Carnictis

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Carnictis Alternate names Carnictis Sordicus, Vile Meat-Weasel Species Carnictis Sordicus Length 7-13 feet Allies Other Carnictises, Weta-rex, Arachno-claw, Deplector Enemies Humans Created by Unknown Played by CGI First appearance King Kong (2005) Roar(s)

Carnictis is a fictional species of carnivorous worm-like creatures that appears in the 2005 film King Kong.

Design

Carnictises are blind worm-like creatures with fleshy pink skin with black shell that they emerge out of when they sense prey. They have bristles around their necks with a mouth at the end of the neck. The mouth has two rings of teeth, and they are described as being similar to slugs and maggots.

Origin

The World of Kong states that the ancestors of Carnictis were intestinal parasites similar to tapeworms that lived in the guts of the large predators of Skull Island living off the devoured flesh of their hosts. The book further states that at some point in the history of these worms, they must have evolved so they could survive outside the intestinal tracks of their hosts. It is theorized that long ago, prior to the events of King Kong (2005), a predator similar to Vastatosaurus rex infected with the ancestors of Carnictis fell into one of the chasms of Skull Island. Upon the infected predator's death, the worms disgorged itself from their host and found themselves in the rich organic river found at the pit's base where they thrived, being warmed by the hot, geothermal water of the pits and living off the flesh of animals that fell into the pits. Eventually, these worms grew larger, becoming Carnictis, the large size they had gained allowing them to overwhelm and consume live prey.

Ecology

While an adult Carnictis would die if it moved to cooler waters, or if their supply of carrion suddenly stopped, Carnictis eggs could combat this through their ability to lay dormant for decades until favorable conditions returned and hatch in those times. As adults, Carnictis formed a symbiotic relationship with the Arachno-claw, who laid their eggs in carrion for Carnictis to eat. When the eggs hatched, the spiders emerged from the Carnictis' rectum.

History

King Kong

When the human crew fell into the canyon, numerous giant invertebrates, including Carnictises, Weta-rexes and Arachno-claws attacked them. Several Carnictises attacked Lumpy. He fought back and punched a Carnictis, but then a Weta-rex attacked him. That gave the Carnictises a chance to attack him. Lumpy then grabbed his machete. He killed two Carnictises. Then one Carnictis bit his leg, then another bit his arm as he tried to kill the other one, then another one bit his head from behind as they then tore him apart.

Abilities

Jaws

A Carnictis uses its tooth-filled maw to attack its prey. It attaches to its prey with its maw, then chews it up alive. When it is attached to a victim, it can only be unattached either by killing it or somehow driving it away.

Books

The Search for Kong

The maggot-like Carnictis were lurking in their chasm when sailors began to fall from the log above. They then began to make "Glup"ing sounds as they lurched forward to attack their prey, along with a swarm of Arachno-claws. However, the sailors were able to survive by punching and shooting the creatures until they reached safety.

King Kong (2005)

When the crew of the Venture fell into a deep chasm, the Carnictises crawled their maggot-like bodies out of the ground to make a move for the sailors. Jack Driscoll stabbed one with a stick to prevent it from getting to Lumpy and the body of his friend, Choy. However, when Jack looked back at them, they were both being consumed by Arachno-claws. A Carnictis then tried to swallow Carl Denham's leg, but he was able to smash it with a club until it retreated. All the creatures of the pit then swarmed the few survivors, but were forced to retreat when they were rescued by reinforcements with firearms.

Comics

King Kong: The 8th Wonder of the World

When the crew of the Venture was pushed by Kong into the Skull Island chasm, the Carnictises and Weta-rexes came to prey on them. The Carnictises snaked their mouths out, and at least three of them began to eat their cook Lumpy alive.

Attractions

Skull Island: Reign of Kong

A small animatronic Carnictis can be seen in a tank at the temple camp of Eighth Wonder Expeditions near the attraction's load area.

During the attraction itself, a group of Carnictises emerge from a pool to attack the expedition jeeps and Eighth Wonder Expeditions leader Kate McCaffrey after escaping a Terapusmordax's grip. After a brief struggle, Kate is grabbed by a Arachno-claw and we are forced to leave her behind as the insects descend on us, though she manages to escape off-screen.

Trivia

• Carnictises are likely based on priapulid worms.
• Carnictises look similar to precambrian worms (which themselves are likely based on Ottoia) from the science fiction series Primeval. There is even a scene in which one of the worms tries to swallow a human head, similar to how Carnictis swallows Lumpy's head.
• The design of the were-worms from Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) almost completely replicates the Carnictises.

References

This is a list of references for Carnictis. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: ^[1]

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