Occurrensa

Introduction:

Occurrens are organisms who's metabolism, reproduction, and/or favored environmental conditions are reliant on other species and/or compounds of extraterrestrial origin. The first known occurrens evolved from contact between microbes from New Rocheron and Borled during first contact between the Illithid-Dilug Intersteller Empire and the United Nations of Borled. These microbes were initially unable to interact due to differing biochemical processes, but ~7,000 years of evolution allowed the two alien clades to prey upon each other and exchange genetic material. Further developments of occurrensa organisms occured after most first contact events, with these new ecosystems later coming into contact with each other in shared spaces like space stations. In the modern era, most occurensa biomass is concentrated in 27,490 species present in 7 distinct environments commonly found in spaces frequently exposed to space travel.

Natural Occurrens:

Ventremuscosocieta: A genus of moss that uses color to signal to the tbd species to consume it. The moss and the tbd have a symbiotic relationship: the tbd provides cover and resources, and the moss breaks down organisms and polymers normally inaccebale to the tbd's enzymes.  

Artificial Occurens:

Vitafaexavora: A clade of microorganisms designed to kill microbes commonly found in the excreted waste of larger organisms. Vitafaexavores were designed to be placed in waste processing systems and septic tanks to reduce toxin buildup.   EQUAL: A bacterial species designed as a complement to the multicellular immune system and to keep ecosystems isolated to prevent the further development of occurrens.