Somewhat Less Bipolar Son
As Noflava disprus drifts into the colder waters of zone 27, it encountered the polar night/midnight sun cycle, the obviously colder temps, and the unprecedented(at least, at this point in time to this particular species) presence of both competition and predators. Instead of living in separate areas, cells of the 2 generations of Noflava frankesteinii will attach to each other forming a chain of cells that exchanges nutrients with each other, creating a colony.
Individuals cells in the colony are relatively unchanged compared to their ancestors. All cells have 4 sets of 3 flagellas and a mature diameter of 60 μm. The phototrophic cells have retained their photosynthetic organelles and a vacuole where gases are collected(though these gases are collected out of the water now) , which are reduced in this species. The lithotrophic cells still possess the ability to metabolize ammonia and organic matter, a vacuole with dense minerals, and microvilli that covers only the exposed surfaces of the cell. The presence of both types of vacuoles causes the overall density of this species to balance out, causing them to stay in the middle of zone 27’s water column. This is important as it keeps them from being exposed to most of the competition or predation in zone 27. Possessing both cells and being able to share nutrients also makes the colony mixotrophic which helps them deal with being in the middle of the water column, the polar night, and the waste products of the lithotroph’s ammonia oxidation are now moved to the phototrophic cells where they become usable nitrogen for biosynthesis. All cells will reproduce through mitosis when they’re ready. Like N. disprus, the daughters will be of the opposite generation, and, to clarify the depiction, this can results in multiple cells of the same generation being adjacent to each other within the colony.
