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The last 3 segments are uncolored, or is that intentional?

QUOTE (SpeedTowel @ Dec 2 2021, 05:13 PM)

The last 3 segments are uncolored, or is that intentional?

Oh that's intentional

"Consumer" doesn't seem appropriate except for a microscopic microbe-eater.

For it to get this big, its host species or food species must have very nutritious spores. For comparison, some species of fungus beetles eat fungal spores (as well as other fungual tissues), and they are 2-5 mm in length. This organism is 5 times bigger than the bigger estimate. Some species of thrips (obscure tiny insects which are sometimes pests) also eat fungus spores, and the maximum for thrips as a whole seems to be 5 mm, judging by a quick check.

Do its hosts have very nutritious spores? If not, supplementing its diet with other things, or reducing its size, would be appropriate.

"Overtime": "Over time". Be careful about this one: it's occurred multiple times in your descriptions, and since "overtime" is a valid word, some spell checkers might not be able to detect the error.

"their first segment": Remember to double-check your pronouns in submissions: "it" is apprpriate.

"the crystank crystalworm" I recommend adding a comma.

So there were multiple groups of what could be called proto-Vibrant Glitterworms? Did they hybridize early on? Did they exhange genes prior to officially splitting off into new species? Given the number of habitats and possibility of early hybridization, there might be notable (if perhaps externally indistinguishable) subpopulations.

For an example: the Virginia opossums of Sapelo Island, Georgia, in the U.S., have greatly extended lifespans compared to mainland opossums due to having fewer (if any) predators on the island, and therefore don't need to invest so much energy into reproducing as fast as possible and having big litters, so thy can spread out their lives more.

QUOTE (Coolsteph @ Dec 25 2021, 01:47 PM)

"Consumer" doesn't seem appropriate except for a microscopic microbe-eater. For it to get this big, its host species or food species must have very nutritious spores. For comparison, some species of fungus beetles eat fungal spores (as well as other fungual tissues), and they are 2-5 mm in length. This organism is 5 times bigger than the bigger estimate. Some species of thrips (obscure tiny insects which are sometimes pests) also eat fungus spores, and the maximum for thrips as a whole seems to be 5 mm, judging by a quick check. Do its hosts have very nutritious spores? If not, supplementing its diet with other things, or reducing its size, would be appropriate. "Overtime": "Over time". Be careful about this one: it's occurred multiple times in your descriptions, and since "overtime" is a valid word, some spell checkers might not be able to detect the error. "their first segment": Remember to double-check your pronouns in submissions: "it" is apprpriate. "the crystank crystalworm" I recommend adding a comma. So there were multiple groups of what could be called proto-Vibrant Glitterworms? Did they hybridize early on? Did they exhange genes prior to officially splitting off into new species? Given the number of habitats and possibility of early hybridization, there might be notable (if perhaps externally indistinguishable) subpopulations. For an example: the Virginia opossums of Sapelo Island, Georgia, in the U.S., have greatly extended lifespans compared to mainland opossums due to having fewer (if any) predators on the island, and therefore don't need to invest so much energy into reproducing as fast as possible and having big litters, so thy can spread out their lives more.

Alright, what should its diet be called then? I didn't think of it being a herbivore or carnivores since it feeds upon spores.

Its direct ancestor fed upon the spores of the Crystank shell and nothing else but was the same size. I simply had my species inherit its ancestor's size, but if I need to make it smaller the smallest it can get is a 1 centimeter wingspan.

Tried to make the grammatical edits you suggested.

Hmm, I could see them hybridizing early on in the evolution of the species, but overtime they did it less and less until they became fully distinct. I imagine they may be subpopulations within the Slarti Polar Riparian who have a good amount of DNA from the Crystank Crystalworm.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palynivore#...0and%20behavior.

Maybe, though this isn't quite right.

QUOTE (OviraptorFan @ Dec 28 2021, 03:39 PM)

QUOTE (Coolsteph @ Dec 25 2021, 01:47 PM) "Consumer" doesn't seem appropriate except for a microscopic microbe-eater. For it to get this big, its host species or food species must have very nutritious spores. For comparison, some species of fungus beetles eat fungal spores (as well as other fungual tissues), and they are 2-5 mm in length. This organism is 5 times bigger than the bigger estimate. Some species of thrips (obscure tiny insects which are sometimes pests) also eat fungus spores, and the maximum for thrips as a whole seems to be 5 mm, judging by a quick check. Do its hosts have very nutritious spores? If not, supplementing its diet with other things, or reducing its size, would be appropriate. "Overtime": "Over time". Be careful about this one: it's occurred multiple times in your descriptions, and since "overtime" is a valid word, some spell checkers might not be able to detect the error. "their first segment": Remember to double-check your pronouns in submissions: "it" is apprpriate. "the crystank crystalworm" I recommend adding a comma. So there were multiple groups of what could be called proto-Vibrant Glitterworms? Did they hybridize early on? Did they exhange genes prior to officially splitting off into new species? Given the number of habitats and possibility of early hybridization, there might be notable (if perhaps externally indistinguishable) subpopulations. For an example: the Virginia opossums of Sapelo Island, Georgia, in the U.S., have greatly extended lifespans compared to mainland opossums due to having fewer (if any) predators on the island, and therefore don't need to invest so much energy into reproducing as fast as possible and having big litters, so thy can spread out their lives more. Alright, what should its diet be called then? I didn't think of it being a herbivore or carnivores since it feeds upon spores. Its direct ancestor fed upon the spores of the Crystank shell and nothing else but was the same size. I simply had my species inherit its ancestor's size, but if I need to make it smaller the smallest it can get is a 1 centimeter wingspan. Tried to make the grammatical edits you suggested. Hmm, I could see them hybridizing early on in the evolution of the species, but overtime they did it less and less until they became fully distinct. I imagine they may be subpopulations within the Slarti Polar Riparian who have a good amount of DNA from the Crystank Crystalworm.

Any comments on this? I can't really change anything at the moment without some feedback. I may end up staying with consumer since colddigger's suggestion of Palynivore
would not really work, due to how this species consume spores.

I recommend reducing it to 1 cm and giving it supplemental nutrition, if there is no basis for its hosts' spores being especially nutritious. Giving it specialized gut symbiotes that allow it to be unusually efficient in extracting nutrition from spores would make it somewhat more plausible. (I wonder how big cows would get if not for their microbial symbiotes...) For the moment, "sporeivore" will have to work, if there is no alternative term.

QUOTE (Coolsteph @ Jan 14 2022, 01:26 AM)

I recommend reducing it to 1 cm and giving it supplemental nutrition, if there is no basis for its hosts' spores being especially nutritious. Giving it specialized gut symbiotes that allow it to be unusually efficient in extracting nutrition from spores would make it somewhat more plausible. (I wonder how big cows would get if not for their microbial symbiotes...) For the moment, "sporeivore" will have to work, if there is no alternative term.

I made the changes to its size and changed the term of its diet.

I don't think it needs to have supplemental nutrition, given how its ancestor got by on just eating the spores of the Crystank Shell.