Asteroid Mite

Basic Information

Anatomy

Asteroid mites are very unique creatures as they do not require atmosphere to live. On the contrary, they prefer and often do live on asteroids floating in the vacuum of space. Their bodies are covered in rock growths from which sprout their 10 legs and head, 2 large, beady red eyes peering out from their exoskeletal skulls. When threatened, they will retract they legs and head into the protection of their rocky shells.

Genetics and Reproduction

Asteroid mites produce thousands of minuscule pebble-like eggs at a time, either laying them in a rocky crevice or actually shooting them off into space to hopefully land on another asteroid or passing ship. Of course the vast majority of these eggs end up falling to a star or burning up in the atmosphere of a planet, but by sheer quantity more and more asteroids are inhabited.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Uniquely, these bug creatures survive purely off of minerals and frozen water or gas. They absorb these minerals from the rock of asteroids by spitting an acidic substance onto the surface, melting it into a digestible goop which the mite then consumes.

Additional Information

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

These mites have presented a large problem for asteroid miners due to how east it is to mistake them for normal rocks. The bugs can turn violent when threatened, spraying acid onto the danger. They have also been known to latch onto ships, slowly eating away and absorbing their hulls, which causes obvious and catastrophic issues of not remedied.

Lifespan

7-9 years

Conservation Status

Extermination

Average Height

11”

Average Weight

10-15 lbs

Average Length

24” width from tips of legs