Skopander

The Skopanders are giant insects from the planet Ythaq.

Biology
The Fluriks are a people dedicated to raising butterflies of all sorts. Through careful breeding they managed to create a gigantic species capable of carrying a man's weight. The skopandres are the larval form of these butterflies before they metamorphose in their cocoon.

They resemble large giant brown armored insects, that possess venomous mandibles and dozens of feet. Skopanders are very sensitive to high frequency noises and ultrasound.

Mutants
There exists a mutated strain of these skopanders, which are more aggressive and for some reason stopped evolving. Instead of turning into giant butterflies, they gained a hive mentality and armor makes them nearly invulnerable. They do possess a soft spot in the mouth that can be exploited.

In their hive mentality state, they divided themselves in three castes, workers, fighters and the queen.
 * Workers: These insects prepare cocoons for the next generation of the colony. They are smaller, about the size of a human dog, but their numbers make them fearsome to confront. Workers are mostly harmless and rely on the Fighters for defense.


 * Fighters: Fearsome giant, heavily armored insects, they protect the hive and are summoned by the Workers.
 * Queen: A giant skopandre, far bigger than the other two castes, its sole purpose to to reproduce which it lays eggs from its giant abdomen. Its lower abdomen possesses tendril-like appendages that can grasp attackers and objects. The Queen controls the entire hive, if she dies then the entire colony falls into disarray.

Appearances

 * Les Naufragés d’Ythaq Issue 003 (2006)