Aurumviridae

The Aurumviridae is a mutable DNA virus that lives and thrives in most of the lifeforms on Conglomera. Hemoglobin-based lifeforms are its favoured choice. Aurumviridae is able to jump species depending on population levels and environments. The virus is able to survive extreme climate conditions.

They are a creation of God_sidge.

Biology
Aurumviridae is a DNA-based, segmented, double-stranded, antisense virus. The average size of the Aurumviridae is 20 nanometres. Seen under a microscope, the virus shows a yellow tint, thus the name Aurum (Gold in Latin). An infected host will show a golden/yellowish rash which indicates the latter stages of infection.

Behaviour
The Aurumviridae is an aggressive virus and is prevalent in all climates. The virus will be most readily seen in high density populations with variants of the virus specialising in less biologically diverse species with small populations.

Diet and Feeding Patterns
The Aurumviridae favours species with hemoglobin. The virus will replicate at an extraordinary rate once a foothold in the host's body is established.

Social and Territoriality
N/A

Mating and Reproduction
The Aurumviridae reproduces by replication. The virus will infect a host cell and uses that cell as a scaffold/platform for replication. Once the virus copies its own DNA into the host cell, the virus will then go through cellular mitosis for each new cell it infects. The virus will infect every cell in a host if left untreated. The latter stages of infection can cause cancer of the respiratory and vascular systems of the host, which will in time cause death by asphyxiation and internal bleeding. Once death of the host is caused, the host's body will hemorrhage highly infectious blood in order to transfer the virus to another host, via ingestion, open wound, or in some cases via the air. The life-cycle then continues.

Outside of a host, the lifespan of the Aurumviridae is approximately 36 hours. Certain climates such as extreme cold can lengthen the life of the virus in a dormant state for decades. If left unchecked and untreated with advanced medical techniques, the virus will reproduce in a host indefinitely until the catastrophic collapse of all the host's biological systems. Death of the Aurumviridae can be caused by competing viruses, a strong immune system, and/or with powerful medication.

Intelligence
No obvious levels of intelligence. Entirely instinctual.

History
The Aurumviridae was once a single cellular organism that regressed into a virus as it was not able to compete with other single cell organisms. It found a greater chance of survival and better reproduction/infection rates as a virus due to the explosion of multi-cellular lifeforms on the planet.

Content Links
Link to content (stories, drawings, whatever) featuring this species.