Crested Jabberwock

The Crested Jabberwock is an apex predatory which has spread across the whole of known space. At first it was the wealthy big game hunters who wanted to have an exotic kill for their trophy wall. The multi-coloured crest being highly prized. Those who shipped the Crested Jabberwock from world to world were mistaken. No one took the time to study the biology. If they had they would have learned that the Crested Jabberwock can breed by parthenogenesis and both sexes exhibit sequential hermaphroditism.

During mating season a male will fight with other males for dominance to claim a female. After the gestation period is complete a number of pups will be born which are said to be the size of the legendary kitten from Old Earth. However, when forced to undergo parthenogenesis and or sequential hermaphroditism a swarm of hundreds of larvae are born, each the size of a grain crop kernel. Extremely difficult to see and to detect. This has allowed the Crested Jabberwock to spread unchecked.

In larval form the Crested Jabberwock secretes an anesthetic which causes any creature it touches to not feel the contact. It will then burrow into the creatures flesh and secrete a mucus which then forms a chrysalis in which the larva will continue growing while feeding on the source creatures blood. The unsuspecting creature becomes an incubator for the Crested Jabberwock, during which it will further develop until it reaches the size of a small rodent. At this stage it will burst forth from the host creature causing a great deal of damage. This often causes the death of the host creature allowing the Crested Jabberwock to consume the flesh of the corpse.

Generally more than one Crested Jabberwock infects a host at a time. It is rare for a host creature to survive and rather horrific if the host creature does survive but is left in a helpless state in which the Crested Jabberwock feeds on the still living host.

A fully grown Crested Jabberwock will weigh 350 and 500 kilograms. Stand between 1.1 and 2 meters at the shoulder and have a length ranging from 2.4 to 3.2 meters. The difference being male female dimorphism. Both sexes are highly aggressive and territorial except during breeding season. A Crested Jabberwock has been reported as having attacked other creatures up to and possibly five times their size. They attack with slashing claws and fangs.

It is best when on a world known to harbor the Crested Jabberwock to take all precautions necessary and possible.