KERELIA
DIRECTORY
A - FName: Biological organic re-processors. (BLORPs)
Species: Volvox Phylum Gigatis Habitat: Any warm to temperate region.
Description: Blorps are massive conglomerations of green single cells suspended in a quasi-semi solid. The act as massive cells with a weight range of 50 to 150 kg. They are hermaphroditic critters (In that they have both reproductive parts) but they reproduce via sexual transmission (It takes two BLORPs to make smaller BLORPs). BLORPs cannot combine to make even larger BLORPs as each BLORP is unique and cellular differentiation is quite different from BLORP to BLORP. They do not have the intelligence to shape shift, and their natural form is akin to a large bulbous blob that moves about the forest floors via stretching out portions of itself in a pseudopod fashion. They are detritus eaters, eating dead plant and animal material through phagocytosis. BLORPs communicate to one another via chemical means, scents, and pheromones
Behavior: BLORPs are social creatures and they can be found in herds. They enjoy touch and can be quite affectionate with those that treat them well. They are not malicious and will flee before fighting. They have no real measure of harming as they eat dead things. But they can secret a foul tasting substance to prevent them from being eaten.
Name: N/A, informally 'Catmon', as dubbed by Captain Alexa Costa
Type: Mammalian,
FeliformiaHabitat: Catmon geographical distribution is quite widespread, though there are equatorial clusters, and they do seem to prefer jungle environs. They are most frequently encountered in humid forestland though are highly adaptable and will make their dens at elevation as well as coastal areas if pushed out due to overpopulation, predation or food scarcity.
Description: 
The catmon has been described as having a head like a mongoose, and the form of a cat. It is notably larger than a cat of the domestic variety, and perhaps closer in height and weight to Earth's
leptailurus serval, with a length of approximately 140cm (inclusive of tail) and weighing on average in excess of 20lbs (male specimen). It has large, rounded ears and wide eyes with contracting slits as pupils. They are robust, rusty in colour and many of the catmon's physical features suggest early adaptation to climbing. Their claws are semi-retractable but with semiplantigrade feet, which allows the animal to switch easily from arboreal and terrestrial movement with ease.
Behaviour: Catmons are considered to be crepuscular, meaning they are most active during the periods of dusk and dawn. They are predominantly solitary animals but have been observed socialising in groups during certain seasons. Once mature, females will move away from their mother and littermates in search of a territory of their own, and a place to dig their own den. Once the perfect spot is selected, the process of creating the multi-chambered, underground shelter begins, and can take up to six weeks to complete. This is where the female will sleep, eat and birth her own litters for the rest of her life. Males tend to move further afield following maturity, and can travel hundreds of kilometers in their lifetimes. Gestation period for a catmon has been observed to be approximately 70 standard Kerelian days, litters will number anywhere between 1-4 "cubs", and young are fully weened within six months.
Hunting is a solitary event. Catmons are carnivorous, but are opportunistic feeders, and so they will sometimes supplement their diets with sweet nuts and the larger, winged insects that are so numerous in their jungle habitat. They have been known to pull their meals up trees and will aggressively respond to intrusion.
Other notes: They will show aggression when cornered, or when their food source or "cubs" are threatened. There is a potential for domestication, but at this juncture, even with their food opportunism and adaptability, it would be considered an unkindness to remove them from their natural habitat.
Name: Climbing Kerelia Green Ivy
Type: Plant
Habitat: It varies from zone to zone. It grows great in any kind of rich moist soil. It loves partial shade, often seen climbing up dead trees. It's non-invasive if controlled. It thrives in warm humid climates and grows rapidly.
Description: 
Resembling Earth's grape leaves, the ivy is a non-poisonous plant. It climbs along trees and other structures, as vines tend to do. It can grow to about 10 - 12 feet.The ivy produces small, sweet berries during the spring. The berries tend to be about 5-8 cm in diameter, roughly circular, and yellow or red in color. In early spring, the plant will flower, growing red-green blooms which turn into fruit towards late spring. In the summer, the fruit dries out and similar to grapes, they turn into raisins.
Behaviour: For a plant, they aren't really an animal.
Other notes: They aren't poisonous and are great decoration or garden plant. They require a climbing surface. If they don't have any climbing surface, they will become a creeping ivy plant across the ground. They smother other plants if left to crawl across the ground. They would rather crawl upwards, to the sun. Kabons love this plant as a food source. They will eat the leaves and the fruit. The plant has no sentience.
G - K
Name: Giant Azure Drosera
Type:Carnivorous flora
Habitat: Prefers jungle biome, but can survive in more temperate climates (or potted)
Description:
Grows to five or six feet tall with a thick central stalk. Head is comprised of many individual ‘flowers’ that contain thousands of tendrils that can stretch out to grasp prey. It is capable of consuming prey as large as a small adult human with its large maw. The bright colors of the tendrils attract some forms of prey.
Behaviour: The drosera isn’t intelligent, but has basic survival instincts that will lead it to release prey if it fights enough to cause damage to the plant. It can sense prey that comes within range of its tendrils and will wrap them around the prey to control it as it’s drawn to the maw, where food is digested whole by strong, acidic juices.
Other notes: Digestive juices apparently enhance the stickiness of chewing gum, making it an effective weapon if accidentally caught by the plant.
Name: Greater PooDoo
Type: Mammalian
Habitat: Roughly contiguous with the range of the Lesser PooDoo, though more prominent in less dense forests and flatlands.
Description: The Greater PooDoo is a formidable predator, about 6 feet tall at the shoulders, otherwise resembling the Lesser PooDoo. Its legs, while they appear amusingly short and stumpy, in fact provide it a solid base and low center of gravity, yielding an animal that can ram trees and other things. In addition to this, the Greater PooDoo's claws and fangs make it a force to be reckoned with. The Greater PooDoo is also remarkably flexible for its size, able to stretch its torso and balance on its hind legs for brief spans of time.
Behaviour: Greater PooDoos are solitary predators, typically keeping a significant distance from each other except in mating season. They hunt by night and sleep by day, on the ground or sometimes in tall trees. The cubs will typically be raised in small burrows, or the stumps of fallen trees, around which the mother will shed fur and leave urine to mark the scent and frighten other animals.
The Greater PooDoo is a picky eater, but its particular preferences will vary seemingly at random. Its status as a powerful apex predator has allowed this evolutionary kink to endure.
Other notes: This is the Lesser PooDoo, but a lot bigger.
Name: Koban(s)Type: PrimateHabitat: Arboreal and on the ground searching for invertebrates and insects. Jungle.Description:
Kabons are very small, with a length ranging from 25-35 cm from head to tail. Their main diet consists of fruits, vegetables, and small insects. They predominantly reside in treetops.Behavior: Kabons are very social animals. They live in large groups, and vocalize to communicate within these groups. Vocalizations include those intended to assert dominance or warn their fellow Kabons of impending danger.
For the most part, Kabons are cautious animals, as befitting their small size and the danger posed to them by predators. There have been isolated incidents of adolescent Kabons whose survival instinct appeared to diminish significantly. This phenomenon continues to baffle scientists.
Other notes: Kabons are capable of standing on their hind legs. They use a tail to keep themselves balanced when they do so. The tail is not prehensile. Both genders are of the same size.
L - PName: Lesser PooDoo
Type: Mammalian
Habitat: Typically prefers the tropical biomes, but found throughout Kerelia. Prefers to live in the trees, but is often seen on the ground as well.
Description: The Lesser PooDoo is similar to particularly long-haired Terran cats, although a little smaller. It is characterized by its fluffy fur, particularly in the ears and the stomach, its bushy tail, its amusingly short legs, and its deceivingly sharp claws and fangs. While adorable in appearance, the diminutive beings can inflict serious harm on larger animals. It appears like a miniature version of the immense Greater PooDoo.
Behaviour: The Lesser PooDoo is, by its nature as a carnivore near the middle of the food chain, a fickle species. When it doesn't perceive any threats, it tends to strut confidently, while when threatened, it may fight, flee (it can climb trees with much agility, and run surprisingly fast), or release a high-pitched scream that informs other PooDoos of danger. PooDoos will typically work alone or in small groups of 2-4, depending on the particular subspecies.
The PooDoo usually only fights larger species when threatened, but when it does, it can do so with great effect. Some consider the diminutive Lesser PooDoo, by virtue of its deceptive cuteness combined with its menacing ways, to be the most dangerous Kerelian animal of all.
Other notes:A domesticated PooDoo:
Name: Pokka
Type: Mammalian
Habitat: They can be found in both forest and coastal areas
Description: The Pokka is a small marsupial type mammal, similar in size to a Terran house cat. It can weigh up to 11lbs and grows to a maximum height of 21 inches, with a tail half that size. The Pokka's build is rather stocky with strong hind legs, round ears and a short round head. It is also primarily a grizzled brown colour, although its fur can be faded in places and has a lifespan of 10 years.
Behaviour: The Pokka is a herbivore, that only comes out at night. It is a curious creature, although when threatened it has no problem, throwing its young to distract would be predators. The Pokka tend to live in small family units of four, which consist of parents and two offspring. The females can produce two "Joey's" a year and their gestation period only lasts a month. Once the offspring reach roughly 18 months, they will move on and start units of their own and the cycle will then repeat.
Other notes: The Pokka can climb small trees and their burrows are usually covered by large fern like plants, hiding them from view, especially when sleeping during the day. They also drink lots of water and their preferred foods are long grasses and leaves.
The Pokka
Q - ZName: Symbisim
Type: Mammalia / symbiotic with multiple flora
Habitat: Primarily in the tropical biome. They can be found both searching for food in both trees and on the jungle floor.
Description: Symbisim appear to be very similar to the Terran mammals referred to as simians. There skin is soft and porous, and their body produces an enzyme that is similar to chlorophyll, chlrotonin. Chlorotonin not only causes their fur to be a thin shade of green, but makes their body fertile for seeds for a variety of flora on the planet. These animals share a symbiotic relationship with the plants that grow upon them. The flora offers them camouflage from larger predators.
Behaviour: The Symbisim do dwell in large herds, or troops. They are curious by nature. They use their ability blend with neighboring flora to observe an area. In addition to hiding from larger predators, it makes them efficient hunters as well. While their diet is primarily of fruits, grass, seeds, bark, insects and nuts, they have shown some carnivorous tendencies. This typically happens during their mating season when their bodies produce less chlorotonin.
Other notes: It has been observed that the symbisim hunt in packs. They will encircle an area, inch closer and closer and then leap upon the pray. There do appear to be alpha males and females, each with respected roles. The female of the species give birth and typically hunt. They are often more agile and have larger canines to shred flesh so that they can carry it back to the rest of the troop. The males are typically stronger, and exhibit superior upper body strength. They protect the young, usually hidden in the trees, from predators that can climb trees as well as avian predators. Their mating season typically occurs a few weeks prior to a seasonal monsoon. Gestation generally lasts through the monsoon season for an estimated 11-14 weeks.
Outside of their mating season, symbisim are often rather docile and curious creatures. They have been seen to approach and interact with over lifeforms that they have observed to be a non-threat. They appear to communicate though grunts, which pitch and frequency seem to dictate a variety of emotional states: agitation, fear, compliance, excitement, pleasure, etc.
Name: Tritter
Type: Mammalian,
troglobiontHabitat: Tritters are predominantly cave-dwelling, and will spend 3-4 months of every complete orbital cycle underground.
Description: 
An adult tritter can reach the height of 33-36cm and a length of 46-55cm, with a weight of 4.1-4.8kgs. Females are mostly indistinguishable from males. They are a light pink colour, and their skin is extremely sensitive to sunlight, so much so that they will limit any necessary time in the light to crepuscular periods. They are quadrupedal, with four strong, sinewy legs that grant them impressive speed and jumping ability. Their vision is binocular and they have a total of
six sets of eyes, though having evolved to be cave-dwellers, they see best in the dark. Their olfactory system is about the equivalent of a domestic Earth canine, but with their speed, sharp, needle-like teeth and talons, they can rip through the flesh of any prey in a matter of seconds.
Behaviour: Tritters congregate in huge social groups during the breeding season. They retreat to a labyrinthine cave system beneath a mountain range approximately two kilometers from the LZ-1 site, and remain there for 3-4 months in total. It is believed that the initial survey party landed during one of these periods, and hence missed any trace of the creatures altogether. Their offspring stay within the caves with the adults until they are developed enough to venture outside with the entire group.
They are carnivorous, and during their breeding season they will predominantly subsist on a diet of
crustacea, and other
troglobionts such as flatworms and
mollusca. Outside of breeding seasons they will supplement their diets with other jungle
mammalia, while hunting together in smaller troops.
The most noted and important behaviour is their extreme aversion to technology, specifically anything that generates a frequency above 30 MHz. It will attract the attention of any tritter within a 1 km radius. They react violently and often exhibit confusion and pain when in close proximity. When threatened, tritters will rarely respond individually; they gather in super-groups for defense as well as breeding.
While humanoids have not been predated upon in the traditional sense by tritters, they are considered opportunistic feeders, and when in large groups present an overwhelming force.
Other notes: On Captain Felicity Ellis' orders, LZ-1 and the colonisation project of the immediate area was abandoned. Efforts were later refocused on cultivating LZ-2, which is the coastal equivalent. There have been no sightings of tritters beyond the LZ-1 boundary.
