Sargrasso

Sargrasso is a simple and ubiquitous feature of the ancient oceans of Almaishah around 450 mya. [Creature design by Dapper Dinosaur]

Basic Information

Anatomy

The anatomy of sargrasso is radically simplified, it consists of a rhizoid, a stalk, and a simple leaf like structure. The stalk does not branch, and this gives it the look of a purple grass under the ocean.

Genetics and Reproduction

Sargrasso can spread rapidly through vegetative reproduction, where their rhizoid extends horizontally and then sends up new stalks. They also give off haploid spores which when combining with another haploid spore will develop into a new colony of sargrasso if conditions are right. This happens usually at night about once every 6 days for each stand, because some stands of sargrasso may be come desynchronized this may lead to sympatric speciation of sargrasso if the desynchronization is persistent.

Growth Rate & Stages

From a spore it only takes a few local days for the first shoot of sargrasso to sprout, and from there it will spread. A new stalk will form every few days as long as the substrate contains enough minerals and other nutrients, and the sunlight provides sufficient energy. In ideal conditions a sargrasso stand can nearly double in size in a day, making it one of the fastest growing autotrophs. As a result numerous herbivores rely on sargrasso for a regular supply of food.

Ecology and Habitats

Sargrasso forms the base of many food webs, but it is also highly sensitive to environmental disturbance. For example if a flood washes extra sediment into an area, the loss of light for a few days can cause a widespread die-off of sargrasso, similarly they have very low resistance to environmental toxins. Of course they can also be cleared out by overconsumption from organisms like Magnospina.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Sargrasso is found everywhere enough sunlight can reach the bottom of the ocean, but is particularly common in the shallow sea between Yama and Kub Shay.

Genetic Ancestor(s)