Captain Larraq
Capitalist
Name: Bik'Sal
Designation: Non-Sentient
Homeworld: Argyra IV
Language: NA
Average Length of adults: 15-20 meters
Skin color: Red
Hair color: NA
Breathes: Type 1 Atmosphere - Salt Water
Strengths:
Powerful Jaws; able to crush thin sheets of Durasteel
Can emit bio-electrical shock
Weaknesses:
Clumsy
Very Dumb
Distinctions:
Thick Carapace
Powerful Tail
Average Lifespan: 60+ years, but not known to die of old age
Races: NA
Estimated Population: Millions
Diet: Smaller fish and crustaceans
Communication: Low growls
Culture: NA
Technology level: None
General behavior: Young Bik'Sal school in a manner similar to fish. Adult Bik'Sal are solitary predators.
A large crustacean with many fish-like qualities, adult Bik'Sal ranges from 5 to 25 meters in length. It is capable of thriving on deep oceans, coral reefs, and estuaries where it preys on small fish and other crustaceans. The creature is also known to live in some rivers and lakes. Adult members of this species are ponderous swimmers, and are equally clumsy on land. They are sometimes describes at having a very lazy, drifting form of locomotion.
The creature is a prolific breeder. Female Bik'Sal lay thousands of eggs in a single clutch that hatch in as little as 72 hours. These hatchling Bik'Sal enter life as a swimming form of larva similar to 'krill' that populate oceans throughout the galaxy. These Bik'Sal Larva swim through ocean waters and drift along with the tides for the first three years of their life. During this time, Bik'Sal Larva are an important food source for a great number of Argyra IV's marine life.
Once old enough and having found a suitable location that offers plenty of hiding spots and potential food, Bik'Sal Larva shed their outer carapace, dig into sandy substrate or lodge themselves within a hollow spot in a coral reef, and form a hard chrysalis around themselves as they undergo a metamorphosis into the adult form of the species. The shell of this chrysalis is extremely durable, with Pral'ym being the only indigenous creature known to be able to break the shell and prey upon the Bik'Sal Larva within.
Over a period of three weeks, the Bik'Sal Larva will grow 1,000% in size and emerge as a juvenile Bik'Sal with an average length of 0.6 meters. These juvenile Bik'Sal will prey on smaller crustaceans and fish for the next seven years of their life while they grow rapidly to their adult sizes. Bik'Sal do not become sexually mature until they are ten cycles old. Particularly large Bik'Sal are estimated to have aged 60 cycles or more, though determining age is difficult.
Research suggests that Bik'Sal may not slow down, weaken, or lose fertility with age, and that older Bik'Sal may be more fertile than younger Bik'Sal. This longevity may be due to telomerase, an enzyme that repairs long repetitive sections of DNA sequences at the ends of chromosomes, referred to as telomeres. Telomerase is expressed by most vertebrates during embryonic stages but is generally absent from adult stages of life. However, unlike most vertebrates, Bik'Sal express telomerase as adults through most tissue, which has been suggested to be related to their longevity.
Bik'Sal, like many other crustaceans, grow throughout life and are able to add new muscle cells at each molt. Bik'Sal longevity allows them to reach impressive sizes. The largest recorded Bik'Sal encountered was reported to be close to 50 meters in length. Though most members of this species find themselves consumed by larger predators long before reaching such monstrous sizes.
The creature is capable of emitting a positive and negative electrical charge in the tendrils that grow from the roof of its skull. The Bik'Sal hunts by hiding on the sea floor, in a crevice, or on the bank of a river. From its hiding point, the crustacean holds its tendrils as far in front of itself as it is capable. When something edible swims between the two tendrils the Bik'Sal electrocutes the creature with a powerful jolt of electricity that stuns or kills it. Once its prey is electrocuted, the Bik'Sal lumbers forward and consumes it at its leisure. It is able to produce about five such shocks over a period of an hour.
The manner in which Bik'Sal electrocute their prey has been well documented. The creature has three pairs of organs in its tail that produce electricity. These organs are derived from modified nerve or muscle tissue that form electrocytes, though similar organisms on this and other planets frequently utilize electroplaques or electroplaxes in stead for similar organs.
Bik'Sal have several thousand of these cells stacked in each organ with each cell producing 0.15 Volts. Each organ can transmit a signal of nearly 10 Volts in overall amplitude at around 250 Hz in frequency. These signals are emitted by the main organs. One of the secondary sets of organs can emit signals at rates of several hundred Hertz. The cells function by pumping positive sodium and potassium ions out of the cell via transport proteins powered by adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Postsynaptically, electrocytes work much like muscle sells. They have nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.
To discharge the electrocytes in the correct time, the Bik'Sal uses a nucleus of pacemaker neurons. When a Bik'Sal spots its prey, the nucleus of pacemaker neutons fire and acetylcholine is subsequently released from electromotor neurons to the electrocytes, resulting in an electric organ discharge. In simpler terms, when the Bik'Sal located prey, its brain sends a signal through the nervous system to the electrocytes. This opens the ion channels, allowing sodium to flow through, reversing the polarity momentarily. By causing a sudden difference in electrical potential, it generates an electric current in a manner similar to a battery.
The electric organs are oriented along the length of the tail within the musculature and have smaller accessory electric organs in the head. There are two sets of these accessory organs. One for signaling the Electric Organ Discharge, and one for funneling the EOD into the two tendrils that sweep back from the head of the Bik'Sal. In this manner, a Bik'Sal can produce a shock of up to 6,000 volts and 10 ampere of current (6,000 watts) for a duration of 2ms. Though smaller Bik'Sal produce a smaller shock proportional to their size. For example, a 0.6 meter juvenile would produce a shock of only 18-25 volts.
Though capable of traveling on land, adult Bik'Sal must keep its gills wet to breath and will die if it does not return to a water source within 12 hours of leaving the water.
History:
Bik'Sal are a prolific species on Argyra IV. Their young fill its oceans and their juvenile and adult forms prowl coral reefs and ocean beaches throughout the world. As such, it is one of the first species to be formally studied by Mon Calamari colonists on Argyra IV. Admittedly, it was nearly twelve years into the colonization of the planet before the connection between the krill-like larva and the adult Bik'Sal was made. Initially assumed to be different species, the two species were classified as one when the famous Mon Calamari scientist Brakka Charrik made his acclaimed discovery at the Grak'alya Reef.
Up until that time, Bik'Sal eggs were known to populate Coral Reefs and other suitable locations. Though, there had never been successful documentation of a female Bik'Sal laying these eggs. It was during his study that the first ever larval Bik'Sal was observed entering its chrysalis faze of life and the connection between the two species was made.
Recognizing the critical role Bik'Sal play in the stability of Argyra IV's oceans, the species is highly protected on the planet, despite the danger they pose to unwary tourists. The creatures are not known to hunt adult humanoids or most mammals, though will attack unwary travelers when threatened.
Despite the constant attempts at scientists and politicians to convince the public that these creatures are harmless, tourists are advised to not leave their children unattended when a Bik'Sal is near.
Notable Player-Characters: None
Intent: To create aquatic life to help fill out the environment of a planet obviously focused on Aquatic sentient life.
