Shred-bearing squaripto (Cyroterm species)

## Shred-bearing squaripto

Squaripto is observable in suspended motion, when it spins all of its insides mix into a blur from viewer's perception.

## Location

### Pref. biomes

Inner medium of living organisms, temperate soil.

## Features

### Size

A little smaller than a Earth mitochondrion (given that it's Cyroterm analogue is about the same size)

### Reproduction

Asexual, parent disintegrates after giving inner birth

### Movement

Vertical rotation of varying speed, planktonic drifting when on low energy

### Nutrition

Direct energy molecule accumulation, otherwise parasitic and saprophagous

## Taxonomy

### Species

Muctaruptus segmenti

**Shred-bearing squaripto** *(Muctaruptus segmenti)* is a microscopic energy molecule absorbing lifeform, which infects organisms that are diggers, more or less. It is named "shred-bearing" due to it always having floating light purple shreds inside of it (actually it's ribosome equivalents). It's a lifeform that possesses no organelles that are able to release energy from nutrients. However it does have organelles that are able to transform ATP (molecule ready for energy gain) to ADP (molecule used to store energy) and back. It belongs to Order *Puriradiara* (Abrastars) radially-bodied irritants with metabollically adept core. The Order *Puriradiara* however belongs to Kingdom *Nitertiorgia* (Sappergunks), an ancient group full of energy-sapping organisms.

## Appearance/Anatomy

S.b. squaripto seems transparent, sharing a color with it's surroundings, although, in reality, it's outer layer conveys a mirror-like effect. This hides part of the s.b.squaripto's organelles thus making part of it's anatomic composure a mystery for now. Some visible organelles include the metabollic core which is less of a nucleus and more like microtubulle network that is more intricate than it looks from the top. This network allows s.b. squaripto to perform a process called "energy pumping". S.b squaripto's body is surrounded by 8 "plugs" which allow it to absorb energy (made possible by the straightened needles) and also move, among other possible functions. Similarly there are additional organelles seen which are implied to synthesize proteins much like Earth organism ribosomes do.

## Behavior

S.b. squaripto like every other organism may show distinct patterns and strategies to utilize it's powers/features as well as use/find available resources. It lives similarly to a mobile electric appliance - passively drifting when on low energy and spinning fast like a runaway wheel when on high energy. Despite seeming reckless when energized, S.b. squaripto uses the bended pins of it's eight plugs to steer and even turn. It slows down a bit when entering the cells and approaching mitochondria-equivalents of the lifeforms it has infected. It appears to cause harm to host intentionally, by releasing special irritation which causes host to perform energy-exhausting functions like panting and coughing.

## Habitat

S.b squariptos are only able to remain unharmed in their low-active state only when burried in the soil. They generally get absorbed by local sessile life (plant, fungi and similar) or mobile life. S.b squariptos have to strategies, either use sessile life (due to them preferably being more focused on storing energy) or mobile life (due to the latter generally synthesizing more energy since they need to spend more). Once in a host, S.b squaripto seek tissues that are involved in needing mostly ATP, like brain, muscle bundles and the like.

## Abilities

S.b squariptos have been previously mentioned using "energy sapping". It involves utilizing the plugs which allow s.b. squaripto to absorb ATP and release ADP from the other end. It also requires water to work. However, S.b. squaripto is revealed to also save up some energy, thus is also saves up some ADP to later transform it into ATP using energy from a later raid. In both energy reactions, S.b squariptos need to use up or release water in their bodies. Sometimes S.b. squaripto can expel water as an additional jet propulsion method. It relies on being fast when immune system is after it but may get dissolved when it is caught when slow. If immune cells catches it while absorbing energy, it may temporary resist the attack of the smaller immune cells due to it's outer layer being composed of not exactly easily digestable materials.

## Diet

Besides needing the energy, since it has no means to get it from the nutrients itself, S.b. squaripto does need to absorb chemical compounds needed to run it's other processes and of course, allow it to grow. Therefore it absorbs and deconstructs small enough proteins it can find while spinning or floating around the organism. It can also feed when it has been left behind in the soil. It can be tricky to find food, because it's plugs are mostly modified to absorb molecules closer to the size of an ATP molecule.

## Life cycle

The life of new S.b. squariptos starts with the death of their parent since it bestows all it' energy to the comparatively formless newborns and also most of it's bonds forming it's body loosen due to this transaction. S.b squariptos begin life while hidden away inside the host like lots of parasites. They grow in a specfic way, their radial familiar forms stars growing in the middle of their previous amoeba-like bodies. So they have a sort of mucus membrane around themselves. As their radial body becomes more harder and less likely to fall apart the mucus membrane dissipates but it stays the longest around the squaripto's pins since they are vulnerable to blunt force. Due to pins being cowered by mucus most of the childhood, it cannot spin itself as fast as an adult and most seek vulnerable cells to get into as well as avoid detection. Most S.b. squariptos end up in the soil during their supposed "teenage" phase due to the previous host having improved it's immune system to largely endanger the squaripto or if it has been killed by an abiotic factor or a predator that only partially eats it's prey. Soil S.b squariptos have to rely on being reingested and then they need to accumulate nutrient resources alongside stealing energy to produce new youngsters.

## Ecology

As a typical microscopic parasite, S.b squariptos are responsible for influencing it's host population to evolve by proving to be a challenge that generally underadapted individuals wouldn't survive as easier as more adaptable ones. There are also certain predators that would try to consume squaripto due to the energy molecules and nutrients it contains (similarly how insects and birds try to hunt mosquittos due to their status as floating containers of blood). S.b squariptos also are part of soil microfauna and may redistribute some energy into it, which would allow other Cyroterm microfauna to receive the said energy.