Gelagrub/Legends

Gelagrubs, also known as Felucian ground beetles, were large insectine creatures that lived on the planet Felucia.
==Characteristics==
The gelatinous larva-like gelagrub was about the size of a dewback and has evolved in the dangerous climate of Felucia, giving it numerous natural defenses against the planet's hazards.Galaxy at War Their preferred habitat was among the planet's towering mushroom forests. The gelagrub had a wide mouth above which were two vertically aligned eyes, and two rows of stubby legs endowed with adhesive characteristics that enabled it to climb steep inclines. The gelagrub had to eat constantly to maintain its natural sunscreen, while it absorbed food throughout their waking hours as they moved across Felucia and required no actual feeding or watering while on patrol.
They were easily domesticated creatures whose larval forms were used as mounts by Gossam colonists, while they were occasionally transplanted to other jungle worlds. Like the rest of Felucia's flora and fauna, the gelagrub had its own unique adaptations to the intense ultraviolet rays of the planet's sun. The gelatinous larval form was, for example, one of many Felucian creatures with a shimmering, semi-transparent skin. It was able to metabolize UV-filtering chemicals from its lichen food source, and distribute them to hypodermic ducts, affording the gelagrub's internal organs a natural sunscreen. This also meant these creatures were constantly eating.
When a gelagrub pupated, the adult emerged as a hard-shelled ground creature, not unlike a giant beetle, with a mirrored carapace in the place of the larval translucent skin to reflect the worst of the sun's rays.
Gelagrubs were favored mounts on Felucia and similar worlds because of their ability to protect their riders. Once a rider had sufficiently bonded with a domesticated gelagrub, it treated the rider as an extension of its own body, going out of its way to avoid harards and using its own natural defenses to protect its rider.
==History==
Clone troopers of the Grand Army of the Republic, in particular those part of Felucia Star Corps assigned to Aayla Secura, employed gelagrubs as mounts during the Battle of Felucia in the Clone Wars.
Rothana Heavy Engineering sold a genetically modified gelagrub that was designed to not pupate into their beetle form. They were used as mounts by Imperial troops. The company also offered freeze-dried packets of specially formulated food for their gelagrubs, in the event that the world they were dispatched to lacked any fungi such as mushrooms or similar fungus. Unlike other mounted creatures sold by Rothana, this did not have a specific price listed. Instead, they were available via special order only, and required a representative for the pricing.Star Wars: Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide
==Behind the scenes==
The ground beetle was developed by ILM digital artist Paul Giacoppo as an entirely digital creature. Designed to fit into the Felucia environment, it had a translucent "gummy" like sheen.
==Appearances==
*Star Wars: The Old Republic 
*Reversal of Fortune
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*Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
==Sources==
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*Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary
*Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption Expansion: Prima Official Game Guide
*The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
*The Essential Atlas
*Galaxy at War
*Star Wars: The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 55
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*Star Wars: What Makes a Monster?
*Star Wars: Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide
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==Notes and references==
Category:Creatures of Felucia
Category:Creatures of unspecified diet
Category:Domesticated creatures
Category:Insects
Category:Jungle and forest creatures
Category:Species of undefined sentience