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Description
Vitae: Cerberus
Domain: Polykaryota
Kingdom: Maxivita
Phylum: Arcacoelomata
Subphylum: Hexacoelomata
Class: Cnemaverma
Order: Magnificagradia ("magnigrads")
Family: Disparlasobidae
Genus: Disparus
Species: sapiens

The common name for D. sapiens is "lasobs".

Image depicts a male lasob, displaying a hexacoelomate (order Helicoptera) it has recently hunted. To the right, a map of the northern hemisphere of Cerberus (red area represents the northern habitable band, Corona Habitabilis Borealis). Lasobs are distributed wherever they can eke out a living in this band, from polar tundra to the sweltering rift valleys further south.

Species Description:
Disparus sapiens, or lasobs, are the sole extant sophont species on the exoplanet Cerberus. Belonging to the subphylum Hexacoelomata within the phylum Arcacoelomata, their bodies are comprised of six individual 'animals' (zooids) which are anatomically fused at the centre (the centre of the organism (the core) is comprised of maternally-derived tissue and under some definitions is considered to be a seventh zooid). Individual zooids possess unique digestive, respiratory, excretory, and locomotory systems, but share interconnected nervous and circulatory systems. Each zooid possesses its own brain that is connected to a central processing organ within the maternal core, and while each zooid can concurrently focus on individual tasks, lasobs possess a single, unified consciousness.

At the top of lasobs (and other hexacoelomates) is a region called the gonadocephalon. This region contains the zooid's brains and major sensory organs, and the reproductive system. Lasobs possess six large, lensed camera eyes. The outside layer of these eyes is comprised of a hard, chitin-like layer that is periodically shed. During shedding, a zooid is effectively blind. Neighbouring zooids are used to see in its stead. Because each zooid has an eye, lasobs have 360° vision. At the top of the gonadocephalon, six crests are present. These crests are comprised of fused 'hairs' (setae) and are sexual display structures. Males have large, fan-shaped crests with pointed tips, while females have thinner crests that curve slightly downwards at the tips. Between the crests and the eyes is a crease that contains the reproductive pores of each zooid. Each zooid possesses its own set of gonads, and in females each can gestate an embryo independently.

Below the gonadocephalon is the main body region, often referred to as the "barrel". This region contains the respiratory, digestive, excretory, endocrine systems, alongside other major organs and the tentacles (the brownish, feather-shaped structures). Between each zooid, bow-shaped endoskeletal ribs comprised of magnesium carbonate and chitin-like glycoproteins are present. The outside of the barrel is protected in a very tough, thick, leather-like skin covering that is additionally coated in overlapping scales. This serves to protect the organism's internal organs and is lightweight for efficient mobility in Cerberus' high gravity.

In lasobs (and other terrestrial cnemavermans), large respiratory spiracles are present at the top of the barrel, in a crease below each zooid's eye. Respiratory spiracles each connect to a tidal lung. These lungs must be large to extract sufficient oxygen from Cerberus' relatively thin atmosphere (as it is only 87% as dense as the Earth's), and thus they make up a large portion of the volume of each zooid. Respiratory spiracles are also used to clean the outside of lasobs' eyes by 'sneezing' air upwards to remove dust and other irritants.

On the barrel, each zooid possesses three more openings (18 total), known as the tentacle spiracles. These can open up to allow the organism's tentacles to extend out from the body. Tentacles are important in the lives of lasobs, being chemosensory organs (olfactory and gustatory) used in sensing the environment, and they are directly used in communication. The top two tentacles on each zooid are specialised for this purpose, while the bottom tentacles additionally serve as limbs for manipulating the environment. Evolutionarily, tentacle spiracles are modified respiratory spiracles, with tentacles themselves being modified gills. The ancestral arcacoelomates possessed four respiratory openings along the length of their bodies. In terrestrial cnemavermans, only one of these openings retains this purpose, while the other three are reduced and are either adapted for other functions (e.g., olfactory), or have been lost.

As with all arcacoelomates, the gut in lasobs forms an arch-shape within the body of each zooid. The mouth opening is present at the bottom of the barrel above each of the organism's arms. Here, a cavity known as the buccal cavity is present, containing organs for masticating food, alongside possessing openings for the oesophagus and anus. The digestive tract, containing the cardiac stomach, pyloric stomach, gastroendocrine organ, and the intestine, loops around the inside of the barrel, surrounding the lung and other internal organs, and joins back up to the buccal cavity. Waste is excreted as dry pellets (similar to pellets regurgitated by owls) to conserve water.

Below the barrel are the arms. These are the primary locomotory organs. Due to lasob's radial symmetry, these organisms are free to move in any direction without turning. While a radial bauplan might not suggest efficient locomotion, in Cerberus' high gravity it provides stability and maneuverability. Arms are supported by thick, circular muscles, and have jointed regions allowing them to bend. At the ends of the arms are the feet, which possess 6 jointed toes (phalanges). The toes are armoured on the top side and padded on the bottom. The feet are capable of retracting somewhat into the arm, allowing the toes to bend inwards to grab heavy objects.

Finally, in the centre of the organism is the maternal core. This contains a central cardiovascular system and brain, housed within a trunk-like bony column (the skeletal core) comprised of magnesium carbonate and chitin-like glycoproteins. The maternal heart pumps blood vertically against gravity, with vascular openings into the gonadocephalon of each zooid. A closed circulatory system is present within each zooid, but because the zooids share a maternal heart, the circulatory system is considered to be shared between them. The blood of lasobs contains a red haemoglobin respiratory pigment. Lasobs are endothermic, with a body temperature around 25.5°C.

Internally, each zooid is separated by septae and bow-shaped ribs that connect to the skeletal core. The bottom of each zooid is supported by a large, bony plate stemming from the core known as the pelvis. The skeletal system is important for breathing, with each zooid alternatingly inhaling and exhaling by pushing off of one another laterally.

Lasobs possess colouration to provide camouflage in their environments. In summer, their scales possess red and grey stripes to blend in with the scarlet foliage in their surroundings. In winter, the red colouration fades and lasobs take on a fully grey colouration. These colour cycles are controlled by an endogenous circannual rhythm (~159 Earth days).

Species Information:
Lasobs are small, being approximately 1 metre in height. Due to Cerberus' high gravity, however, they are considered to be large organisms by Cerberusian standards. Lasobs are omnivorous, social hunter gatherers. Omnivory is not an uncommon dietary mode on Cerberus due to the foliage on Cerberus being mostly made up of ferraphytes (which are 'animals', and are easy to digest for otherwise carnivorous species). Lasobs live typically in extended family groups (tribes) of <100 individuals.

Lasobs are present throughout the northern habitable band (Corona Habitabilis Borealis). They eke out a living wherever they can, and are just as diverse as human hunter gatherer communities. They have active lifestyles.

Communication between individuals is primarily undertaken using the tentacles. Lasobs communicate using pheromones. Specialised organs in their tentacle sheaths can produce a cocktail of over fifty pheromones that are released into the air as the tentacles extend outwards from the body. Meaning is interpreted based on the composition of chemicals emitted, with different combinations of scents acting as "words". The tentacles also act to sense pheromones emitted by other individuals. Movements of the tentacles are also incorporated into lasobi languages, with tentacle motions conveying additional meaning. A talking lasob will appear to be 'dancing' with its tentacles, while a listening lasob will have all of its tentacles extended to pick up the scents.

While the majority of pheromones are emitted at will to convey sentences, some pheromones are involuntary and convey information about an individual's mood or condition. Certain pheromones are used to inform others that a lasob might be unwell or stressed. Other pheromones act to alert nearby lasobs to potential dangers in a similar manner to the Schreckstoff fright response seen in some cyprinid fish on Earth.

Lasobs are disparate from many other known sophont species. Despite this, they are behaviourally among the most similar to humans. Lasobs form social bonds in similar ways to people and even have a sense of humour, although humans might find it a little strange and confusing.

Interaction With Humans:
In the current day, lasobs are hunter gatherers. In the future, however, contact with humans will lead them down a complicated path towards technological advancement and space travel. Eventually, lasobs will join an interstellar coalition alongside humans, totems, and a handful of other alien sophonts.

Description
Vitae: Cerberus
Domain: Polykaryota
Kingdom: Maxivita
Phylum: Arcacoelomata
Subphylum: Hexacoelomata
Class: Cnemaverma
Order: Magnificagradia ("magnigrads")
Family: Disparlasobidae
Genus: Disparus
Species: sapiens

The common name for D. sapiens is "lasobs".

Image depicts a male lasob, displaying a hexacoelomate (order Helicoptera) it has recently hunted. To the right, a map of the northern hemisphere of Cerberus (red area represents the northern habitable band, Corona Habitabilis Borealis). Lasobs are distributed wherever they can eke out a living in this band, from polar tundra to the sweltering rift valleys further south.

Species Description:
Disparus sapiens, or lasobs, are the sole extant sophont species on the exoplanet Cerberus. Belonging to the subphylum Hexacoelomata within the phylum Arcacoelomata, their bodies are comprised of six individual 'animals' (zooids) which are anatomically fused at the centre (the centre of the organism (the core) is comprised of maternally-derived tissue and under some definitions is considered to be a seventh zooid). Individual zooids possess unique digestive, respiratory, excretory, and locomotory systems, but share interconnected nervous and circulatory systems. Each zooid possesses its own brain that is connected to a central processing organ within the maternal core, and while each zooid can concurrently focus on individual tasks, lasobs possess a single, unified consciousness.

At the top of lasobs (and other hexacoelomates) is a region called the gonadocephalon. This region contains the zooid's brains and major sensory organs, and the reproductive system. Lasobs possess six large, lensed camera eyes. The outside layer of these eyes is comprised of a hard, chitin-like layer that is periodically shed. During shedding, a zooid is effectively blind. Neighbouring zooids are used to see in its stead. Because each zooid has an eye, lasobs have 360° vision. At the top of the gonadocephalon, six crests are present. These crests are comprised of fused 'hairs' (setae) and are sexual display structures. Males have large, fan-shaped crests with pointed tips, while females have thinner crests that curve slightly downwards at the tips. Between the crests and the eyes is a crease that contains the reproductive pores of each zooid. Each zooid possesses its own set of gonads, and in females each can gestate an embryo independently.

Below the gonadocephalon is the main body region, often referred to as the "barrel". This region contains the respiratory, digestive, excretory, endocrine systems, alongside other major organs and the tentacles (the brownish, feather-shaped structures). Between each zooid, bow-shaped endoskeletal ribs comprised of magnesium carbonate and chitin-like glycoproteins are present. The outside of the barrel is protected in a very tough, thick, leather-like skin covering that is additionally coated in overlapping scales. This serves to protect the organism's internal organs and is lightweight for efficient mobility in Cerberus' high gravity.

In lasobs (and other terrestrial cnemavermans), large respiratory spiracles are present at the top of the barrel, in a crease below each zooid's eye. Respiratory spiracles each connect to a tidal lung. These lungs must be large to extract sufficient oxygen from Cerberus' relatively thin atmosphere (as it is only 87% as dense as the Earth's), and thus they make up a large portion of the volume of each zooid. Respiratory spiracles are also used to clean the outside of lasobs' eyes by 'sneezing' air upwards to remove dust and other irritants.

On the barrel, each zooid possesses three more openings (18 total), known as the tentacle spiracles. These can open up to allow the organism's tentacles to extend out from the body. Tentacles are important in the lives of lasobs, being chemosensory organs (olfactory and gustatory) used in sensing the environment, and they are directly used in communication. The top two tentacles on each zooid are specialised for this purpose, while the bottom tentacles additionally serve as limbs for manipulating the environment. Evolutionarily, tentacle spiracles are modified respiratory spiracles, with tentacles themselves being modified gills. The ancestral arcacoelomates possessed four respiratory openings along the length of their bodies. In terrestrial cnemavermans, only one of these openings retains this purpose, while the other three are reduced and are either adapted for other functions (e.g., olfactory), or have been lost.

As with all arcacoelomates, the gut in lasobs forms an arch-shape within the body of each zooid. The mouth opening is present at the bottom of the barrel above each of the organism's arms. Here, a cavity known as the buccal cavity is present, containing organs for masticating food, alongside possessing openings for the oesophagus and anus. The digestive tract, containing the cardiac stomach, pyloric stomach, gastroendocrine organ, and the intestine, loops around the inside of the barrel, surrounding the lung and other internal organs, and joins back up to the buccal cavity. Waste is excreted as dry pellets (similar to pellets regurgitated by owls) to conserve water.

Below the barrel are the arms. These are the primary locomotory organs. Due to lasob's radial symmetry, these organisms are free to move in any direction without turning. While a radial bauplan might not suggest efficient locomotion, in Cerberus' high gravity it provides stability and maneuverability. Arms are supported by thick, circular muscles, and have jointed regions allowing them to bend. At the ends of the arms are the feet, which possess 6 jointed toes (phalanges). The toes are armoured on the top side and padded on the bottom. The feet are capable of retracting somewhat into the arm, allowing the toes to bend inwards to grab heavy objects.

Finally, in the centre of the organism is the maternal core. This contains a central cardiovascular system and brain, housed within a trunk-like bony column (the skeletal core) comprised of magnesium carbonate and chitin-like glycoproteins. The maternal heart pumps blood vertically against gravity, with vascular openings into the gonadocephalon of each zooid. A closed circulatory system is present within each zooid, but because the zooids share a maternal heart, the circulatory system is considered to be shared between them. The blood of lasobs contains a red haemoglobin respiratory pigment. Lasobs are endothermic, with a body temperature around 25.5°C.

Internally, each zooid is separated by septae and bow-shaped ribs that connect to the skeletal core. The bottom of each zooid is supported by a large, bony plate stemming from the core known as the pelvis. The skeletal system is important for breathing, with each zooid alternatingly inhaling and exhaling by pushing off of one another laterally.

Lasobs possess colouration to provide camouflage in their environments. In summer, their scales possess red and grey stripes to blend in with the scarlet foliage in their surroundings. In winter, the red colouration fades and lasobs take on a fully grey colouration. These colour cycles are controlled by an endogenous circannual rhythm (~159 Earth days).

Species Information:
Lasobs are small, being approximately 1 metre in height. Due to Cerberus' high gravity, however, they are considered to be large organisms by Cerberusian standards. Lasobs are omnivorous, social hunter gatherers. Omnivory is not an uncommon dietary mode on Cerberus due to the foliage on Cerberus being mostly made up of ferraphytes (which are 'animals', and are easy to digest for otherwise carnivorous species). Lasobs live typically in extended family groups (tribes) of <100 individuals.

Lasobs are present throughout the northern habitable band (Corona Habitabilis Borealis). They eke out a living wherever they can, and are just as diverse as human hunter gatherer communities. They have active lifestyles.

Communication between individuals is primarily undertaken using the tentacles. Lasobs communicate using pheromones. Specialised organs in their tentacle sheaths can produce a cocktail of over fifty pheromones that are released into the air as the tentacles extend outwards from the body. Meaning is interpreted based on the composition of chemicals emitted, with different combinations of scents acting as "words". The tentacles also act to sense pheromones emitted by other individuals. Movements of the tentacles are also incorporated into lasobi languages, with tentacle motions conveying additional meaning. A talking lasob will appear to be 'dancing' with its tentacles, while a listening lasob will have all of its tentacles extended to pick up the scents.

While the majority of pheromones are emitted at will to convey sentences, some pheromones are involuntary and convey information about an individual's mood or condition. Certain pheromones are used to inform others that a lasob might be unwell or stressed. Other pheromones act to alert nearby lasobs to potential dangers in a similar manner to the Schreckstoff fright response seen in some cyprinid fish on Earth.

Lasobs are disparate from many other known sophont species. Despite this, they are behaviourally among the most similar to humans. Lasobs form social bonds in similar ways to people and even have a sense of humour, although humans might find it a little strange and confusing.

Interaction With Humans:
In the current day, lasobs are hunter gatherers. In the future, however, contact with humans will lead them down a complicated path towards technological advancement and space travel. Eventually, lasobs will join an interstellar coalition alongside humans, totems, and a handful of other alien sophonts.