General Discussion

You know, as much as I love Serina, the Birin project, and Crowns... I think it would be interesting to explore a spec evo scenario where instead of a species entering a “space age”; a large complex of symbiotic organisms develop space travel without sapience proper. Like a reef or lichen that’s also a natural spaceship. And that over time, whatever commensalists or mutualists it has aboard, develop into sophonts way later. So that these people would have essentially been space faring from the start.

[img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Haeckel_Amphoridea-2b.jpg[/img] [img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/51a9cccab714b439b9780401f8a7d9f9/tumblr_mrzqegzJvB1spmwbxo1_400.jpg[/img] Prehistoric echinoderms are fun to look at.

[quote name="Bugbag" date="2023-01-09 11:18:54" ] You know, as much as I love Serina, the Birin project, and Crowns... I think it would be interesting to explore a spec evo scenario where instead of a species entering a “space age”; a large complex of symbiotic organisms develop space travel without sapience proper. Like a reef or lichen that’s also a natural spaceship. And that over time, whatever commensalists or mutualists it has aboard, develop into sophonts way later. So that these people would have essentially been space faring from the start. [/quote] Well... without even developing the entire “body plan” of the colony and its later evolution or “livestock” or people... my brainstorm for the general phylum of Bioship/orbital nekton spiraled off the rails. Orbital Nekton (orbit swimmers) Why enter space(or the upper most atmosphere)? The ultimate escape of predators, nonspecific competition and other enemies Gathering of resources, light, upper atmospheric gases, suspended materials, plankton. Dispersal of gametes Escape from less optimal environmental conditions and extreme weather systems (I like this one as a premise?) All of the above ... Entering Orbit Initially a long chain of Nematocysts (gas bladder zooids) float the Haul up through the atmosphere by growth rather than active propulsion. The amount of lift needed means that this is quite the spectacle and the enormous holdfasts required to maintain a rising Haul’s position, become entire ecosystems of their own once abandoned. The Haul unfurls its pods and rotates into position. The Haul releases itself from the umbilical cables attached to the nematocysts, like a leaf petiole undergoing deciduous dehiscence and detachment from a tree. The Haul jets free into the outermost part of the atmosphere and then carefully reorients itself. The Bioship/Haul in total releases a thick gum which slowly freezes. ... Some notes about chemistry, not necessarily in order The Haul and its appendages are zooids in a colony. Pods are photosynthetic zooids that also aid in position/gravitational sensory. This means they are also involved in hearing external stimuli or at least function with some analogy to lateral line pits. This is not necessarily as functional in space itself after successfully emerging from the upper atmosphere (breaching). Pods however, compensate by also being receptive to ambient radio waves. Yet, space is a hostile place for phycobilisomes (in this case, a chloroplast analog) present in Pods. Basically red chloroplasts in this setting. So the phycobilisomes are protected by prismatic vesicles containing pigmented granules. Similar vesicles, the mirror scale vesicles are created during solar flares and other temporary hazardous radiation bursts. These vesicles contain tiny nanosheets of reflective material, like mica, or thin slivers of mother of pearl, the dazzling result is a temporary coating of silvery shimmer that helps reflect a variety of radiation. Though, the majority of these pods are coated in an analog of alganic acid/ algae gum, which hardens into a thick plating of ice. The inner most layer of gum remains liquid and prevents the Bioship as a whole from drying out /freeze drying without enough mass to maintain its own ambient external atmosphere. The outer ice is shaped as the gum shell. Like a cross between a larvaceans home and the shell of a mollusk. Though the gum has to be extruded out with additives. These additional compounds react to each other, exothermically. The searing heat released within the gum allows it to expand into a proper set of protective shells before becoming too rigid and dry. Excess gum can be eroded by digestive acids exuded by the epidermis of the Haul and pods (ie some analogs to common hydrochloric acid). Or through “gastrointestinal”-mucus lined pores from some other zooid type. As long as the acid goes where it’s needed, that’s all that matters. ... Layers of a single Zooid Space (outside) Ice crust, small sharp spines of frozen gum that break off easily Ice core, rock hard plate of frozen gum Liquid gum, mucosal layer over several layers of crystallized or keratinized dead pod or Haul cells. Dozens of species of archea-like prokaryotes also live here, neither benefitting nor harming their ship. A microscopic “scale worm” a eukaryote, so small it can harpoon and suck out the cell contents of prokaryotic micromats lives here too. The scale worm unintentionally prevents the build up of the “fungal threads” of a couple of pigmented photosynthetic prokaryotes, that would otherwise biofoul the photosynthetic portions of the bioship. Upper cortex, this is made up of protective living ship cells, any necrotic areas become colonized by opportunists from the liquid gum layer of course. Immune cells patrol this area regularly. As do “cleaner mites”, tiny eukaryote analogs that spend their lives mostly as “tuns” like earth rotifers. Their general external anatomy is also fairly rotifer-like as they inch around living cells to consume dead and dying ones. They help prevent sepsis. The upper cortex has sparsely located “mite tubes” which help cleaner mites survive times of little food and radiation flare ups, by going into their tun state within the chamber of the mite tube. Phycobilisome zone, ship cells are eukaryote analogs, as such they also have phycobilisomes, a descendant of a prokaryote analog, that was a free living photosynthetic organism at one point, but which became a specialized organelle with its own genetics. This layer is the first with a semi closed circulatory system. With the Upper Cortex relying on diffusion. Small muscle fibers contract or relax to control the flow of hemolymph through these veins. Test, siliceous hard interlocked plates forming an internal “shell” for the majority of the zooid types. Peritoneum (a pappilous membrane) Mesohyl, a large lacy mass of elastic connective tissues that keeps the internal organs in place within a vast coelomic cavity. Mesohyl is surrounded by a gel matrix called mesoglea like that within earth sea sponges. This is where mesochyme stem cells exist to form follicle baskets when it is time for creating egg cells. Follicle baskets hold egg cells until it is time for their deposition/fertilization. Meat zone, a layer of muscle that surrounds the inner circulation tissues, digestive system and ambullacrum. Siliceous “spicules/Skeletal elements” and segmented rays of hard tissue support these muscles. Like many creatures there are at least three muscle types: circular, longitudinal, and radial. Ambullacrum and Digestive System Lower Test and Lower Cortex Coenenchyme is the common tissue that surrounds and links the zooids. It consists of another region of mesohyl/mesoglea penetrated by tubes (solenia) of the gastrodermis and contains spicules/skeletal elements of silica. Essentially linking the zooids via a shared digestive system along the crypt side of the ship. Crypt hide, a layer of skin cells between the coenenchyme and the crypt liquid gum. A different variety of more sluggish cleaner mite dwells here. There are no mite tubes. But exposure to radiation it less of a threat in the crypt. Dark side/ Crypt liquid gum, a layer of dead Ship cells, and gum. This area does not receive enough solar radiation to support photosynthetic life. Here, there are dozens of prokaryote species adapted to colder, darker conditions, unable to survive anywhere else. Crypt Ice Core rock hard plate of frozen gum Crypt Ice Crust, long intricate balleen type structures of frozen gum line the crypt, a large space within the colony that is not a part of the colony itself, like the chambers of colonial pelagic tunicates/pyrosomes. Space (Crypt) Another zooid (other part of the haul’s tube) ... Zooid Types ? Holdfast, a branched zooid that roots itself into substrate (like seaweed holdfast) Umbilical cables, nutrient distribution zooids that grow into long flexible cables that lift the Haul into the sky with assistance from Nematocysts Nematocysts, zooids with gas filled ambullacrum that lift other zooid types attached to umbilical cables Ground Feeders (aka roombas), attached to the base of umbilical cable but before the large mass of holdfast “roots”, this zooid has working external micropodia attached to the ambullacrum which uses gases and gel to pressurize and extend these motility structures (like the podia of a sea star or sea cucumber). Roombas are attached via stretchy segmented cables to the main umbilical cable. They can graze on organic matter like sea pigs. As such roombas have mouths but no anuses. These zooids look superficially like the extinct Ctenoimbricata of earth, including extensions of its test that branch into spines that direct material into its mouth. Unlike detritivores of earth, the inedible portions are dumped into sediment bladders within the Holdfast zooid. Though sanddollars of earth do use ingested sediment to weigh themselves down against currents. In any case, roombas give this colony the appearance of the mythical vegetable lamb, until the colony begins to form a Haul, a body of many nonfeeding zooids. Lower Sun Feeders, attached opposite of Nematocysts, these zooids are thin and leaf shaped, they photosynthesize much needed sugars via red pigmented phycobilisomes. Upper Sun Feeder, attached opposite of Nematocysts in the upper atmosphere. These smaller cylinder shaped zooids are coated with an opaque wax that forms just over a thin layer of gum. This prevents loss of moisture and protects against overexposure to solar radiation. They usually appear pink or orange, but “bleach” white during excess exposure to light. This is due to mirror scale vesicles protecting phycobilisomes via reflective material. Haul, standard nonfeeding zooid type of the main “body” of the space bound colony Pods, “outer appendages” made of somewhat lopsided looking zooids with mirrored anatomy, but otherwise unspecialized. These are the main photosynthetic “organs” for the space bound colony instead of sun feeders. Pods grow in segments of zooids. First is the basal zooid, the protopod. Next is the three “toes” the exopod zooid in the middle, the epipod zooid and endopod zooid forming the left and right toes. A completed Haul has 12 to 24 photosynthetic “legs/paddles/megapods” arranged in at approximately 90 degree angles from one another. Big pullers, zooids that exist between the appendages/pods of the colony and haul, these are motility zooids that pull their neighbors into position with powerful muscles, this is direct control as they have neither a crypt hide nor a complete cortex of any variety. Their meat zone has become a central feature extending through a massive layer of amorphous choenochyme. Their solenia are not used in digestive processes but have become tough fibrous scaffolding for extra radial muscle fibers. Hearts, zooids whose only purpose is to collect and redistribute hemolymph. A very important task given the size and activity level of the colony itself. Fuel makers (aka stinkdamp tanks): these are spherical zooids that digest organic materials from other zooids and the city zooids into hydrogen sulfide gas. While used in cell signally in humans, this gas is produced for another purpose entirely. This is both fuel for propulsion and the internal environment gas. Additionally sulfur comes from gypsum ingestion by “gizzard worms”. The gypsum is then converted to hydrogen sulfide gas along with organic materials in the anaerobic stinkdamp tank. The digestive process also releases a great deal of heat, necessary for maintaining the ship and its “passengers”. Btw: this planet of origin would have ring(s) of gypsum sand and “flowers”. Its seasons would be longer than earths but not have the planet be so far as to suffer an ice ball affect. This would be another reason for phycobilisomes to exist instead of an exact chloroplast analog. Long seasons would also provide both time for development into a colony and an insensitive to avoid a dreadfully long hurricane/sleet season. Gizzard Worms: “animals” that feed on baleen gum as it defrosts (sort of like sea pigs eating discarded larvacean homes). These “worms” have two clawed toes and a rotifer-like body that is unusually long. They live in the labyrinthine tubes of the stinkdamp tanks, emerging to suck up materials with a simple sucker mouth. Organic materials are digested... while the gypsum coating the gum is ferried out the anus... into the zooid test tube and thus pushed into the gypsum pores of the stinkdamp tanks. Thus the gypsum from the Crypt is moved into the digestive systems of the stinkdamp tanks. Gizzard worms are related to smaller hermit worms, creatures that once used orbit nekton zooid relatives as homes as they scooched along the ground ingesting anything within reach (including sediment), like earth ocean dwelling hermit worms or perhaps bagworms or caddisflies. When gypsum completely coats the frozen “baleen” of the Crypt space, the colony as a whole bends around and locks both ends with Sealer zooids. During this time, the ship has an overall donut shape if you’re not looking at its pods per se. this is when crypt ice melts and gizzard worms wake up and resume their feeding within the crypt. Otherwise gizzard worms dwell within the ice sealed test of the stinkdamp tank zooids. City: The outer city zooids are long “hallways” that exist on the outside of a few main Haul zooids. The inner city hallways exist within the Crypt, snug against the inner Haul zooids. These are the same zooids connected by crossways that exist between Haul zooids. The overall shape of a single unlinked city zooid would be an H shape. These zooids connect to bulbule city zooids, large melon-like creatures that serve as hydrogen sulfide reservoirs. Bulbule City Zooids: These structures are divided into many tough yet flexible chambers. Here the test subdivides the zooid and its interlocking siliceous plates have a stretchy layer between them to allow the organic tiles to shift with pressure changes. These zooids are massive compared to the spherical stinkdamp tanks at their base. A variety of gases, though primarily hydrogen sulfide, pour into Bulbules from connections with stinkdamp tank solenia. Bulbules as a whole look much like floating crinoid stems, ie the floats of Scyphocrinites, with their rounded bodies and subdivided internal skeleton. Bulbule cones: still part of this zooid. The cone bears a striking resemblance to the unflared anal chimneys of extinct crinoids. The cones while supported internally by test plates, can swivel independently of the main test. The end of the cone serves as a gas release orifice. And like a dozen other zooid types I don’t have the energy to describe right now Etc etc

I finally came up with a phylum that’s not a segmented worm (per se) for a planet I’m just calling Reach, for now.

Trihops

Terrestrial trihops once lived on the surface of planet Reach these creatures had three segmented arthropod type legs ending in two brightly colored splayed hooves (ie more camelid than goat). The body/thorax slightly bent like a kangaroo had an expandable belly pouch for hoarding foodstuffs.

The neck ended in a disklike head with two flopping “ears”. These ear flaps contained statoliths for balance and chemoreceptors. Next to one flap was a round snakelike eye (ie scale capped without lids or membranes). A bundle of short leathery flaps below the eye contained vibration sensory pits in between tiny hairlike bioluminescent spines or rather fuzz at the macroscopic level, used for enhancing vision and intraspecific communication.

The mouth located under the head had brightly colored chelicerae typically matching hoof color and made of the same kera-chitin material. Under those was a circular mouth with protective spines attached internally like an earth urchin’s “Aristotle’s lantern”. A second set of chelicerae existed within the food pouch, but there was no mouth there, they were used to add or remove food stuffs from the pouch.

Beacon trihops developed round photophores along their backs. Like on earth, they developed into a group of photosensitive cells, intermediary tissue and lenses. These lidded photophores could flash by covering themselves with their lids. Unlike most earth forms, though, a variety of lens pigments developed to give the light organs a wide variety of colors. The most attractive to trihops being fuchsia, orange, yellow, and green. Fuchsia bearers being able to avoid predator attention in the surrounding vegetation. While green was a vibrant aposematic signal.

Lights to eyes: Overtime these photophores became additional eyes in populations that needed additional sight over flashy looks. Although some of the photophores remained useful and tended towards green. The poisonous Beholder Trihops benefiting from having bright green hooves, chelicerae and photophores to advertise their unpalatable nature.

Fishtail-Heads: life in orbit does some odd things to normally ground bound life. These creatures have two very muscular jointed legs ending in soft hoof pads. These hoof frogs have become unwalled to be prehensile fingers. The third leg sits in a position you might expect the head to be. Its hooves are walled like normal hooves but they interlock and move side to side like a claw. At rest this bright colored claw is open such that the erect leg has a vague semblance to the tail of a fish.

The actual disk-like head is on the “back”. It is nearly fused to the body. The eye is gone, or at least imbedded deep in the hide and doesn’t function. Chelicerae and mouth are exposed. Pouch chelicerae exist as long whips (like whip scorpion) rather than functional pinchers. These touch the walls of the bulbule they live within. Whips naturally face backwards (towards the head).

Both photophores and eyes surround the actual head. These photophores come in any colors as there are no sight oriented predators of fish-tail heads. Like long trailing tails the two “ear flaps” still serve as chemosensory organs. However they are now also coated in bioluminescent spines (more like fuzz really). Longer “tail flaps” are more attractive. Unfortunately, fishtail heads are essentially deaf, lacking any way to produce functional vibration sensing organs in orbit. Overall these creatures are oddly bipedal, but whether they are up or down or sideways as they climb around isn’t important. The “fishtail” itself is a limb used for fine manipulation in nooks and crannies and general feeding.

Things get stranger yet for those new to trihops anatomy; when encountering the Dullahan. Like fishtail heads, these guys are incredibly curious. Think goat mixed with cat and a little robber crab. They’ll touch and taste anything within reach. The dullahan is a smaller, lankier sort found in the city halls. These much smaller “animals” have a unique habit of carrying around a blob with their fishtailed pinchers. The brightly marked and intricately patterned blob is a unique “scaleworm”. It is macroscopic instead of microscopic. It does not actively search for food. And it folds itself into a coiled ball that the Dullahan carry around. These especially flamboyant coiled balls are prized for their appearance and size. The healthier the Ballworm the bigger and brighter it is. Unable to survive on its own; it must be fed and groomed by the Dullahan.

Dullahans will occasionally trade or steal Ballworms. Since they let go of them during their own feeding; there is an excellent opportunity for a thief Dullahan to strike. Though intense fights will stress and kill the Ballworm. So this strategy requires nuance to actually succeed.