Elmiform

The elmiforms are a cross-species, cross-planet group of organisms that share, among other things, a body plan similar to that of an elmian or a human. These similarities, which go beyond just their body shape, are so many that they have led to the idea of a shared extra-planetary origin (i.e. several panspermia events originating from one celestial body that split in its trajectory), the Estranged Mother Theory.

List of elmiforms

The known elmiforms are the following:

• Elmians, the prototypical elmiforms, from planet Elm,
• Juleans, from Julee,
• Humans, from Earth, the only elmiform species to have become completely extinct,
• Felds, from World, one of two elmiform species not included in the Estranged Mother Theory (they evolved much later than the rest), and
• Clúnydd, also from World, the second elmiform species not included in the theory, and the only ones that can trace their ancestry to organisms from the dess.

Characteristics

Elmiforms share a number of characteristics that not only distinguish them from other sophonts, but also group them together in unusual ways.

• Body plan: all elmiforms have the following:
  • Two pairs of clearly defined arms and legs, having a bipedal stance.
  • A torso divided into a protected upper half (the ribcage) containing major parts of the circulatory and respiratory systems, and a vulnerable soft lower half (the belly), containing major parts of the digestive and reproductive systems.
  • A head with a sturdy hollow skull containing the brain and including the eyes, nose, ears and related processes, along with a mouth used to both vocalise and ingest nutrients.
• Genetic information storage: genetic information on all elmiform species is universally based on DNA, RNA, and the nucleobases adenine, cytosine, guanine, thymine and uracil.
• Reproduction and child-rearing: all elmiforms reproduce sexually, are viviparous, have one to two children on average, and breastfeed their offspring.
  • Notably, all elmiforms have some kind of disaccharide in their milk. Elmians, humans, felds and clúnydd all share lactose content, juleans being the only ones to produce trehalose instead.
• Pentadactyly: all elmiforms possess five digits per limb on average.