Post by A®heim on Dec 29, 2010 16:51:47 GMT -5
Species Name: Tardigrim alae diabolus
Species Type: Insectoid
Planet of Origin: Aiaru
Average Maximum age: 3 years
Age of Maturation: 7 months
Average Height: 90-120mm
Average Weight: 25-35 kg
Notable biological features: Petite, frail humanoids with two sets of insectoid wings, large eyes, and a large mouth filled with sharp teeth. Spits venom.
Number of limbs and Type: 2 arms, 2 legs, 4 wings
Research Notes:
While often mistaken from afar as beautiful, winged humanoid creatures wreathed in a shining nimbus, a closer look reveals a tardigrim to be anything but. The vicious creature's facial features are elongate and alien, sporting two large, black eyes and a gaping maw brimming with razor-like fangs. Two sets of insect-like wings adorn their backs though they provide only limited hovering flight capability. Possessing very little sentience, the closest thing these solitary creatures have to a social activity is mating--a rather quick affair in which the female rips the male's wings off one by one and then eats his head; possibly for nourishment, though it is more widely speculated that they just do it for fun.
Another distinctive physical feature are the two neurotoxin secreting glands positioned in grooves just beneath the tardigrim's fangs. Not only does this give the creature a lethal bite, but the tardigrim may also spit this venom at a range of up to 6 meters causing blindness and eventually paralysis. The toxin has a numbing effect on living tissue an it's not unheard of for victims to be completely unaware they are being fed upon in their sleep as the tardigrim freely rips chunks of flesh from the bone. Exotic collectors come to Aiaru to try to capture these relatively rare creatures to admire their "abstract beauty." In addition, there have been galactic conservation efforts to try to preserve the species which are quickly driving themselves to extinction with territorial infighting and marital head devouring. Residents of Aiaru think they're all insane.
Species Name: Altean Blast Shrimp praemium alpheus
Species Type: Invertebrate
Planet of Origin: Aiaru
Average Maximum age: 9 months
Age of Maturation: 1 month
Average Length: 10-30mm
Average Weight: 100-300g
Notable biological features:Transparent carapace, chemical evacuation siphon
Number of limbs and Type: 10 legs
Research Notes:
Studied both in reef colonies and in large, open ocean schools, Altean blast shrimp constitute a major fishing industry. However these animals are harvested not for food but for a biosynthesized compound chemically similar to nitro glycerin (a stabilizer compound added to eliminate detonation from small impacts). This chemical acts as a cheap source of energy for Aiaru's budding industry and as a powerful self-defense mechanism for the blast shrimp. A transparent pouch in the shrimp's tail works as both a holding area for the chemical as it is synthesized and as a siphon for launching the caustic cocktail. When threatened, the shrimp discharges the contents of the pouch from its rear along with a catalyst that breaks down the compound that keeps the chemical stable. The ensuing burst creates a roaring stream of bubbles and a searing light that can travel up to 19 inches. This is not intended so much as to harm an attacker as it is to frighten it or possibly mislead it into chasing the discharge instead of the shrimp.
However, in extreme circumstances in which the creature's life is undeniably forfeit, this chemical has a second use. By releasing the catalyst directly into the pouch, the shrimp can forcefully detonate itself often causing considerable damage to a predator's mouth or digestion tract. Needless to say, much care is taken when harvesting these creatures; low-frequency sonic emitters mounted on the hulls of fishing vessels stun the shrimp so that they may be extracted safely. They are then immediately introduced to a anaesthetic that calmly puts them out. There have been accounts of industries attempting to cut costs with this process with the consequence of one less fishing vessel after one living blast shrimp in its hold to start a chain reaction.
Species Name: Ipilyan Mote Dragon draco luminus
Species Type: Reptilian
Planet of Origin: Aiaru
Average Maximum age: 30 years
Age of Maturation: 2 months
Average Length: 60-100mm
Average Weight: 6-9kg
Notable biological features: Long digging claws, bioluminescent streaks along back
Number of limbs and Type: 4 legs, 1 tail
Research Notes:
Ipilyan mote dragons hold an amazing position amongst the wildlife of Aiaru: they are almost entirely harmless. The chemical cocktail that flows through their veins is purely phosphorescent--it won't melt your flesh, blind you, or explode--and the light it emits through semi-opaque streaks on its back an sides is a soft, warm white glow. Roughly the size and proportions of Dagobah's sleen, they pose little threat to any form of life besides the roots sluggishly dug up with long, shovel-like claws and devoured with non-toothed maws. When threatened, they may exude a long hiss and attempt to whip their aggressors with their long tail but any wounds suffered from this or their bite are superficial and rarely pierce the skin.
The mote dragon's primary defenses lie in the fact that their blood is uncomfortably bright and bitter-tasting, and that it has no native predators on the Ipilyan islands. Nonetheless, bled and hung to dry, the creatures meat is a mainstay of the native's cuisine and is highly nutritious due to the creature's consumption of the nutrient-rich roots--another popular food item for Ipilya's people. The dragon's also represent a large inclusion to the island's tourism industry as their large communal groups dot their nesting grounds with gentle motes of light--hence their name--and has been featured in Hyperspace Weekly's, Top 1,000 Most Relaxing Locales in the Galaxy. Islanders and visiting persons alike have been known to keep the docile animals as pets, finding their soothing glow almost hypnotic and providing excellent sleep aid.
Species Type: Insectoid
Planet of Origin: Aiaru
Average Maximum age: 3 years
Age of Maturation: 7 months
Average Height: 90-120mm
Average Weight: 25-35 kg
Notable biological features: Petite, frail humanoids with two sets of insectoid wings, large eyes, and a large mouth filled with sharp teeth. Spits venom.
Number of limbs and Type: 2 arms, 2 legs, 4 wings
Research Notes:
While often mistaken from afar as beautiful, winged humanoid creatures wreathed in a shining nimbus, a closer look reveals a tardigrim to be anything but. The vicious creature's facial features are elongate and alien, sporting two large, black eyes and a gaping maw brimming with razor-like fangs. Two sets of insect-like wings adorn their backs though they provide only limited hovering flight capability. Possessing very little sentience, the closest thing these solitary creatures have to a social activity is mating--a rather quick affair in which the female rips the male's wings off one by one and then eats his head; possibly for nourishment, though it is more widely speculated that they just do it for fun.
Another distinctive physical feature are the two neurotoxin secreting glands positioned in grooves just beneath the tardigrim's fangs. Not only does this give the creature a lethal bite, but the tardigrim may also spit this venom at a range of up to 6 meters causing blindness and eventually paralysis. The toxin has a numbing effect on living tissue an it's not unheard of for victims to be completely unaware they are being fed upon in their sleep as the tardigrim freely rips chunks of flesh from the bone. Exotic collectors come to Aiaru to try to capture these relatively rare creatures to admire their "abstract beauty." In addition, there have been galactic conservation efforts to try to preserve the species which are quickly driving themselves to extinction with territorial infighting and marital head devouring. Residents of Aiaru think they're all insane.
Species Name: Altean Blast Shrimp praemium alpheus
Species Type: Invertebrate
Planet of Origin: Aiaru
Average Maximum age: 9 months
Age of Maturation: 1 month
Average Length: 10-30mm
Average Weight: 100-300g
Notable biological features:Transparent carapace, chemical evacuation siphon
Number of limbs and Type: 10 legs
Research Notes:
Studied both in reef colonies and in large, open ocean schools, Altean blast shrimp constitute a major fishing industry. However these animals are harvested not for food but for a biosynthesized compound chemically similar to nitro glycerin (a stabilizer compound added to eliminate detonation from small impacts). This chemical acts as a cheap source of energy for Aiaru's budding industry and as a powerful self-defense mechanism for the blast shrimp. A transparent pouch in the shrimp's tail works as both a holding area for the chemical as it is synthesized and as a siphon for launching the caustic cocktail. When threatened, the shrimp discharges the contents of the pouch from its rear along with a catalyst that breaks down the compound that keeps the chemical stable. The ensuing burst creates a roaring stream of bubbles and a searing light that can travel up to 19 inches. This is not intended so much as to harm an attacker as it is to frighten it or possibly mislead it into chasing the discharge instead of the shrimp.
However, in extreme circumstances in which the creature's life is undeniably forfeit, this chemical has a second use. By releasing the catalyst directly into the pouch, the shrimp can forcefully detonate itself often causing considerable damage to a predator's mouth or digestion tract. Needless to say, much care is taken when harvesting these creatures; low-frequency sonic emitters mounted on the hulls of fishing vessels stun the shrimp so that they may be extracted safely. They are then immediately introduced to a anaesthetic that calmly puts them out. There have been accounts of industries attempting to cut costs with this process with the consequence of one less fishing vessel after one living blast shrimp in its hold to start a chain reaction.
Species Name: Ipilyan Mote Dragon draco luminus
Species Type: Reptilian
Planet of Origin: Aiaru
Average Maximum age: 30 years
Age of Maturation: 2 months
Average Length: 60-100mm
Average Weight: 6-9kg
Notable biological features: Long digging claws, bioluminescent streaks along back
Number of limbs and Type: 4 legs, 1 tail
Research Notes:
Ipilyan mote dragons hold an amazing position amongst the wildlife of Aiaru: they are almost entirely harmless. The chemical cocktail that flows through their veins is purely phosphorescent--it won't melt your flesh, blind you, or explode--and the light it emits through semi-opaque streaks on its back an sides is a soft, warm white glow. Roughly the size and proportions of Dagobah's sleen, they pose little threat to any form of life besides the roots sluggishly dug up with long, shovel-like claws and devoured with non-toothed maws. When threatened, they may exude a long hiss and attempt to whip their aggressors with their long tail but any wounds suffered from this or their bite are superficial and rarely pierce the skin.
The mote dragon's primary defenses lie in the fact that their blood is uncomfortably bright and bitter-tasting, and that it has no native predators on the Ipilyan islands. Nonetheless, bled and hung to dry, the creatures meat is a mainstay of the native's cuisine and is highly nutritious due to the creature's consumption of the nutrient-rich roots--another popular food item for Ipilya's people. The dragon's also represent a large inclusion to the island's tourism industry as their large communal groups dot their nesting grounds with gentle motes of light--hence their name--and has been featured in Hyperspace Weekly's, Top 1,000 Most Relaxing Locales in the Galaxy. Islanders and visiting persons alike have been known to keep the docile animals as pets, finding their soothing glow almost hypnotic and providing excellent sleep aid.
