Although eldritch in appearance, Abomena Pahidermos are gentle, docile creatures. During the summer, when the seasonal lakes they call home dry up, they spend their days wandering across the floodplains in search of food. Their delicate tentacles are tucked in special mouth pouches to keep them hydrated, and their fins fold down for safekeeping. Herds always return to their home lake when the autumn rainy season begins, signaling the start of their short mating season. As the lake fills up, the herd spends more and more time in the water until they switch to a fully aquatic lifestyle. Abomena Pahidermos use their tentacles to sense their surroundings in the muddy water. They are capable of breathing through one trunk while using the other to gather aquatic vegetation to eat and can also hold their breath for several hours if the need arises. Juveniles are born in early spring and spend their first few days of life standing on their mother’s back until their muscles are strong enough for them to swim on their own.

The creatures that dwell in this rather desolate world still display some diversity in appearance, eating habits, and social behavior. Whether they have fur or feathers, skin or scales, their unique genetic makeup allows for a variety of colors and markings within each species. Despite limitations in food sources, herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores are all present in the food chain, and each species requires specialized care within a laboratory. Although the artificial setting of housing units and breeding pods precludes most opportunities to study true interspecific behavior, the interactions within and between species has been studied extensively in the wilderness by scientists daring enough to venture beyond the outpost’s walls.