Thermolongus pallicaulis

Thermolongus pallicaulis
Creator	D̜͙̟͉ìn̨̹o̬̗C̼̮̣͡óaͅt͜
Information
Status	Extant
Zones	J
Roles	Decomposer
Classification
Genus	Thermolongus
Species	Thermolongus pallicaulis
Evolution
Date	March 19th, 2019
Ancestor	Unknown
Descendants	Thermolongus homocaulis

With the Terracrabbus primacrabbus roaming the desolate rocks of Zone J, something needs to clear up their bodies once they die. That is the purpose of Themolongus pallicaulis, a thermophilic multicellular synaplot that grows within the dead bodies and feeds on the flesh within, that can handle exposure to the heavy sunlight out in the open by accessing the water and nutrients from the carrion to stay hydrated. They extract all the nutrients from the body with weak enzymes to break down flesh, but the enzymes are not strong enough to break down the chitinous exoskeletons and they are left in a fragile state in which they often crack and calcify the surroundings.

Thermolongus pallicaulis grows vertically at a maximum height of twelve centimeters (12cm) but often grows to only six to eight centimeters (6-8cm). Individual synaplots grow at an initial rate of one millimeter (1mm) a day, but slow down growth once 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 available.

Thermolongus pallicaulis will disperse zoospores from the sides of the stem to be carried by the wind and potentially land on carcasses to form their own synaplotic stems. Zoospores can stay viable for up to one year without growing, as their food sources are not consistent. Zoospores will attach to the carcass and will kickstart growth once available carrion is detected. The zoospore cell is fifty micrometers (50μm) in diameter.

For access to nutrition, thin mycelial hyphae may extend up to four centimeters (4cm) within the carrion and grow inside it. Body cells exposed outside of the chitin use attachment to daughter cells to form a vertical stem to maximize the efficiency of zoospore dispersal. The stem is also thick enough so that sunlight rays do not kill off the Thermolongus pallicaulis before it reproduces and spreads zoospores.