mardi 27 janvier 2009

BREEN


Planet of Origin: Breen
Breen are a secretive humanoid species that had developed an advanced interstellar society as of the twenty-fourth century. They come from a very cold world and are never seen offworld without a refrigeration suit.
The Breen have no blood or other liquid circulatory system, being walking sacs of ammonia and gelatin which are held together in freezing temperatures. The internal structure of the Breen body consists of layers of permeable chambers filled with gelatin which maintained a semi-solid state in an extremely cold environment will break when exposed to temperatures of 70 degrees F or above. The gelatin compound moves from one chamber to another where it transfers chemicals that are required for different functions such as digestion, reproduction or regeneration.If exposed to a temperate environment, their body structure simply boils and evaporates which is why they require their encounter suits when travelling offworld. While they do possess a skeletal structure, there are no bodily organs except for eyes, ears, tongues, brain, a pair of lungs along with a layer of purple-blue layered skin which provided a level of tactile sense. Their nostrils provide them the capacity to filter oxygen but do not give them a sense of smell.
Their brain is structured into four lobes; this protects them from the probing of some empathic species. They appear physically more resilient than most humanoids.
Source: Star Trek Universe (ST reference: Aliens)

ANTICANS


Planet of Origin: Planet Antica in the Beta Renner system.
The Anticans are a large, furry, sentient carnivorous humanoid species whoi had developed space flight in the twentey-third century. They were at war with the Selays for years and both species applied for membership to the United Federation of Planets in 2364, but first contact had been established at least thirty years before.
Source: Star Trek Universe(TNG: "Tapestry"), (TNG: "Lonely Among Us"),(TNG: "Captain's Holiday"),(TNG: "Unification II"), (DS9: "Battle Lines", "Melora", "The Alternate"), (DS9: "The Siege")

UNNAMED SPECIES FROM CAPTAIN FUTURE - P4


On that picture can be seen more aliens (see previous entry) travelling on a spaceliner en route to Earth. At least seven species are visible here.

First row (from left to right):
- A small non-humanoid purple invertebrate.
- Two Megarans from the Planet Megara in the Deneb star system (seen in other episodes of the series)
- A humanoid figure in an hermetic suit. It cant be said if this one is an alien or a man from a extrasolar colony wearing a environmental suit because a) he has adapted to an atmosphere different from our own or b) some of some reason we do not know.
- A white haired simian of the same species as thsoe seen in the previous entry.
- A non-humanoid alien. Another specimen of the same species, but with a turquoise skin tone instead of a purple one- was briefly seen on the Deneb colony in another episode (see P1 on the same subject).

Second row:
- An orange skinned bald alien with antenneas such as the one seen in the previous entry.
- Another simian humanoid, but whose mane is red instead of white and whose skin is pitch black.
- A purple skinned vaguely humanoid alien with two short tentacle aroud its mouth.
- Yet another orange skin humanoid with antennaes.
- Another orange alien who bears ressemblance to the previous one but with some features such as "something" on its head that prevents clear association with the aforementionned orange skin one.

Third and forth Row:
- A kaki skin massive humanoid with pointy head, trumpet like ears and a very textured skin.
- Another humanoid with antenna, but whose skin is purple instead of orange (but is still probably of the same species)
- Another Megaran
- Another pointy head kaki humanoid
- A bald brown skin canine or monkey humanoid with skin sacks on each side of its mouth
- Another purple skin blad humanoid (antennaes not visible due to distance)
- Another Megaran
- Another canine or monkey type

Source: Edmund Hamilton, Captain Future

UNNAMED SPECIES FROM CAPTAIN FUTURE - P3






Here are pictures from unnamed aliens seen on a spaceliner en route to Earth (and whose species, therefore, had at least commercial relations with mankind) in the "Black Planet" stroy arc.

On the first picture you can spot:
- Possible three specimens of the same species (two of which are females). Biped and with body proportions closely ressembling that of humans, they have large flattened heads with antennas, two large eyes and ears, and a wide mouth with heavy lips. Their skin color can (at least) green, purple and orange.
- Another four arms green humanoid can be glimpsed but not enough details are visible to be able to see if he belongs to one of the four arms species previously presented.

The second picture is that of a humanoid that closely ressembles a blad human with orange skin and a set of antennaes. Let's not that this one looks almost identical to a durlan from the DC universe under his humanoid form.

The third picture shows, seen from the back, a humanoid with large mouth and ears and what appears to be a huge protuberance on the top of his head (it could as well be a hat, but it's the exact same color as his skin). The specimen looks otherwise quite human like apart from his hands with have two pair of opposable fingers. The female dancing with him is most probably a human drawn with some cartoon license.

On the fourth picture, the old man could or not be alien depending on the cartoon license used to draw him. Behind him though, is clearly visible a white haired simian humanoid.

On the fifth picture, we can see the same simian in the background and, in the foregound, a four arm green skinned alien with a trunk and whose respiratory organs are most probably at the bakc of his head, given the fact that some breathing apparatus seem connected there.

Source: Edmund Hamilton, Captain Future (Capitaine Flam), "Black Planet" story arc, episode 1.

samedi 24 janvier 2009

THE GIANT CLAW / LA CARCAGNE


The Giant Claw is a species of giant birds fo unknown origin and said by some to originate from an antimatter galaxy. It is able to fly through space and generate an antimatter shield around its body.
A specimen of the species came to Earth in 1957 to feed and to nest but was destroyed near New York.
Source: The Giant Claw (1957)

LEGION


Legion is a silicon based colonial lifeform or elephant size insects lead by gigantic queens (140 meters high /600 tons heavy).
The colonies expand from world to world by growing huge biological flowerlike launchpads which, upon explosion, catapult seeds into space that will colonize other worlds.
The queens are equiped with an EM beam that is fired from the nasal horn when it is opened ; The extra limbs or "crown" around legion's head can produce and Electro-magnetic shield that can deflect most kinetic attacks. Also, if the nasal horn is torn or blasted off, Legion can produce whip-like lasers that can impail and cut foes. Legion also has the ability to fly, despite it's enormous size. Legion can also summon and produce up to 100 Symbiotic legion from the egg cases on her abdomen.
Source: Gamera 2: Attack of Legion (ガメラ2 レギオン襲来 Gamera Tsū: Region Shūrai, Gamera 2: Legion Advent)

GUILALAS


Theoretically created during the explosions of some stars, guilalas are energivore creatures that normally exist in a dormant state as small spores filled with of a special form of condensed energy, contained in little guilalanium coated shells drifting through space.
While dormant guilalas are microscopic, when extracted form their guilalanium shells, they start growing, absorbing ambian energy and have been known to grow up to 50 meters heights and 15000 tons weights. They appear as bipedal, somewhat reptilian or avian creatures almost imprevious to all sorts of energy and kinetic attacks. They can drain energy from most sources they come in contact with, shoot it back as fireballs out of their mouth and even turn into ball of energy to cross vast distances at high speed while destroying everything around them.
A spore was once attached by a UFO for yet unknown reasons to a terran space ship and carried back to Earth. The guilalium coating was taken off by scientists. The spore broke releasing a Guilala that grew to monstrous proportions. It wrecked havok through Japan in search for energy. Lured by powerful nuclear energy to the Mt. Fuji spaceport, it was covered in guilalanium and shrank to its spore state.It was then sent on a rocket to orbit the sun forever.
SOurce: The X from Outer Space (宇宙大怪獣ギララ, Uchū Daikaijū Girara?, Giant Space Monster Guilala) (1967)

mercredi 21 janvier 2009

VALNAXI

The Valnaxi were an telepathic avian species linked to their homeworld's planetary consciousness without which they were unable to create art, their main mode of expression.
They were apparently eradicated at the end of a war with the Wurms in 118 AD but surviving Valnaxi somehow managed to turned themselves into a gaseous consciousness, hoping to be able to come back to their world one day.
They created treasure troves which they hid on several worlds, filled with their greatest art pieces. Each trove had coded directions to find the next one, leading to the last one which they hid on Earth. They were carved out of the rock and guarded by specially created guardians, a gold substance produced out of magma, which in turn was formed into mobile blobs. This gold substance could cover any living creature, infect it and modify its DNA to turn it into a guardian. The treasure troves were also traps to lure in the Wurms. There was a special panel in the final treasure trove that would absorb the DNA of the Wurms and create new bodies for the Valnaxi. This would allow them to return to their home planet without raising suspicions. IN 2118, the spaceship, hidden on Earth, was launched with the Valnaxi consciousnesses inside. Its wherabouts are now unknown.
Source: Doctor Who Unvierse, Novel "The Art of Destruction"

WURM

Wurms were a species of non-humanoid vicious conquerors who developed space travel.
They look like earthworms the size of baby elephants and have stubby arms. They can spit out an acidic, dark liquid for defence and leak a fluid like wallpaper paste when injured. They are able to hunt by smell and by vibrations in the ground and to reproduce by the hundreds independently.
Their spaceships are large biological segmented ships that can shoot out mud, which is used to cushion landing and make sure the Wurms have something to move through. The ships are also filled with mud to allow the Wurms easy locomotion. Their controls look like tree-roots and the screens are made of sacks of webbing.
Wurms use guns which are surgically attached to their arms, which shoot out clods of dirt inside which are colonies of genetically modified insects. They sometimes wear white, plated armour and helmets as well as cybernetic implants to improve their bodies and senses.
The Wurms fought the Valnaxi over 17 star systems and by 118 A.D. had won the war. Over the next 2000 years, they set themselves to destroy Valnaxi culture.
Source: Doctor Who universe, Novel "The Art of Destruction"

MARKAB


Planet of Origin: Markab, in the tau Pegasi system, 140 light years from Earth
The Markab are a generally reclusive humanoid species that had developed a space-faring theocratic civilisation with a few colonies as of the twenty-third century and were members of the League of Non-aligned worlds. There are two distinct species of Markab easly distinguishable by the set of the jaw (one having an extreme "overbite" on the lower jaw).
They are polytheistic and strive to uphold morality above all others. Their pantheon is believed to have been influenced, like many others, by the Vorlons. Some Markab rituals utilize psychotropics to allow the participants to lose all control of themselves so they can enter into a religious frenzy.
In the year 2259, a lethal virus destroyed the Markab civilization. A thousand years earlier, the same disease had first appeared on the island of Drafa on the Markab homeworld. As it was noted for its "excesses", It became widespread belief that upright, moral people would not be touched by it.It was believed that the disease ceased to exist at that time, since no one was left alive to spread it to the new arrivals. As the disease was associated with immorality, when it resurfaced, infected people lied about it and walked among the population although they were contaminated. Each new case was denied by the government and its carriers. Some Markab, wishing to avoid the Plague, chartered ships to other Markab colonies, taking the disease with them. Fearing everything, the Markab politicians forbid physicians to talk about Drafa or perform research on it. A cure was found too late but too late. Medical ships landed on the Markab homeworld to find the planetary population of two billion dead. Other ships landing on Markab colonies found similar results: an additional two to three million dead. Fires raged across the deserted worlds as other races rushed to loot and pillage what remained of the Markab civilization. There are rumors that the Vorlons destroyed the Markabs. The Markabs themselves felt they had lost favor with the gods.
Source: Babylon 5 universe, Voltayre's Encyclopeadia Xenobiologica.

dimanche 18 janvier 2009

NACENES



Planet of Origin: in a subspace layer of pure thought and energy in the Exosia galaxy.
The Nacene are a sporocystian lifeform with a high level technology and an apparently natural ability to exist in subspace, of navigating through it, of manipulating it and might even originate from it. They are able of transporting large structures across tens of thousands of light years in mere moments.
Nacene are at least partially non-corporeal. They appear like a glutinous liquid and reflective cell, about two meters in diameter but can change their physical appearance at will. Upon death, they turn into a small crystaline structure. Their reprodutctive cycle is sexuate and uses spores but it is believe that they could reproduce with other species, if transformed into the proper specimen, given some biomolecular compatibility. Their Lifespans is at least one thousand years.
Nacene explorers came to the Milky Way about 1500 years ago.
Source: Star Trek Universe


THE WORM


The Worm is an extradimensional entity whose only physical manifestation on our plane is a strand of green light 9.2 million miles long and 22,000 miles wide that can travel light years in seconds.
Any being within 20 light years of its manifestation is affected by it. The presence of the Worm enhances every being's fear of the unknown and usually causes violent behaviour.
The only known contact with the Worm was at th Babylon 5 station in late January, 2260. It caused a significant amount of damage and loss of life, before it disappeared as it passed through the station.
Source: Babylon 5 universe (B5 novel #5, The Touch of Your Shadow, the Whisper of Your Name), Voltayre's Encyclopeadia Xenobiologica.

THRAKALLANS


Planet of Origin: Thrakalla, the second planet orbiting Sheliak (Beta Lyrae) a star 882 light years from Earth
Sentient methane-breathing insectoids whoc developed a space faring civilisation. Thrakallans evolved on the upper middle atmosphere of a gas giant, gradually developing civilization atop floating islands of nyan. Although living on a gas giant, the Thrakallans learned mine-fishing to procure metals from the creatures living on the heavy, mineral-rich layers below. Whether the Thrakallans developed spacefaring capabilities on their own is unknown. The most reliable sources indicate that the Thrakallans were contacted by a now-extinct race and it is from them that the Thrakallans acquired their small trading fleet. They are known for their shrewd business sense. Quite a few are also heads of extensive criminal organizations. They communicate in a series of chirps and whistles.
Source: Babylon 5: "Soul Hunter," "Born to the Purple," "Parliament of Dreams," "Survivors," B5 novel #4, Clark's Law. Voltayre’s Encyclopeadia Xenobiologica
Notes: The Sheliaks, seen in Star Trek The Next Generation also come from the Beta Lyrae system

CAITIANS

Planet of Origin: Cait (Ferasa), a second of 12 worlds orbiting the G5 star 15 Lyncis, some 170 light years from Earth. Cait has two moon.
The Caitians are a bipedal felinoid species who had developed a space faring civilisation with several colonies as of the twenty-third century and were members of the Federation of Planets.
Caitians stand at a height of two to three meters. They have a thick orange mane, a tail, and large golden eyes which give them excellent night vision. Their fur ranged in color from tan to reddish-tan. They also had excellent hearing with a vast frequency range. Caitian voices often resemble the purring of Terran cats. They are believed to be the descendants of an ancient Kzinti colony. (ST reference: The Worlds of the Federation)
Caitian culture emphasized a love of beauty and a focus on personal loyalty. Most Caitians prefer a vegetarian. They made first contact with the Orions and the Ferengi, and met Federation ships for the first time in 2249. Within a few years, they entered the United Federation of Planets. (ST reference: Starfleet Operations Manual)
Source: Star Trek: The Animated Series, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)

mercredi 14 janvier 2009

VASHTA NERADA


Vashta Nerada are microscopic carnivorous beings that regroup in sentient swarms. They live in dark areas and when entering light move more slowly and will mimic the shadows of their prey to go unnoticed. Given it's big enough, a swarm is able to strip a creature to its bare bones in milliseconds. Living mostly in forests, they are born as microscopic spores in trees and are resilient enough to hatch even if the tree is processed or even converted into paper. While uncommon, they seem to have been present on terrestrial type planets throughout the known universe ever since the condition for their existence were met. How to got ot exist on so many different worlds remains unknown. They've been instrumental in inspiring fear of the dark in most species.

Source: Doctor Who universe "Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead"

lundi 12 janvier 2009

HERVOKEN


Hervoken are an isolationnist species that developed an advanced space faring society. Several million years ago, they had first contact with the Carrionites and a war broke between the two species which threatened the structure of the universe and forced the Eternals to banish them outside the universe.
They were three meters tall, with an extremely thin body but a huge head somewhat resembling a Halloween Jack O' Lantern. Their hands were about as long from the wrist to the fingertips as a human arm, and their fingers had several joints and a talon at the end. Their heads were pale and fleshy, with sharp teeth and black, beady eyes. It remains unknown as to if they had legs as they've never been seen and the specimen witnessed was always drifting through the air under its robe.
With a high-pitched, almost childish voices, their language was complex amd thier technologu based on it. It consisted of words, body language, thoughts, incantation and pauses. It was very much like magic in appearance and effect. It was activated by drawing sigils in the air or chanting. It would be weakened by the use of salt and iron. Hervoken could animate inanimate matter and modify existing beings. Their ships were known as sky-hearts.
One Hervoken whose ship had crashed on Earth escaped banishment. Its ship lay dormant for years, attracting people to area to maintain it. As of the early 21st century, it had repaired itself completely and its pilot was reawakened. It was destroyed before it could power on and destroy the village under which it was.
SOurce: Doctor Who, Forever Autumn novel.

CARRIONITES


Planet: A world in a 14 planets star system, possibly now destroyed
The Carrionites are a species of humanoid beings that use word-based science to reshape reality, a technic derived from the lexical equivalent of block transfer which used pure mathematics to reshape reality.
They vaguely resembled female figures with wrinkled skin and large, massive clawed hands, beak-like noses and hooked chins. Their mouths have sharp canine teeth. However, they can change shape to mimic specimens of other species. They can also fly, dematerialise and rematerialise at will, and communicate with other Carrionites from a distance.
Several million years ago, a war between the Carrionites and the Hervoken threatened the structure of the universe and forced the Eternals to banish them outside the universe. Attempts to reenter the universe have failed.
Source: Doctor Who Universe, The SHakespear Code,(TDA: Forever Autumn)



The Carrionites were probably Shakespeare's inspiration for the Weird Sisters of his play, Macbeth. (DW: The Shakespeare Code)

dimanche 11 janvier 2009

MELKOT / MELKOTIANS


Planet of Origin: Melkot
Non-humanoid telepathic and xenophobic species. Melkotians appear as large brains covered by vital organs with two eyes in the front and short tentacles hanging from the bottom. They move and communicate with Psi abilities.
Their homeworld used to be surrounded by a series of warning buoys. Intruders were subjected to an elaborate telepathic execution involving illusion from the victims' own memory. Diplomatic relations were opened in 2268 and while they stay secluded, the Melkotians became members of the Federation of Planets.
Source: Star Trek, TOS "Spectre of the Gun"

GAIM


Planet of Origin: N'chak'fah
The Gaim are a sentient insectoids ruled by six hive-queens who dictate the behavior of the species and fought against each other for thousand of years. Their society is divided in a system of drones like warriors or workers. The Gaim never believed that anything existed outside of their home planet due to its thick atmosphere that prevented them from seeing the stars properly. The first contact they had with the outside was a Narn exploratory team that landed on their planet in the early 2240s and which they slaughtered. When a Narn assault fleet showed up to conquer the planet some times later, they met a similar. This was the first time in history that the Queens united. Realizing that they faced alien enemies as well as each other, the Queens began making contact with aliens in an effort to ensure their species' survival. The queens generated a new caste of workers, a diplomatic caste, able to interact with other species. They quickly joined the League of Non-Aligned Worlds to gain protection from the Narn. They started buying starship hulls and parts to build themselves a defensive fleet. The queens generated chemicals and biological goods to help purchase technology. Gaim require an environmental suit in order to function in an oxygen / nitrogen atmosphere and must use an electronic translator as their language is a series of clicks and chirps.
Source: J"Michael Strasczinsky, Babylon 5 universe

GOORU

YOLU


Planet of Origin: Pa'ri
The Yolu are long lived isolationist humanoid species which has developed an highly advanced space faring civilisation some 3000 years ago. Their recorded history goes back 5000 years, and 4000 of those have been of stability. In the twenty-third century, they were members of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds and are later members of the Interstellar Alliance.
They are extremely devoted, yet religiously tolerant.All Yolu religions espouse different viewpoints on the expression and form of the Coo-tah, an energy field, they believe, created by all living things. The Yolu Government, called the Ingyo, is composed of 15 priests and priestesses that have attained a higher understanding of the Coo-tah. They also are famed for the Mutai, a mode of settlement of differences between two factions settled with the loss of one life instead of thousands.
Source: J'Michael Strasczinsky, Babylon 5 universe

LLORT

Planet of Origin: Vartas
The Llort are a humanoid species that developed into space faring technology as of the twenty-third century but due to constant infighting, have never established any off-world colonies. They were members of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds and later of the Interstellar Alliance. They are said to have packrat-like instinct for collecting things.
Source: J"Michael Strasczinsky, Babylon 5 universe

BRAKIRI

Planet of Origin: Brakus
Brakiri are a humanoid alien species which has developed interstellar flight technology in 2111 and has expanded into an interstellar civilisation as of the twenty-third century when they were members of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds and later, of the Interstellar Alliance.
Brakiri society is based on trade and economics, their governing body being a consortium of several mega companies but criminal syndicates are power that have very high influence on the Brakiri way of life. They have have a reputation amongst the other races of being pack rats and scavengers
The Brakiri are nocturnal and look remarkably like humans with enlarged foreheads, ridges above their eyes and a hairline positioned in the further back of their scalp. [edit]
During the Shadow War of the twenty-thrid century, they made an alliance with the Shadows, believing it would ensure their safety but the Shadows eventually turned and attacked them, proving the Shadows were on no one's side but their own. The Brakiri then joined the alliance dubbed the Army of Light, contributing much of their remaining resources to its cause.
One of the most notable cultural events in the Brakiri society is the religious celebration called "day of the dead". It happens every 200 years when a comet passes the Brakiri homesystem. Every Brakiri has to be on home soil, either on Brakus, one of the colonies or just a rent area. The Brakiri use this day to interact with dead people, mainly family members or friends but sometimes even enemies.
Brakiri's first contact exprerience was with mankind through Earth's radio waves travelling trhough space at the dawn of the third millenium.
Source: J’Michael Strasczinsky, Babylon 5 universe

lundi 5 janvier 2009

THE BRINGERS OF WONDER


Planet of Origin: in another galaxy. By the end of the twentieth century, their homeworld had been sucked dry of all its radioactive material.
The Bringers of Wonders are sentient radiovores that developed some sort of civilisation. Organic masses two meters high by nearly a meter in diameter with one eye (10 centimeters in diameter) at roughly the same height a human would have his, they can be described as: "plasma that forms on some organic matter when it begins to decompose." With very limited mobile capacities and no means of handling physical objects, they communicate through telepathy and use beings of other species under their illusion-based mind control to do their physical work. They seem to be able to survive in the vacuum of space.
After having consumed all the radiations on their homeworld, some of them left in a spaceship with hopes of finding new sources of nurrishment. As spaceship contruction would have been beyond their capacity and it is the only form of hardtech they've been seen using, it is likely that it was stolen from another species visiting their world.
Source: Space:1999, The Bringers of Wonder

dimanche 4 janvier 2009

BLEEP


The Bleep is a small primitive but sentient biped from the planet Zelc. It shares some external ressemblance to a large whooly terran duck.
Source: Josie and the PussyCat in Outer Space

vendredi 2 janvier 2009

SHADOW SERVANTS: DRAKH


The Drakh are stocky sentient reptilian bipeds with an heavy endo and exo-skeletal systems and thick dark grey scaly skin. They may have some kind of group mind as they can communicate with other Drakh over long distances.
The Drakh are dark servants for the race of First Ones known as the Shadows. Much like their masters, they have various agents working for them, and apply technology to mask their appearance. They use the same Phasing Technology as the Shadows to Phase in and out of the physical universe. It remains unknown if they developed a space faring civilisation of their own prior to their afiliation to the Shadows or if they were nurtured by them to their present state.
Speculative litterature postulates that after the Shadow War of the 23rd century and the departure of the Shadows, they'll be trying to take their role as interstellar pupetmasters.
Source: Babylon 5 universe

PIERIN

Planet of Origin: Pierin, in the Reticulus constellation
A bipedal species that developed a small spacefaring civilisation and was enslaved by the Kzin. Pierin are nosy horned avians with wide wings. They speak in raspy screeches and atonal clicks which are difficult to understand for other species.
SOurce: Larry Niven, Known Space universe, The Ringworld Companion (a supplement for the Ringworld Roleplaying Game) pp. 18-9

KDATLYNO

Planet of Origin: Kdat
Kdatlyno are an extraterrestrial species which was conquered by the Zkin before they entered the space age. After their liberation from the Kzin, they established themselves on several worlds. They are a ten feet tall massive and powerful bipeds with muscular build, long arms and flat feets,
urved silver-tipped claws at knees and elbows, rough scaly brownish skin, retractile claws on the knuckles of their huge hands. They have no eyes but a goggle-shaped tympanum and constantly emit a supersonic whistle through their large mouth, having evolved echolocation rather than vision.
They are famous for their touch-sculptures Source: Larry Niven, Known Space universe, Grendel (short story), in Neutron Star Picture by Bonnie Dalzell, Copyright © 1975

jeudi 1 janvier 2009

SILVER GHOSTS

Planet of Origin: In the Milky Way
The silver ghosts consist of a set of symbiotic organisms inside a super-reflective shell that efficiently maintains internal temperature and reflects radiation. The silver ghosts are therefore able to exist in space without additional vehicles. They are known for their pursuit of physics, particularly their experiments regarding changing physical constants in regions of space.
Speculative litterature postulated that at some point in the future, they could eventually be conquered and nearly wiped out by humans, who would adopt their silver skin technology for their own purposes.
Source: Stephen Baxter "Xeelee Sequence"

SQUEEM

Planet of Origin: In the Milky Way
The squeem are space faring group minded aquatic species. They are not especially intelligent or advanced, and resort to stolen technology from the Xeelee, for instance, the hyperdrive.
Speculative litterature postulates that They could be the first extrasolar intelligence contacted by mankind, and by the time of that contact, they would occupy the solar system and enslave the human race.
Source: Stephen Baxter, Xeelee Sequence

QAX


The Qax species is comprised of very few and long lived individuals which developed an advanced spacefaring civilisation.
"Qax biology is based around chemical hyper-cycles embedded in convection cells. A Qax is millions of such cells arranged on the sea surface in a branching pattern covering several miles. Each cell is as wide as a coffee can lid, languidly bubbling like chocolate with nested eddies down to the microscopic level; they're highly organized, living storms." (Taken from Daily Kos. Thanks!)
Being composed of convection cells, a Qax requires complex life support and can be damaged easily - therefore their contact with other species is usually indirect.
The Qax had a longstanding alliance with the sentient Spline ships who carried them around the galaxy.
Hypothetical Litterature postulated that Circa 5000, the Qax would encounter humanity and a brief war would be fought leading to the occupation of Earth and its colonies by the Qax until they were forced to leave dure to their hommweorld's destruction.
Source: Stephen Baxter, Xeelee Sequence
Thanks to Karen Wehrstein for the great Qax picture

PHOTINO BIRDS

Photino birds are a supersymetric species of dark matter entities that inhabit the gravity wells of stars. With multi-billion year life span and the ability to travel faster than the speed of light. It is theorized that they began their civilization shortly after the birth of the universe and the beginning of stellar evolution. Being dependant upon stars for their breeding grounds, when the first stars of the universe began showing instabilities such as supernovae, they set out to correct these instabilities by accelerating steller evolution throughout the universe. The end result would be a stable universe dotted with white dwarfs. This make life impossible for most planetbound life forms. Upon discovering them, the Xeelee species, one of the most advanced in the universe, started fighting them until they realised this war to be unwinable and decided instead to start moving to other universes.The Photino birds hardly know about other existing life-forms with the exception of the Xeelee.
To fight the Xeelee, the photino birds have developped means to use galaxies as weapons and to propel them to near lightspeed. Photino Birds share the awareness and memories of their parents and ancestry, as each bird is actually an exact copy of its parent
Source: Stephen Baxter, Xeelee Sequence.


XEELEE

The Xeelee are a hyper-advanced civilization which has existed for billions of years whose technology far exceeds that of almost any other known species. They are spread across the universe, typically being concentrated in the heart of galaxies whose black holes they use.
They have also spread gigantic artifacts and huge inscrutable structures throughout space. The most notable of those being the Ring, AKA The Great Attractor, a huge construct drawing in galaxies for millions of light years around with its awesome gravitational well. The Ring, devised to tear a hole in the universe and open a portal to parallel universes, is to be used as an "escape hatch", if the Xeelee were to end up being unable to stop the Photino Birds from aging the stars of the universe.
Hypothetical letterature speculates that Humanity might in the future encounter the Xeelee and begin to war with the Xeelee, which is most likely to last over ten thousand years and to be lost by humanity in the end.
Source: Stephen Baxter, Xeelee Sequence.

PANDAR


Yet another example of parallel development, the Pandar, apart from the fact that it's much larger than the panda, from which it takes its name, offers a very similar lifestyle and appearance to the terran mammal. Note that its giant directionnal ear, apart from giving him a very good hearing, can alos be used as a hood to protect the animal's sensory organs during bad weather.