Gill Piercer

Gill Piercer
Creator	HorrortheTerror
Information
Status	Extant
Common Name(s)	Gill Piercer
Zones	16
Roles	Parasite
Classification
Genus	Tubincia
Species	Tubincia haumarensis
Evolution
Date	February 26th, 2023
Ancestor	Blood Sponge
Descendants	No results

Relict populations of Tubincia sanginata found new hosts in the Haumaru watershed (zone 16), and adapted to the inhabit the zone, evolving into Tubincia haumarensis (Gill Piercer).

The Gill Piercer swims towards gradients of concentrated CO2, signifying gas exchange with the gills of a muscal, and enter the host's gills. There the spore will pierce the gill's thin epithelium with its flagella and start growing its porous body from nutrients extracted from the host's blood stream. Gill Piercers may also grow in other parts of the body, resulting from spores produced by the initial sponge or if the Gill Piercer entered through a wound.

The Gill Piercer retains its ancestor's 2 cell types: body cells possessing chitin cell walls that form crystalline spicules, gametes, and spores; and filter cells that lack cell walls and bear a cone of microvilli covered in cilia with a single flagella at the center that it uses to absorb nutrients and phagocytize blood cells.

Gill Piercers reproduce like their ancestors: once they have grown to 2-3cm, they will produce 2 types of gametes, some that are released and some that are the retained. Released gametes will fertilized ones retained by other sponges. Then the sponge will produce spicules to break the host's skin and release new spores.

Gill Piercers may suffocate their hosts through clogging their gills or blocking blood flow. When hosts die, they will pierce their host's skin and release gametes and spores.