Zenura

= Biology =

The amphibious Zenura are omnivorous squids that originated in and around the cool forest and marshes of Foldom on the world of Zenur. They are a small species, the smallest member race within the Empire, in fact; they stand at a measly 3 1/2 - 4 1/2 feet(1.0668-1.2192 meters)in height. They posses eight limbs, four of which are used for locomotion while the other four are used for manipulating the environment. Their 'hands' are made up of three smaller, flexible tentacles which each end in small spines that inject a paralyzing venom into prey. Their feet are somewhat similar to cartilage, and possess enough strength to keep them standing upright while remaining somewhat flexible. When idle, Zenuran skin is soft and smooth, and has a brownish coloration with blue and yellow spots throughout. Just under the skin are several thousand chromatophores, as well as just as many rounded protuberances on the surface. The chromatophores allow the Zenura to manipulate their skin color while the protuberances modifies their texture to mimic the environment they are currently in, rendering them nearly invisible. Their large, circular eyes can be one of three colors; bright blue, teal, and yellow. They do not possess any bones, allowing the Zenura to be extremely flexible; they can fit inside of spaces smaller than themselves.

Zenuran blood utilizes haemocyanin rather than hemoglobin; haemocyanin is based on copper instead of iron. As a result, the Zenura have colorless blood that, when oxygenated, turns blue. They're a cold-blooded species. While underwater, regulating their temperature is a simple task; they need only to migrate to an area with a healthy temperature. Thus, when water is present, the Zenura will often stay in the water to regulate their temperature. While on land, if no nearby water is present and they're not wearing an environmental suit, the Zenura will stay inside or in the shade for as long as possible.

A typical Zenuran diet includes fruits, fish, insects, and certain vegetables. Their mouth is a sharp, durable beak that can easily bite off a hand within one or two bites. In front of the beak are six small tentacles which help to hold prey in place and assist in communication. They bite off a chunk from their meal and swallow it whole. These small chunks take longer to digest than chewed food, allowing the Zenura to go a fair amount of time between meals; though it isn't as long as what a Arkevan is capable of. As they possess no lips, teeth, or tongue, the Zenura's only method of communication is through clicks, squeaks, growls, and their skin. The tentacles in front of their mouth are used to assist in speech; moving them in certain ways while talking affects how they sound, specifically the tone and volume. Theor skin is used to help convey their emotions and feelings by shifting its colors. A fair amount of their vocalizations are also in a low-frequency pitch. All of these factors have made Zenuran language the most difficult to understand in the Empire, as a translator alone is not enough to get the full intended message and it is nearly impossible for other races to speak.

The Zenura have well-developed eyesight and hearing, though their sense of smell suffers both on land and underwater; they can only perceive strong, nearby smells. Their ears are more suited towards low-frequency noises, which has resulted in many Zenura wearing hearing devices to help them perceive other noises and to communicate. The most impressive sense of the Zenura is their ability to detect and track even subtle vibrations through the water, ground, and air, making them excellent for detecting hostiles and tracking them down.

The Zenura are an egg-laying species that utilizes sexual reproduction. The reproduction process takes place entirely underwater; the female first lays several eggs in a secluded and safe location. Once this is done, the male comes and fertilizes the eggs. After a few months, the young Zenura come out as 'tadpoles' which have four fins and four tiny tentacles. Over the course of about three years, these tadpoles will metamorphosize into adolescents, their fins becoming arms and their size increasing in multitudes. Once the process is done, the Zenura will go from breathing in water to breathing air, and will come to land to finish maturing and live out the rest of their life. They will finish maturing by around the age of thirty, and can live up to the age of 250 barring crippling injury or illness. This life-span has been increased up to 300 with medicine and cybernetics.

= History =

= Culture =