#hyaen

Got inspired to create this alien after reading about a potential new classification of habitable worlds called "Hycean planets".  They're described as hot, water-covered worlds with hydrogen-rich atmospheres that are in the size range of super-earths and mini-Neptunes.  The most promising of these hypothetical type planets is K2-18b.  I'll probably make a landscape piece depicting this planet at some point but first this is a sapient that I designed for it (working on a name for it).  It has bladder-like mantle on it's back that it can inflate with hydrogen gas for mobility above water and deflate when below it with a pair of wing-like flippers for mobility in both environments.  It's head extend from the front of the body with eyes resembling those of a mantis shrimp mounted on stalks and it's beaked mouth at the base.  It has eight limbs; two pairs of forelimbs ending in suction cup lined fingers for manipulating objects and tow pairs of hind limbs for locomotion on dry surfaces (I'll explore this in a future piece).  Its neurology is similar to that of an octopus, having the main brain in the head with neural cords running down each limb.  If this species was ever able to leave their planet, they would need to wear pressurized suits to survive, hence the bottom right sketch.

Memetete, this month's Starstone for Valenth.

I freaked right the hell out trying to figure out how to get the opalescence in for these, but I think it worked out okay.

I kind of want to post the shiny-version set too for that alone, but I don't think they've all been discovered yet. :(