Amphid
The Amphid were an intelligent race of amphibious humanoids that developed on Nordic Frog Beach. They reached a level of technology similar to Earth's Renaissance period: They developed cities, agriculture, art, poetry, complex societal rules, and more. They were not supreme tool-users and rarely used vehicles. They did not stockpile supplies. Their closest genetic relative on Earth is the salamander.
The Amphid are thought to have gone extinct around 400,000 years ago after the advent of an Ice Age on their planet. The Ice Age wiped out their ability to grow food and support cities. After they scattered into the wilderness, they slowly died off or were outcompeted by larger, more powerful predators.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Amphid have two arms, two legs, a torso, and a head. Each hand has two fingers and an opposable thumb and grip-pads that make it easy for them to climb surfaces and hold onto prey. Their hands and feet are both webbed for easier swimming, and their feet have long, retractable flippers that make them suitable for both walking and swift swimming. Their skin is permeable, making them reliant on temperate water for their own temperature regulation. They are otherwise capable of breathing air and water equally well.
Genetics and Reproduction
Amphid are thought to reproduce using eggs. In modern amphid society, an egg stockpile was kept by specialists whose profession was care for eggs and newborns. Fertilizers of the species would be given permission to fertilize a specific number of eggs and then return home, and the youth-care-workers would then raise the child to adolescence.
Ecology and Habitats
Amphid live in temperate running water. They are capable of surviving in both freshwater and saltwater environments, but the water must be within a narrow temperature band in order for them to reproduce. Amphid are omnivores - they use their grip pads and their superior swimming skills to catch fish with their bare hands, and supplement a hunted diet with land cultivated for agriculture.
Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
On Nordic Frog Beach, Amphid were distributed around the equatorial band - the subtropical islands to the south of the planet's only continent, and inland waterways on the southern tip of the continent were most favorable for Amphid survival.
Average Intelligence
Amphid are thought to be of a similar intelligence level to humans. They have been shown to have capacity for complex emotions, abstract thought, and artistic expression. However, they did not develop and use tools to the same extent as humans do.
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