Bathmatt

Bathmats are primitive retinalphytes that grow on rocks or coral skeletons. They are fast growers, and a common source of food for smaller herbivores in the oceans of ancient Almaishah. Shown here, an armor globe is about to scrape some bathmat up into it's mouth. [creature design by Dapper Dino]

Basic Information

Anatomy

While descended from octagis, bathmatts have a very attenuated form of that organisms geometric arrangement. They now simply grow to fill in cracks and crevices with little regard for forming octagonal or square segments. They also have foregone the formation of specific spoor producing pods. The most notable innovation of this clade is thin filaments containing high amounts of photosynthetic cells, these filaments facilitate chemical exchange with the water as well as maximize the surface area available for photosynthesis.

Genetics and Reproduction

Bathmats are hermaphroditic broadcast spawners, they have no particular spawning season, and simply release male and female gametes periodically from their surface. They are also capable of vegetative reproduction, as if a patch of bathmat is severed, it can grow independently into a new organism.

Growth Rate & Stages

A new bathmat zygote will settle into a hopefully sunny area under water and start to divide, upon reaching 32 cells, it will secret a biological cement onto the substrate, and start growing towards the light and into any good cracks that can help it stay in place. Once it has a total surface area of about 3 cm^2 it will start producing filaments. After reaching about 5 cm^2 in total area it will start releasing gametes.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Bathmats are found in shallow waters across Almaishah.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

While bathmats have no nervous system, they do transmit hormones when exposed to light, allowing them to grow towards light and away from caves.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Octagis

Scientific Name

Mat balneum

Origin/Ancestry

Retinalphyta

Lifespan

5 local years

Average Height

5-10 mm

Average Length

6 cm

Geographic Distribution

• Almaishah