Taurus II anthropoid

The anthropoids of Taurus II were a primitive species of anthropoid, order 480-G, that were native to the planet Taurus II, located in the Murasaki 312.
==Physiology and culture==
According to Federation astral anthropology research, these "huge, furry creatures", were similar, but much larger than the anthropoids discovered on Hansen's Planet, and stood ten to twelve feet in height. They were described as appearing "like a giant ape".
They had not yet attained a traditional tribal culture, and existed in little more than loose associations. They employed a stone-age level of technology, wielding such weapons as leather shields, spears made with heads resembling Folsom points, and rocks. ()
==Alien contact==
After the crash landed on Taurus II in 2267, the crew, under the command of Spock, was attacked by the creatures. Two crew members, Latimer and Gaetano, were killed in the attack.
Thanks to the ingenuity of Montgomery Scott, Spock was able to get the shuttle airborne and escaped from the creatures with the remainder of the crew. This, however, was not before one of the 's landing parties, Landing Party 2 led by Lieutenant Kelowitz, encountered these anthropoids on the planet. During the landing parties encounter, they received two casualties: Ensign O'Neill was killed by a spear and Lieutenant Immamura got a dislocated shoulder and severe lacerations. ()
In 2381, a framed photograph of the anthropoid who attacked the Galileo crew was among several others displayed on the wall at "Kirk's old bar" on Starbase 25. ()
== Appendices ==
=== Background information ===
The anthropoid shown attacking the Galileo crew was played by Buck Maffei, who stood seven feet tall and weighed 400 pounds.
In the stage directions from the script of "The Galileo Seven", this anthropoid was initially described as "a huge figure." Later in the script, it was characterized as "something very dark, very large, vaguely manlike [....] It looms enormously, [...] a large, black bulk." The anthropoid was also scripted to have shoulders, "large hairy arms," and footprints that were "Human in form, but impossibly large." A later description of a close-up view of the anthropoid's face referred to "beetling hairy brows, eyes, portions of the face of a gigantic ape-like creature."
In a memo Robert H. Justman sent to Gene Roddenberry (on ), Justman commented about these creatures, "Naturally, we can't afford to ever really show the denizens of this planet, but the continued references to them by our crew members who have seen them is certainly going to make the audience feel it is being cheated by not seeing them. If our crew members never see them, or at least seldom see them, I feel our story and our budget would be better served."
NBC Censor Jean Messerschmidt was also concerned about how the anthropoid would be shown. In a memo (dated ), Messerschmidt included a recommendation that pertained to the creature, whenever it was to appear in the episode, stating, "Please show restraint so it is not unnecessarily alarming or gruesome."
=== External link ===
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de:Bewohner von Taurus II (Murasaki 312)
Category:Unnamed species