23 Squilgi

Name: Squilgi
Descendant of: Slilcrumb
Description: Like it's ancestor it will go crusty and flaky when dessicated, but remain alive for months, sometimes years in a dormant dehydrated state. When active and wet they expand like a wetted sponge and have a bubbly, squidgy texture. Their top layer of cells forms a skin-like membrane covered in microscopic pits from where tiny spores are released into the atmosphere.
Squilgi encourages organic soil formation by being able to grow on barren or near-barren dirt as long as there is enough water. After a few generations of squilgi barren inorganic soil will have formed a thin layer of organic mud at the top.
They don't tolerate well full submersion in water for extended periods of time as they will rot in the long term but can survive underwater temporarily, such as in the situation of flooding.
Because they retain water they attract many microbes, some beneficial for freeing nutrients, some more parasitizing. Squilgi gets by on losses to pathogenic bacteria and other unicellular pathogens by not having competition from any other multicellular phototrophs in it's location.
Reproduction: It reproduces by growth and fragmentation and flaking (clones) but will occasionally produce asexual spores.
Food: Photosynthesis
Ocean Locations: Land Locations: 4 (Riverbank), 4 (Lakeside), 4 (Wetland)

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• 13 Slilcrumb