Nitratus

The nitratus split from its ancestor the nixoutine. Due to the solar flare's higher UV radiation it was able to mutate quicker than normal. In doing so it changed from producing ammonium to consuming nitrites. It now converts nitrites (NO2-) into nitrates (NO3-). It has become 10 times smaller and lost its flagellum because it uses much less energy. It was quite successful spreading through out all the beaches of Dixon and Barlowe. It is an important step of the nitrogen cycle. They are extremely small and are only around 1 micrometer across.