fridusuch

Fridusuch is a fictional genus used in speculative biology and worldbuilding to illustrate principles of taxonomy, ecology, and evolutionary convergence. In imagined ecosystems, fridusuch organisms are small, gelatinous invertebrates that inhabit freshwater habitats and occasionally damp terrestrial microhabitats near streams.

Most depictions describe individuals 3–15 mm long, with a soft, translucent body and a segmented appearance. They carry numerous slender, ciliated feeding tentacles arranged around a ventral mouth. Some renderings show a gelatinous outer covering or a rudimentary protective lorica.

They are detritivores and micrograzers, feeding on algae, microbial mats, and decaying plant matter. They often form loose biofilms on submerged vegetation and play a minor role in nutrient cycling. Reproduction is described as asexual budding or fragmentation, with resting spores formed in cooler seasons.

The genus is fictional; authors place it in various provisional groups to explore how classification might shift with new data.

The name is constructed from imagined roots intended to evoke coldness and suction. Fridusuch is used as a teaching and worldbuilding aid to discuss taxonomy, ecological roles, and the line between real and fictional organisms.