Rat
| Rat | |
|---|---|
| Base Information | |
| Classification | Omnivore/Intermittent |
| Terrain | Forest |
| Locomotion | Walker |
| Size | tiny |
| Speed | Extra Slow |
| Strength | Weak |
| Social Structure | Medium pack |
| Weapons | Claws, Teeth |
| Armor | None |
| Body Structure | |
| Symmetry | bilateral |
| Head/Torso | Head with brain/senses |
| Limbs & Manipulators | 2 fore legs, 2 rear legs |
| Tail | 1 tail |
| Skeleton | Bony interior |
| Internal Fluids | Blood |
| Skin | Fur |
| Natural Weapons | Claws, Teeth |
| Body Shape | |
| Size | tiny |
| Stance | Horizontal |
| Length/Height | .1-.5 meters inc tail |
| Body Profile | Typical |
| Weight | 2 kilograms |
| Details | |
| Edibility | Yes |
| Training Difficulty | No |
| Source | |
| Homeworld | Terra (Solomani Rim 1827) |
| Multi-world | Yes |
| Canon | Yes |
| Reference | |
The Rat is a creature lifeform that is not a sophont.
- It is a native of Terra, but has spread far beyond that world.
Description (Specifications)[edit]
The Rat is an omnivore native to Terra (Solomani Rim 1827) but has become endemic throughout space inhabited (presently or historically) by Humaniti and Vargr.
Physiology & Ecology[edit]
Rats are capable of living anywhere that Humans and Vargr can live. They appear to have been spread by the Ancients (possibly accidentally) to at least three planets and they have become a nuisance on some Aslan, Droyne, Hiver and K'kree worlds. They are between 10cm and 30cm long depending upon specific sub-species (bioengineered Lii-rats are larger), have brown, black, white or mottled coats, and poor vision but enhanced olfactory sense. Rats are effectively red-green colour-blind, but have some UV sensitivity. They can hear into Ultrasound frequencies and their hearing is acute.
Rats can carry pathogens that affect Humans and Vargr. These may be directly transmissible, or may be transmitted indirectly (e.g. Yersinia pestis).
Rats can be tamed and are used as pets by some. A few treat Rats as incarnations of deities.
Life Cycle & Reproduction[edit]
Rats become sexually mature at age 6 weeks, but reach social maturity at about 5 to 6 months of age. The average lifespan of rats varies by species, but many only live about a year due to predation.
Females may have up to 5 litters of 7-14 kits per year. About 95% are lost to predation or inter-species conflict.
Diet & Trophics[edit]
Rats are omnivorous intermittents, whose diet is the plant-life and small creatures of their homeworld of Terra (Solomani Rim 1827) and other worlds onto which they have been transplanted.
The Rat is predated by almost any carnivore that can catch it on all worlds on which it is found. Rats have brought various types of disease with them as they have spread across space, including some that are transmissible from/to Humaniti and Vargr.
Rats are adept at accessing food storage and are able to eat many foods edible by humans and Vargr. That can cause massive losses to food-stocks.
Rats will gnaw on cables, struts and other items - not as food but to ensure their teeth don't overgrow. However, this habit can cause critical damage to power and communications systems.
History & Background (Dossier)[edit]
The Rat has become endemic in Charted Space because it has been deliberately and accidentally transported. They have been used as pets, food sources and laboratory test animals for centuries and their wild cousins are adept at stowing away on Starships and in housing.
Derived Products (Goods)[edit]
Rats are sometimes used as a source of meat, fur and bones.
The meat is seen as everything from prized delicacy to Taboo or famine food by Humaniti (including Solomani, Vilani and Zhodani) and Vargr. Aslan tend to view the Rat as a food source for prey-animals.
Travellers' Aid Society Advisory[edit]
Rats are largely a pest creature and are widely considered a nuisance. They have a TAS amber advisory and are not considered dangerous, but can cause serious ecological issues if introduced into a new World.
Image Repository[edit]
No information yet available.
Worlds & Sectors (Astrography)[edit]
This creature can primarily be found in the following areas:
Charted Space
The planet Rats is indeed named in part for the animal, which became well-established there.
Species Notes[edit]
This species has been subject to selective breeding and genetic engineering during its long association with Humaniti. The statistics above are based on the most common varieties seen in the Imperium but bioengineered derivatives of up to 100kg are known to have been created.
Homeworld[edit]
The homeworld of this creature is:
World Listing: 1105[edit]
This creature is known to be found in the following systems and worlds:
References & Contributors (Sources)[edit]
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This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Rat. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. The text of Wikipedia is available under the Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. |
- Collator: BackworldTraveller