Rubilumina leviathan

“Red and luminous sea monster”
Kingdom
Microsynthera
Phylum
Plasticae
Class
Occlupanida
Order
Orthogonidectes
Family
Tridentidae
Genus
Rubilumina
Species
leviathan
External morphology

Thick translucent integument. Size 40 mm x 37 mm.

Huge and ghostlike, this near-mythical occlupanid was discovered by occlupanologist D. Estabrook (FORC) in a surprising location: small plastic bottle “aquariums” filled with water and other occlupanids. Even more surprising was the fact that Estabrook herself created these aquariums in Hesperia, CA over a decade ago ca. 2005, but thought them lost to time and memory. Recently re-discovered in the back of a garage, these specimens of R. leviathan have survived for years submerged in the watery depths. Unusual for a Tridentid, their central dential process is distinctly rounded. The thick clear integument is nearly invisible, but other color morphs such as green and red (thus the genus name) have been recorded.  While they seem uniquely adapted to the abyssal realms of discarded plastic containers, their original host data is unknown.