Colonialball

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Colonialball
(Coloniaphyta colonius)
Main image of Colonialball
Species is extinct.
23/148, Integrated into Colonialballs
Information
CreatorNergali Other
Week/Generation22/140
HabitatJujubee Polar Sea, Slarti Salt Bog, Slarti Salt Lake, Chum Salt Bog, Chum Salt Lake, Ittiz Salt Bog, Ittiz Salt Lake, Ovi Salt Bog, Ovi Salt Lake
Size2 cm Wide
Primary MobilitySessile, Pleustonic
SupportUnknown
DietPhotosynthesis
RespirationPassive (Stomata)
ThermoregulationEctotherm
ReproductionSuper Fast Asexual Budding, Very Resistant Spores
Taxonomy
Domain
Kingdom
Subkingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Eukaryota
Phoenoplastida
Phoenophyta
Spherophyta
Euspherophyta
Collospherales
Coloniaphytaceae
Coloniaphyta
Coloniaphyta colonius
Ancestor:Descendants:

Splitting from its ancestor, the colonialball has moved into the open waters and has shrunken in size. It forms large floating colonies that drift upon the currents, their buoyant nature keeping them near the surface as they photosynthesize. They reproduce via either producing spores which join the plankton that surrounds it or by having various individual orbs fall off and start new colonies. Within their molted bodies is a small amount of fresh water which they have separated from the surrounding salt water in order to make themselves lighter than it, as well as to supply their photosynthetic functions.

While colonies rarely grow very large due to herbivores and such, some rare ones can be found containing over a hundred members. At these sizes, though, individuals deep within the mass tend to die out due to being unable to photosynthesize, and this itself can lead to the colonies breaking up.

Living Relatives (click to show/hide)

These are randomly selected, and organized from lowest to highest shared taxon. (This may correspond to similarity more than actual relation)
  • Colonialballs (genus Coloniaphyta)
  • Pioneer Raftballs (family Coloniaphytaceae)
  • Toxiglobes (order Collospherales)
  • Drinking Cloudgrass (class Euspherophyta)