adhérens

Adhärens is a fictional clade of sessile marine invertebrates commonly depicted in speculative biology and worldbuilding. In these works, they form dense biogenic mats on rocky substrates in shallow coastal waters. The name derives from the Latin adhaero, to cling.

The colonies are modular, comprising zooids linked by stolons. Individual units bear tentacular crowns and filter-feeding apparatus. A thick mucous layer and specialized adhesive glands produce a strong extracellular polymer that anchors the colony to rock surfaces.

Reproduction occurs both asexually by budding and sexually through release of planula-like larvae. Larvae disperse with currents and settle on suitable substrates, initiating new mats.

Adhärens inhabit temperate to tropical intertidal and shallow subtidal zones, often on wave-swept rocks or submerged reefs. They contribute to substrate stabilization, create microhabitats for small invertebrates, and may host symbiotic algae in some models.

In fictional settings, Adhärens are valued for their adhesives, which are depicted as strong, flexible, and bio-compatible. They appear in worldbuilding guides as examples of coastal keystone organisms and are sometimes used as inspiration for bioadhesive technologies.

Adhärens are not a real taxon; they exist within speculative biology literature and fictional worlds. Variants and details vary by author, with common features including adhesion-based ecology and colonial organization.