Ulanida
Ulanida is the genus containing the three species of sapient cephalopods, the abyssals (Ulano tenebrae), the tua (Ulano ferus), and the ulan (Ulano lucides). Ulanida are the only extant genus of the clade of highly intelligent, social decapodiform cephalopods, the nereids. The closest living relatives to ulanids are cuttlefish.
Ulanids are characterized by having ten arms, two of which are longer tentacles. These limbs all end in finger-like bifurcations, allowing for precision grips. Unlike other cephalopods, they possess internal skeletons. These skeletons are chitinous and consist of a long gladius extending from must behind their eyes to the distal end of their bodies. From this gladius, lateral, rib-like processes grow to encase and protect their bodies as well as serving as muscle and organ attachments.
They have large eyes with excellent color vision that extends into the ultraviolet.
All ulanids are social species, with a eusocial, somewhat hive-like social structure with larger, fertile females attended to by mainly non-mating males and also served by mating males and immature daughters. Mating males only mate once, afterwards succumbing to a rapid senescence, resulting in death usually within months to a year. Ulanids are obligate carnivores and can produce a paralytic neurotoxin from venom sacs near their mouths delivered through bites.
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