Montane Stickymoss

As the Stickymoss moved to higher altitudes, it began to affix itself to rocks rather than the crystal flora of their ancestors. The juveniles remained much the same as their ancestors: mobile males with thick mucus to allow them to stick to almost any surface, although they have a far more terrestrial lifestyle than juvenile Stickymoss. The adults do show some significant changes. They are still immobile hermaphrodites which have lost the juvenile’s eyes and digestive system. However, they are shorter, with longer spines, and generally attach flush to whatever surface they happen to settle on, regardless of its orientation. (Some upwards curling may occur at the tips.) The Montane Stickymoss still requires water for breeding, and thus individuals that inhabit drier habitats release their gametes only during rain, allowing them to spawn in larger puddles. The population in Seal Moor breeds during flooding.