Insectoid
From StarWiki
Insectoids are hyper-evolved insects. Some naturally evolved, like the mantris, others genetically manipulated with other animal's DNA, like the eciton, and others still were created along with many species of arachnoid through accelerated evolution experiments.
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Description
All insectoid subspecies are derivatives or relatives of common insects found throughout the galaxy. Their bodily structure is that of three primary parts. A head, a thorax and an abdomen. Attached to the thorax is six legs, and often other manipulatory limbs. Their heads have large, bulbous eyes that can see about as well as a pureblood human and typically antennae which are crude electromagnetic receptors.
With the exception of the papillion, all insectoids have a natural exoskeleton which affords them a fair amount of natural armor. Some subspecies have better armor than others.
It was once believed that because of their method of respiration, that insects could not get any larger than about 30 centimeters, but in every case, the insectoids have developed a scientifically fascinating improvement on their smaller cousin's spiracles - effectively turning each one into a little breathing tube which goes directly into a small - yet fully functional - lung. Making insectoid respiration incredibly efficient, but also making them more vulnerable to poor air quality.
Subspecies
Mantris
Mantris are hyper-evolved mantids, which look almost identical to praying mantids found on Earth, only they stand roughly 2 meters tall.
Dynastes
Dynastes are giant beetles, roughly 1.5 meters long, which were genetically manipulated from a species of large Earth native beetles. They were bred with the intent of becoming living, naturally armored, marine utility creatures. Unfortunately, after several thousand were created, they realized that the dynastes were much smarter than their creators had ever anticipated. Their level of intelligence lead to an inherent stubbornness to the subspecies. This stubbornness lead to an unsuitability for use in combat situations, as they ignored orders as often as they followed them. Thus the marines abandoned the project, and marooned the entire population of dynastes on a remote area of the planet Mogadon, where they created their own underground city and thrived. Many have ventured from the world on visiting spacecraft and even been welcomed into the ranks of the marines as full soldiers instead of just pack animals.
Dynastes are relatively slow moving and heavily armored. They use all six of their legs for locomotion, but the loss of one or two does not seem to hinder their movement. The pincers on either side of their head have evolved into crude manipulators, allowing them to perform the most rudimentary of actions such as pushing buttons or opening doors, but they are not useful for performing delicate procedures such as picking locks or using firearms. Many have developed large horn-like protrusions on their heads, which allows them to act as a battering ram.
Chilopoda
Chilopoda are probably the most gruesome and feared of all the insectoids. They are approximately 4.5 meter long centipedes. Their origin is a mystery, but they seem to have naturally evolved somewhere on the surface of Inferno.
Chilopoda bodies consist of some 20 segments, each with a pair or legs, though only about one third to a half are used for locomotion at any time. The pair of legs on the first segment have developed into a crude pair of arms, which allows them an extremely limited range of basic manipulation. They are typically seen with around the first two thirds of their body off the ground, standing mostly erect with their bodies in an S shape. They have sharp pincers around their mouth, which are capable of delivering a potent venom, and have long antennae which are extremely sensitive to electromagnetic forces. They are entirely carnivorous, unable to digest vegetable matter.
Blatt
Blatt are giant, bipedal cockroaches, first found having evolved out of the massive toxic and nuclear waste dumping on Krebius. They stand on two large hind legs, and have two pairs of upper arms which are used in tandem for manipulating objects, effectively equating to a single pair of arms with manipulatory appendages. They are virtually immune to all forms of radioactivity and poisons, and have a hard exoskeleton on their back which makes attacks from behind almost entirely ineffective. They are capable of short bursts of incredible speed, but are highly sensitive to light and have an incredibly fast metabolism so must eat almost constantly.
Eciton
Eciton are a species of moderately intelligent ant which was found on a moon of the outer Sol system that has been genetically manipulated for size. Though large to begin with, around half a meter in length, they were altered to grow to lengths of over two meters and were intended as labor animals. To make them more mentally pliable for use as laborers, their colonization drive was altered to that of a high suggestibility. While this makes them extremely good at following directions, it also makes them heavily susceptible to potentially harmful forms of psionic manipulation, such as telepathy. Ecitons operate exceptionally well in a group, instinctually working together even if the individuals have never met before, often making a group of ecitons a feared combat force.
Eciton possess immense strength, and though, that raw strength is not effectively transferred into combat prowess in any way, it does give them a carry capacity that is unrivaled among known species in the galaxy. Eciton typically use all six of their legs for locomotion, but they are capable of lifting the front third of their body off the ground and using their front legs as arms. Those arms also have what could be called hands for fine motor control, though they are made of segmented joints with manipulative hairs on them.
Papillon
One of the most peculiar of the insectoids, the papillion is a butterfly the size of a small car. They have large, soft wings that come in a whole array of different colors and patterns. The wings are made up of very small overlapping scales and are coated in a strange powdery substance that seems to serve no purpose. Papillion may not eat food, as they have no mouth or pincers with which to chew. All of their food must be drank through a large tube in the center of their face that is called a proboscis. The proboscis rolls up tightly when not in use and looks like a large circular nose. Papillions have six legs, but the front pair have evolved into crude manipulatory limbs.
Unfortunately the papillion's brain is little more than a nerve with a knot in it. They have barely evolved beyond their smaller counterparts. Strangely enough though, they are known to be extremely adept in various psionic powers.
