From The Dinner Plate to Hypervigilance: A Story of Evolution

To be able to understand the phenomenon that are Numsabi, you need to look a their long history of being prey. At just 3 inches average, this tiny species evolved from shrimp. The early crustaceans found themselves at the mercy of much bigger, hungry sea creatures. That is, until they devised the perfect plan. Throughout the centuries, Numsabi looked for survival techniques, some worked better than others but nothing was quite succesful enough to help their tapering population. The survivors found themselves faced with the very real possibility of their own extinction. Watching everyone around them die, it seemed there was no hope... Until a special crustacean came along. The species had looked for an advantage in all the wrong places. If they couldn't use their bodies to protect themselves, they could certainly use their brains. Through struggle and perseverance, the remaining Numsabi trained hard to develop intelligence, until the species eventually reached hyperintelligence.

The turning point

This new tool in their hands, Numsabi finally had an advantage over their predators. They soon discovered they had the ability to control their own evolution. Their shells and bodies turned flashier by the generation, which might confuse you. Why would any species willingly make themselves more visible to danger? Well, that is because Numsabi discovered that they were less likely to be eaten if they had bright colors, as they would be perceived as a threat. The change only started there, the crustacean species rapidly took on new behaviors and anatomical traits. Soon, their toxic appearance was not just a facade. The creatures evolved to be able to produce poison, commonly spawning it from their tear ducts. Luckier Nummies started being born with stingers, tails crafted to deliver the perfect prick of venom. As a consequence of their swift voluntary evolution, it seemed more and more Numsabi found themselves lagging behind. Only a prvileged few were able to reap the best fruits of their intelligence. A small minority of Numsabi grew eyestalks, which helped guard them from predators. The common members of the species, however, could only try to fake this attribute. False eyes became commonplace, and were even used as a fashion statement.

Competition between Numsabi

With all these new traits and defense mechanisms, status became of utmost importance. For the first time in history, competition among their own was a priority, even over competition with other species. Numsabi had never been the most sociable creatures, but they did swim in banks for safety. Now, the creatures became more withdrawn. Although social interaction was still commonplace, Numsabi didn't need each other to survive anymore. Some completely withdrew from society and indulged in egotism. A considerable amount of Numsabi even became cannibalistic, doing anything to get to the top of the chain.

A new threat

Numsabi were confident they were never to be threatened the way they had been in the past. The tales of their dwindling population were nothing but lunchtime gossip. They were unstoppable, or so they thought. Somehow, the bright shellfish had managed to fly under the radar of humans for a long time... Unfortunately, this was to quickly change. The bright colored appearance that had once saved them, now appeared to be their Achilles' heel. Fishermen started pulling them out by the dozen. Turns out, their looks made it easier for them to be spotted by fishermen.
Moreover, their poison did little to stop the consumption. The bright toxic liquid did little but tickle the terrestrial giants. Their attempts at self defense were laughable at best. Their precious eyestalks became associated with gourmet dishes, and their venom became a seasoning staple.

Desperate times, desperate measures

Altough their previous defense mechanisms were obsolete when met with the human force, this wasn't the end. As Numsabi had noted, humans were quite gullible and easily influenced, many fell for gimmicks and hearsay that seemed absolutely absurd to the little shrimp. With careful consideration, Numsabi devised a plan to use this to their advantage. Soon, they began spreading rumors that their species were actually aliens, a believable lie given their appearance. This spread like wildfire, and soon enough humans began adding their own twists to the deception. Many conspiracists even believe that Numsabi could and have eaten people.

Masters of disguise

Even though the rumors might've decreased the consumption of Numsabi, they did not kill the market. The rumors weren't enough to stop the culinary demand. Numsabi were no strangers to putting on a facade, but it had never been this extreme. The species crafted the perfect disguise. The answer was quite literally hiding in plain sight, which brings us to today. Transforming into human-looking creatures, they are able to go unnoticed by humans. However, this disguise isn't perfect: as soon as they are submerged into water, Numsabi go back to their "nummy" form.