Post by TiJiL on Jul 26, 2003 14:30:40 GMT -5
Hurk Anatomy
Nervous System:
Most of the Hurk nervous system is not notable, but due to their strange anatomy, special changes must be made. All nervous functions within the skinbone work as one might expect, but due to the practically impermeable bone layer, extra nervous capabilities must be present in order to adequately operate nerves outside of the bone. The standard, internal nervous system branches slightly beyond the skinbone, through small holes in the elbow, knee, and chin. With this limited nervous capacity, a Hurk has difficultly using its outer muscles, and has a very slow reaction time. However, to cope with this problem, Hurks have, within some of their larger muscles, clumps of nerves that act as secondary brains. These little brains can process data from a small region of the Hurk's body and relay signals back to it through hormones. This allows the Hurk to use its outer muscles nearly as fast as those inside. It is interesting to note that Hurks have very few pain receptors in their skin.
Respitory System:
Hurk respiratory systems are particularly notable, due to that they are almost the same system as the digestive. A Hurk's stomach also acts as its single lung. Underneath of the myriads of thick flaps that make up the stomach and protect it from poisonous or sharp objects, the Hurk has hundreds of muscular bands. When oxygen comes into contact with these bands, it is absorbed into the blood. Usually, the flaps in a Hurk's stomach are always closed, and absorb oxygen directly from the food they eat. However, when a Hurk is not eating, the flaps open up, allowing the stomach to act as a fully fuctional, full-efficiency lung.
Circulatory System:
Hurks have a single, enormous heart that resides just behind where a Twassecc's sternum would be. This tremendous organ is a single chamber, and is incredibly strong. This great strength is needed due to how thick the blood of a hurk is. Hurk blood is about 4 times as dense as water. The heart will pump about once per erkan, but not in a cohesive contraction like most species. Using flagellum and its powerful contractile walls, a Hurk heart can continually stream blood for about an erkan, before resting momentarily. (In other words, each beat takes a full erkan to complete). Every time the heart pumps, it moves the hurk's blood through the lung bands, which then distribute it throughout the body. Just like for the nervous system, special adaptations are present in the circulatory system to account for the skinbone. Thick veins come through the same three sections of the skinbone that the nerves do, and feed the muscles outside of the skinbone.
Digestive System:
As one might expect, the Hurk digestive system is incredibly effective. A Hurk has a single, large stomach (which, as aforementioned, also acts as a lung). The walls of the stomach are covered in thick scales which protect the slightly more fragile tissue around the stomach. Hurks use their powerful jaws and sharp teeth to smash and grind whatever they can. (In the rare event that a Hurk cannot chew up what he eats, they have particularly expansive throats, and can swallow most objects.) The mashed food is then forced down a muscular esophagus/trachea and passed into the stomach. Using powerful enzymes, the stomach can digest nearly any material within an erker, and pass it through the stomach walls into the bloodstream. Due to their enormous energy requirements, Hurks eat nearly constantly. (Fact: Hurks have no solid waste disposal system ie colon. All food ingested is either completely digested, or coughed out of the mouth.)
Endocrine and Immune Systems
Hurks, hailing from a heavily diseased planet, have amazing immune systems. Their thick skin is nearly impenetrable to microbes, preventing much infection, while their blood contains digestive enzymes that will eat (and benefit from) any invasive materials. However, a Hurk's immune system is radically weaker within their skinbone, so any chemical designed to kill Hurks is made to quickly move deep within them.
Reproductive System
Hurks become sexually mature at about 10 twassecc years of age. Males and females court, but Hurks are very non-ritualistic about their reproduction. After mating (internal fertilization), the male Hurk will depart, and play no part as a father directly to his offspring. (He will, however, reside in the same city, and care for the female from time to time. Later in life, he may take on an apprentice that happens to be one of his children, but he will either not know or not care of this occurance.) The female will have a short gestation period (about a series) and care for the Hurklings for about a year. It is in this period that she will grant them each their first name. After a year, the hurklings go out on their own, and rely on the community to care for them.
Skeletal and Muscle Systems:
Hurks are Barosteodonts (an order of reptiles that includes Dorosaurs and Dosoks as well, and means 'Heavy bones and teeth'), and thus have very heavy bones and teeth. While the Dorosaur holds the title of most dense material in the universe, Hurk bones are not too far behind. Jet black and almost pore-free, Hurk bones take enormous force to break. Coupled with their incredibly durable bones, Hurks also have a lot of them. Their internal skeleton is nothing to gawk at, but about a foot under their skin is a heavy layer of bone called skinbone. This (along with the Hurks' thick skin) makes them near indestructable to melee assaults. There are several weakspots, though, including the elbows, knees, and neck. Hurk muscles are particularly efficient, due to the slow nature of the Hurk circulatory system. Using their two layers of muscles (which compose about 70% of their volume) they can demonstrate enormous strength.
Sensory Systems:
Hurk senses are particularly well attuned. Their sense of smell is more adept than any race's, barring the graakks. Using internal nostrils in the roof of their mouth, they can smell and taste trace materials from great distances. Their sense of hearing is also quite attuned. Their eyes are very good at picking up movement accurately, but have trouble distinguishing still shapes. Finally, their sense of touch is incredibly hindered, due to their almost complete lack of sensory neurons in their skin.
Anatomical Statistics:
Average height: 5 meters
Average weight: 2000 lbs at adulthood, oldest hurks up to 4000+ pounds.
Top speed: 45 mpe (About 30 mph)
Sexual Maturity: 10 twassecc years (About 30 human years)
Lifespan: 40 twassecc years (About 120 human years)
Intelligence: 100-200 IQ average
Nervous System:
Most of the Hurk nervous system is not notable, but due to their strange anatomy, special changes must be made. All nervous functions within the skinbone work as one might expect, but due to the practically impermeable bone layer, extra nervous capabilities must be present in order to adequately operate nerves outside of the bone. The standard, internal nervous system branches slightly beyond the skinbone, through small holes in the elbow, knee, and chin. With this limited nervous capacity, a Hurk has difficultly using its outer muscles, and has a very slow reaction time. However, to cope with this problem, Hurks have, within some of their larger muscles, clumps of nerves that act as secondary brains. These little brains can process data from a small region of the Hurk's body and relay signals back to it through hormones. This allows the Hurk to use its outer muscles nearly as fast as those inside. It is interesting to note that Hurks have very few pain receptors in their skin.
Respitory System:
Hurk respiratory systems are particularly notable, due to that they are almost the same system as the digestive. A Hurk's stomach also acts as its single lung. Underneath of the myriads of thick flaps that make up the stomach and protect it from poisonous or sharp objects, the Hurk has hundreds of muscular bands. When oxygen comes into contact with these bands, it is absorbed into the blood. Usually, the flaps in a Hurk's stomach are always closed, and absorb oxygen directly from the food they eat. However, when a Hurk is not eating, the flaps open up, allowing the stomach to act as a fully fuctional, full-efficiency lung.
Circulatory System:
Hurks have a single, enormous heart that resides just behind where a Twassecc's sternum would be. This tremendous organ is a single chamber, and is incredibly strong. This great strength is needed due to how thick the blood of a hurk is. Hurk blood is about 4 times as dense as water. The heart will pump about once per erkan, but not in a cohesive contraction like most species. Using flagellum and its powerful contractile walls, a Hurk heart can continually stream blood for about an erkan, before resting momentarily. (In other words, each beat takes a full erkan to complete). Every time the heart pumps, it moves the hurk's blood through the lung bands, which then distribute it throughout the body. Just like for the nervous system, special adaptations are present in the circulatory system to account for the skinbone. Thick veins come through the same three sections of the skinbone that the nerves do, and feed the muscles outside of the skinbone.
Digestive System:
As one might expect, the Hurk digestive system is incredibly effective. A Hurk has a single, large stomach (which, as aforementioned, also acts as a lung). The walls of the stomach are covered in thick scales which protect the slightly more fragile tissue around the stomach. Hurks use their powerful jaws and sharp teeth to smash and grind whatever they can. (In the rare event that a Hurk cannot chew up what he eats, they have particularly expansive throats, and can swallow most objects.) The mashed food is then forced down a muscular esophagus/trachea and passed into the stomach. Using powerful enzymes, the stomach can digest nearly any material within an erker, and pass it through the stomach walls into the bloodstream. Due to their enormous energy requirements, Hurks eat nearly constantly. (Fact: Hurks have no solid waste disposal system ie colon. All food ingested is either completely digested, or coughed out of the mouth.)
Endocrine and Immune Systems
Hurks, hailing from a heavily diseased planet, have amazing immune systems. Their thick skin is nearly impenetrable to microbes, preventing much infection, while their blood contains digestive enzymes that will eat (and benefit from) any invasive materials. However, a Hurk's immune system is radically weaker within their skinbone, so any chemical designed to kill Hurks is made to quickly move deep within them.
Reproductive System
Hurks become sexually mature at about 10 twassecc years of age. Males and females court, but Hurks are very non-ritualistic about their reproduction. After mating (internal fertilization), the male Hurk will depart, and play no part as a father directly to his offspring. (He will, however, reside in the same city, and care for the female from time to time. Later in life, he may take on an apprentice that happens to be one of his children, but he will either not know or not care of this occurance.) The female will have a short gestation period (about a series) and care for the Hurklings for about a year. It is in this period that she will grant them each their first name. After a year, the hurklings go out on their own, and rely on the community to care for them.
Skeletal and Muscle Systems:
Hurks are Barosteodonts (an order of reptiles that includes Dorosaurs and Dosoks as well, and means 'Heavy bones and teeth'), and thus have very heavy bones and teeth. While the Dorosaur holds the title of most dense material in the universe, Hurk bones are not too far behind. Jet black and almost pore-free, Hurk bones take enormous force to break. Coupled with their incredibly durable bones, Hurks also have a lot of them. Their internal skeleton is nothing to gawk at, but about a foot under their skin is a heavy layer of bone called skinbone. This (along with the Hurks' thick skin) makes them near indestructable to melee assaults. There are several weakspots, though, including the elbows, knees, and neck. Hurk muscles are particularly efficient, due to the slow nature of the Hurk circulatory system. Using their two layers of muscles (which compose about 70% of their volume) they can demonstrate enormous strength.
Sensory Systems:
Hurk senses are particularly well attuned. Their sense of smell is more adept than any race's, barring the graakks. Using internal nostrils in the roof of their mouth, they can smell and taste trace materials from great distances. Their sense of hearing is also quite attuned. Their eyes are very good at picking up movement accurately, but have trouble distinguishing still shapes. Finally, their sense of touch is incredibly hindered, due to their almost complete lack of sensory neurons in their skin.
Anatomical Statistics:
Average height: 5 meters
Average weight: 2000 lbs at adulthood, oldest hurks up to 4000+ pounds.
Top speed: 45 mpe (About 30 mph)
Sexual Maturity: 10 twassecc years (About 30 human years)
Lifespan: 40 twassecc years (About 120 human years)
Intelligence: 100-200 IQ average
