Pump Slugs

Native to Kaka, the Pump Slug is a small animal capable of surviving under what humans think of as harsh conditions. While the gravity is near 1g, very cold and dense atmosphere bring the pressure down over 70 times that of normal. 
Pump Slugs are grey, worm-like creatures with no eyes, but a mouth and sound sensing organs (no one has been able to discover where yet, but they appear easily startled when sudden sounds are introduced into their environment). Adult Pump Slugs are generally about a meter in length and one quarter meter in diameter.
They are burrowing animals, able to convert the H₂ in the ice to gas form, and then focusing a small burst of flaming H₂ to make a whole through which they are able to travel. This is a very slow process as the ice is very cold the Pump Slug does not produce the needed heat for very long. It's thought that the large difference in heat can easily become harmful to them if not done in short bursts.
Scientists have yet to determine much about the natural ecology of the Pump Slug. Research is difficult as the native environment is extremely difficult to reproduce in a lab and working on Kaka can be described as harsh.
They were discovered when a crashed starship found them attempting to burrow through the hull, exposing the crew to the harsh elements of the planet. Upon their rescue, they described the Pump Slugs and limited research has been conducted. The crew did not appear to suffer any other ill effects, leading researches to believe that they are most likely not dangerous.

Basic Information

Growth Rate & Stages

Juvenile Pump Slugs gather in groups to train themselves to control and ignite their emissions to facilitate burrowing without causing physical damage to themselves or others.  These efforts are often unsuccessful, leading to the remains of a "class" discovered in a charred heap upon the floor, ceiling, and walls of the training chamber.

Civilization and Culture

Beauty Ideals

Minor scars and burns obtained through the Pump Slugs control training are considered badges of honor for having survived training accidents.