Barbata – Whiskered Velvet Shrimp (Metapenaeopsis barbata)
https://wiki.wizard101central.com/wiki/Creature:Barbata
https://www.fws.gov/species/whiskered-velvet-shrimp-metapenaeopsis-barbata
https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=241291
Thank you to Mike S. for this one.
Barbata is a member of the Cabal. He is one of Medulla’s subordinates. Though he seems to be somewhat influenced by Medulla.
“We are the agents of Medulla, Eater of Thoughts, Master of Minds, King of Cognition. We are your doom.”
He doesn’t seem quite so positive about Medulla once your wizard has defeated him.
The whiskered velvet shrimp (Metapenaeopsis barbata) is native to Indonesian waters. Its habitat thought to extend from the South China Sea to the southern part of the East China Sea, and to be distinct from stock in the Yellow Sea. The whiskered velvet shrimp inhabits sand, mud or sandy-mud bottoms from depths of 2-219 m, usually at less than 90 m.
The current list of all the (known) Empyrea references can be found here.
Although I am well versed in Pop Culture references but I do not claim to have caught them all. Let me know your favorites in the comments and if I’ve missed one you caught, let me know so I can add it to the list.
Text for this article is excerpted from the linked wiki pages
Barbata image is from Wizard101, and is copyright of KingsIsle Entertainment.
Whiskered Velvet Shrimp image is borrowed from the World Register of Marine Species website and I assume is their copyright.
Image usage qualifies as fair use under US copyright law.
Vulcan Stev's Database 