CRITTERS / KRITES

Krites are malevolent carnivorous alien creatures that have the ability to roll into balls like hedgehogs and combine into a sphere. Krites resemble small furry/spiky animals with large mouths and many sharp teeth. The coloration of the Krites varies from black to brown and dark blue. Krites have endoskeletons, with two legs and two arms and three claws on each foot and hand. Its two eyes are red, with a vertical slit pupil. Like felines, Krites eyes are extremely adapt at seeing in the dark, and the light entering a Krites eyes can often reflect off its retinas, causing its eyes to appear to glow. The Krite's mouth spans almost from one side of its head to the other, with each jaw containing three rows of small razor sharp teeth. A Krite is a primarly carnivore but will eat almost anything. Arranged in a central vertical row along their back, Krites have quills. Made of keratin - the same substance human fingernails, each quill contains a neural toxin which causes its prey to become drowsy, disorientated, or paralysed.
While sentient and very cunning, their only goal in existence seems to simply eat and breed. It is unknown whether Krites have sexes but it is a known fact that they are oviparous. Krite embryos incubate in their eggs for a period of six months in temperate conditions or longer colder temperatures. A Krite egg is oval, approximately 15 cm in height. Its coloration can vary from brown, to brown with light green mottling, to a metallic dark green. Eggs have a hard outer shell like that of a birds, and are covered in an irregular pattern of raised interconnecting plates. A thick, sticky light green amniotic fluid fills the eggs, protecting the embryo from minor collisions during early development. A newly hatched Krite is roughly 15 cm in height, but grows rapidly. Even when newly hatched, an infant Krite is capable of capable of looking after itself, being able to bite through wood and move quickly. A fast metabolism allows Krites to quickly grow to adult size once fed. This growth can take merely a few hours. A full grown adult Krite stands between 30 to 40 cm. However, it has been known for a leader to emerge within a group. This alpha will give out special pheromones, identifying it as leader and is capable of increasing its metabolism, allowing it to rapidly increase size upon eating and grow to a height of around 1.70 m - about the same height as an adult human.
Krites are social creatures preferring to eat in groups. They will usually try to neutralise their prey before attacking them. If a Krite gets in trouble it will usually quickly try to escape from its aggressor. Instead of running, it will roll up into a ball and will roll away. If it is unable to escape from its aggressor, it will let out a cry to alert other Krites. This cry is very high frequency and is capable of shattering glass. While they are very primitive, somewhat anarchistic and only possess basic social structures, Krytes learn very fast and can assimilate complex tasks such as piloting complex vehicles and using advanced computers system. They also possess a language made of a collection of low, guttural sounds, throaty rasps and high pitched squeals.
Source: Critters movies