The greenhouse testudiatom split from its ancestor from the Raq and Dass beaches and moved south into the polar regions. They can grow on any rock or sand surface, though some moisture is preferred. It still absorbs silica to make a skeletal structure and still produces spores from its center. The most important change is the thin, transparent shell around each organism that helps them cope with the cold climate. It works like a tiny greenhouse, keeping the warmth inside. The greenhouse testudiatom only produces spores at the end of its brief life, at which point the fragile shell will break to allow the spores to escape.
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)
