Chit-Chit

A species from the The Cluster of Qan based on horseshoe crabs, Chit-Chits are a very spiritual species who worship the vents on the ocean floor, which they believe the firsts of their species were born from.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Chit-Chits are a heavily armoured species, the back of their bodies covered head the feet with tough, smooth carapace, which forms a natural hood over the face. They are a semi-upright species, typically walking bepedially on two short stubby legs, but also have four pairs of longer legs on their torsos with which they can use to run, as well as a pair of arms for manipulating objects. Between their arms are four eyes and a mouth, and they have another pair of eyes on the top of their shell, used when scuttling on the ground. Just above their lowest pair of legs are a set of book gills, and around these legs are spiky protrusions. They have a long telson that drags on the ground for about 0.5 meters.

Ecology and Habitats

Like their cousin species the Cusiloci, Chit-Chits are a semi-aquatic species, however, they spend more time outside the water. They live on beaches, and burrow in the sand on the tideline, though some do burrow in the ocean proper.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Chit-Chits have rather poor eyesight. One pair of eyes sees in normal visible light and the other in ultraviolet. The last pair on their shell can see in both, which can be switched from one to the other. They can see better in ultraviolet.

They have no sense of smell.

Most of their sensory ability comes from the sense of taste, which is rather exceptional. Chit-Chits can taste in thousands of magnitudes better than most other species, and can indentify another individual by taste alone.

Locomotion

Upright, Chit-Chits are a slow species, their short, stubby legs reducing them to a shamble. However, by laying their bodies flat, they can scuttle on their torso-legs at surprisingly fast speeds.

They are also excellent swimmers, which they do shell down. They can squirt air out of their book gills to shoot through the water.

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

As a very religious species, Chit-Chits are lead by their religious leaders, the Priests of the Church of the Vents, which is split into the Sulfur Order and the Calcium Order, classified by whether each particular Priest believes the origin vent was a black or white smoker respectively.
Besides this, there is also the clandestine cult, the Brotherhood of Bet-thrall, who keep themselves hidden from the public as other faiths are illegal in Chit-Chit society.

Average Height

2-3 meters
Shell: ~1 foot

Average Length

Upright: ~0.5 meters
Down: ~2.5-3.5 meters

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Browns or earthy greens, rarely golden