Testudiatoms

The testudiatoms genus group has replaced its ancestors the barlowe testudiatom, greenhouse testudiatom, plated plin and other testudiatom decedents. They are the base of many ecosystems be in in the ocean or on land. As long as they have enough water and sunlight they will grow. Like its ancestors it absorbs yellow light with its purple chloroplasts and reproduces via binary fission.

Some are completely immobile and spread via currents or blown dust. Like its ancestor it uses silica to make its skeletal structure. It can make a variety of circular shapes which are held in place with the hard silica spokes. They are flat and usually face upwards towards the sun.

They grow in large numbers where nutrients are abundant such as in rainforests, rivers, lakes and wetlands. When in the ocean they mostly grow where nutrients are brought up from the deep oceans or near river deltas. In the autumn the major "blooms" occur which tint the water a purple hue. When on land they tend to tint the soil or sand purple if they abundant enough.