Second wave races

Five "second wave" races are evident from legend and occasional archaeological discoveries. Although specific and accurate scientific naming has been assigned to them, they are usually referred to by the colloquial description based on Man's mythologies and Terra's biology. As such, these "names" have no real relation to any biological accuracy but are a convenient shorthand description

Bats
Source of vampire / blood drinking legends. Unique tooth pattern used to mark ownership so personal slaves had tooth pattern scars embedded on right side of neck while labourer slaves had pattern on right wrist. Still practiced on {bat colony} where military scar their wrist as part of "swearing in" ceremony.

Bat's flight ability, although predominantly gliding, was supported by their homeworld's thick atmosphere and high oxygen content. This atmosphere also helped life overcome the lowest average temperature of any race's homeworld. Indications suggest the temperature has dropped several degrees since space travel ceased.

Centaurs
While Centaurs were hexapedal, only the hindmost pair of limbs were devoted to locomotion with the middle pair providing balance at higher speeds as well as brute strength and the much smaller fore limbs providing delicate manipulation. The neck and head grow directly from between these forelimbs with a carnivorous aspect.

The Centaur's homeworld has the lowest gravity and highest average temperature. Geological records indicate it has also lost a significant quantity of water over the past few million years but still has a greater hydrosphere than the Bat homeworld

Crickets
This descriptor is more misleading in the picture it brings to mind than most as the body shape is far closer to the Terran Mantis class of insects than "Crickets" or "Grasshoppers" and seems to trace its origins back to early popular entertainments featuring a talking "cricket"

highest gravity homeworld

Lizards
Lizards were multi caste, had evolved into 4 known subspecies that were only partly interfertile. Within each of the 4 castes are multiple specialisations but these are rarely obvious except through role related insignia

Rulers – knowledge focussed eg teacher, scientist, priest. Intelligence and to a lesser extent dexterity focussed over strength or endurance

Administrators – process focussed eg management, mid ranking officers. In many planetary populations the process of fragmentation into physical and mental focussed subgroups was becoming obvious but usually crossbreeds between other castes end up as administrators with a strong influence due to parentage.

Technicians – generalists, average abilities with most favouring manual dexterity over strength

Low born – labourers, high endurance low initiative below average intelligence. Plainest appearance

low atmospheric pressure and high CO2 levels on homeworld make respiration extremely difficult for most races. This is fortunate for humans as sulfur oxides are more common in the environment due to sulfur's widespread role in biological processes. co2 greenhouse effect stopping snowball effect

Walrus
Tuskless walrus is a very close description of their gross physical form. The webbing between the 4 digits on hands and feet are translucent increasing the visual appearance of flippers

homeworld is coldest although currently in warm phase