Driftring

Splitting from its ancestor, C. Multi-Teneresca, this descendant now clump up together into groups of 6, forming a colony in the shape of a thick saucer. They drift along at the mercy of the ocean currents, collecting food from the surrounding waters as they go along with their pseudopods. The individuals the compose the colony, at least morphologically, are mostly the same as their ancestor beyond a few minor differences. The primary of these, beyond the formation of a colony, is that they have evolved stomata that interconnect the cells as well as two bumps at the bottom corner of each individual, which in turn creates a hole in the center of the colony which both increases the total amount of surface area for the cells as well as allowing oxygenated water to pass through.

The image above depicts a cross-section of one such colony, demonstrating the the internal workings of the various cells that compose it as well as its feeding strategy.

Feeding Strategy

Like its ancestor, the Driftring uses appendages extending from each individual to catch food, but unlike its ancestor, they now work in tandem with one another. When a potential food source is detected, such as another microbe or bit of detritus, a pseudopod is extended in an attempt to engulf it. As it does this, the individual cell involved releases chemicals to its nearby partners in the colony, whereupon receiving them they too will extend pseudopods at the the potential food source, thus proportionally increasing the chances of ensnaring it. When caught, the pseudopods will wrap around its catch and engulf it, which will slowly move towards its main body. The food will then be digested within by specialized digestive organelles, and nutrients will then be distributed throughout the colony. In order accomplish this task, small stomata have evolved between each individual cell in order to connect them, and they are used to share the nutrients.