Zhebenki

Zhebenki
Reference showing a zhebenki's face, body, hand and open mouth. Art by Camille.
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Zoakaryota
Kingdom:	Zoazoa
Phylum:	Vellutata
Class:	Captiatores
Order:	Furittoidea
Family:	Zebenchidae
Genus:	Zebenchis
Species:	Zebenchis zebenchis
Binomial name
Zebenchis zebenchis

Zhebenki (sg. and pl.), binomial Zebenchis zebenchis, are the native sophonts of Celiane. They are characterised by their short stature, on average reaching about half a metre standing on their hind legs, their semi-aquatic lifestyle, and sophonce. They are primarily predatory animals, having evolved such features as vertical slit pupils and heat pits for infrared sensing.

Appearance

Body

Zhebenki possess four limbs, all used in locomotion, though their front limbs may be used for manipulating their environment. Their hands and feet are mostly symmetrical and possess six fingers each, tipped with long, blunt claws and big, round pads. Their bodies superficially resemble those of mustelids. They are cylindrical, with a tapering snout and tail. They possess fins on the cheeks, forehead, back and sides that, although helpful in swimming, are mostly used in emoting, and whiskers used in chemoreception.

Head

The head of a zhebenki possesses two oblong eyes, four fins, two on the cheeks and two on the forehead, a pair of ears, a pair of nostrils on the forehead, and a mouth with three jaws, one on top and two on the bottom. At the tip of the snout sit eight heat pits, used in sensing the infrared light emitted by prey during the night.

Eye colour

Zhebenki eye colour varies between reds, pinks, browns, greens and blues. Which colour is more prevalent in any given area depends highly on ethnic group

Coloration

A zhebenki's skin is pigmented by melanin, so it varies between pink flesh tones, dark browns and blacks. Certain patches of skin, particularly their pawpads and the tips of their fins, present coloration tending more towards pink. Their fur varies in pattern and its coloration may include whites, blacks, browns, reds, pinks and greys.

Biology

Blood and respiration

Zhebenki blood makes use of a mix of iron and copper-based compounds, and it is a mild violet when exposed to oxygen. It remains colourless when deoxygenated. Zhebenki lungs are located in the medial area of their body, and take up a significant amount of space. While underwater, they may hold their breath for extended periods of time, up to 30 minutes.

Diet

Zhebenki are hypercarnivores—that is, they require a significant amount of animal content in their diet, over 70% to be precise. Zhebenki diets are piscivorous, and they mostly subsist on the aquatic animals they catch. To supplement their diet, they eat invertebrates, some fruits and berries, and small land animals.

Urination and excretion takes place out of the same orifice, located under the genitals.

Reproduction and ageing

Erect zhebenki penis before and during orgasm, and an internal view of successful insemination. Notice how the heads of the penis fully enter the uterine cavities.

The genitalia of male zhebenki are often described "scary" due to their partial bifurcation, length, and spines. This is to ensure insemination within the female's bicameral uterus, which must be entered through a similarly long vaginal canal.

Zhebenki will usually have litters of 4 to 6 babies. Gestation in zhebenki is remarkably short; only about 156 Zoan days (~172 Earth days, i.e. around 5~6 months). Baby zhebenki, small but very active, subsist on solid food from the moment they are born. To make digestion easier, food is liquefied or crushed beforehand. Ancestrally, this was done by the parent masticating and subsequently regurgitating food for them; however, this is not the case for a great majority of parents in the modern day, who prefer instead to blend and crush their food mechanically out of a preoccupation with hygiene.

Babies will enter a state of deep, coma-like torpor once they have accumulated enough food, which is usually after their 60th day of life. They will remain in this state for around 200 Zoan days, in which they must be kept in low light. While under torpor, colloquially and often comically called a "food coma," babies will begin rapidly growing into a slightly longer and more articulated infant form. Upon waking, they are able to walk, eat solid foods with ease, and begin vocalising.

Zhebenki enter adolescence at about their 5th Zoan year (~10 Earth years), when hormonal shifts cause them to enter puberty. Hormonal shifts plateau at around 8 Zoan years, when adulthood is thought to begin. Elderly age starts at around the 19th year. Zhebenki have an average life expectancy of 26 Zoan years (~50 Earth years).

Behaviour

Circadian rhythm

Zhebenki are active during the night, and will sleep during most of the day. Sleep cycles last about 7 to 9 hours of a ~26,5 hour Zoan day.

Territoriality

A characteristic frequently stereotyped by other sophonts is zhebenki's tendency to be zealously territorial. A zhebenki's home turf gets protected and cared for very diligently, contributing to a "paranoid neat freak" stereotype. This is heightened during pregnancy, mothers-to-be often getting tense and aggressive at strangers who get too close to them. However, the intensity of these behaviours depends largely from individual to individual, and not all zhebenki will react the same way.