Non-sapient species creation template, questions

Non-sapient species creation sheet


Common name(s): What do sapient beings generally refer to this creature as?
Scientific name (if applicable): If your world has a scientific community, what name do they use for this creature?

Classification: Is your creature a mammal, reptile, bird, fish, or other type of animal?  Or does it have aspects of multiple classes, or even none of them?
Habitat: Where your creature lives will determine many aspects of its design; how it moves, how it eats, and so on.  Briefly describe its habitat.
When it's active: Is your creature diurnal, nocturnal, crepuscular, or some combination of the three?

Diet: A creature's diet is a major influence on its behavior.  Is your creature an herbivore, an omnivore, or a carnivore?  To what extent does it adhere to these categories?  Some herbivores occasionally eat meat if it's available, some omnivores change their diet depending on the season of the year, and some carnivores eat a small amount of grass for roughage.  If it's a carnivore, is it a scavenger, a predator, or some combination of these?

Lifespan:  How long, on average, does your creature live?  Bear in mind that the lifespans of some creatures change if they're kept in captivity.
Means of locomotion:  How does your creature move?  If it's a land animal, is it bipedal, quadrupedal, or does it have more than four limbs?  If it's a water creature, does it swim with its tail, or does it emulate a flying motion underwater?

Measurements:  About what size is your creature, on average?  Nose to tail length(if it has a tail), height at the shoulder, and weight.

Physical description:  What characteristics of your creature are immediately observable?  Is it long or short, does it have fur, scales, or some other covering, what color is it, et cetera?

Important physiology notes: What about your creature's physiology stands out?  Does it hibernate, does it have venom, does it secrete musk, et cetera?

Sociability:  How well does your creature play with others of its species?  Is it sociable only during the mating season, or does it travel in herds/packs year-round?  Does it travel in herds/packs segregated by sex?  Is one sex sociable, while the other travels alone?

Behavior notes: How does your species act?  Is it shy and aloof, or is it more bold?  How does it go about gathering its food?

Reproduction:  How does your creature reproduce?  Does it lay eggs, or give live birth?
How does it incubate, if it lays eggs?  Does it care for its young?  Are there any special strategies for mating and giving birth?

Dimorphism (or polymorphism, if your species has more than two sexes):  How and to what extent do the sexes differ from one another?  Size, color, behavior, et cetera.

Predation:  Is the creature subject to predation by either its own kind or native carnivores?  If so, what, if any, defenses does it have to cope with this?

Relation to sapients:  If there are sapient beings on the same planet, what, if any, uses do the sapients have for the creature?  Do they use it as a food animal, a pet, a work animal?  Do they hunt it for useful parts?

Primary senses:  What means does the creature use to sense its environment?  Does it primarily use touch, sight, scent, or another sense?