Galactoceti "Space Whales"

Galactoceti have elongated tubular bodies which vary in girth depending on the species, with flipper-like appendages located on the sides of their bodies used to direct expelled gases for propulsion and maneuvering in the void of space. The arrangement of the flippers as well as the number of exhaust orifices is variable depending on the species of the galactocetus in question, though typically the larger variants have fewer maneuver ports as they favour life styles that do not require high degrees of maneuverability. Nearly all species have a large exhaust port at the rear of the creature that acts similarly to the main engines of spacecraft, propelling the creature forward through the void via a action-reaction effect by expelling combusted gases.

See specific species entry page for details

See specific species entry page for details

It is not well understood how galactoceti reproduce as no sentient species has been able to get them to reproduce in captivity and galactoceti in wild space reproduce out of easy observation locations. It is apparent from the observation of parental behaviour that there are differentiated sexes that have differing investment in the reproductive process.

Variable across different species.

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Variable across different species, all galactoceti reside in the the vacuum of space their entire lives.

See specific species entry page for details

Variable across different species

See specific species entry page for details

Similar to the whales of old earth, galactoceti tend to congregate in pods to provide limited protection to younger individuals.

Though attempts have been made in the past, no species of galactoceti has been successfully domesticated.

Varies depending on species

Roughly equal to a whale of similar ecological niche on Old Earth.

Galactoceti lack hearing, and smell due to the nature of the environment in which they live. Some species lack eyesight as well, typically the larger autotrophic variants which don't require it for survival. A unique sensory technique used by nearly all species of galactoceti is the ability to sense and navigate by the gravitational pull of celestial bodies, which they use to avoid being trapped inside of gravity wells created by these objects and to navigate through the solar systems and nebulae they live in. A variety of species (usually those that lack eyesight) also make use of a form of psychic echolocation, referred to as Psynging (pronounced Singing), as a way to locate objects within a relatively close proximity of the creature, typically between a few dozen meters to several hundred kilometers.

See specific species entry page for details