Cephallonian

Cephallonians are a sapient spacefaring aquatic species.

Biology
Cephallonians are dolphin-like aquatic vertebrates with dorsal fins and long snouts, and weigh as much as half a ton. Their flippers double as stubby arms with four fingers. Despite living in water, they are still air-breathers. As such, they need to rise above surface to breathe, and exhale bubbles of air from two blow-slits. They can dive down a few kilometers. Their diet includes marine invertebrates, small fish and seaweed. They can produce bubbles in several distinct colors, each indicating a particular emotional state. Since they speak through a tympanic membrane, they don't need air for communicating.

Cephallonian biochemistry is carbon-based, built upon four essential amino acids: proline, glycine, tyrosine and leucine. Like Erthumoi, they use adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to provide energy for the chemical reactions that occur inside their cells.

Different Cephallonian subspecies are known to exist, including the Ilonians.

Appearances

 * "They Hide, We Seek", by Robert Silverberg (1990)
 * "The Diplomacy Guild", by David Brin (1990)
 * "Myryx", by Robert Sheckley (1990)
 * "The Burning Sky", by Poul Anderson (1990)
 * "Phases in Chaos", by Hal Clement (1991)
 * "The Soul of Truth", by Karen Haber (1991)
 * "Keep the Faith", by Lawrence Watt-Evans (1991)
 * "Breakups", by Harry Turtledove (1992)
 * "Water of Life", by George Alec Effinger (1992)
 * "Eyeball Vectors", by Hal Clement (1992)
 * "Unnatural Diplomacy", by Karen Haber (1992)
 * Fossil, by Hal Clement (1993)
 * Murder at the Galactic Writers' Society, by Janet Asimov (1995)