Name: Gorgonaut (Polyphemes fidomalis)
Creator: HethrJarrod
Ancestor: Darwinauts
Habitat: Adult: Mid-Darwin Subtropical Undersea Forest, Darwin Subtropical Undersea Meadow, Darwin Temperate Undersea Meadow, Mid-Darwin Temperate Undersea Forest, West Darwin Subtropical Undersea Forest, Juvenile: Darwin Rivers and Watershed
Size: 10-12 cm
Support: Soft-Bodied (Muscular Hydrostat), Shell (Calcite)
Diet: Filter Feeder (<500 micrometers), Detritivore
Respiration: Semi-Active (Beating Fins)
Thermoregulation: Ectotherm
Reproduction: Sexual (Spore-like gametes), Asexual (Limited Regeneration)

Gorgonauts split from their ancestor, returning to the shallows off the coast and increasing in size. Gorgonauts look very much like a bigger version of Darwinaut. It doesn’t look like much has changed. But looks can be deceiving. It has multiple tubes functioning as mouths on the underside of each of the tentacles. The baits will sweep food into this hole. The tentacle also have rudimentary proto-organs located in the tentacle, neural tissue, digestive tissue and respiratory tissue. These allow the tentacle to act quicker by being more autonomous.

Supplemental image:


Regeneration

The Gorgonaut has a better regeneration ability than it’s ancestor. If a tentacle is damaged, the leftover body can regrow it. And if enough of the tentacle has survived, it too has a small chance at survival. If it is able to find a place to recover, it can grow a new body and shell. If it survives long enough, (about a week) it will twice undergo a process that splits its body, reforming a 4 tentacled organism.

Reprodution

A Gorgonaut will reach maturity after 10 years. At this time, it will make its way up the watershed to the place of its birth. There they will release a cloud of gametes. Along with these gametes will be an enzyme that blocks the regeneration ability of an adult Dozens of Gorgonauts will form per adult. After mating, the Gorgonaut will have expended all of its energy and will die, feeding the next generation.

Meanwhile the gametes will settle down on the surface of the breeding grounds, grown to the size of a pea (~1mm). These round orbs tend to form groups of four (sometimes 5) all clumped together. When these orbs finally open, four tiny tentacle heads will emerge, conjoined at the tail. They will work together to get enough food to survive. If one gets severed, it will divide into four other tentacle heads after a week. They will eventually form a shell, or in some cases use one of the many discarded shells scattered about. After spending a year around the mating grounds, the Gorgonauts will swim out to sea, to return when they are 10.

Name: Ferrogrex (Carcinolimax ferrex)
Creator: HethrJarrod
Ancestor: Litusgrexes, Ferrumcarcer
Habitat: Barlowe-Northern Polar Watershed, Barlowe-LadyM Polar Watershed
Ovi-LadyM Polar Watershed, Horror Polar Watershed, Coolsteph-Elerd Polar Watershed
Drake Northern Polar Watershed, North Barlowe Polar Coast, Barlowe-Northern Polar Watershed, East Barlowe Temperate Coast, Drake-Ovi Polar Coast
Size: 100 µm long individual cells, 10-15 cm long colonies
Diet: Detritivore, Lithotroph (Iron, Nickel, Cobalt, Copper, Manganese, and Vanadium oxides)
Respiration: Passive
Thermoregulation: Ectotherm
Reproduction: Asexual (Binary fission, fragmentation, Auxospores)

The ferrogrex evolved from a hybridization of litusgrex and ferrumcarcer . The litusgrex was unable to consume the ferrumcarcer, which was then replicated in mitosis. The ferrumcarcer has become an endosymbiotic cell that helps to attract metallic particles in the water as these particles drift by. Ferrogrex stores excess iron in their bodies, turning a red hue. They anchor themselves to the seabed and just sway along in the current.

If it is bitten by a predator, the entire stalk of ferrogrex explodes into a rust-colored cloud made up of thousands of tiny cells that resemble reddish lituslugs. These cells disperse, only to meet up once more, divide, and create more ferrogrex colonies elsewhere.

Name: Homashelix (Duoaetes spiraefolium)
Creator: HethrJarrod
Ancestor: Homashidis
Habitat: Darwin Taiga, Fermi Taiga
Size: 3 meters tall
Support: Woody Trunk (Lignin)
Diet: Photosynthesis
Respiration: Passive (Stomata)
Thermoregulation: Ectotherm
Reproduction: Sexual (metagenesis, spores)

The Homashelix has split from its ancestor and spread to the Darwin Taiga through the flyway. It has a continuous frond spiraling up its trunk, allowing it access to reproduction across its entire length. It can grow up to three meters in height, and has a lifespan of 25 years, reaching maturity around the age of 5. Their root system is also like their ancestors as well, broad and shallow, extending out to 1 meter from the base of the trunk.

To help it survive the winter, they move nutrients from the fronds into the trunk, like the Homashidis. At the end of the polar night, when the snow begins to melt, the Homashelix will shed its fronds.

In its ancestor, the Homashidis, the spore and the gametes are unprotected from the elements, hence its reliance on rainstorms. Rather than waiting for rainfall events, the Homashelix has developed a casing to protect the spores and gametes against drying out.

The casing is located at the base of the fronds of the Homashelix. When the fronds are shed, the capsules are carried along with them.
This casing dissolves when it comes into contact with water, allowing for the Homashelix to be more adapted to colder and drier conditions. This adaptation increases the amount of time the spores and gametes are viable before germinating.

QUOTE (Disgustedorite @ Mar 2 2023, 06:31 PM)

@HethrJarrod I'm gonna assume this is taking over as your entry submission. That description is a tad bare bones. Could you elaborate on habitat preferences and how the spore casing works?

Yes. Added to it and corrected a miswording about overwintering.

Name: Homashelix (Duoaetes spiraefolium)
Creator: HethrJarrod
Habitat: Darwin Taiga, Fermi Taiga
Size: 1 meter tall
Support: Woody Trunk (Lignin)
Diet: Photosynthesis
Respiration: Passive (Stomata)
Thermoregulation: Ectotherm
Reproduction: Sexual (metagenesis, spores)

The Homashelix has split from its ancestor and spread to the Darwin Taiga through the flyway. It has a continuous frond spiraling up its trunk, allowing it access to reproduction across its entire length. It can grow up to 1 meter in height, and has a lifespan of 25 years, reaching maturity around the age of 5. Their root system is also like their ancestors as well, broad and shallow, extending out to 1 meter from the base of the trunk.

To help it survive the winter, they move nutrients from the fronds into the trunk, like the Homashidis. At the end of the polar night, when the snow begins to melt, the Homashelix will shed its fronds.

In its ancestor, the Homashidis, the spore and the gametes are unprotected from the elements, hence its reliance on rainstorms. Rather than waiting for rainfall events, the Homashelix has developed a casing to protect the spores and gametes against drying out.

The casing is located at the base of the fronds of the Homashelix. When the fronds are shed, the capsules are carried along with them.
This casing dissolves when it comes into contact with water, allowing for the Homashelix to be more adapted to colder and drier conditions. This adaptation increases the amount of time the spores and gametes are viable before germinating.

Fixed Gorgonaut reproduction🤞

Got a different name for the Argonauts

the.... Gorgonauts

QUOTE (Disgustedorite @ Feb 24 2023, 11:43 PM)

@HethrJarrod How are tentacles growing from the baits at the end of the tentacle? In all other primitive asterzoa, they regrow from the center of the organism, like starfish do. Also, remember, the baits in species this basal are structures extending from a cell like a flagellum, not organs or even whole cells which an organism can regenerate from.

Change the description to describe them as being more like flatworms.

QUOTE (Jarlaxle @ Feb 22 2023, 07:19 PM)

Information wise if someone wants to make a descendent for it it might be helpful to describe where the ventral openings are on the tentacles. Is it under the eye or around the enbase on the ventral side of the main body or somewhere in between? How do fragmented tentacles grow? Do they have their own gut tissue? Do they absorb nutrition through the skin?

Added a supplemental image for mouth placement.

Should I make one for the other organs in the tentacle?

QUOTE (Cube67 @ Feb 21 2023, 01:00 PM)

The only thing I can think of really commenting on at the moment is the odd  grammar in the beginning sentence. The “unlike” sets it up to be a single-sentence comparison, but then the comparison extends to multiple sentences. It could be revised to not use the word “unlike”.

Fixed it to
"In the Darwinauts, a damaged tentacle was essentially dead. This is not the case with Argonauts."

Seconded

QUOTE (MNIDJM @ Feb 20 2023, 11:02 AM)

Opinion: Approved

Name: Gorgonaut (Asternauta Fidomallis)
Creator: HethrJarrod
Ancestor: Darwinauts
Habitat: Darwin-Flisch Reef, North Darwin Tropical Undersea Meadow, West Darwin Tropical Coast, West Darwin Tropical Undersea Meadow, Darwin-Rhino Reef, Mid-Darwin Subtropical Undersea Forest, Darwin Subtropical Undersea Meadow, West Darwin Subtropical Undersea Forest, East Darwin Subtropical Coast
Size: 10 cm long
Support: Soft-Bodied (Muscular Hydrostat), Shell (Calcite)
Diet: Filter-Feeder (<500 micrometers), Detritivore
Respiration: Passive Diffusion
Thermoregulation: Ectotherm
Reproduction: Sexual (Spore-like gametes), Asexual (Limited Regeneration)

The Gorgonauts split off from their ancestor, moving to the subtropical and tropical waters off of Darwin.

Gorgonauts have longer tentacles than their ancestors. The tentacle consists of an eyeball at the end, baits which help to filter food particles in the water. and a ventral opening that is used to suck in the food to a stomach located inside the shell.The tentacles have rudimentary sensory processing organs to allow them to act quickly and independently from each other. It can no longer retract these tentacles back inside its shell.

Supplemental Image:


The Darwinauts had limited fragmentation ability. The Gorgonauts have gotten a bit better. When threatened or damaged, a tentacle can detach itself. This tentacle dies after a few minutes. The main body can regrow new tentacles to replace it.

Made adjustments to the hooves (not as pointy)
& Added cutting flanges to the jaws.

Worked on a little bit via Discord.

Diet: Electrosynthesis (Thermoelectric)
Respiration: Anaerobic (Sulfur)

And added part about Thermoplasts.

Ok edited per Coolstephs suggestions

Saucebacks have this bone you might be able to use as a furcula

QUOTE

it forms a unique structure called the triosseal canal, which houses **a strong tendon** that connects the supracoracoideus muscles to the humerus. This system is responsible for lifting the wings during the recovery stroke. ... As the thorax is compressed by the flight muscles during downstroke, the upper ends of the furcula spread apart, expanding by as much as 50% of its resting width, and then contracts.  ..in addition to strengthening the thorax, the furcula **acts like a spring** in the pectoral girdle during flight. It expands when the wings are pulled downward and snaps back as they are raised. In this action, the furcula is able to store some of the energy generated by contraction in the breast muscles, expanding the shoulders laterally, and then releasing the energy during upstroke as the furcula snaps back to the normal position.

It's no crank rocker...

It’s used for pumping the lungs…. HOWEVER if the Visorbill uses Ram ventilation (air is forced into the lungs via forward movement)

Imo but it might just work then.

rewrote the description to make it easier to read.

QUOTE (MNIDJM @ Jan 31 2023, 04:00 AM)

To be fair, if these are being created by a species wouldn’t the be constantly forming and breaking down?

It might be easier to remake it as an organism for 167

Vents do close up, and new ones open up.
These things act kinda like a slime mold, finding the shortest path between food points.

when one vent stops, the system will start spreading out looking for additional food sources... when it eventually finds them .... that path way will be strengthened.

QUOTE (Disgustedorite @ Jan 30 2023, 02:16 PM)

QUOTE (Coolsteph @ Jan 30 2023, 01:11 PM) Otherwise, so far as I can tell by what I know about chemosynthetic bacteria, it seems sound. Actually, as alluded to above, "Like the Ferrotine, the ancestor of the Coppertop, the Copperhead Octothermia, stored excess metal across its entire cell wall. In the case of the Ferrotine it stored excess iron, but in the case of the Copperhead Octothermia, it stored copper. This hindered their ability to absorb nutrients. The Coppertop no longer has this issue, concentrating excess copper it at the top of the cell." The entire reasoning for its namesake adaptation is just completely incorrect, as the sulfur it needs to perform chemosynthesis is in the water, not in the rock, so it should have just as much trouble getting it as its ancestor.

the ferrotine never really mentioned it having issues, so I was just assuming a problem. Got rid of the part calling out the problem, so it should be better now.


@Coolsteph applying your suggestions as well

QUOTE (Coolsteph @ Jan 30 2023, 02:18 PM)

“ try and steal” (Try to steal) There’s a stray comma after “Shailnitor” in the diet list. “These oils”: That doesn’t make sense; just “oils” will do. It seems “shy of” means “just slightly less than”. You may have meant “shy away from”, although “it is not against” is more straightforward. However, “It will occasionally dive into the water” is clearer. Since you used “them” in the second sentence, saying “foods” in the first sentence, in the plural, makes more sense. There aren’t any organisms simply called “Ferrine”. You must have meant “Ferries”, the genus group. That little black speck in the art is annoying and conspicuous, but I’m going to say it’s a tiny volcanic islet seen on a very foggy day above the ocean and let it pass.

made corrections, except for the comma, which should be correctly placed.

QUOTE (colddigger @ Jan 29 2023, 11:27 PM)

So they shake their leaves to release spores, do they still take advantage of small fauna walking on them? You could add that they also take advantage of outside disturbances to release spores and fall back onto shaking their leaves  when that is not an option.

“When small fauna walk into this ring, the Flurroom flap their leaves to shake off the spores which attach to the organism similar to pollen. It will sometimes shake the spores off even without a trigger if the spores get heavy enough.”


Is this ok?

fixed wording on oil gland..

QUOTE (Coolsteph @ Jan 27 2023, 11:55 AM)

QUOTE (HethrJarrod @ Jan 27 2023, 09:02 AM) QUOTE (Coolsteph @ Jan 27 2023, 09:33 AM) I searched "oil" and "oily" on the Sagan 4 wiki. The only results which would apply in these circumstances is how the Disorderly Gelatin (and likely at least some Twinkiiro descendants, e.g., Twinkiiros and Twinkorals) has oil stores. Unless Disorderly Gelatin descendants are secretly the lynchpin of oceanic ecology as a source of lipids low on the food chain, it seems best to assume it doesn't produce the oil like real-life waterfowl do. (Although, for such an important but uncommon claim, it make sense to provide a link.) You’re also forgetting the Oilicle and a few others. And The Mouse Gryphler does this as well. https://sagan4alpha.miraheze.org/wiki/Mouse_Gryphler I did not forget the Oilicle. Oilicle predators: Mortusyte, Mortuprey Mortusyte predators: Umbrajet Mortuprey predators: Umbrajet Umbrajet predators: none. Lipids derived from Oilicles would have a hard time getting into these. As for the Mouse Gryphler....those don't even have overlapping habitats. Colddigger, I did just mention kiiros would surely have oil in them, and suggested the possibility they are lynchpins of lipids in the ocean. How many background biochemical assumptions do we need to make? Them synthesizing their own lipids from base components is still an option.

Is this just miscommunication?

Base components like lipids etc. in its food.
Its body processes these and creates an “oil” for it to use on its feathers.

That’s what it already does.

I wasn’t talking about Texas tea or Exxon oil.

QUOTE (Coolsteph @ Jan 27 2023, 09:33 AM)

I searched "oil" and "oily" on the Sagan 4 wiki. The only results which would apply in these circumstances is how the Disorderly Gelatin (and likely at least some Twinkiiro descendants, e.g., Twinkiiros and Twinkorals) has oil stores. Unless Disorderly Gelatin descendants are secretly the lynchpin of oceanic ecology as a source of lipids low on the food chain, it seems best to assume it doesn't produce the oil like real-life waterfowl do. (Although, for such an important but uncommon claim, it make sense to provide a link.)

You’re also forgetting the Oilicle and a few others.
And The Mouse Gryphler does this as well. https://sagan4alpha.miraheze.org/wiki/Mouse_Gryphler

QUOTE (colddigger @ Jan 27 2023, 03:38 AM)

QUOTE (Disgustedorite @ Jan 26 2023, 08:22 PM) " Because of its oil rich diet, its feathers are waterproof." Aren't oils that animals use for waterproofing usually produced by their own glands? yes

If waterfowl don’t get the fatty oils they need from their diet, their feathers lose their waterproofness

Changed the description to clarify:

“Because of its oil rich diet, it has a special gland that processes these oils, with which the Albedophrey uses to make its feathers waterproof, similar to a duck or other waterfowl.”