Author's Note: Hello all! Because I'm odd and like doing this sort of research, I present the first installment of The Complete Irken Report. Yes, it's obsessive fandom at, if not its height, than pretty darn close to it. The majority of the information is taken from canon and applied to research. Or perhaps it's the other way around… There is also some artistic liberty taken here, such as the inclusion, or at least mention, of the Archai. They're mine and their used as an evolutionary ancestor for Irkens. Hopefully the mentions of them are clear enough.
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Anatomy
Overall, Irkens have evolved little since their days as Archai. Most of their evolution process is a tale of loss; yet at the same time progress as they lost anatomical baggage that no longer served them any purpose. One of their first losses was the deterioration of the Upper stomach that Archai relied on to store extra food, water, and assorted non-edible tools and trinkets. As Irkens became exclusively bipedal - as opposed to Archai who could walk upright but often traveled on all fours - they were able to carry food, water, and assorted other items in their hands or in carrying bags that they crafted first out of animal hides and later out of synthetic, factory-made materials. This led to the loss of the storage pouch located on the outside of the body over the region of the lower stomach.
Irkens also lost their sharp teeth, a new diet rendering their incisors disadvantageous. From a primarily meat-based diet, Irkens chose a more balanced diet and developed canine and molar teeth capable of grinding plants. These teeth, in addition to a reduced number of incisor teeth, allowed Irkens to both tear meat and chew plants, giving them a dental anatomy similar to humans. As time progressed and Irkens began to rely on dietary supplement pills, their teeth changed to almost exclusively contain dulled canines; flat and dull enough to grind pills but also sharp enough to cause some damage when used to bite as a last resort in close-quarters combat.
Actually, it is Irkens adversity to close-quarters combat that sets them apart from their ancestors who fought exclusively in close-quarters combat. Irkens are by no means weak in this area, but only when compared to their evolved build; which is not designed for hand-to-hand combat. Irkens have therefore evolved a lethal poison that acts as both as necrotoxin and a neurotoxin. Unlike most venomous creatures, Irkens do not store their venom in a venom sack, but in each tooth. Irkens can control the concentration of the venom they release, allowing their venom a range of utility, from temporary paralysis to a deadly muscle-destroyer to an acid capable of burning through lesser metals.
They have grown taller, now averaging between three and a half to five feet in height. Part of their growth can be contributed to the redefinition of the bones in their legs. Instead of being bent forward from hip to knee and than backwards from knee to ankle, the Irkens leg is decidedly humanoid; straight, and with the evolutionary addition of a kneecap - meaning that their legs can no longer bend both ways.
The rest of their height increase can be attributed to a better diet and genetic tempering. Irkens get almost all of their necessarily vitamins from supplementary pills and a fast metabolism allows for mass caloric intake simply for hedonistic the pleasure of eating. Irkens no longer produce live young themselves but have moved the continuation of their species into laboratories.
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Next section: Life Cycle