Mucosa tuntea

Mucosa tuntea
Creator	Aldank Memestein
Information
Status	Extant
Zones	17
Roles	Base-Consumer, Detritivore, Predator
Classification
Genus	Mucosa
Species	Mucosa tuntea
Evolution
Date	May 21st, 2019
Ancestor	Net Mucusworm
Descendants	No results

Members of Mucosa bitentaculum in zone 4 living at the mouth of zone 17 began to change for the new environment they were being exposed to. This eventually led to Mucosa tuntea.

Mucosa tuntea has many adaptations to its new environment. First, it has a lower salt concentration to reduce osmotic pressure causing it to grow slower. Second, it grows to 1.6cm to make up for the slower growth it reaches maturity at a smaller size. Third, it concentrates excess water into its waste products to prevent loss of salts. Finally, they have given up on being sessile filter feeders and now move about in search of food. This new method of feeding developed because of the lower flow of Zone 17 which caused filter feeding to become less viable.

Their new method of gathering food involves coating their appendages in mucus and swing hem around while they move. Bits of Micralgearous greana, Aquaductus sarcina, Gigantocytus taisa, Linialicina aquafera, Caulifloweriensium barujikolis, and bits of detritus will stick to the mucus. Once an appendage has a sufficient amount of food stuck to it M. tuntea will stick the appendage into its mouth and eat all of the mucus and food bits. It will then recoat the appendage in mucus and begins collecting food again. They move through the water by wriggling their body. This new form of feeding allows the anus to move further from the mouth to prevent waste from being reingested.

All individuals produce both sperm and eggs. They release the sperm into the water which will be caught in the mucus of others. The sperm goes into a separate tube that leads to an atrium where it fertilizes an egg and the zygote develops inside the parent and is released from the anus when it is about 4mm.