Ocean Cupungi

Ocean Cupungi
Creator	D̜͙̟͉ìn̨̹o̬̗C̼̮̣͡óaͅt͜
Information
Status	Extant
Common Name(s)	Ocean Cupungi
Zones	6, 7, 13
Roles	Decomposer
Classification
Genus	Cylixboletus
Species	Cylixboletus oceanii
Evolution
Date	May 11th, 2020
Ancestor	Cupungi
Descendants	No results

The Oceanic Cupungi (Cylixboletus oceanii) is similar to its ancestor Cupungi (Cylixboletus orangii) except for one aspect: it now lives in saltwater. It has occupied an open niche in Zone 13 since it had no decomposers. It originated when Cupungi near the end of Zone 31 drifted closer and closer to the oceans. They began to adapt to the saltier environment.

Oceanic Cupungi has modified its cells so their ion transporters take water into the cell and remove excess salt. This process ensures that the cells do not become dehydrated in the much more salty environment. It does expend more energy to do this but without competition this is a safe adaptation.

Like the Cupungi, the Oceanic Cupungi primarily exists as mycelia on the floor. When it has enough nutrients a small orange-colored flattened fruiting body will grow one millimeter (1 mm) tall and five millimeters (5 mm) wide. The fruiting body is no longer bowl-shaped because that was not very resistant to water pressure and was rather collapsible but instead has stretched out to spread the water's pressure and make it less concentrated. It is vertically skinny and horizontally wide. It will release hundreds of zoospores into the water from slits on the underside of the fruiting body. The zoospores use their flagella to swim away from the fruiting body, after which they will settle down on the ocean floor and modify their flagella to act as mycelia. After it releases spores the Oceanic Cupungi's fruiting body dies and is disconnected from the mycelia.