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Photopora
Photopora
Plantlife on Aether is diverse and varied with many branches, the most prominent being Xanthophytes, plants that commonly resemble kelp appearing with a brilliant yellow hue due to their photosynthetic pigment known as xanthopyll. Another less plentiful form of plant life native to Aether is photopora, photopora are simple red plants that share a visual appearance with sponges (despite that sponges are in fact animals). Photopora are short porous plants that lack any form of stalk or roots and therefore must filter with the water to obtain the nutrients necessary for growth and reproduction, they create subtle currents with internal cells lined with flagellum. Because of these restraints, photopora are often relinquished to regions that could not be colonized by xanthophytes, growing short and low to the ground with hopes of remaining anchored despite their lack of roots. In addition to the many small pores throughout their bodies, photopora also possess larger tunnel-like holes, the purpose of which is to maximize surface area for photosynthesis light bounces between the walls of the tunnels allowing for greater absorption, this is less efficient when compared to leaves; however, evolution has little concerns for efficiency, adequacy being the only priority.
For sedentary organisms location is everything. Because of their lack of roots and need for sunlight photopora create the perfect environment for sedentary organisms, subtle currents for better nutrient flow, and structural holes perfect for anchoring oneself in place. Predictably this arrangement was frequently exploited by the descendants of pliaceps, most frequently by anthoceps due to their generally smaller size and thinner arms. For smaller photopora, this arrangement was deadly as even one large anthoceps could block out enough sunlight to prevent photosynthesis. For larger photopora, a symbiotic relationship formed: anthoceps adeptly filter the water for plankton that the photopora isn't concerned with, while the anthocep's excrement fertilizes the photopora The mutualistic relationship formed between these organisms is known as facultative symbiosis, a form of symbiosis that is not necessary for either organism's survival. In other words, though each organism benefits from the other's presence, they could also survive individually. This relationship became extremely common between both clades, with varying degrees of interdependence for the paired organisms between different species. With this arrangement occurring so often, a more advanced form of symbiosis became inevitable.
Symbiotic Kelts
Symbiotic Kelts
The mutualism between the two clades eventually became more specified. Over time advancing to obligate symbiosis, meaning specific species need to cooperate to survive, rather than form coincidental arrangements. This required recognizing each other with complex hormone passcodes; this system allowed specific species to coevolve making them more fit for survival. Photopora's major disadvantage compared to xanthopytes was a lack of a root structure, forcing them to colonize separate regions as they simply couldn't compete for light easily being shaded by the yellow plant's broad blades. Anthoceps remedied this for photopora by utilizing their defining characteristic: an external shell glued to the ocean floor. Though sheltered specimens rarely grow a stalked shell, they could be prompted to grow under the influence of hormones, typically ones produced by their own body under proper stimuli. An exaptation of their chemical passcode, photopora exploited the hormones that caused the anthoceps to grow upwards allowing them to overcome their lack of roots and anchor themselves to the seafloor, not with the use of roots, but with an internal skeleton. Effectively, photopora created a caste system reminiscent of the one seen in earth insects, the only thing missing was the queen. It is not uncommon for anthoceps to reproduce asexually, a type of reproduction known as parthenogenesis, this form of parthenogenesis results in offspring that are full clones of the mother. Being located on the edge of their photopora host, anthoceps are not invincible, if every individual attempted to reproduce, many resources would be lost as some of these attempts would fail due to predation or some other means; however, if an individual were to become better protected and eventually better adapted for reproduction, the success of the colony could be better ensured.
A cross-section view of Symbiotic Kelt, a magnification displays an anthoceps symbiont. The near featureless queen is seen at the heart of the Holobiont.
As this adaptation occurred, a convergent solution evolved to house the queen. A chamber formed, most often from the hollowed-out shells of the skeletal caste. At the beginning of the symbiote's life cycle, the photopora would deprive the skeletal caste of nutrients, intending to make the base of the shell porous making it perfect for the exchange of nutrients necessary for sustaining the queen and distributing her eggs. As the sophistication of this relationship grew in complexity so too did the symbiote, now referred to as a kelt. With a network of pipes and a method to control the development of an internal skeleton, kelts took on an array of branching shapes and patterns. Many species became toxic resulting in vibrant colors as a form of aposematism. The separation between the Early and Mid Cetiocene is divided by the development of a unique biome defined by the presence of the colorful and wondrous tropical kelt species, known as tropikelts.
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