Arcadian
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Arcadians are a humanoid species native to the planet Arcadia, fifth planet in the Vella Gamma System.
Physiology
Arcadians are distinctly known for their enlarged, broad heads. Their wide-set, gray-blue eyes possessed a thin membrane that protected against the solar radiation on Arcadia. They have two parallel lines of hair running front-to-back on the outer ridges of the cranium. Their large, pointy ears contrast sharply from their small noses.
Arcadian skin had a very smooth texture to facilitate movement in the water and had a thick epidermis to protect against sudden temperature changes. The skin also contained chemical compounds that allowed some nourishment via photosynthesis. Skin color ranged from light blue to pale yellow. Their physiques appear quite frail, but they are a hardy species.
Offspring were born live and typically measured a half-meter in length. They spent the first three to six months of their life inside a marsupial-like pouch. The young were observed to adapt easily to both land and water environments and grew to over two meters in height. Although some nourishment was derived from photosynthesis, Arcadians were omnivorous and preferred to live off of the planet's ample supply of sea plankton.
A dorsal spine was a rare physiological feature and played a part in Arcadian society. These individuals were typically given leadership roles.
Society & Culture
Arcadian culture was remarkably free of war as Arcadians were, by nature, pacifistic. The lack of predators on Arcadia allowed a technological society to develop based on the principles of applied physics and mathematics. However, other scientific disciplines were just beginning to be understood when First Contact was made.
Society was based around extended groupings of like-coloured individuals living in small cities of several hundred to several thousand people. These cities were found on the planet's island chains and on artificial islands capable of moving as the seasons changed. Federation anthropologists also discovered a number of underwater communities as well.
Communal living was the norm in Arcadian communities with all sharing the responsibility and care of any offpsring. Federation sociologists discovered that all Arcadians shared some form of communal consciousness citing the speedy assimilation of Federation languages into the Arcadian language without translation assistance as proof. Their native tongue, Enx, is relatively primitive but Arcadian writing is extensive.
Arcadian society, as a whole, is slightly xenophobic. Arcadians were originally fearful that foreign races would cause radical societal upheaval.
Government
Government is nonexistent in the traditional sense. The closest appearance of leadership are deference to individuals possessing a rare dorsal spine. All decisions are made by the commune as a whole, and those chosen as "representatives" are not so much politicians as they are mouthpieces for the commune they are from.
History
Arcadian origins were a bit of a mystery. While certain elements indicated a long-established civilization, other elements indicated relatively recent (within the last 100 years) societal development. Some Federation anthropologists hypothesized that the Arcadians were what was left of a long-extinct parent race of unknown origin. There are also theories that the race was somehow transplanted to Arcadia.
The United Federation of Planets made first contact with Arcadia in 2258. Two years later, Federation scientists were allowed to visit the planet and study its inhabitants. Because of their xenophobic tendancies, Arcadia was placed in associate membership status until they met the criteria to apply for full membership. This was granted in 2286.
Sometime between 2280 and 2284, the Arcadian scientist Firim'Ja Ale discovered the first physical evidence of protomatter.