Spermafera ferrumvora
Size: 2μm Spermafera ferrumvora is a synaplot in zone 30 that functions by parasitizing L. ferrum. A zoospore will travel in search of an L. ferrum cell. Once they find one, the zoospore will enter the cell and insert its nucleus in place of L. ferrum’s, “cutting” the strand into pieces which it then either expels/metabolize, or use in protein synthesis. The newly parasitized cell then exponentially increases the amount of microvilli on its membrane, as a result of the parasite’s genes being expressed, to help it grab particulate matter, usually from dead cells, which it then decomposes. The waste is then excrete into the environment. While host is parasitized, they will continually replicate their dna, seal it in a membrane, which then becomes a zoospore, and release it to parasitize another cell(which it produces at a rate of about every 15-25minute)
This strategy is used due to the vulnerability of the zoospores. S. ferrumvora, whether as a zoospore or in a host cell, is vulnerable to predation by microdragons and death by environmental factors. The zoospores are also unable to sustain themselves without a cell, due to dedicating much of their functions parasitism, as they unable to reproduce via mitosis outside them, nor are they able to capitalize on any energy sources. Having a way to sustain the host cell(decomposing particulate matter) allow the parasite to produce as many zoospores as possible during its lifetime. This done to balance the loss of zoospores due to predation (whether as a host cell or as a zoospore).