Cage Gorgon
Gorgon thalamiskos
A predatory soft coral named for its resemblance to Earth's gorgonians.
Overview
A predatory soft coral named for its resemblance to Earth's gorgonians.
Gameplay attributes
No extractable gameplay attributes for this entry.
PDA Analysis
1. Sponge-coral moiety
Like hard corals on this world, gorgons are sponges inhabited by cnidarian polyps — tiny jellyfish like organisms which live within the sponge and direct its growth. Unlike hard corals, they do not produce a limestone structure or host photosynthetic microbes. They are pure predators.
2. Caged friend
The cage gorgon specializes in capturing and protecting a symbiotic partner, which attracts prey for the gorgon to sting and eat. The cage gorgon larva probably adheres to a partner (such as a cherimoya rotsac) and then grows around it, eventually fastening the partner to the seafloor.
3. Duplex larva
The free-swimming reproductive stage of the cage gorgon carries cells of a host sponge, like seeds. These seeds are genetically distinct from other sponges in the ecosystem, suggesting the cage gorgon is monogamous with only a single host sponge.
Assessment
Related Creatures
More entries from the same ecological slice.
Acid Raion
A colony of worms living inside a shared membrane, probably a sponge. Uses weak acid to digest prey.
Aeroshell Sponge
A glowing sponge (tentatively *Symphon aeroshell*) that resembles the cone of a heat shield on atmospheric entry.
Amphora Sponge
A sponge adapted to colonize — and create — air pockets.