Xindi - Primate Xindi - Primates ( aka Xindi - Humanoids ) were members of the multi - species Xindi race . The Primates were ape - like and they , more than any other Xindi species , resembled Human s . ( ) In common with Humans , they had skin that varied in complexion and most of the Primates had ten fingers . They had , like all Xindi , distinctive ridges on their cheek bone s . They also had larger foreheads but no eyebrows . ( ) The Primates were seen as fair , honest , and trustworthy by other Xindi . ( ) However , they were not seen as being very resilient . ( ) They were also the most intellectual species of Xindi and therefore one of their own , Degra , was assigned to develop the weapon to destroy Earth . However , this intelligence also helped in convincing Degra that the Guardians ' promises were empty . Degra and his associate were the Primate representatives to the Xindi Council . Appendices . Background information . In scripts for episodes ranging from season three premiere to third season finale , Xindi - Primates were commonly referred to as " Xindi - Humanoids " . In the final draft script of " The Xindi " , the species was even described as having " Xindi - humanoid features . " Though the species was most often referred to as " Xindi - Primate " in canon , the species was also referred to as " Xindi - Humanoid " in and . Following approval of the facial design for the Xindi - Reptilian s , the makeup for the Xindi - Primates began to be designed . This turned out to be a fairly easy job , as it had already been decided that a common feature among the Xindi was to be spiky cheek - ridges . ( ) The Xindi - Primate makeup ultimately consisted of a single prosthetic piece which spanned from the actor ' s mid - skull to their cheekbones . The prosthetic was made from molded foam rubber which felt supple to touch and was subsequently painted for usage . The process of applying the Xindi - Primate makeup took about an hour and a half or two hours , whereas the removal of the makeup required forty - five to ninety minutes . ( ; " " ) Although the prosthetic appliance was extremely tight around the eyes , it was important that the relevant actors took the time to have the prosthetic applied . Remarked Tucker Smallwood , " " That ' s not something you want to rush , no matter how late or tired you are . Not if you value your skin ! " " For the typical Primate head design , the hairline was raised , in an effort to make the aliens look significantly different from how extraterrestrials on the show commonly looked ; Hair Designer Michael Moore also tried out various hairstyles for the Primates , in a series of concept sketches . " " Somewhere in the work I just decided to try to bring the spots down lower and then blend it in with the rest . And so I sent that , along with the other drawings I had , to Rick [ Berman ] – and the envelope came back to me with a big check on that one , " " recalled Moore . " " Sometimes when you send 12 drawings up , you think , ' I bet he ' s going to go with " that " one ' – and I had that feeling with this one . " " ( ) The actors playing Xindi - Primates regularly had their hair appropriately styled at the same time as their makeup was being put on . The costumes for the Xindi - Primates were inspired by centuries - old European uniforms , as Costume Designer Bob Blackman was intent on making them look like " something that was a little more ancient " than the costumes for the other Xindi species . " " Caucasus shapes , from Eastern Europe / Russian shapes , is where I went to get this , 16th - 17th - 18th century – so it ' s kind of like Cossack coats , " " Blackman explained . " " But that was just in order to find something that would give them some bulk , and some strength in how they looked . " " ( ) The tiger - striped brown and gold jackets worn by the Primates had vinyl trim and a vinyl harness which culminated in a metal buckle . A pair of Xindi - Primate facial make - up applications was sold off on the " It ' s A Wrap ! " sale and auction , included in a lot along with a group of Xindi - Reptilian make - up pieces . One of the Primate masks was painted and suspected to have been screen - used , whereas the other prosthetic was in its raw , unpainted form . Two of the tiger - striped brown and gold coats worn by some of the Primates were additionally auctioned off on " It ' s A Wrap ! " One of these , worn by the character Thalen , sold for US $ 354 . 99 . A costume worn by Degra was likewise sold at Christie ' s " " auction , in a lot including three other Xindi costumes . Apocrypha . In the novelization of and ( entitled " " ) , the Primates are cited as having been the second Xindi species to have evolved a very high degree of intelligence , preceded by the Xindi - Aquatic s . The book also establishes the Primates as having a pubis . According to " The Expanse " , the Primates dominated most of the Xindi homeworld for eons , ruthlessly oppressing the other Xindi species ( which they considered inferior ) to the point where the others ( particularly the Xindi - Reptilian s and - Insectoids ) developed a hatred of them that remained into the 22nd century . At that time , the Primates still controlled the majority of the planet but had ( seemingly at least ) abandoned the belief of themselves as superior Xindi . Also , the Primates ' language had , following centuries of Primate domination , become the official language of their homeworld . Most Primate politicians had originally considered the fact that the other species were gaining power and increasing in number as a tragedy , believing the developments certainly could only lead to more racial wars akin to the one which had virtually torn the planet apart . An oft - stated Primate opinion held that the Xindi - Reptilians , - Insectoids and - Arboreals had very limited thoughts . The reason why the Primates were the Xindi species that developed the weapon is given as being that they were the most talented engineers .