Oil Flakes

Oil Flakes
Creator	HorrortheTerror
Information
Status	Extant
Common Name(s)	Oil Flakes
Zones	I1
Roles	Producer
Classification
Genus	Libraphotocyanus
Species	Libraphotocyanus epihydra
Evolution
Date	March 19th, 2020
Ancestor	Libraphotocyanus cytosol
Descendants	Libraphotocyanus palirroias

Zone: 18
Ancestor: L. Cytosol
Diameter: 60micrometer

L. epihydra is descended from a population of L. cytosol that was dispersed into zone 18. Unlike the oceanic zones that it formerly inhabited, zone 18 is brackish and shallow, which allows to light reach the benthic zone and support the growth of polyphs, mainly Aquaplortatus species. It also sits on a continent, allowing nutrients to be leached from land into the water. The polyphs also shade the bottom of the water column and use up most of the nutrients there.

To avoid low light conditions and competition with other polyphs, L. epihydra's cell morphology makes it more bouyant, which is accomplished through its oil filled vacuole, derived smaller vacuoles that stored lipids, and flat shape. The diameter of the cell has also increased to fit more cell material alongside the vacuole which causes Its reproductive rates to be slower 40-60 minutes per cycle. It also also adapt to the brackish water through osmoconformity and a thicker cell wall, which causes it to become turgid when salt concentrations lowered.