Thermolongus homocaulis
Thermolongus pallicaulis may have kept the carrion of terracrabbids in control but it did nothing to dead Fungradi polarus since it only fed on flesh. Its descendant Thermolongus homocaulis fills in the other half of the responsibilities as it is now specialized for breaking down and consuming chitin like dead Fungradi polarus, as well as macroscopic samples of chitin.
Thermolongus homocaulis' thin mycelial hyphae extend up to four centimeters (4 cm) inside of the dead Fungradi polarus domes or pieces of chitin and extract nutrients from them using enzymes. They are able to synthesize enzymes capable of breaking down chitin. The stem in the middle grows vertically at a maximum height of twelve centimeters (12 cm) but often grows to only six to eight centimeters (6-8 cm). Individual Thermolongus homocaulis grow at an initial rate of half a millimeter (0.5 mm) a day as chitin contains less nutrients and is harder to break down than flesh. They slow down growth when nutrients become less abundant, until they nearly shut down once all the nutrients are consumed and slow function. They will die in two weeks if they do not have food or water.
Thermolongus homocaulis will disperse zoospores that are fifty micrometers (50μm) in diameter from the sides of the stem to be carried by the wind and potentially. Zoospores can stay viable for up to one year if they do not land on a food source right away. They kickstart growth when dead Fungradi polarus material or chitin is detected.
Like in its ancestor, the stems of Thermolongus homocaulis are formed from attachments of daughter cells to maximize the efficiency of zoospore dispersal. The stem is thick enough so that sunlight radiation does not kill off the Thermolongus homocaulis before it reproduces and zoospores spread.