Sanguine o' Spheres: Difference between revisions

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Over the course of millions of years, Gilltails and their kin have been one of the most common forms of aquatic life on Sagan IV. Found in nearly every body of water, from freshwater rivers to the inky black darkness of the deep ocean, they have been a success story, even if they've rarely gained access to the title of top predator wherever they've lived. Despite this success, very few, if any parasites have arisen to exploit them, unlike on a planet such as Earth where near every living species has a parasite. While this is not to suggest nothing parasitized them - plenty of polyfee and microbial species certainly did - for the most part nothing specialized in doing so. However, as with any food source that goes unexploited for so long, it was only a matter of time for something to evolve and take advantage of it.

Prior the ice age that engulfed Sagan IV, a curious evolution, which might have otherwise gone unnoticed amongst all the evolutionary oddities of this world, occurred. A lineage of hydroglobe, normally a photosynthesizing species of "ball flora" that survived through its use of resistant spores and their incredible capacity to bud and spread over nearly any solid object, had begun to grow exclusively off the [[Common ~~Gilltail~~]]. While it was not uncommon for occurrence in nature - even to this day various species will grow off the sides of large marine organisms - for the most part it was an example of commensalism, as the flora benefited from the access. This was not the case in this species, though. This flora, which would come to be known as the [[Hemoglobe]], was parasitic. Like some of the carnivorous ball flora of old, this species did not derive the majority of its energy from sunlight but from other organisms. Evolving a structure akin to a holdfast that pierced the flesh, they would use it to hold tight against the skin of a gilltail, even draining it of blood slowly through minute tubules that perforated them. Infestations of these could prove lethal over time, but for the most part the hosts' immune system would keep them at manageable levels until they died off.

Prior the ice age that engulfed Sagan IV, a curious evolution, which might have otherwise gone unnoticed amongst all the evolutionary oddities of this world, occurred. A lineage of hydroglobe, normally a photosynthesizing species of "ball flora" that survived through its use of resistant spores and their incredible capacity to bud and spread over nearly any solid object, had begun to grow exclusively off the [[Common Gilltails]]. While it was not uncommon for occurrence in nature - even to this day various species will grow off the sides of large marine organisms - for the most part it was an example of commensalism, as the flora benefited from the access. This was not the case in this species, though. This flora, which would come to be known as the [[Hemoglobe]], was parasitic. Like some of the carnivorous ball flora of old, this species did not derive the majority of its energy from sunlight but from other organisms. Evolving a structure akin to a holdfast that pierced the flesh, they would use it to hold tight against the skin of a gilltail, even draining it of blood slowly through minute tubules that perforated them. Infestations of these could prove lethal over time, but for the most part the hosts' immune system would keep them at manageable levels until they died off.

Now, after millions of years, this is no longer the case. Several lineages of hemoglobe have evolved and split off into a new genus, one composed of individuals far more deadly than their ancestor ever was.

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 Over the course of millions of years, Gilltails and their kin have been one of the most common forms of aquatic life on Sagan IV. Found in nearly every body of water, from freshwater rivers to the inky black darkness of the deep ocean, they have been a success story, even if they've rarely gained access to the title of top predator wherever they've lived. Despite this success, very few, if any parasites have arisen to exploit them, unlike on a planet such as Earth where near every living species has a parasite. While this is not to suggest nothing parasitized them - plenty of polyfee and microbial species certainly did - for the most part nothing specialized in doing so. However, as with any food source that goes unexploited for so long, it was only a matter of time for something to evolve and take advantage of it.
-Prior the ice age that engulfed Sagan IV, a curious evolution, which might have otherwise gone unnoticed amongst all the evolutionary oddities of this world, occurred. A lineage of hydroglobe, normally a photosynthesizing species of "ball flora" that survived through its use of resistant spores and their incredible capacity to bud and spread over nearly any solid object, had begun to grow exclusively off the [[Common Gilltail]]. While it was not uncommon for occurrence in nature - even to this day various species will grow off the sides of large marine organisms - for the most part it was an example of commensalism, as the flora benefited from the access. This was not the case in this species, though. This flora, which would come to be known as the [[Hemoglobe]], was parasitic. Like some of the carnivorous ball flora of old, this species did not derive the majority of its energy from sunlight but from other organisms. Evolving a structure akin to a holdfast that pierced the flesh, they would use it to hold tight against the skin of a gilltail, even draining it of blood slowly through minute tubules that perforated them. Infestations of these could prove lethal over time, but for the most part the hosts' immune system would keep them at manageable levels until they died off.
+Prior the ice age that engulfed Sagan IV, a curious evolution, which might have otherwise gone unnoticed amongst all the evolutionary oddities of this world, occurred. A lineage of hydroglobe, normally a photosynthesizing species of "ball flora" that survived through its use of resistant spores and their incredible capacity to bud and spread over nearly any solid object, had begun to grow exclusively off the [[Common Gilltails]]. While it was not uncommon for occurrence in nature - even to this day various species will grow off the sides of large marine organisms - for the most part it was an example of commensalism, as the flora benefited from the access. This was not the case in this species, though. This flora, which would come to be known as the [[Hemoglobe]], was parasitic. Like some of the carnivorous ball flora of old, this species did not derive the majority of its energy from sunlight but from other organisms. Evolving a structure akin to a holdfast that pierced the flesh, they would use it to hold tight against the skin of a gilltail, even draining it of blood slowly through minute tubules that perforated them. Infestations of these could prove lethal over time, but for the most part the hosts' immune system would keep them at manageable levels until they died off.
 Now, after millions of years, this is no longer the case. Several lineages of hemoglobe have evolved and split off into a new genus, one composed of individuals far more deadly than their ancestor ever was.

Sanguine o' Spheres: Difference between revisions

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