Bestiary

One the planet of Onia, there is a decently large populating of various creatures residing on the planet. Even though Onia is a seed bombed planet, various animals and insects have found their way to the planet in one way or another.

Insectiods

Insects on Onia are primarily originated from small pests and eggs that had managed to stow away as part of cargo being transported from other planets, systems, and stations. While insects are typically easily handled on populated planets, the lack of any predators to control their size and numbers, the various chemicals and radioactive elements used in the seed bombing process, and a slightly higher oxygen content in the planets atmosphere, This resulting in super massive insects that can easily reach the size of small transport vehicles, with some weighing enough to be classified as armored vehicles.

Insects on Onia are edible, but due to the nature of insects biology, the meat on these creatures is porous, slimy, and spongy, having a consistency that is reminiscent of trying to eat wet flour, with a flavor that is best left undescribed. This meat can be made palatable by heavy processing, but ends up being of a quality equal to the worst of ground beef. It is still however, a staple in cheap military rations.

Razorwasps

Razorwasps are large, brightly colored insectoids that can have wingspans up to 75 cm (29.5 in). They are a predatory species whose diet typically consists of other native insects, but have been known to snatch colonist's pets when extremely hungry. Their large mandibles are capable of easily chewing through the thick bark of Onia's alien trees; they gather these fibers from dead vegetation to construct their massive nests, mixing their saliva with this pulp to create sturdy, waterproof structures. Razorwasps are dangerous to colonists when provoked, and are so named for the many barbs located on their stingers. While their venom is not particularly potent, the deep lacerations caused by their shredding stingers can prove to be fatal when encountered in groups.

Corpseflies

Corpseflies are a mutation of one of Onia's native species brought on by the Coalition's terraforming operations. They are bloated, grotesque flying insects that seek out dead animals (or colonists) to lay their larvae in. Corpsefly maggots live in these decaying bodies and feed on the rotting flesh until they are large enough to survive on their own and begin constructing their pupa. It is not uncommon for bodies to be hollowed out by the aggressive appetite of corpseflies only to burst like a wet balloon when they emerge from their pupae as a fully grown fly. Corpseflies can have a wingspan of up to 50 cm (19.7 in) and have been known to attack colonists by spitting acidic globules at passerby if they are provoked.

Spinnerets

Ten-legged, twelve-eyed arthropods can typically be found in dense forests or dark caves. Spinnerets might be mistaken for spiders in appearance, but their anatomy is distinct. Spinnerets have incredibly complex eyes that can see in up to sixteen colors, far surpassing the capabilities of other creatures native to Onia. They are sedentary entities, using their armored pedipalps to dig into the terrain and construct deep burrows from which they hunt and live in. Spinnerets are so named for the web-like structure that they spread over the terrain outside of their burrow. When these silky tendrils are disturbed, the spinneret attacks with blinding speed, kidnapping its prey and pulling them down into the darkness to consume. However, unlike the typical Earth spider, these webs are intensely corrosive. They are a rarity close to civilization, but in the uncharted wilderness these lion-sized arthropods are incredibly dangerous.

Treemen

While the name might lead one to believe these creatures are some kind of cryptid, they are in actuality massive stickbugs that effectively imitate dead trees. This natural camouflage helps them avoid predators in the environment but also tends to render them invisible to colonists. There are many local tales of an unlucky miner deciding to relieve himself on the bark of a tree, only to find out that it is not, in fact, a tree. These creatures normally possess no real danger, as they are not predatory, but their massive size and weight can cause plenty of damage to manmade structures as they hastily attempt to make their exit when discovered. They are an especially dangerous roadblock to colonial logging operations as they become agitated when struck with an axe.

Slatters

Resembling large, beefy pill bugs, Slatters are so named because the segmented portions of their armored body bear an uncanny resemblance to the standard galactic slat. Slatters are detritivores and their diet mainly consists of decaying plant matter such as leaves, and to a lesser extent, wood pulp. When threatened, however, they can curl their bodies into large, boulder-sized balls through a process known as conglobation. Their carapace is typically coated in a noxious, toxic liquid that is poisonous to most other creatures. This, coupled with their thick armor plates and the damage they can inflict merely by rolling into things makes them not worth the effort as far as most predators are concerned; only the larger Spinneret is unaffected by the Slatters' toxic defenses.

Mammals

While Onia has no naturally occurring mammals due to its age, that has not stopped various creatures, brought in from travelers as pets, or dropped off by research corporations to meet "minimum disposal requirements" for animal study subjects, to slowly been populate the surface. These creatures are typically similar to their origin species, however they are usually typically "wrong" in some form.

Common Deer

Due to the chilly, forested environment of Onia, deer are able to be found in abundance on the planet. Acting as a primary meal source for hunters and scouts, they have been thought to be one of the major reasons Onia has survived as a frontier planet, being able to cheaply supply a high quality meat to its populous. Typically, the insect population would wipe out these creatures, but it has become readily apparent these creatures were part of fertility experiments, as herds of multi-hundred deer have been spotted far on the planet, away from mining sites and population centers.