Aquci'ei

Aquatic Aliens, and I've got so much on these!

They live on a planet 90% water called DuLac.

The species has three sexes: Yuq (male), Xuq (female), Zuq (third sex)

Each sex has traits that are more generally noticeable (similar to how sexual dimoprhism in humans) and this ranges from physical to mental/emotional to biochemical.  The males are most like our Earth-based understanding of a male, especially of the mammalian kind.  You have the Y chromosome, the sperm-type gametes, the size and strength, similar evolutionary and social roles as well.  Females are rather similar to their Earthly counterparts too with the biggest difference being that while they produce eggs, they do not grow offspring within their womb nor do they lay their eggs.  This leads to the role of the third sex, which trait-wise could be seen as an in-between or blend of male or female (think of effeminate gays or butch lesbians, or those who are homosexually-inclined at all since there is substantial evidence to show their brain chemistry does lean more like that of the opposite sex than is of normal range within their own) and they are the ones who grow the preborn offspring within their wombs and give birth (to live young, no egg-laying for this species!).  The sexes are called by their distinguishing chromosome, Y for male, X for female, and Z for this third.  I have not yet dove into deeper potential implications of this additional chromosome but figure it might end up playing a more minor role than X and Y and operate similarly to the real life cases of babies genetically altered to have DNA from a second mother (it is related to the mitochondria and cannot be done within nature as we currently understand and so I do not promote nor condone this for our species, but what has taken place IRL will likely have influence to some degree for this fiction) but also be a bit more involved, as I long ago knew that zuqs would have anatomy similar to both of the other sexes (male and female).  I will explain more in time!

*The original plotline for this species has to do with the concept of what forms a family, as when I began drafting it I was immersed in discourse regarding gay marriage and whether such couplings should be allowed to adopt children etc; the AA equivalent is the "incomplete family" or, how I originally called it in-story, "incofa" which essentially means a pair has decided to start a family without finding a member of the third sex as is naturally required and societally expected. In remaking this, I think I will use the term "inco" instead as it sounds more organic, IMO*

There are three types/ classes/ cultures:

Open Ocean Aquci'ei --

-- Seen as the top and most important of all three societies.

-- Live in the open oceans, dive deep, sleep in clusters with limbs tangled for safety.

-- Shades of blues/violets/grays with paler and darker markings (including black and white).

-- High wisdom in general

Coastal Aquci'ei --

-- Live in coral reefs, kelp forests, off-of-bluffs cave systems, etc.

-- Seen as less than Open Ocean, but more than Land Dwellers.

-- Incredible variety of colors and patters, particularly in coral reef communities

-- Not too intelligent, but also not entirely "street smart"

Land-Dwelling Aquci'ei --

-- Mostly freshwater (lakes, rivers), but some do live on land, some are (non-sea) cave-dwellers.

-- Most "street smart" but generally low intelligence.

-- More solitary but still with an emphasis on family, "blood"

-- Typically poorly educated.

Much more has been recorded a very long time ago!