Tajara Anatomy - Serious

[Guest Menown]

Not for the other thing. This is for serious things, I've always wondered. I'll start.

- Are Tajara eyes slitted at times, like actual Terran felines?

- Are Tajara colorblind, or can they see actual color like humans?

- Do Tajara have whiskers, and if so, do they function similar to Terran felines'?

- Do Tajara have the weird stubby ankle-toe like Terran felines?

More will probably be added as I think of them.

[Jakers457]

I think felines, Earth wise, can see in two primary colours, blue and green with being able to distinguish red colors under certain conditions. So, I wouldn't say they were color blind in that regard. Also, Sue seems to have them going for a Decopunk vibe, your three piece suits and all the fashion, so I assume they have a decent range of colours they can see so they can dress up for the kitty dinner parties.

[Susan]

Tajaran eyes are similar to cats. Before the dawn of civilization their ancestors lived in the many cave networks that dot Adhomai's surface and, as you can expect, it was dark. They weren't entirely cave-dwelling, dependent on hunting on the surface for food, so they didn't evolve into blind sonar bat-like things, but because of the lack of light they are extremely sensitive to the dark and that is why they can see so well in complete blackness. So much like a cat in the light their pupils become slits and in the dark they open wide.

Tajaran are not colorblind. Instead, they probably see a few more colors than humans do because of how advanced their eyesight is. Tajaran typically don't need glasses because their eyes are powerful from the way they evolved - to see in darkness and in thick blizzards. Because of poor conditions the ability to see more colors in the spectrum, especially in the dark, helped them identify food, cave fauna, or dangers despite low visibility conditions by their standards.

Yes, they have whiskers, and they do function similarly. While Tajaran have excellent night vision this doesn't mean that they can always perform superbly in low light conditions. Way back in ancient times Tajaran had longer whiskers and fur as well to compensate for the loss of sense in the caves. If you couldn't see it, you could hear it and feel it brush against you. They were sensitive to detecting vibrations and soundwaves as well. However, with the advancement of civilization this has dulled over the centuries as they really don't need it anymore.

No, they don't have ankle-toes.

[Guest Menown]

How about their ears? They used to have a thing in the wiki about them having difficulty with headsets, but I've noticed that has been removed.

Also, how does body-weight handle. They're described as lithe, but I imagine they can retain some weight easily (barring the M'sai), leading to differing body types.

For females, do their hips get wider as they mature to compensate for birth? How about the gestation cycle for children? What even is the commonly accepted name for a baby Tajara?!

[Susan]

Judging by how the headset icon looks it seems like something you just put over the ear. It wouldn't be the most comfortable thing to wear but Tajaran ears are cartilage and can bend easier than human ears can.

Tajara are lithe but if not careful they can easily become overweight. Their metabolism is slow as a result of their life on a cold planet so body fat is retained far easier than it is lost. Overeating or laziness lends itself to pudgy cats.

Their hips don't get really wide. Tajara are typical towards large litters. Whereas humans only have one or two children, Tajaran can easily have four or five as your 'normal' birth. Also, the proper term for Tajaran babies is 'kits'.

[Guest Menown]

How about allergies? I imagine they can't really be allergic to cats, or can they? And in regard to common human diseases, exactly /how/ many can they contract.

How about genetic issues? Are common human genetic diseases able to occur within Tajara bodies, or not?

[SierraKomodo]

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but this is actually related to the topic. Particularly on genetic diseases. How feasible is it for this genetic heart disease that Ziva currently has to exist in Tajaran lore? Particularly as something that is currently only treatable, not curable?

[Guest Menown]

Ask away, Sierra. I've always assumed that their genetic dispositions are so similar, considering their classification in our lore, so I don't imagine there's be much stopping it from occurring. That and the whole "don't bother making anything against it to stall RP" thing.