Fusing Protist - Amoeba

Overview
Not many protists are found on Vispericulum. The few species that do exist dominate their microscopic world. Fusing protists, unlike many others, do mitosis 30% of the time instead of the usual 10%. They are common prey for many creatures.

Daily Life
These amoebas are found under the water, often in the ocean. They are food for many microscopic creatures, so they have to split quickly and often. They live near minerals so they have a large supply of needed food. They develop quickly when they need to split.

Sometimes, when one splits, the other will have a mutation where instead of eating minerals, it will eat other amoebas of the same kind. After growing enough by eating other fusing amoebas, it will grow and change into an amoeba with 3 leglike appendages.

Adaptations

 * The mutations are actually natural, though only 1 in 50 receive it and do not destroy themselves. If the amoebas with the mutation split, their copy ends up without the mutation unless that 1 in 50 mutation occurs to the copy.
 * Their appearance is not very different from that of other amoebas. Only their behavior sets them apart from other amoebas.