18-Scorpii-4 Fauna: Massive Octopods

One of the most impressive groups of octopods on the planet is this group of animals armored like tanks. Morphologically less diverse, their anatomy remains interesting and makes good use of their dermal carapace to provide them with solid protection against the elements. In return, they possess a high weight and a lifestyle that is somewhat slow.
This group of animals has been given the code name: UCC, for Ursid-Coleo-Crustacean.
This morphological identification term was not chosen at random and reflects quite well the three subgroups that make up this clade. "Ursid" means "Bear," due to their size and their often opportunistic omnivorous biology. "Coleo" is the prefix of the word "Coleoptera," the group of insects whose name literally means "rigid wings" or "reinforced wings." "Crustacean" refers to the vague resemblance of these animals to enormous crustaceans like lobsters or crabs, while also highlighting their opportunistic, omnivorous behavior.
Of the three subgroups, the smallest is potentially the oldest, but its evolution has almost certainly diverged significantly from its ancestors, developing its own unique characteristics. Dubbed "Lobster," this nickname was given to it for several morphological features reminiscent of those found on Earth. Among other things, it has a reddish carapace covered in thick spines and claws transformed into very large pincers (which it seems to use to extract its food from dead wood or under rocks).
The subgroup nicknamed "Scarabear" was the first to be discovered, during the expedition to the frozen southern edge. Its nickname comes from its general appearance, which is more reminiscent of a polar bear or a large beetle. This species appears to be a scavenger that feeds on animals that have died from the cold. And it can become aggressive if you get too close to it or its meal.
The last subgroup was discovered quite recently! Named for the horn that some males have on their backs, these animals are called "UCC Horned" (or simply "Horned"). Probably solitary for the rest of the year, they were discovered during a large seasonal gathering where males and females meet to produce the next generation! Contrary to a preconceived idea, their horn is not used for fights between males, but for displaying to females (and sometimes other males, to establish a kind of dominance or priority over nearby females). However, females reproduce with several males and seem to have no established preference… a theory put forward by one of our naturalists is that they do not choose males for their ornamentation but for other criteria, possibly invisible to human eyes.