Violet Neopalms (Neopalmi violacea)
Creator: Primalpikachu
Ancestor: Tetrabrachs
Habitat: Lamarck beaches
Size: 15m tall
Support: Cell Wall (Cellulose), Woody Trunk
Diet: Photosynthesis
Respiration: Unknown
Thermoregulation: ectotherm
Reproduction: Asexual (Budding), Sexual (Spores)
The violet neopalm replaced its ancestor on the Lamarck beaches and became a tall, coastal flora bearing a striking resemblance to the extinct blue palms. still hardy and ever-blue, the Violet Neopalm is widespread across the Lamarck beaches. It owes its rather odd blue coloring to the accessory pigment phycocyanin that helps it to absorb more kinds of light; it also has the added benefit of being an antioxidant. On a microscopic level, the pigment, being water soluble, cannot exist within membranes like Retinol can; instead, the pigment adheres to the membrane in clusters.
The Violet Neopalm is easily identified by its tall, leafless trunk and the blue-violet color of its bark and eight fronds which it uses for photosynthesis. Like its ancestor, the fronds are loosely locked together into 4 main arms. In addition, specimens are usually found in clusters due to asexual reproduction by budding. The Violet Neopalm is quite wind resistant due to its slender frame and few leaves. It prefers sunny beaches with slightly alkali soil; however, it can tolerate lower PHs, but will not thrive.
In their life cycle, a Violet Neopalm matures from a spore in about 15 years; however the most common form of reproduction is budding. This has led to entire groves coming from a single plant. When they do produce spores, they do so only during the spring and summer months, relying on wind to spread their gametes. Like their ancestor, the sprouts have heartwood only in their trunks until they reach full size.
"Habitat: Lamarck beaches" isn't a valid habitat for a single species submission. It needs to have every beach that they inhabit listed.
How is it able to use phycocyanin with retinol? Phycocyanin passes light to the main pigment, but if they can't exist in the same place, this does not occur.
Could mention some linking protein complex between the two.
So why would this outcompete Tetrabrachs in their range, especially since their ancestors are a genus group. Does the species have something that it does better than those related species?
| QUOTE (MNIDJM @ Apr 26 2023, 10:44 AM) |
| "Habitat: Lamarck beaches" isn't a valid habitat for a single species submission. It needs to have every beach that they inhabit listed. |
On the Lamarck continent I could not find the name for the beach on the map, so I assumed it was called just the Lamarck beach; Are the names of the beaches the same as their coasts or is there a specific name I can find?
| QUOTE (Disgustedorite @ Apr 29 2023, 11:42 AM) |
| How is it able to use phycocyanin with retinol? Phycocyanin passes light to the main pigment, but if they can't exist in the same place, this does not occur. |
My idea was that the Phycocyanin, being attached to the membrane in clusters, would, in a way, checkerboard the light structures, with clusters of phycocyanin outside the membrane and areas within the membrane dedicated to retinol.
This post has been edited by Primalpikachu: Apr 30 2023, 03:36 PM
| QUOTE (OviraptorFan @ Apr 29 2023, 05:19 PM) |
| So why would this outcompete Tetrabrachs in their range, especially since their ancestors are a genus group. Does the species have something that it does better than those related species? |
I was thinking the accessory pigment would give them more energy than their ancestor and the added antioxidant would also aid their survival over their ancestors
| QUOTE (Primalpikachu @ Apr 30 2023, 05:36 PM) | ||
My idea was that the Phycocyanin, being attached to the membrane in clusters, would, in a way, checkerboard the light structures, with clusters of phycocyanin outside the membrane and areas within the membrane dedicated to retinol. |
That is not how accessory pigments work. That just makes it only get half as much light and zero energy from the phycocyanin.
Phycocyanin does not perform photosynthesis on its own. It converts additional wavelengths into the blue light that chlorophyll can use. When paired with retinol, it creates light that the retinol can't actually use, because it uses the inverse colors from chlorophyll.
It also makes no sense for it to replace its ancestor even if it does have a working accessory pigment, because changing photosynthesis color is changing niche.
| QUOTE (Disgustedorite @ Apr 30 2023, 06:44 PM) | ||||
That is not how accessory pigments work. That just makes it only get half as much light and zero energy from the phycocyanin. Phycocyanin does not perform photosynthesis on its own. It converts additional wavelengths into the blue light that chlorophyll can use. When paired with retinol, it creates light that the retinol can't actually use, because it uses the inverse colors from chlorophyll. It also makes no sense for it to replace its ancestor even if it does have a working accessory pigment, because changing photosynthesis color is changing niche. |
Ah, I see; hmm, in that case, I'm not sure what to do here; it may be best to scrap this idea.
https://www.aatbio.com/fluorescence-excitat...r/c_phycocyanin
What could be fun (tedious) is figuring out the mess of an antennae needed to excite retinol with it
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Phy...Energy_Transfer
This post has been edited by colddigger: Apr 30 2023, 07:32 PM
What could be fun (tedious) is figuring out the mess of an antennae needed to excite retinol with it
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Phy...Energy_Transfer
This post has been edited by colddigger: Apr 30 2023, 07:32 PM
Organism isn't clearly defined. I can't tell if it supposed to glow violet and if the sand is violet. Is it sand or a root connected the three different ones.
This post has been edited by HethrJarrod: May 18 2023, 08:35 PM
This post has been edited by HethrJarrod: May 18 2023, 08:35 PM
The blue pigments could have a function other than light absorption. In many real-life plants with green leaves, the youngest or oldest leaves are reddish. There have been many proposed explanations for the utility of reddish leaves. If there’s a common herbivore which has trouble distinguishing indigo from purple/pinkish-purple, or finds food based on color and lacks the intelligence to realize indigo-colored plants are also nutritious, then being indigo could be useful. It would be most useful, though, for younger, tenderer, more nutritious shoots, which herbivores would otherwise prefer. The pigments might also change the taste, so herbivores might prefer plants without the pigment-affected taste when possible. It could be useful to figure out the visual systems of significant herbivore candidates by talking it out with their creators.
As HethrJarrod pointed out, it's hard to tell if it's connected by indigo roots or whether the sand itself is indigo.
As HethrJarrod pointed out, it's hard to tell if it's connected by indigo roots or whether the sand itself is indigo.
| QUOTE (Primalpikachu @ Apr 30 2023, 07:39 PM) | ||
I was thinking the accessory pigment would give them more energy than their ancestor and the added antioxidant would also aid their survival over their ancestors |
I still feel like some species in the genus group would survive. For example, some of the small bush-like species could probably coexist with yours.
I was under the impression that this submission was abandoned for its listed adaptations being implausible and not being able to do what was intended.
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