Genus Patera, Bowls

Domain: Memetica

Kingdom: Artefactogenica

Phylum: Instrumenta

Class: Naturalis

Order: Epistylia

Family: Continens

Methods of reproduction: Spontaneous reinvention, mimicry, teaching

Symbiotic with flatlanders such as Terrans, providing them a means of scooping or storing liquid on constant-force worlds. Bowls can also be used to store loose objects or granules. The primary artifact is a concave shape approximating a half sphere, varying in size from a lower limit set by the surface tension of the fluid, up to whatever the species utilizing them can easily transport by hand. Material and means of forming vary from species to species. Guided macro-mutations between species within the genus is ubiquitous. Commonly bowl artifacts can be identified by radial symmetry, a large aperture comparable to the radius of the whole object, and current use or placement for use in their niche. In storage, bowl artifacts can be more difficult to identify, and require either comprehension of the meme, or recognition of the specific species and subspecies.