#needs art

Headcrab: many like em, many hate em. Most common xenian food item. Bred to be pets and to have mutations and abilities. Kinda like owning a mix between a venomous snake and a puppy. Comes in just as many sizes as dogs, along w similar mutations or proportions. does NOT taste like crab

Standard: "terrier sized" creatures with two long-clawed arms and two little back legs. Round, often dark brown or tan and may be lightly patterned. Bacteria-ridden saliva will infect or even kill smaller breeds or young puppies. Standard headcrabs are easily capable of single-handedly taking down an average mutt, who will then become a host for the headcrab. A host's barks may transform into distorted chittering from the headcrab. Fast or aggressive dog breeds do best to hunt them. Capable of burrowing but will rarely dig one itself. May be lightly haired.

Fast: Slender, faster, and much more gamey when consumed, fast headcrabs adapted to take out quick and cunning breeds. Unlikely to burrow, may taunt or confuse a dog by mimicking their barking. Longer limbs make it easier for average dogs to grab them, making fast headcrabs wary species. May have agouti color patterns or distinctive white markings.

Poison: Capable of injecting a devastating, fast-acting neurotoxin. Will most often target large, working dog breeds in numbers 2-5, using the large dog as a tank-like host to take down smaller breeds. If kept in captivity, it will lose its venom. Will made odd rattling noises or hisses. Not really recommended to eat; the neurotoxin leaves a weird taste in the meat at best, and at worse the body can't digest it. May spit venom, though mostly done as a warning. Most likely to have striking, otherwise unnatural coloring.

Armored: Hard to kill even by large guardian dogs. May not go after very small breeds, though will still act territorial. Dogs will usually flip over and stab an armored headcrab rather than bite and shake like normal. Has juicy, "sweeter" meat directly under the shell, leaving the subspecies a sort of luxury food.

Clown: Often in groups of 3-7 (though can be more), only capable of taking down terriers and incombered dogs. May have flashy patterns or distinctive white markings, communicating in "laughing-like noises". second most common subspecies to be farmed, paired with a similar taste to a standard headcrab when cooked. Spend a lot of time underground, but will come out after sensing vibrations above. Parasite: Containing multiple breeds, parasites are only found in captivity. Either used as quick, cheap food or pets. Rarely capable of deadly bites, only a risk for immunocompromised or allergic dogs. Will often have two pairs of arm claws and smaller, weaker beaks.