Overview:

The Mon Calamari were an amphibious species that originate from the planet Dac (Mon Cala). They stood anywhere between 1.3 and 1.8 meters tall and were known to smell salty. Their skin color would usually be salmon-colored (there were some exceptions to this). They had webbed hands and high-domed heads, equipped with large eyes on either side of their head. As they were amphibians, they could breathe on land and underwater, which allowed them to have a wide selection of potential habitats. Where the males and females physically differed was with the chin protrusions. Male Mon Calamari had protrusions on their chin called ‘barbles’ which increased as they got older. Though they were known to live in water sometimes, most Mon Calamari would experience discomfort when breathing underwater. Upon their five-fingered clawed hands were three suction-cup-like holes on their palms. Each eye was also able to move independently to the other, each one having a different meaning. Staring with the left one was a way of expressing surprise, whereas a stare with the right eye was interpreted as an expression of love or a challenge to fight somebody.

History: Initially, the Mon Calamari were shore dwellers with an affinity for water. Their diet also consisted of fish and fruit, which led to the species evolving to develop a form of aquaculture. Their evolution allowed the once shore-dwellers to venture out into the shallow, oceanic depths of Dac to farm fish as well as cultivate kelp. Due to them only venturing into the shallow depths, the Mon Calamari were able to erect bases and center the civilization in the shallow depths of the ocean. It gave them a technological advantage over other Dac-native species such as the Quarren.

Culture: The Mon Calamari were a very advanced and civilized culture. Their music, art, literature, and science were almost unparalleled, yearning to explore space and other civilizations. They were also very much in control of their emotions, usually retaining a soft-spoken and gentle persona. They were slow to rise to anger and lose concentration. Despite being soft-spoken, they were known to have near-legendary enthusiasm and determination, sometimes displaying this with acts of bravery when needed and their utmost belief in the greater good. They were renowned for their ability to be skilled starship designers, as they perceived the ship to be a work of art rather than just a piece of machinery. However, although this made their ships more efficient, they tended to be extremely difficult to construct. The Mon Calamari language was the standard between the Mon Calamari and the Quarren, but numerous members of both races were also able to speak Galactic Republic Basic, which would often cause their vocal cords to produce a gurgling sound when they chose to speak in that tongue. Interestingly, the Mon Calamari were also known to have fearsome warriors among their ranks. Despite being a peaceful and pacifistic race, they were not afraid to wage war if they saw fit. The Mon Calamari had a very low tolerance for crime and even considered it the thing of wardroom legend for a Mon Calamari to steal/smuggle.