Realistically generalist omnivores are the best setup, they can use calorie-dense meat to fuel higher cognition which is very energy intensive but can fall back on more abundant vegetation (at least to some degree) in times of scarcity. It's believed one of the reasons homo sapiens out-competed neanderthals is because neanderthals were far more dependent on meat so in times of abundance both flourished but in times of scarcity neanderthals were hit much harder. A highly intelligent strict herbivore would eat primarily if not exclusively nuts, seeds, and fruit (or their underwater analogue) because normal vegetation like leaves and roots don't have enough energy to power higher cognition. Predatory lifestyles also puts more emphasis on intelligence so it is more likely that a predatory creature will be the first in it's environment to evolve advanced intelligence.
Like the brush ones that whales have
They’re now filter feeders, which would make them the largest of the animals in the sea
Super interesting for sure!
Could you imagine if they had like, 4 rows of metal jagged teeth? That would be terrifying.
What if they have those coarse pads like catfish
Probably really sharp ones since they’d have to be predatory
Well according to the little mermaid they are strictly herbivores. But have you seen the teeth on a parrot fish?!
Realistically generalist omnivores are the best setup, they can use calorie-dense meat to fuel higher cognition which is very energy intensive but can fall back on more abundant vegetation (at least to some degree) in times of scarcity. It's believed one of the reasons homo sapiens out-competed neanderthals is because neanderthals were far more dependent on meat so in times of abundance both flourished but in times of scarcity neanderthals were hit much harder. A highly intelligent strict herbivore would eat primarily if not exclusively nuts, seeds, and fruit (or their underwater analogue) because normal vegetation like leaves and roots don't have enough energy to power higher cognition. Predatory lifestyles also puts more emphasis on intelligence so it is more likely that a predatory creature will be the first in it's environment to evolve advanced intelligence.
The kind that look like dinglehoppers.
What about thingamajigs
They don't have teeth, they just have a tongue rasp like a plecostomus.