Urm
| Urm | |
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| Fullbody sketch of an Urm. Art by Camille. | |
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| Species: | U. tomentosus
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| Binomial name | |
| Urmus tomentosus | |
Urms (or Urmi, sg. Urm, Urmus tomentosus) are the native sophonts of Kanno. On average they are large, both sexes usually reaching 190cm on all sixes. Their crests are a characteristic feature, which they use to convey emotion by moving them up and down. Their whiskers also play a role in this, but their primary function is as chemoreceptors. On the tips of each of their four jaws sits a single incurrent nostril, used exclusively for inhaling, the excurrent nostrils (for exhaling) being located on each side of the neck. On the sides of their heads lie two very small eyes. Having rod cells and only one type of cone cell, which detects infrared, they are IR monochromats. Their poor vision is compensated by their excellent hearing. FMRI scans have demonstrated that the auditory areas of their brains are very sensitive and exceedingly well developed, and it's been well proven that this, along with their spatial recognition and echolocation capabilities, essentially equate their hearing to sight.
Appearance
Body
Urms are hexapodal, with the first pair of limbs ending in four-fingered symmetrical hands, while the last two pairs are used exclusively for walking. Their hands, when not in active use, are also active in their gait, as urms knuckle-walk. They are able to walk without them, but if done for long periods of time this may become uncomfortable as their centre of mass wouldn't be level with their gait.
Head
Urm heads consist of their rostrum, a fur-less leathery area of the face which includes their four-jawed snout and crest, which they use to emote, not unlike eyebrows in elmiforms. They also possess a pair of small teardrop-shaped eyes and large, round, flat ears with no fur. On the tips of their four jaws sit incurrent nostrils, used in inhalation, while exhalation takes place either out the throat or the excurrent nostrils, which are found on either side of their neck. Four whiskers sit at the edges of their lips, tipped with small bulbous chemoreceptors.
Eye colour
Urm eyes are almost always green or light blue; a recessive gene may cause them to become yellowish or amber, though this is a relatively rare occurrence. Depigmented eyes, such as those of albino individuals, may appear a very light green.
Coloration
Urm fur combines browns, light greens and oranges, as well as blacks, whites and greys. Their skin colours ranges in the greens due to their use of biliverdin.
Biology
Anatomy
Respiration and blood
Urm blood primarily makes use of chlorocruorin for oxygen transport, giving it a green tint. Being a only a quarter as efficient as haemoglobin, urms require a higher amount of oxygen in their environment to survive. Due to this, their lungs are large and efficient.
Communication
Urms' main form of information exchange is through complex signed languages. These vary from culture to culture, and very few signs are universal. However, their vocalisations, though limited due to their lack of vocal chords, are understood by nearly every individual, along with facial expressions using their crests.
Visual
A variety of urm facial expressions and visual cues can be noted.
| Head position | Crest erection | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat | Semi-rigid | Rigid | |
| Held upright | Calm, neutral | Content | Happy, joyous[a] |
| Held low | Sad, cautious, tired | Comfortable | Curious, intrigued |
| Held back, retracted | Disgusted, uncomfortable[b], scared[c] | - | - |
| Held forward | Challenging[d], angry | - | Courting, affectionate[e] |
- ↑This may be accompanied by shivering whiskers.
- ↑While angling the head up.
- ↑While angling the head down. This may be accompanied by a display of aggression.
- ↑If there's no display of aggression, it's usually implied to be friendly.
- ↑It's also common for an urm to slightly angle their head up so as to look at the recipient from above.
Eyes may contribute for emphasis by being more open. Piloerection may also ensue with extreme emotions.
Vocal
There are two ways in which an urm may communicate vocally: through their throat or oral communication, also called howl-barks, or through contracting their excurrent nostrils and exhaling, thus nasal communication, or whistling. These may happen individually or simultaneously, in which case they are emphasising one another.
Whistles
- Fwee - a long, stable, high pitched whistle which usually signifies great excitement.
- Whine - a series of short whistles, like whines, usually indicating pain.
- Rumble - a long, stable, low pitched whistle, an angry warning sound.
- Growl - a combination of a rumble and a purr, so a long, vibrating rumbling sound reminiscent of a growl. Annoyance. If accompanied by a low howl, anger.
- Purr - a sound made by vibrating the muscles of the excurrent respiratory tracts. Sounds like a low purr or light vibrating sound. Depends on context. If it accompanies a comfortable posture, it's a sign of enjoyment and pleasure. Otherwise, it indicates discomfort.
- Trills - a sound made by juveniles, usually when they need the attention of their mother. Trilling sounds made by whining and purring at the same time. Adults may do this, albeit at a lower pitch to seem "cute."
Howl-barks
- Warn-barking - low, single barks with pauses. A warning sound.
- Laughing - very short mid pitched barks, interspersed by a long, high-pitched howl-bark, all in rapid succession. Joy, elation.
- Baying - mid or high pitched long howl-barks. Alarm sound, warning people around oneself to watch out or flee.
- Whoop - short, rising, mid pitched howl-barks. Used to catch the attention of people around oneself, calling for assistance.
- Low howl - a long, low pitched howl. Anger, usually accompanied by a growl.
- High howl - a long, mid or high pitched howl. Excitement, exhilaration, pleasure.