Crooksoluis aquacaulis

Crooksoluis aquacaulis
Creator	OviraptorFan
Information
Status	Extant
Zones	15
Roles	Producer
Classification
Genus	Crooksoluis
Species	Crooksoluis aquacaulis
Evolution
Date	January 27th, 2022
Ancestor	Crooksoluis mollicaulis
Descendants	No results

Some populations of C. mollicaulis specialized even further for living within the river systems, adapting to live full time being partially underwater. This would give rise to C. aquacaulis, a species of taxonophyte that has returned to a fully aquatic existence.

3 cm tall
Originated in Zone 15

C. aquacaulis has an extensive root system that anchors them in place to prevent being pulled away by the flow of the river and maximize nutrients uptake from the substrate. The root system gets about 5-6 centimeters wide and growing about 10-20 centimeters deep. C. aquacaulis relies entirely on the air-filled channels inside of their stem to allow oxygen to diffuse to the bottom of the polyph. The species has lost all of their thorns, due to a lack of predators in the watershed and the energy was better used for their root systems and air-filled channels. C. aquacaulis does grow slightly faster than their ancestor, growing to full size in about 4 months and reproducing in just 3 months.

While they do still partially photosynthesize with their short stem, C. aquacaulis primarily relies on their two leaves to gather light. The seed pod bursts open once the seeds are fully developed, which are then carried on rigid root structures by the flow of the rivers until they land somewhere else along the river system. They require a lot of sunlight and grow primarily in shallower parts of the river. After the seed pod bursts open, it takes the parent about 3 months to fully regrow it and develop the new seeds inside.