bit nervous about posting this one cos it's not my usual stuff, but i'm big into my speculative biology so here goes!
this is a sapient/intelligent alien species i've been developing which i'm currently calling 'Phanti'. i started off as a character for an rp me and my loser nerd friends are doing, but it ended up spiralling into its own thing. not surprising, though, cos i've been really wanting to do some extraterrestrial world building for a long time.
please let me know if you're interested in seeing more of this autism. i've put a worrying amount of thought into every aspect of these little guys.
like, for instance, the dangly bits of string and beads derive from older and more practical accessories:
the threads in the antennae are a modern take on the much older practice of gathering webs in their antennae to gather dew from the moisture in the air. nowadays, there's less need for such a practice since there's more advanced and easier means of gathering fresh water, but the dew catchers have remained in spirit as a fashion statement.
the dangling beads and tassels were originally for warding off small pests like parasites and/or insects, but when shelter and clothing became more abundant, this also morphed into a fashion statement.
...and that's just going over some of their jewellery.
