Chemomykoidia
Chemomykoidia - more commonly called chemochoids - are a varied group of numerous chemosynthetic microbial phytozoans closely related to the mycoids. Rather than feeding on detritus and decaying organic material, members of chemomykoidia instead synthesize vital compounds and neutralize corrosive chemicals to sustain their metabolism. While the group has numerous identified genera and species, almost all chemochoids follow the same body plan, and only visually vary between each other in (occasionally) size and pigmentation. Rather, the defining feature between species is the method of chemosynthesis they have evolved to exploit. While the most well known (and likely the earliest) methods involve sulfuric compounds such as hydrosulfuric and sulfuric acids, other species have evolved to exploit pathways using chemicals such as methane, ammonia, or nitrite.
Chemocoids first appeared in the shallow seas around Niylan roughly 459 mya as mycoid descendants that adapted to cope with the rising levels of sulfuric compounds in their ecosystem. As the benthic filter feeders had little else to feed on during the early years of the period (as larger animal groups had not yet evolved to exploit the harsh environment of Niylan at this time), natural selection pressured the species to exploit the chemical cocktail that became their home. While mycoids had originally nearly lost their ability to produce chlorophyll, the foundation to synthesize their own organic compounds was still present. Thus, it was only a matter of time before this basic framework was adapted to gain energy from other chemical reactions. Their success has led to the group spreading all across Almaishah’s ocean floors, and as a result led to exposure to new chemical compounds that would later come to be exploited for chemosynthesis.
While chemochoids can be found anywhere in Almaishah’s ocean floor, they occur most frequently within the bodies of the numerous organisms they have formed symbiotic relationships with. More specifically, chemochoids prefer the guts and respiratory systems of organisms that primarily gain their energy through cellular respiration. This is likely due to the lack of any chemochoid species having the ability to synthesize carbon-dioxide - a compound that all chemochoids benefit from at least indirectly. Thus, while the group of microbes certainly did not originally evolve to live in such habitats, their inevitable colonization of them through the feeding habits of newly evolved benthic filter-feeders, sessile filter feeders, and their predators has placed a great pressure on both themselves and their symbiotes to evolve new ways to make the most out of the partnership.
Pictured here a microscopic slide prepared with numerous species of chemocoid visible. [Creature design by Lethal Cuteness]
Basic Information
Anatomy
Digestion remains one of the only tasks that retains a multicellular “organ” dedicated to it - a small pocket in the middle of the organism that allows for diffusion of compounds throughout the organism. The chemochoid also retains a small reproductive structure in the form of a singular cell, and this specialized cell is responsible for ensuring the genetic diversity of the species's offspring. Beyond this is the coordinated movement of cilia to move around the water column and the use of chemical receptors between each cell to allow for communication (more in later sections). Yet these features are mostly driven at the cellular level, or at the very least highly decentralized and performed by most (if not all) other cells - thus showing how truly far gone the notion of specialized, multicellular organs are in the case of the chemochoid. While multicellular biology and organ structure is worth taking note of, the cellular biology of the chemochoid is where most advancements lie - in fact, chemochoid cellular structure varies significantly from all other known eukaryotes - including xenomykorrhiza, the chemochoids closest relatives. It is simultaneously the reasoning for the anatomy of the chemochoid to be so simple, yet also quite specialized. The chemochoid cell has four additional organelles that allow it to be best adapted to its lifestyle. The first (and most important) of these is the chemoplast, which is a small structure resembling bacteria that is responsible for conducting the numerous chemosynthetic reactions of the chemocoid. These structures evolved from symbiotic prokaryotes - a notion that also applies to the chloroplast and mitochondria. However, unlike both of these organelles, the chemoplast retains no chromosomes within its interior, and instead will occasionally possess a stolen plasmid. Rather, they are multiplied into new chemoplasts or synthesized by the cell directly in a fashion not too dissimilar to that of a non-symbiont originating organelle. Quite interestingly, it is worth noting that the prokaryotic ancestor was at least a close relative of the radiotrophs, and it has been proposed by some xenobiologists that it may actually have been a very basal radiotroph itself. As Almaishan microbes are currently not well understood, the exact placement of this prokaryotic ancestor as either within radiotropha or as a very close relative cannot be determined exactly at this time. The second organelle - and arguably the chemochoids most distinguishing feature - is the presence of a secondary nucleus located within the larger primary nucleus. This second nucleus (called the internal pyrinas) is not only significantly smaller than its partner - it also contains a far smaller number of chromosomes. Within this nucleus is a central cluster of chromosomes and a small plasmid, which together contain the genes required to produce chemoplasts. This system has allowed the chemoplasts to become more efficient at chemosynthesis and allows engagement in more volatile reactions, however such centralization results in an increase in time requirement to synthesize or produce new chemoplasts. This tradeoff has proven effective thus far, and is one of the driving factors for the success of the chemochoid over other partial or totally chemosynthetic organisms - such as the bloomers. In addition to these adaptations, chemochoid cells also possess a frustule - a silica based cellular wall. The frustule of the chemochoids is thick yet porous, so it may provide significantly improved protection and allow the organism to withstand more extreme conditions and chemical reactions, while also allowing diffusion of nutrients, waste, and occasionally other molecules. Perhaps the greatest advantage of this organelle, however, is its ability to act as an anchor. The frustule is denser than the surrounding water, and as a result causes the chemochoid to naturally sink towards the bottom of the ocean. Since this is where most chemical compounds required for chemosynthesis will exist (as well as the fastest route into desired symbiotic host organisms), this innate ability to sink back down to the bottom of the water column and remain in such a location is highly advantageous. It is also worth noting that this structure is what allows chemochoids to take on such complex polygonal shapes and possess extremely vivid coloration comparable to diatoms of Earth’s oceans. The final characteristic adaptation that distinguishes the chemochoid cell from other eukaryotes is the evolution of several axons extending from the cell. These axons are multipurpose; while their primary function is to serve as connective sites to link cells together, the axon also serves as a sort of primitive nerve ending. In fact, much of its internal anatomy is similar to the endings of axons in nerve cells - this is actually where these structures get their name. Unlike the axons of nerve cells, however, the axon contains most of these anatomical features internally, and themselves are little more than a frustule membrane surrounding the telodendria. At the porous ends of these axons, synaptic terminals placed at the ends of the telodendria serve as chemoreceptors that allow communication between cells. Overall, this entire structure is incredibly small and lacks the sheer length of the axon in neurons. However, this system also allows for the organism to be mobile and flexible despite having a rigid cell wall and additionally serves as the location of intercellular communication.
Genetics and Reproduction
Chemochoids reproduce based on a modified form of fission, much like their mycoid relatives. At each “end” of the chemochoid along the transverse axis rests the remnant of an atrophied gonad - a single diploid cell. When the chemochoid has amassed enough biomass and reached its maximum cell count, the diploid cells will each split into two new cells. Once this occurs, the two new diploid cells will split off from the chemochoid, and will begin to divide. The first division creates two diploid cells, and the second creates four. However, the third division divides two of the diploid cells without creating new copies of each string of DNA - resulting in the creation of haploid cells, which will develop into the rest of the organism. This sort of “hiccup” in the reproductive process is actually caused by a specific mutated gene, which has been named the “mutagenic haploid gene of chromosome 16” or MHG16 (sometimes called the “haploid gene”). After this loss of biomass, the parent chemochoid will then go on eating so that it can reproduce again.
Due to their small size and inability to perform sexual reproduction, genetic diversity would be expected to be hampered. However, the chemochoids possess a strange ability due to their small size. Due to their method of reproduction, the genes of only one cell determine the genetic code of any new chemochoids generated from it. As a result, occasional genetic exchange caused by viral infection or the death of nearby prokaryotic organisms can result in limited changes to the new chemochoid’s genome. This type of process could theoretically occur in larger, multicellular organisms as well; however, the sheer scale of specialization and number of cells involved in reproduction limits this effect’s chance to impact new offspring exponentially. Thus, this effect is entirely due to the extent of simplification of their biology and small size. It is plausible that this effect is why these organisms exhibit such diverse forms of chemosynthesis across numerous environments on Almaishah.
Due to their small size and inability to perform sexual reproduction, genetic diversity would be expected to be hampered. However, the chemochoids possess a strange ability due to their small size. Due to their method of reproduction, the genes of only one cell determine the genetic code of any new chemochoids generated from it. As a result, occasional genetic exchange caused by viral infection or the death of nearby prokaryotic organisms can result in limited changes to the new chemochoid’s genome. This type of process could theoretically occur in larger, multicellular organisms as well; however, the sheer scale of specialization and number of cells involved in reproduction limits this effect’s chance to impact new offspring exponentially. Thus, this effect is entirely due to the extent of simplification of their biology and small size. It is plausible that this effect is why these organisms exhibit such diverse forms of chemosynthesis across numerous environments on Almaishah.
Growth Rate & Stages
As a microbe of such miniscule size, the chemochoid lacks most, if any, form of a life cycle. Rather, its growth is better explained by observing the divisions of cells and organization of them. The most noteworthy divisions are division 1, division 2, and division 3 - with each division representing every cell in the chemochoid that is still dividing, doing so once. Division one results in the creation of a pair of diploid cells - these two diploid cells will effectively become the gametes of the chemochoid. Division two results in the creation of four diploid cells. One pair of diploid cells will cease to divide from this point, and will be placed at each end of a “line” of four diploid cells. In these cells, MHG16 does not activate, and reproduction ceases until they are no longer bound to another cell through chemoreceptive connections between cell membranes.
Division three is the most important division, as it is the division that results in the formation of all haploid cells. Before division occurs, MHG16 “activates” and triggers a premature division in the cell before it can make copies of its DNA molecules. This results in two smaller haploid cells. These haploid cells will not divide again for some time (roughly 2-3 minutes) as they regain their previous size. This results in the creation of four haploid cells, which will divide into more haploid cells and create the rest of the organism.
The exact number of divisions from this point depends heavily on the species; each individual species of chemochoid has an exact number of cells that it will multiply to in adulthood, and will maintain to the best of its ability throughout its life. Some of the smallest species undergo only 20 or so divisions, while others undergo 60.
Ecology and Habitats
The chemochoid can be found in any range of habitats, so long as there are chemicals available for them to synthesize. However, they strongly prefer to live within the bodies of organisms that perform cellular respiration - allowing them to fuel more reactions and synthesize more energy. There are two ways that these organisms can colonize the interior of an organism and engage in symbiosis - either by “invading” the organism’s digestive and respiratory tract through its food, or by being deliberately cultivated and transferred from a parent organism to its offspring.
The invasive method works primarily due to their presence along most - if not all - of Almaishah’s sea beds and riverbeds. As a result, benthic and sessile filter feeders inevitably intake these organisms, which in turn causes them to be ingested by predators of these species. However, some organisms that have begun to evolve in support of this symbiosis possess the ability to allow and encourage chemochoid colonization of its offspring, such as by including some within its eggs, developing the offspring within their bodies, or including some along with its spores during reproduction.
Interestingly, chemochoids are able to survive in terrestrial environments despite a current dependence on water for numerous aspects of their biology, including obtaining silica from the water, its use as a solvent, and its use as a reactant in the numerous chemical reactions taking place within a chemochoid cell. The primary reason for their survival in terrestrial ecosystems is their small size - while water is quite vital for each individual cell, and chemochoids lack many adaptations to survive on subpar quantities of water, the actual amount of water required for a group of microbial chemochoids is actually fairly small. Resultantly, chemochoids can likely be found in roughly any location on Almaishah, so long as there is the continuous presence of water.
Chemochoids of one species or another can be found everywhere on Alimaishah, except in the higher elevations. Sulfer loving species are concentrated around Niylan and some oceanic rifts.
The invasive method works primarily due to their presence along most - if not all - of Almaishah’s sea beds and riverbeds. As a result, benthic and sessile filter feeders inevitably intake these organisms, which in turn causes them to be ingested by predators of these species. However, some organisms that have begun to evolve in support of this symbiosis possess the ability to allow and encourage chemochoid colonization of its offspring, such as by including some within its eggs, developing the offspring within their bodies, or including some along with its spores during reproduction.
Interestingly, chemochoids are able to survive in terrestrial environments despite a current dependence on water for numerous aspects of their biology, including obtaining silica from the water, its use as a solvent, and its use as a reactant in the numerous chemical reactions taking place within a chemochoid cell. The primary reason for their survival in terrestrial ecosystems is their small size - while water is quite vital for each individual cell, and chemochoids lack many adaptations to survive on subpar quantities of water, the actual amount of water required for a group of microbial chemochoids is actually fairly small. Resultantly, chemochoids can likely be found in roughly any location on Almaishah, so long as there is the continuous presence of water.
Chemochoids of one species or another can be found everywhere on Alimaishah, except in the higher elevations. Sulfer loving species are concentrated around Niylan and some oceanic rifts.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Chemochoid metabolism varies between species, and largely depends on what their method of gaining energy is. The two most popular methods involve gaining energy from electricity generated by electron transfers during redox reactions directly or by synthesizing glucose from other chemical reactions. In the former, there is likely another energy storage unit involved - perhaps a different carbon storage molecule (usually methane). However, all chemochoids rely on the production of an organelle called a chemoplast. Like other plastid organelles, the chemoplast is descended from autotrophic prokaryotic organisms that engaged in symbiosis. However, unlike mitochondria (another organelle descended from a symbiotic prokaryote), the chemoplast does not reproduce on its own - nor can it. This is due to its lack of DNA, which is necessary for reproduction. Rather, the chemoplast is actually produced by its host cell, who’s nucleus contains a smaller plasmid containing the DNA required to create a chemoplast. Thus, it can be reasonably concluded that the transition from symbiont to organelle occurred when the ancestral chemoplast donated its DNA to its host organism, establishing a separate plasmid within the main nucleus.
All chemochoids lack proper mouths, however they do possess an anus of sorts. The chemochoid acquires the nutrients it needs to perform chemosynthesis through the use of diffusion into the cells. Waste products are funneled out of the cell, and are expelled vertically along the coronal plane. The specifics regarding each species’ chemosynthesis methods, as well as some evolutionary history and geographical information, are included below.
Theiosis primaria
The genus Theiosis is the most common genus in waters with higher sulfur content - and as such can be found both around Niylan and in hydrothermal vents in the deeper regions of Almaishah’s oceans. The species T. primaria is the most common of these, and employs a simple chemosynthetic reaction that allows it to synthesize glucose in a variety of habitats. Its particular method of chemosynthesis is actually shared by chemosynthetic bacteria living within tubeworms on Earth, and adheres to the following chemical formula: 18H2S + 6O2 + 6CO2 → 3S8 + [C6H12O6] + 18H2O This pathway is of extreme benefit to host organisms that live in oxygenated habitats with high levels of hydrosulfuric acid, as it produces nontoxic elemental sulfur (which can be synthesized into organic sulfur compounds by other organisms, thus benefiting the ecosystem as a whole). However, the process is somewhat oxygen intensive, and in high populations can lead to anoxic events or competition for oxygen with a host organism (assuming oxygen producing microbes are also not in high abundance). Consequently, these organisms can sometimes undergo cyclic population growth similar to that of the bloomers. This problem is most pronounced around Niylan, where these kinds of conditions are most often met. It is also worth noting that other population pressures such as predation (or lack thereof) and initial abundances of resources can also make these population explosions and contractions far more likely to occur. T. redoxya
The species Theiosis redoxya, like the other major species of the genus Theiosis, uses hydrosulfuric as the basis for its chemosynthetic reactions. However, likely due to pressures from anoxic events due to population explosions of T. primaria, T. redoxya has adapted a chemosynthetic pathway that allows it to synthesize glucose without the need for oxygen. This has proven particularly advantageous, as it has allowed T. redoxya to survive in anoxic environments - such as in areas that recently experienced an explosion of T. primaria. This type of chemosynthesis adheres to the following equation: 6CO2 + 6H2O + 3H2S → [C6H12O6] + 3H2SO4-2 Interestingly, this chemosynthetic pathway is largely based around the conversion of hydrosulfuric acid into sulfuric acid, and consumes water in the process. Theoretically, if left unchecked, this would result in an extreme rise of the sulfuric acid content of the water, and in smaller, localized environments could result in the creation of extremely acidic environments with a roughly equal composition of sulfuric acid and water. However, T. redoxya struggles to survive in ecosystems with oxygen levels that are too high. Within the intestinal ecosystems of other organisms their population size is usually balanced with other chemochoids that produce oxygen as a byproduct, thus allowing them to be of benefit to both other chemochoids and (indirectly) their host organism. Pseudomethanidae archaea
The only member of its genus, Pseudomethanidae archaea has adapted to use sulfuric acid as a basis for its chemosynthetic reactions. The pressures that led to this strange chemosynthesis are not entirely understood, but it is likely that they adapted this as a means of coping with and making use of sulfuric acid around Nilan - particularly around populations of T. redoxya. Pseudomethanidae does not create glucose with its chemosynthesis - rather, it results in the creation of methane, which is this species' carbon-storage unit of choice. This methane-synthesizing pathway roughly adheres to the following equation: CO2 + 3H2SO4-2 3Ca+2 + 6H2O → 3(CaSO4⦁ 2H2O) + CH4 + 3O2 Synthesis of methane in this way is not as efficient at capturing chemical energy as photosynthesis is, and the excess energy released in this reaction is used by the organism to fuel its immediate metabolic needs as to avoid wasting it. Calcium-sulfate, a nontoxic material that is often referred to as stucco or plaster of paris in its hydrolyzed form, is a nontoxic waste product that is produced from the reaction. In habitats where it is dry enough, the Calcium sulfate will form large gypsum towers that appear to be clusters of rose petals (these are often called “desert roses.”) This is especially commonplace on Niylan itself, and numerous spires of pearl white colored desert roses dot the shorelines of this continent. Within aqueous solutions, however, the acquisition of Calcium ions tends to remain a limiting factor. Usually it is acquired through dissolved compounds containing calcium or through the bioerosion of rocks containing the material. Sulfurum exogiinos
While P. archaea has adapted the ability to convert sulfuric acid into harmless calcium-sulfate for energy, the species S. exogiinos has also adapted of make use of excess sulfuric acid created both naturally around Niylan and hydrothermal vents, and around populations of T. redoxya. While P. archaea creates harmless calcium-sulfate, Sulfurum exogiinos oxidizes sulfuric acid into hydrosulfuric acid by making use of Iodine anions and Hydrogen cations within the water. This process adheres to the following equation: H2SO4-2 + 8NaH → 4Na2 + H2S + 4H2O Like many other chemochoids, S. exogiinos relies on hydrogen sources to fuel its chemical reactions - in this case, in the form of Sodium hydride. This material is actually fairly easy to obtain in environments that are high in hydrogen. As a result, this species prefers ecosystems that have high concentrations of hydrogen. These species can survive elsewhere, however their metabolism is significantly slowed, thus supporting smaller populations. In ecosystems with sufficient hydrogen concentrations, however, population growth is oftentimes explosive and bears significant resemblance to the explosive growth of bloomer colonies. Peculiarly, this species is the only known chemochoid that engages in a parasitic form of symbiosis with another species - the radiotrophs. Because radiotrophs perform electrolysis as a result of their reactions and make use of the hydrogen it produces, colonies of S. exogiinos will grow within these voltaic cells and in other places throughout their bodies where hydrogen is collected. This can severely disrupt their ability to maintain buoyancy, and in extreme cases can result in death due to inability to maintain any buoyancy at all. Free swimming species are most affected, and outbreaks of infectious S. exogiinos populations can devastate schools of motile radiotrophs. However, even sessile radiotrophs are not invulnerable to a S. exogiinos infection, and in particular their larva may have reduced chances of survival due to less hydrogen being available for them to use. Due to living around radiotrophs, the S. exogiinos has developed an extreme resistance to radiation through its advanced cellular and nuclear membranes. This has allowed them to become extremely effective at surviving around sources of radiation (which the species is coming to prefer due to proximity to radiotrophs). Interestingly, an extension of this ability has also enabled them to become resistant to the radio raptor’s gene stealing ability due to the volatility of chemochoid DNA when exposed to high levels of radiation. When cells die and their DNA escapes its protective cellular and nucleic membranes (which is likely non-functional after death anyways) it rapidly breaks down and decays due to the radioactivity of the radio raptor’s body. This either results in the regression of the DNA to an unusable state, or into such a mutated state that it is oftentimes far more harmful than beneficial to the radio raptor. Methanidae neoredoxya
M. neoredoxya is a peculiar species of chemochoid that has adapted the ability to gain energy from the oxidation of one of the most common gasses on Almaishah: CO2. By mixing carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas, the carbon dioxide can be oxidized and used to form methane and oxygen gas by either of the following equation: CO2 + 2H2 → CH4 + O2 CO2 + 2H2O → CH4 + 2O2 (Requires an outside energy source) This oxidizing reaction is the sole energy source for M. neoredoxya, and in many ecosystems it serves as one of the primary biological sources of methane. Its main limiting factor is hydrogen gas, although it does not parasitize radiotrophic organisms like S. exogiinos. This is likely a matter of simply lacking a sufficient degree of resistance to radioactivity, and preference for ecosystems with higher concentrations of CO2. Rather, M. neoredoxya prefers to cohabitate with nitrogen-fixating chemochoids, which produce excess hydrogen when fixating ammonia into nitrite. M. eget
As the other member of the genus Methanidae, M. eget oxidized CO2 in order to synthesize methane as a source of energy. However, M. eget is unique among methane producing cheomchoids in that it is actually a glucose synthesizer, and only uses methane synthesis as an intermediate step. The first phase of this reaction is the oxidation of CO2 into methane - this is what firmly identifies M. eget as a member of the genus Methanidae. As hydrogen gas is not particularly common, M. eget possesses the ability to dissociate water into hydrogen and oxygen gas, as shown below: 12H2O + energy → 12H2 + 6O2 As this reaction requires an external energy source, M. eget makes use of organic silicates in the form of quartz tubes organised into networking bands throughout its frustule and into the interior of the cell to capture the kinetic energy of ocean currents. Once this process is completed, both the methane and oxygen produced in the reaction are used to synthesize glucose in order to store energy released through CO2 oxidation. This second step roughly adheres to the equation below: 6CH4 + 3O2 → [C6H12O6] + 6H2 The hydrogen released in this step is then used to synthesize more methane in the presence of CO2, reducing overall demand for environmental hydrogen. This overall process is defined by the below equation: 6CO2 + 6H2 → C6H12O6 + 3O2 (+ 6O2 if water is dissociated) Interestingly, the overall process still results in the creation of oxygen gas due to excess production of the molecule (more oxygen gas is produced in step one than is needed in step two). As a result, the presence of these organisms is extremely beneficial to organisms that function on the basis of cellular respiration. It is also worth noting that hydrogen gas is quite rare, and as a result hydrogen would usually be expected to enter the system through the intake of water. Ferroxya siderosis
F. siderosis is one of two purely iron-reliant chemochoids present on Almaishah. F. siderosis exploits one of the most common redox reactions for energy - the oxidation of Iron into iron-oxides (one of the most commonly recognized is usually called rust). Rust is normally not assimilable by other organisms, however it does contain Fe(III) ions which may render the substance of use to some extremophiles. F. cuprum
While F. cuprum is a member of the genus Ferroxya, they do not oxidize iron as a means of chemosynthesis; rather, they gather energy through the (similar) oxidation of copper. The oxidation of copper is a similar process and likely evolved through modifications of catalyst enzymes to work with copper instead of iron. The initial oxidation process adheres to the following equations: 4Cu + O2 → 2Cu2O 2Cu2O + O2 → 4CuO Additionally, F. cuprum is capable of further oxidizing copper into patina, using one of the following chemical equations (the one chosen is based on the subspecies and region). a. 2CuO + CO2 + H2O → Cu2CO3(OH)2 b. 3CuO + 2CO2 + H2O → Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 c. 4CuO + SO3 + 3H2O → Cu4SO4(OH)6 Reaction a is favored by the subspecies F. cuprum carbonis, and is favorable in conditions in which the amount of reactants is limited. This is also the most common subspecies and reaction type, primarily due to its low resource consumption. Reaction b is favored by the subspecies F. cuprum dicarbonia, and is mainly implemented when resources are more abundant. These higher (but still similar) resource requirements have resulted in a slightly more restricted distribution compared to F. cuprum carbonis, however such distribution is still fairly cosmopolitan. Reaction c is only favorable in ecosystems with extremely high sulfur concentrations, such as around Niylan. The only subspecies known to perform this reaction is F. cuprum sulfuris, and its distribution is restricted to Niylan and small, isolated colonies around other sulfur-based chemochoids (such as, for instance, within the digestive tracts of some organisms). Alternatively, F. cuprum sulfuris is able to take an alternative path in its initial oxidation of copper, which adheres to the following equation: Cu + S → CuS This process is extremely disfavored due to alternative pathways that produce far more energy, however such a path can be taken in dire circumstances and in waters with an extreme lack of CO2. F. nitridia
F. nitridia is, like many other chemochoid species, an acid neutralizer. It has evolved the ability to utilize iron as a means of neutralizing nitric acid through its conversion in aqueous solutions into iron-nitrates and water, which in turn often combine to form its subsequent hydrates. The chemosynthetic process is adherent to the following equation: Fe + 4HNO3 → Fe(NO3)3 + NO + H2O The iron-nitrate hydrides formed are often soluble in water, and can also occasionally serve as potential oxidizers. Additionally, some hydrides (such as pentahydride) actually result in the detachment of some nitrate ions from the central iron, and maintain connection using ionic forces. Thus, this species is cultivated by some organisms involved in photosynthesis as a means of obtaining large quantities of nitrate in areas where nitric acid is high. Ammoniacimykoedie nitrodes
The Ammoniacimykoedie genus contains only one species - A. nitrodes. This type of chemochoid has evolved the ability to oxidize ammonia. These organisms are some of the most cultivated by xenomykorrhizans due to this ability, and ultimately serve as the main source of nitrite for Nitromykoedie nitrikosis to oxidize into nitrate - an essential compound in photosynthesis. This process (oxidation of ammonia) follows the process below: NH3 + O2 → NO-2 + 3H+ + 2e- This process can be broken down into two steps (not shown), however initially requires the presence of a hydrogen and electron source in order to activate. This source is almost always from water, or from acids that have dissociated in an aqueous solution (such as being dissolved in seawater in fact, dissociated acids within the ocean create highly favorable conditions for this reaction in A. nitrodes, and as a result populations of these organisms can thrive in ecosystems with a higher than average pH. N. nitrikosis
N. nitrikosis is a species of chemochoid that often works in partnership with A. nitrodes in nitrification. While Ammoniacimykoedie handles the oxidation of Ammonia, Nitromykoedie specializes in the oxidation of nitrite into nitrate. This reaction is governed largely by the equation below: NO2- + H2O → NO3- + 2H+ + 2e- Notably, the pathway of chemosynthesis chosen by N. nitrikosis results in the release of two electrons unbound to any molecule created by the oxidation. These electrons are used alongside hydrogen ions to generate electrical currents within the cells during other metabolic processes and are recycled in the resulting reactions. It is most commonly found alongside Ammoniacimykoedie in specialized pockets of xenomykorrhizan mycelium designed to cultivate them - however it can (and does) survive with relatively global distribution.
The genus Theiosis is the most common genus in waters with higher sulfur content - and as such can be found both around Niylan and in hydrothermal vents in the deeper regions of Almaishah’s oceans. The species T. primaria is the most common of these, and employs a simple chemosynthetic reaction that allows it to synthesize glucose in a variety of habitats. Its particular method of chemosynthesis is actually shared by chemosynthetic bacteria living within tubeworms on Earth, and adheres to the following chemical formula: 18H2S + 6O2 + 6CO2 → 3S8 + [C6H12O6] + 18H2O This pathway is of extreme benefit to host organisms that live in oxygenated habitats with high levels of hydrosulfuric acid, as it produces nontoxic elemental sulfur (which can be synthesized into organic sulfur compounds by other organisms, thus benefiting the ecosystem as a whole). However, the process is somewhat oxygen intensive, and in high populations can lead to anoxic events or competition for oxygen with a host organism (assuming oxygen producing microbes are also not in high abundance). Consequently, these organisms can sometimes undergo cyclic population growth similar to that of the bloomers. This problem is most pronounced around Niylan, where these kinds of conditions are most often met. It is also worth noting that other population pressures such as predation (or lack thereof) and initial abundances of resources can also make these population explosions and contractions far more likely to occur. T. redoxya
The species Theiosis redoxya, like the other major species of the genus Theiosis, uses hydrosulfuric as the basis for its chemosynthetic reactions. However, likely due to pressures from anoxic events due to population explosions of T. primaria, T. redoxya has adapted a chemosynthetic pathway that allows it to synthesize glucose without the need for oxygen. This has proven particularly advantageous, as it has allowed T. redoxya to survive in anoxic environments - such as in areas that recently experienced an explosion of T. primaria. This type of chemosynthesis adheres to the following equation: 6CO2 + 6H2O + 3H2S → [C6H12O6] + 3H2SO4-2 Interestingly, this chemosynthetic pathway is largely based around the conversion of hydrosulfuric acid into sulfuric acid, and consumes water in the process. Theoretically, if left unchecked, this would result in an extreme rise of the sulfuric acid content of the water, and in smaller, localized environments could result in the creation of extremely acidic environments with a roughly equal composition of sulfuric acid and water. However, T. redoxya struggles to survive in ecosystems with oxygen levels that are too high. Within the intestinal ecosystems of other organisms their population size is usually balanced with other chemochoids that produce oxygen as a byproduct, thus allowing them to be of benefit to both other chemochoids and (indirectly) their host organism. Pseudomethanidae archaea
The only member of its genus, Pseudomethanidae archaea has adapted to use sulfuric acid as a basis for its chemosynthetic reactions. The pressures that led to this strange chemosynthesis are not entirely understood, but it is likely that they adapted this as a means of coping with and making use of sulfuric acid around Nilan - particularly around populations of T. redoxya. Pseudomethanidae does not create glucose with its chemosynthesis - rather, it results in the creation of methane, which is this species' carbon-storage unit of choice. This methane-synthesizing pathway roughly adheres to the following equation: CO2 + 3H2SO4-2 3Ca+2 + 6H2O → 3(CaSO4⦁ 2H2O) + CH4 + 3O2 Synthesis of methane in this way is not as efficient at capturing chemical energy as photosynthesis is, and the excess energy released in this reaction is used by the organism to fuel its immediate metabolic needs as to avoid wasting it. Calcium-sulfate, a nontoxic material that is often referred to as stucco or plaster of paris in its hydrolyzed form, is a nontoxic waste product that is produced from the reaction. In habitats where it is dry enough, the Calcium sulfate will form large gypsum towers that appear to be clusters of rose petals (these are often called “desert roses.”) This is especially commonplace on Niylan itself, and numerous spires of pearl white colored desert roses dot the shorelines of this continent. Within aqueous solutions, however, the acquisition of Calcium ions tends to remain a limiting factor. Usually it is acquired through dissolved compounds containing calcium or through the bioerosion of rocks containing the material. Sulfurum exogiinos
While P. archaea has adapted the ability to convert sulfuric acid into harmless calcium-sulfate for energy, the species S. exogiinos has also adapted of make use of excess sulfuric acid created both naturally around Niylan and hydrothermal vents, and around populations of T. redoxya. While P. archaea creates harmless calcium-sulfate, Sulfurum exogiinos oxidizes sulfuric acid into hydrosulfuric acid by making use of Iodine anions and Hydrogen cations within the water. This process adheres to the following equation: H2SO4-2 + 8NaH → 4Na2 + H2S + 4H2O Like many other chemochoids, S. exogiinos relies on hydrogen sources to fuel its chemical reactions - in this case, in the form of Sodium hydride. This material is actually fairly easy to obtain in environments that are high in hydrogen. As a result, this species prefers ecosystems that have high concentrations of hydrogen. These species can survive elsewhere, however their metabolism is significantly slowed, thus supporting smaller populations. In ecosystems with sufficient hydrogen concentrations, however, population growth is oftentimes explosive and bears significant resemblance to the explosive growth of bloomer colonies. Peculiarly, this species is the only known chemochoid that engages in a parasitic form of symbiosis with another species - the radiotrophs. Because radiotrophs perform electrolysis as a result of their reactions and make use of the hydrogen it produces, colonies of S. exogiinos will grow within these voltaic cells and in other places throughout their bodies where hydrogen is collected. This can severely disrupt their ability to maintain buoyancy, and in extreme cases can result in death due to inability to maintain any buoyancy at all. Free swimming species are most affected, and outbreaks of infectious S. exogiinos populations can devastate schools of motile radiotrophs. However, even sessile radiotrophs are not invulnerable to a S. exogiinos infection, and in particular their larva may have reduced chances of survival due to less hydrogen being available for them to use. Due to living around radiotrophs, the S. exogiinos has developed an extreme resistance to radiation through its advanced cellular and nuclear membranes. This has allowed them to become extremely effective at surviving around sources of radiation (which the species is coming to prefer due to proximity to radiotrophs). Interestingly, an extension of this ability has also enabled them to become resistant to the radio raptor’s gene stealing ability due to the volatility of chemochoid DNA when exposed to high levels of radiation. When cells die and their DNA escapes its protective cellular and nucleic membranes (which is likely non-functional after death anyways) it rapidly breaks down and decays due to the radioactivity of the radio raptor’s body. This either results in the regression of the DNA to an unusable state, or into such a mutated state that it is oftentimes far more harmful than beneficial to the radio raptor. Methanidae neoredoxya
M. neoredoxya is a peculiar species of chemochoid that has adapted the ability to gain energy from the oxidation of one of the most common gasses on Almaishah: CO2. By mixing carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas, the carbon dioxide can be oxidized and used to form methane and oxygen gas by either of the following equation: CO2 + 2H2 → CH4 + O2 CO2 + 2H2O → CH4 + 2O2 (Requires an outside energy source) This oxidizing reaction is the sole energy source for M. neoredoxya, and in many ecosystems it serves as one of the primary biological sources of methane. Its main limiting factor is hydrogen gas, although it does not parasitize radiotrophic organisms like S. exogiinos. This is likely a matter of simply lacking a sufficient degree of resistance to radioactivity, and preference for ecosystems with higher concentrations of CO2. Rather, M. neoredoxya prefers to cohabitate with nitrogen-fixating chemochoids, which produce excess hydrogen when fixating ammonia into nitrite. M. eget
As the other member of the genus Methanidae, M. eget oxidized CO2 in order to synthesize methane as a source of energy. However, M. eget is unique among methane producing cheomchoids in that it is actually a glucose synthesizer, and only uses methane synthesis as an intermediate step. The first phase of this reaction is the oxidation of CO2 into methane - this is what firmly identifies M. eget as a member of the genus Methanidae. As hydrogen gas is not particularly common, M. eget possesses the ability to dissociate water into hydrogen and oxygen gas, as shown below: 12H2O + energy → 12H2 + 6O2 As this reaction requires an external energy source, M. eget makes use of organic silicates in the form of quartz tubes organised into networking bands throughout its frustule and into the interior of the cell to capture the kinetic energy of ocean currents. Once this process is completed, both the methane and oxygen produced in the reaction are used to synthesize glucose in order to store energy released through CO2 oxidation. This second step roughly adheres to the equation below: 6CH4 + 3O2 → [C6H12O6] + 6H2 The hydrogen released in this step is then used to synthesize more methane in the presence of CO2, reducing overall demand for environmental hydrogen. This overall process is defined by the below equation: 6CO2 + 6H2 → C6H12O6 + 3O2 (+ 6O2 if water is dissociated) Interestingly, the overall process still results in the creation of oxygen gas due to excess production of the molecule (more oxygen gas is produced in step one than is needed in step two). As a result, the presence of these organisms is extremely beneficial to organisms that function on the basis of cellular respiration. It is also worth noting that hydrogen gas is quite rare, and as a result hydrogen would usually be expected to enter the system through the intake of water. Ferroxya siderosis
F. siderosis is one of two purely iron-reliant chemochoids present on Almaishah. F. siderosis exploits one of the most common redox reactions for energy - the oxidation of Iron into iron-oxides (one of the most commonly recognized is usually called rust). Rust is normally not assimilable by other organisms, however it does contain Fe(III) ions which may render the substance of use to some extremophiles. F. cuprum
While F. cuprum is a member of the genus Ferroxya, they do not oxidize iron as a means of chemosynthesis; rather, they gather energy through the (similar) oxidation of copper. The oxidation of copper is a similar process and likely evolved through modifications of catalyst enzymes to work with copper instead of iron. The initial oxidation process adheres to the following equations: 4Cu + O2 → 2Cu2O 2Cu2O + O2 → 4CuO Additionally, F. cuprum is capable of further oxidizing copper into patina, using one of the following chemical equations (the one chosen is based on the subspecies and region). a. 2CuO + CO2 + H2O → Cu2CO3(OH)2 b. 3CuO + 2CO2 + H2O → Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 c. 4CuO + SO3 + 3H2O → Cu4SO4(OH)6 Reaction a is favored by the subspecies F. cuprum carbonis, and is favorable in conditions in which the amount of reactants is limited. This is also the most common subspecies and reaction type, primarily due to its low resource consumption. Reaction b is favored by the subspecies F. cuprum dicarbonia, and is mainly implemented when resources are more abundant. These higher (but still similar) resource requirements have resulted in a slightly more restricted distribution compared to F. cuprum carbonis, however such distribution is still fairly cosmopolitan. Reaction c is only favorable in ecosystems with extremely high sulfur concentrations, such as around Niylan. The only subspecies known to perform this reaction is F. cuprum sulfuris, and its distribution is restricted to Niylan and small, isolated colonies around other sulfur-based chemochoids (such as, for instance, within the digestive tracts of some organisms). Alternatively, F. cuprum sulfuris is able to take an alternative path in its initial oxidation of copper, which adheres to the following equation: Cu + S → CuS This process is extremely disfavored due to alternative pathways that produce far more energy, however such a path can be taken in dire circumstances and in waters with an extreme lack of CO2. F. nitridia
F. nitridia is, like many other chemochoid species, an acid neutralizer. It has evolved the ability to utilize iron as a means of neutralizing nitric acid through its conversion in aqueous solutions into iron-nitrates and water, which in turn often combine to form its subsequent hydrates. The chemosynthetic process is adherent to the following equation: Fe + 4HNO3 → Fe(NO3)3 + NO + H2O The iron-nitrate hydrides formed are often soluble in water, and can also occasionally serve as potential oxidizers. Additionally, some hydrides (such as pentahydride) actually result in the detachment of some nitrate ions from the central iron, and maintain connection using ionic forces. Thus, this species is cultivated by some organisms involved in photosynthesis as a means of obtaining large quantities of nitrate in areas where nitric acid is high. Ammoniacimykoedie nitrodes
The Ammoniacimykoedie genus contains only one species - A. nitrodes. This type of chemochoid has evolved the ability to oxidize ammonia. These organisms are some of the most cultivated by xenomykorrhizans due to this ability, and ultimately serve as the main source of nitrite for Nitromykoedie nitrikosis to oxidize into nitrate - an essential compound in photosynthesis. This process (oxidation of ammonia) follows the process below: NH3 + O2 → NO-2 + 3H+ + 2e- This process can be broken down into two steps (not shown), however initially requires the presence of a hydrogen and electron source in order to activate. This source is almost always from water, or from acids that have dissociated in an aqueous solution (such as being dissolved in seawater in fact, dissociated acids within the ocean create highly favorable conditions for this reaction in A. nitrodes, and as a result populations of these organisms can thrive in ecosystems with a higher than average pH. N. nitrikosis
N. nitrikosis is a species of chemochoid that often works in partnership with A. nitrodes in nitrification. While Ammoniacimykoedie handles the oxidation of Ammonia, Nitromykoedie specializes in the oxidation of nitrite into nitrate. This reaction is governed largely by the equation below: NO2- + H2O → NO3- + 2H+ + 2e- Notably, the pathway of chemosynthesis chosen by N. nitrikosis results in the release of two electrons unbound to any molecule created by the oxidation. These electrons are used alongside hydrogen ions to generate electrical currents within the cells during other metabolic processes and are recycled in the resulting reactions. It is most commonly found alongside Ammoniacimykoedie in specialized pockets of xenomykorrhizan mycelium designed to cultivate them - however it can (and does) survive with relatively global distribution.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
The chemochoids no longer have the ability to turn light into energy, yet this ancestral ability is also the reason they are able to detect light. Since the chemochoids do not have any eyes, they instead use trace amounts of chlorophyll within their cells to detect light. These trace levels of chlorophyll excite molecules within the cell - possibly trace amounts of photosynthesis - and indicate to the chemochoid that light is present.
The chemochoid’s “skin” (cellular membrane) is a chemically sensitive, porous membrane surrounding the cell underneath the frustule. The membrane is chemically active and littered with chemoreceptors. Through the use of these sensitive chemoreceptors, the chemochoid can gain information about the state of its environment. Most of this information is with regards to what kinds of chemical compounds are available, however this information is also with regards to if it is sheltered (such as within the gut of larger, CO2 producing organisms).
The chemochoid’s “skin” (cellular membrane) is a chemically sensitive, porous membrane surrounding the cell underneath the frustule. The membrane is chemically active and littered with chemoreceptors. Through the use of these sensitive chemoreceptors, the chemochoid can gain information about the state of its environment. Most of this information is with regards to what kinds of chemical compounds are available, however this information is also with regards to if it is sheltered (such as within the gut of larger, CO2 producing organisms).
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
Chemochoids are natural symbiotes, and are known to engage in symbiosis with a number of species (including other chemochoids). Some of the most notable symbiotic relationships seen are their association with the digestive system of rock-eaters fish and snugglepods. Among other mycoids (and indirectly phytozoans), the chemochoid is known to be cultivated by xenomykorrhizans. In all three of these mutualistic symbiotic relationships, the chemochoid is granted higher concentrations of CO2 and other materials, while their partners are able to gain access to the compounds created by their chemosynthetic processes.
Chemochoids are also known to engage in parasitism - most notably parasitizing radiotrophs due to their ability to seek out chemical sources and production of hydrogen gas (a material used by several species of chemochoids in their chemical reactions). These parasitic relationships can range in severity, with both minor resource loss and death of entire colonies of radiotrophs known to have occurred.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Scientific Name
Theiosis primaria, T. redoxya, Pseudomethanidae archaea, Sulfurum exogiinos, Methanidae neoredoxya, M. eget, Ferroxya siderosis, F. cuprum, F. nitridia, Ammoniacimykoedie nitrodes, Nitromykoedie nitrikosis
Origin/Ancestry
Phytozoa
Lifespan
5 hours - 21 local days
Average Height
~125 μm (0.125 mm)
Average Length
~150 μm (0.2 mm)
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Usually, the pigmentation of a particular species of chemochoid is based on the chemicals it uses to fuel its reactions, as well as the chemicals it produces as a byproduct. The main driver is the reactant compounds, as these are usually stored in higher abundance within the chemocoid. Often because of this, chemochoid species can exhibit vivid coloration that, when large enough colonies form, can be visible to the naked eye. Examples of such colors include reds, blues, yellows, and even light violet.
Geographic Distribution
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