Tenebrinatus greyensis
Descended from T. blackensis that drifted into Zone 2, evolving the ability to produce polysaccharides, in addition to the antifreeze compound, using them to create structural fibers, forming a ball of fibers to reduce fragmentation by surface waves. The fibers can be reabsorbed, allowing the storage nutrients during the winter, when there is little light.
The fibers concentrate at the center, creating a condense, hard core, which gives the T. greyensis cells a very foundation to grow on. The fibers are transparent whitish and rigid, whereas the cells are black, due to the purple pigment they produce resulting in a greyish appearance. The fibers feature tiny spikes, giving the fibers a very rough texture, to better tangle with each other and for the cells to attach to.
Cells growing outside the ball to gather more light, result in mostly-flat growths on the surface of the water, usually around 5. With this purpose, they also have some fibers going through them and connecting them firmly to the central ball.
In the absence of light, these outer growths diminish in size, or even break off. Meanwhile, during summer they grow longer and thicken towards the tip, beginning to form new balls of fibers. At any point during the summer, these leaves may break off from waves, leading to the formation of new individuals, or during winter the tips will break off naturally.
T. greyensis grows significantly slower due to the lower nutrients and lower light of Zone 2. Individual balls tend to measure at around 35cm in diameter, growing at about 5-10cm per year.
Due to T. greyensis floating on the water in a habitat where that's uncommon, it doesn't have many predators. Even then, it has another measure to avoid being eaten: the fibers are quite though and can be difficult if not impossible to eat through, leaving outer growths vulnerable.
