Znydgi

Znydgis are a non-sapient species indigenous to the planet Mars. In spite of their playful and docile behaviour and having been employed as research animals, neither Humans nor Martians have been successful in communicating with them.

Biology
Znydgis are striped creatures with long iridescent eyebrows and forked tails. They make whistling pipe-like vocalizations. When immobile, they camouflage themselves as stones.

Like the Martians themselves, Znydgis are hermaphroditic. They are capable of mating with Earth coatis, but exchange no genetic material during the act. Instead, the mating results in the female coati giving birth to a genetically identical but haploid offspring: the same that happens when a Martian "impregnates" a female Human.

Appearances

 * Memoirs of a Spacewoman, by Naomi Mitchison (1962)