The Prize is a Parasite!

[ffutures]

Paging karohemd and gonzo21....

Well, I said I'd name a parasite after you:

The hotland food chain is unusually complicated, gaining most of its energy from thermal photosynthesis, conversion of infra-red light to chemical energy by the mud bacteria. These are in turn eaten by any of a hundred different species of “plant” or “fungus” (for want of better descriptive terms) which also devour each other and are in turn eaten by the larger species, while trying to devour them or infect them with their spores. A typical example is Deas Gonzonian, a “worm” which appears after rain. It has specifically evolved to mimic less harmful species, its sole role in life being to be eaten – because once eaten its spores, which have a waxy coating and strong shell, and are highly resistant to most digestive enzymes, can attack the eater from the inside!

Hope this meets with approval?