Full View for intricacies

Moons of Jupiter expedition series

More Swamp Secrets [link] - the Giant Arumesq lifeform spore analysis.

We collected the floating spore from the swamp marvels of Ganymede - finally the results are back from Ark Biosphere Research Base.

What appears to be a fungoid is in fact more animalian than we had hypothesized. It seems the pod's outer hooked projections have prehensile extendable functions driven by a rudimentary brain. They can inflate allowing the creature to float on light airs. Deflated but still extended, they will grip and hold surfaces they touch by tentacular twining or suction. You can see how they will also work to suspend the pod in the way they have attached multiple extension tips to form a hanging device at the top.

The inner chamber opens, as seen in front of the image, and the egg-like seeds are deposited thru this aperture by leverage from the long green tubular arms within.

Thus this little spore pod is the vehicle of the as yet un-named lifeform's next generations.
Unfortunately this pod had already expelled its' cargo.

This is an astounding discovery, as the actual lifeform seemed to be more of a lily-like plant, but this analysis takes our understanding of the plasticity of exobiology forward in one giant leap.

So it seems we must return to that swamp to harvest more ripe spore (hopefully carrying viable eggs) and study its' habits over some time. I'll drop in asap to leave a bot there to monitor it all so we can be aware when we need to be present for the harvest.

But how often are those moons in conjunction? It could be a long wait.

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More in the Moons of Jupiter Expedition series

Una Magnifica [link]

Bursting with Life [link]

Swamp Secrets [link]

Lunar Landing [link]

Callisto1 Drilling Derrick [link]

Callisto2 Base [link]

Callisto1 Site Excavation [link]

Chronicles d'Anu [link]

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Apophysis 2.08 3DH

JuliaN Shapes script [link] with much work on the resulting flame.