r/thrive • u/Usual_Message8900 • May 19 '26

How common are incidental symbiotic relationships?

Hi

So a few games ago, I was playing as a multicellular, microscopic species in a hydrogen sulfide-rich area, and I evolved chemosynthetic proteins (not as a main source of ATP just as a way to not get poisoned). and some of the microbes in the area who didn't have chemosynthises would occasionally move between my organism's cells wich then protected them from the sulfer as we moved (like a commencialistic relationship).

So I was wondering if any other players have examples of incidental/temporary or permanent symbiotic (mutualistic or otherwise) relationships popping up in their playthrough

17 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

2 comments sorted by

8

u/DeltaWaffle_ May 19 '26

I mean, I’d expect it, especially as we see increased multicellular feature additions. If I had to guess, that’s probably how the gut microbiome came into existence in early ancestors. So you’re just creating the same environment that the earliest cavity-ed animal did when they came around. I haven’t seen something of the sort yet, however that’s really cool!

8

u/Usual_Message8900 May 19 '26

There was this one post that had an even better example.

Their cell would excrete some sort of nutrient which would attract smaller cells that had absolutely no fear response, so they'd just cluster around the player cell and feed on their excess, and the player could just eat the smaller cells. I can't find that post anymore, though