Olentoons

Olentoons are a genus of bioluminescent, amorphous lifeforms native to the temperate swamps and cave systems of the planet Lyria in the Vespar Nebula. They appear as gelatinous masses with a glowing central core and radiating tendrils, capable of altering their shape to fit gaps and crevices.

The name Olentoons derives from their self-designation olento, meaning "light-souls" in their language, combined with the English suffix -oon to denote a creature.

They lack fixed organs and rely on an interwoven cell network. Their colors shift with energy intake and mood. They range from centimeters to several meters in size and sense their environment through bioluminescent signals and chemical gradients.

They inhabit damp forests and caves where geothermal warmth and microbial mats are present, forming clusters called hollows and traveling along underground waterways during wet seasons.

In groups, they coordinate bioluminescent pulses to convey information; solitary individuals are more exploratory. They feed on microbial mats and dissolved minerals, contributing to nutrient cycling, and show simple social memory and cooperative responses to threats.

They reproduce asexually through fragmentation; fragments can regenerate into viable individuals. Some populations produce dormant seed cores that drift and establish new colonies.

Olentoons appear in ecological research and in local folklore as guardians of memory and light. Scientists study their cognition and communication, and conservation groups advocate habitat protection to prevent disruption of swamp and cave ecosystems.