Current settings: Earth, Human | Common Names
Species Log JFUVDL-77777
Common Name: Smokestack
Home Planet: Finelum
Habitat: Caverns
Classification: Animal
Diet: Plants
Lifespan: 50 Earth years
Species JFUVDL-77777, colloquially known as the Smokestack, is a subterranean herbivore native to the caverns of Finelum. They have an oblong body covered in gas glands and crawling legs. These glands and legs are arranged irregularly, and vary between individuals. The unique orientation of the Smokestack’s legs helps it to navigate the narrow tunnels that make up the caverns that it calls home. The mouth is positioned at one end of the body, and is lined with grasping appendages that it uses to consume vegetation. Smokestacks are approximately 5 meters in length and 2 meters in width.
Smokestacks are completely blind and deaf, but are able to sense the world around them through a unique process known as chemolocation. Similar to an olfactory version of echolocation, this process works via emission and reception of a special gas. This gas has the unique ability to “capture” scents of the objects and materials that it makes contact with. Once the Smokestack has emitted the chemolocative gas, it will suck it up in order to analyze it and determine its surroundings. This process is only feasible due to the enclosed tunnels that the Smokestack lives in.
Smokestacks are docile creatures that will attempt to flee at the first sign of provocation. If they are cornered or otherwise forced to fight, they will release a cloud of toxic smoke from their mouths towards the source of danger. This smoke causes asphyxiation in 99.9% of Finellian species and 76% of galactic species.
When a Smokestack reaches breeding age (approximately 27 Earth Years old), they will periodically release sex cells from their gas glands. Once these sex cells combine with sex cells from 2 other individuals, they will combine and start to grow into an infantile Smokestack. These infants have a completely different morphology and feeding strategy to adults, and are similar to Earthen moss in terms of anatomy and feeding strategy. As they age they will begin to take on a more adult form, until they are completely developed and mobile.
Smokestacks are hunted for their gas glands by Finelian Groblars, as the liquid form of the chemolocative gas is considered to be an incredibly valuable and delicious flavoring agent.