Diastoga uligonato

Diastoga uligonato
Creator	Squidy
Information
Status	Extant
Zones	F, H
Roles	Decomposer, Parasite
Classification
Genus	Diastoga
Species	Diastoga uligonato
Evolution
Date	July 13th, 2020
Ancestor	Diastoga crustalar
Descendants	No results

Diastcoga crustalar was a parasite that resided in the shells of Helix species, breaking down their flesh with enzymes to obtain nutrients. As their hosts died, some crustalar spread into the humid substrate of Zone F in search of new food, leading to Diastoga uligonato.

D. uligonato swims through the substrate of Zone F in search of synkrobiotan corpses, which it then breaks down using enzymes delivered by the microvilli that coat its body. The broken-down matter is then absorbed into the cell for sustenance.

This species does not specifically parasitize helixes, but will feed on them if given the opportunity. However, it is less likely to cause fatal damage, as it is more likely to spread out rather than concentrating on one host.

As an ancestrally saltwater species, D. uligonato has adaptations to help it cope with the freshwater it encounters in the substrate it inhabits. Its already-strong cell membrane is further reinforced by proteins to help resist lysing due to osmotic pressure as it takes in more water.

Like its ancestor, D. crustalar reproduces by mitosis, and maxes out at 1μm. Because it spends more resources on reinforcing its cell membrane, it reproduces slightly more slowly.