moles have a severe sensitivity to specific substances in the surface atmosphere, making it impossible for them to survive outside of their burrows. Second, the Fragmentum hastens the deterioration of their limited habitat. As a result, Mad Moles must keep searching for new habitats underground. If an unfortunate creature were to fall into its burrow, the moles would eat it. If there were no such creatures, they would eat each other. There will always be a massive pile of bones in the Mad Moles' burrows.

然而，此类不利于存续的性状所产生的影响被其极强的生育能力相互平衡。即使疯地鼠的数量被人为消灭到很少，也能在几个月后恢复到潮水般的数量。

However, their remarkable reproductive capacity more than compensates for their low survival qualities. Even if the Mad Mole population is artificially reduced to a very small number, it still can quickly recover after a few months.

曾经有一个不幸的矿工在每晚睡觉时总听到墙后老鼠乱窜的声音，让他陷入了长期的幻觉和噩梦之中，就算清醒的时候，也总是喃喃不清地说着从未有人听说过的语言。不幸中万幸的是，巨大的鼠穴和厨房的土灶相连，不充分燃烧的烟尘将洞穴中的疯地鼠尽数消灭，这让他躲过一劫。

There was once an unfortunate miner who used to hear the moles scurrying behind the wall every night as he slept. He would experience chronic hallucinations and nightmares. Even when clear-headed, he would mumble in a language that no one could understand. Fortunately, the large burrow was connected to the stove in the kitchen. One night, soot, which hadn't been completed burned out, caught on fire and exterminated the mad moles. That miner was saved from a gruesome fate.

【岩居蟹】

Rock Crab

「你说这个玩意儿曾经差点毁灭贝洛伯格？搞笑呢？」

There's no way this critter could have nearly destroyed Belobog!

岩居蟹主要以坚硬的岩石作为寄体。它们的形态介于虾和蟹之间，多数寄居在岩石内部，体形较长，分头胸部及腹部。据考证，岩居蟹最早是海岸分布的物种，具有挖掘岩石排卵回到海中成长的生存习性。在冰河期降临后，早期的岩居蟹通过大量繁殖，向较为温暖的贝洛伯格地下移动，在迁徙过程中造成大量的隧道塌陷。其在这一时期被称为「隧道岩蟹」。主体种群到达贝洛伯格地下后，因不明原因数量大幅下降，现在几近灭绝。

The rock crab, a mix between a shrimp and a crab, likes to live inside rocks, and many of them use hard rocks as a shell for protection. According to research, the rock crab originally lived along the coastal regions. They were oceanic creatures that would dig through rocks to lay their eggs, then returned to the sea. After the Ice Age, the rock crabs bred in large numbers and moved underground to the warmer Belobog, causing massive tunnel collapses as they migrated. During this period, they were known as tunnel rock crabs. However, for reasons unknown, their population declined significantly, almost to the point of extinction.

现在地下世界的人们谈论起岩居蟹，多半将其作为美食的餐料。虽然岩居蟹数量较少，并且获取困难，通常需要借助碎石工具，但肉质的美妙口感使其成为下层世界的明星食材。除了主流的清蒸岩居蟹外，还有非常多衍生的菜谱：如铁锤辣椒炒蟹肉、盐焗岩蟹等等，岩居蟹蟹粉可以和各种食材自由组合，广受好评。

Nowadays, rock crabs are considered a gourmet meal in the Underworld. Although the crab is rare and difficult to obtain, the delicious texture of its meat makes it a star ingredient in the underground. People usually steam the crab, but there are many other variations are loved by residents: Stir-fried crab meat with hammer peppers, salt-baked rock crab, and much more. Rock crab powder can also be combined with a variety of other ingredients for rich flavors.

由于岩居蟹现在的整体数量较少，有不少人怀疑曾经在地下世界里口口相传的「家家户户吃蟹肉」情况是否属实。

With the dwindling rock crab population nowadays, many people doubt the old rumor that every family eats crab.