Dianoga

Dianogas are strange, tentacled creatures loosely resembling octopi. Unlike octopi, they have a toothy central jaw and a long eyestalk with a single eye at the tip. They appear to be adapted to living in swampy, stagnant conditions, which has also allowed them to survive in the sewage produced by interstellar civilization.

Indeed dianogas thrive in such polluted environments, and the only practical limit on their growth is the size of their environment. Dianogas living in small shipboard garbage/sewage systems may be smaller than a human, while those living in large urban sewers can reach staggering, sea-monster proportions. Dianogas are valued for their ability to naturally process sewage materials, but as they will take live prey just as readily as refuse, they are usually removed or killed if they become too large to safely manage. Because of this use by spacegoing societies, dianogas can be found throughout the galaxy.

At least some peoples consider dianogas edible, using them to prepare such dishes as dianoga pie. Presumably the dianogas used for such purposes are either caught 'wild' or farm-raised, to avoid contamination by dangerous microbes or pollutants from sewage.

Record 1518 - creature - Last update 17 Nov 2007, 04:10:45

Entry written by: Torvus

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