Parasitic Gildring

The parasitic gildring split from its ancestor, the gildring. As the gildrings grew on the beached gelati in a relationship straddling the line between co-paratism and symbiosis, two groups of the gildrings diverged from each other. One gave up the interlocking patterns of its long-distant ancestors, becoming unicellular and coming to live entirely within the nutrient-rich interior of the gelati, and being spread by its buds. This group eventually became a separate species as the beach gelatus moved into the tundra, forming the symbiotic gildrings. The other group, though, attempted to have its cake and eat it too. They resisted the gradual culling, the pulling of the exterior gildrings into the interior where they could be ingested. Instead, they adapted to grow tendrils through the pores, feasting on nutrient-rich broth provided for the symbiotic gildrings. Not only did this suffocate the organism and prevent it from using the gildring as a food source, it also blocked light used by the symbiotic gildrings. This eventually led to the symbiosis with the provuci. The symbiotic provuci's large scrapers easily dispatch of the gildring that grows on the surface of their symbiotes. Once the top layer is dispatched, the gelatus can clear its pores easily enough. However, some gildrings always remain, and they gradually take back the surface until being consumed by the provuci once again. Because of the nutrient-rich broth that they have access to, they no longer form the gildring's distinctive ring-like pattern. Ironically, the majority of new parasitic gildring growths are the result of provuci defecating nearby a gelatus, many of the organism's hardy cells surviving the voyage.