Cryoplate

With the water column dominated by other planktonic photosynthesizers, some cryosagania took to the sea floor and formed sessile colonies. Colonies that lay flat against the sea floor gave rise to the cryoplate. Cryoplates form disc-like colonies that lie flat against the sea floor. This proved to be advantageous in the polar waters they called home, as only one surface of the organism was exposed to the elements. Cryoplate cells have lost their flagella due to their sedentary nature. Cryoplates grow by splitting cells off from the centermost ring. After reaching 240 µm in diameter, the cell will begin releasing its outermost ring as they are replaced with a new one. These outermost ring cells will then morph into small, round generative cells that will then give rise to a new colony.