Ambrosia Moss Turtles

[TLDunn213]

An interesting Teraforming Symbiotic lifeform Bioenginered during the Gith Rebellion. And one of the keys to the success of that rebellion.

The question, of how much of the Bioengineering was done by the Gith themselves is not easy to answer. Having been slaves to both the Saurians and the Thulians clearly afforded them access to the basics they would have needed. On the other hand, the Morlocks and Aqualith are known to have given aid to the Gith, and the Aqualith would have been well able to craft such a creature.

 

But on to the creature itself, The idea is quite simple give a turtle acid glands in its mouth to help it eat rock, along with whatever organic stuff might be laying around. Next adapt the shell with ducts that Chanel the mineral rich mud,along with the turtle's biowaste up to the Ambrosia Moss, which will feed on it and store glucose in root nodules which link to the turtle's circulatory system.

And We La, a creature that can live on light, water, and rocks.

 

But how does that help the Gith ?

Well, the Ambrosia Moss was over engineered so as to make way more glucose and oxygen than it and the turtle will ever need. And this surplus is stored in the Ambrosia pods which form outside of the turtle's shell.

 

Not only is this stuff food, it can be dissolved in a slury of Ambrosia Moss and Glow Moss (which is really a bioluminescent fungus, but I'll cover that later) so as to provide both a carbon dioxide sink and a source of oxygen, along with a limited amount of light.

 

All of which allowed the Gith to hide in places that were never searched as they were uninhabitable.

Of course the Acid Mine Turtle helped keep searchers from looking to closely.

 

The acid turtle was a weponized retooling of the Moss Turtle.

In short you remove the Moss and give them lots of extra acid glands

That are hooked up to the duct system.

They get frightened they pull into their shell

Something bothers them after that, they spray acid everywhere.

 

And yes the Moss Turtle can spit its acid as an attack, but it will only do so if highly provoked.

[TLDunn213]

Moss turtles shed their shells every few months leaving patches of Ambrosia Moss behind.

 

Patches of Glow Moss tend to grow nearby.

Not surprising as Ambrosia Moss needs light.

Just what the Glow Moss is getting out of the deal is unclear,

But the biggest patches are typically found near Ambrosia Moss.