Diastoga insula

Diastoga insula
Creator	OviraptorFan
Information
Status	Extant
Zones	5A
Roles	Decomposer
Classification
Genus	Diastoga
Species	Diastoga insula
Evolution
Date	May 28th, 2020
Ancestor	Diastoga brevivilla
Descendants	Diastoga lignumphagus

When some populations of Sidocoga brevivilla got washed onto the coastline on dead Synkrobiotans they adapted to the conditions by developing the ability to secrete chitin on their membranes in order to hold moisture and prevent desiccation. Having developed these new adaptations they were able to inhabit the terrestrial environment.

1μm long
Originated in Zone 5A

In their new terrestrial home, Sidocoga insula are more active then their ancestors, using their flagella to swim through water in the soil. They use the same enzymes their ancestors used to break down organic matter into edible nutrients which their microvilli then pull in. Although they are terrestrial and their chitinous secretions hold moisture better they still will desiccate and die if exposed to the sun's rays for too long. As such, they spend most of their time in the soil, only existing on the surface when the warmth of the sun's rays disappear during rainstorm or at night. During the dry season, when the soil at the surface begins to dry out, Sidocoga insula move deeper underground where the soil remains damp. They breed at the same pace as their ancestors, relying on mitosis to get the job done.