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Colonial Phasmatises (Symphasmatis spp.)
Creator: Primalpikachu
Ancestor: Rainbow Marephasmatis
Habitat: LadyM Ocean, Jujubee Ocean, and Mnid Ocean
Size: zooid: 1cm long; colony: 50m long
Support: Unknown
Diet: Planktivore, Carnivore (small marine fauna that manage to get caught in the stinging tail(s))
Respiration: Passive (diffusion through skin)
Thermoregulation: Ectotherm
Reproduction: Sexual (male & female, broadcast spawning); Asexual (budding)

Splitting off from its ancestor, Colonial Phasmatises are colonial organisms formed by many clones of one individual. The individual organisms in a colony, called zooids, are entirely dependent on their colony for survival, and would die if they were separated. Colonies maintain radial symmetry and consist of two main parts: the head which moves the colony and creates gametes and one or many stinging tails which capture and digest food. Like their ancestors, their heads can create beautiful colors to attract prey and communicate with conspecifics using symbiotic crystal flora.

Living mostly alone in the deep ocean, a certain group of Rainbow Phasmatis developed the ability to reproduce by budding. Eventually, these cloned individuals would begin to rely on each other to survive more and more until they became completely inseparable from one another as one colonial organism. This allows them to avoid predation and obtain better food than their ancestors

When a “mother” zooid is borne from an egg, it begins budding. These clone zooids are specialized to be either a “head” zooid or a “tail” zooid. As more and more clones are made, they begin to assemble to the species’ colonial shape. Once the colonial shape is formed, the zooids all work together as though it were a single organism to eat and reproduce. When it is time to mate, mature colonies will aggregate before releasing their gametes into the water to make the next generation. Functionally, they are immortal, but can still die from disease or environmental stresses.

When feeding, the tail(s) are stretched out and create a deadly trip-wire, paralyzing and killing anything that touches it. Once something is caught on a tail, it contracts and wraps around the prey where digestive enzymes break it down and share it among the colony. Colonial Phasmatises are predators to many small marine fauna, and can also pose a threat to larger fauna due to their large size and poisonous stings. It is currently unknown if they are prey to any animal. Due to their stinging tails, it is doubtful that many organisms eat them while they are alive.

Colonial Phasmatises can be found all throughout Sagan 4’s oceans. They are especially common in the twilight and midnight zones, but may rarely venture to the sunlight zone as well.

This post has been edited by Primalpikachu: Sep 5 2022, 01:53 PM

To be honest, I’m not the most well-versed in the evolution of siphonophores, but I do feel there’d probably be a transitional stage between free-living and colonial forms wherein there’s no specialized castes and they’re pretty much just a bunch of the free-living form in a colony like a salp, right?

This post has been edited by Oofle: Sep 5 2022, 06:09 PM

Yes, as interesting as this is, it is too big a leap for one generation.

By author request, this is being moved to the graveyard pending a transitional form.