List of Star Trek races

At the start of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the Ferengi are considered a mysterious race who care only about profit. They feature as major characters in Deep Space Nine.

In a 1967 episode of the original Star Trek, Kirk fights with this lizard-like alien in the episode "Arena".

In the Star Trek science fiction universe, the Hirogen were a violent Delta quadrant species encountered by the USS Voyager. The Hirogen culture is based around the practice of hunting other sentient species whom they regard as "prey". They are humanoid, but considerably larger than humans.[3]

Reception

In 2017, ScreenRant ranked the Hirogen the 10th most bizarre aliens in the Star Trek franchise up to that time.[4]

The Jem'Hadar are characters in the TV series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, first introduced in the episode "The Jem'Hadar". They are the shock troops of the powerful Dominion located in the Gamma Quadrant. Genetically engineered for strength and resolve, they are also short-lived and believe that "victory is life." They are bred to perceive the Founders, enigmatic shape-shifters who rule the massive Dominion, as gods and are incapable of harming them. The Jem'Hadar are noted as being able to camouflage themselves with surroundings, and are dependent upon the fictional substance Ketracel White.[5] The Jem'Hadar's numbers are unknown, but they are produced by the thousands as needed.

Conceived as "more than just another fearsome alien", the Deep Space Nine makeup department searched for concepts depicting "toughness and resiliency" in the design of the Jem'Hadar. The final design was based on a rhinoceros, with some added ceratopian traits. Originally designed on the premise that they were all clones, the first Jem'Hadar seen onscreen were all made to look identical to one another, though as they became more deeply woven into the storylines, each Jem'Hadar was given a distinctive look.[6]

Reception

In 2017, ScreenRant ranked the Jem'Hadar as the 7th most bizarre aliens in Star Trek.[7]

The Kazon aliens were introduced on Star Trek:Voyager

The Kelpiens lived on the terrestrial planet Kaminar, the planet from which Commander Saru hailed in Star Trek: Discovery. The Kelpiens were suppressed by the Ba'ul for many generations, a race who used their technological superiority to feast upon the Kelpien people and prevent them from experiencing Va'Harai, and gaining greater consciousness. ... until Discovery S2E7 when the Kelpiens, with the help of an energy source associated with the Red Angel, all experienced Va'Harai, and lost their innate fear of the Ba'ul. Thereafter with a stated plan to attempt to live in peace with their former tormentors.

The Klingons are a warrior race.

A cat-like race introduced in Star Trek: The Animated Series. This episode was an adaptation of a Larry Niven "Known Space" short story ("The Soft Weapon")

Kzinti society is a male dominated race of warriors (they prefer to use the term "Heroes") led by the Patriarch. Kzinti Heros have much in common with Klingon warriors, in that they highly value courage, fighting prowess, and consider personal honor of highest priority. The one racial "flaw" that Kzinti have is overconfidence, which manifests itself in a tendency to attack before they are truly ready. This is because they believe that combat, with the removal of all challenge and risk (i.e. certain success), lessens the honor gained in battle. Kzinti Heros place great pride in the scars they receive in battle, they also respect valiant and fierce opponents of other races, ensuring the bodies of these impressive alien warriors are stuffed and placed on honorable memorial display on Kzin, (the Kzinti home world).

Kzinti male are larger than their more docile females and humans. They somewhat resemble a bipedal, barrel-chested, tiger-furred "tabby". Their tails are naked (rat-like) and their ears have spines (resembling a section of a parasol).

A race native to the Delta Quadrant with a lifespan of only nine years.

Further characteristic: Bone ears and various psychic mind abilities.

The Organians are incorporeal energy creatures ("pure energy, pure thought") with no precise physical location in the universe. After the climax of the episode "Errand of Mercy", Spock comments that they are "as far above us on the evolutionary scale as we are above the amoeba." They assumed humanoid form to "interact" with the Federation representatives and the Klingons. They render all weapons belonging to the hostile parties inoperable through extreme heat, and then vanish.

The Organians were a race of beings who had evolved to a point of being pure conceptual beings, essence of thought with no corporeal bodies. In some ways they were similar to Q for power levels and abilities. In the novel Q Strike, the Organians appear to observe a battle between members of the Q Continuum and other seemingly omnipotent beings from the Star Trek universe. The original Q identifies them after being asked by Captain Jean-Luc Picard who they are, and is rather dismissive, remarking that "compared to their code of noninvolvement, your Prime Directive is practically an incitement to riot."

The Organians also appeared on Star Trek: Enterprise in the episode "Observer Effect," where they observed members of the crew infected with a silicon-based virus to decide whether or not they should make first contact with humans. They did not technically appear onscreen; they only manifested themselves by possessing the bodies of several members of the Enterprise crew.

Orions are a green-skinned, humanoid alien species in the Star Trek universe. An Orion was first portrayed as an illusion in the original Star Trek pilot, but wasn't seen in the broadcast series until this original pilot was incorporated into a two-part episode (episodes 11 and 12) in the first season. Orions have also been portrayed in Star Trek: The Animated Series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise. Rachel Nichols played Orion Starfleet cadet Gaila in the 2009 Star Trek film.

The Pakled are a species of space-faring humanoids who obtain technology from other races (rather than developing it themselves), often through trickery. They first appeared in the TNG episode "Samaritan Snare", where the Pakled ship Mondor feigned being in need of repairs. After Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge transported to the Mondor and completed repairs, the Pakled captured him and demanded weapons technologies. The Pakled do not appear again, but are mentioned in the TNG episode "Brothers" as the Pakleds inadvertently having rescued Data's brother Lore, who was beamed into open space at the end of "Datalore".

Q is the name of a continuum and members of the continuum.

Romulans are humanoid extraterrestrials that appear in every Star Trek television series, where members of their race often serve as antagonists.
They prominently feature in the film Star Trek: Nemesis.

Remans were a humanoid caste related to the Romulans, forced to live as slaves under the Romulans and work in the hazardous dilithium mines on Remus. They also prominently feature in Nemesis.

A race from T-Rogoran Prime in the Gamma Quadrant,[8] subjugated by the T-Rogorans[9] to be slaves in the Dominion.[8] Skreean leaders are women; men are considered too emotional to lead.[9] Their legends say they will one day find a home, Kentanna, 'a planet of sorrow where the Skreeas will sow seeds of joy'.[9] Four refugees, a vanguard of 3 million, sought asylum on Bajor, believing it to be Kentanna, but were turned away.[9] Settled on Draylon II in the Alpha Quadrant.[8] (Deep Space Nine episode 430; star date 47391.2[9])

Once members of the neo-luddite race the Ba'ku, the Son'a were exiled from their home planet by their fellows for trying to overthrow the leadership and embracing more advanced technology. Now separated from the rejuvenating properties of the Ba'ku planet, they attempt to avoid death through medical procedures. The Son'a use technology, including weaponry, banned within the Federation. However, in 2375 the Federation allied with the Son'a to take advantage of their technology to gather rejuvenating 'metaphasic particles' emanating from the rings of the Ba'ku planet, which is in Federation space. After the operation, which involved the forced relocation or genocide of the Ba'ku, was called into question and stopped by the crew of the Enterprise, a number of the Son'a reintegrated into the Ba'ku population. Others later joined the Dominion. The Son'a have subjugated two peoples as their slaves: the Ellora and the Tarlac.[10]

Species 8472 appeared in four episodes of Star Trek: Voyager.[11] While passing through Borg space, Voyager encounters Species 8472, a race that surpasses the Borg in combat prowess.[12]

On Star Trek: Voyager, Neelix is a Talaxian.

The Tellarites first appeared in "Journey to Babel". (They have an odd facial appearance, represented by the actors wearing converted pig masks.) Culturally, they are known for their love of arguing and blunt, forceful speech, what most other cultures would consider rude; if Tellarite speech is answered in kind, they will typically consider it an honor.

The Thasians are a psionically powerful, non-corporeal species, native to the planet Thasus. Until the 23rd century, the Federation had never encountered the Thasians and thus believed them to be a myth. They appeared in "Charlie X" on the Original Series.

The Tholians are an extremely xenophobic, non-humanoid hermaphroditic species with a propensity for precision. They first appear in the original series episode, "The Tholian Web", where Spock makes the remark when fired upon by the Tholians: "The renowned Tholian punctuality". Tholian biology required high temperatures around 480 Kelvin (207 °C, 404 °F). They could tolerate lower temperatures for a brief period of time; if they were exposed to temperatures around 380 Kelvin or less, their carapace would crack. This was painful or distressing; a Tholian subjected to such a temperature regime could be coerced to cooperate. In temperatures even lower, a Tholian would freeze solid and shatter. (ENT: "Future Tense", "In a Mirror, Darkly")

Tribbles are a petlike species who hate Klingons. Two Star Trek television episodes featuring them are "The Trouble with Tribbles" (1967) and "Trials and Tribble-ations" (1996).

Humanoid species that are distinct in that they are a symbiotic species. The outward appearance is the host. The symbiont is revered and passes from host to host carrying all the memories, skills, and experiences of each prior host.

The Trill made their debut on television in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Host" (May 11, 1991), and were further developed as the species of successive main-cast characters of the television show Star Trek: Deep Space Nine which made its debut on television with the two-part opener "Emissary" (broadcast January 3, 1993). This species was also briefly represented as a holonovel character corresponding to Ensign Harry Kim on Voyager in "Author, Author" (April 18, 2001).

Trill have been studied in analysis of the biology of Star Trek, especially in regards to the symbionts.[13]

There are two contrasting concepts for Trill. One is that the symbiont is essentially an alien person;[13][14] however, the joined Trill still mixes the original person with the memories and some of the personality of the symbiont.[14] Only a small percentage of Trill are joined, and being accepted for the process is considered an honor.[14] For joined Trill, a symbiont's memories and to some extent personality are a synthesis with the existing Trill's personality.[14] Joined Trill have been studied in the philosophies of Star Trek, in particular whether a person is essentially the sum of their memories (the philosopher Locke's "memory theory").[15] This concept was explored in the Star Trek:Deep Space Nine television episode "Dax".[15] (see Personal identity § Locke's conception)

The contrasting philosophy of the symbiont is called "functionalism" according to Star Trek and Philosophy: The Wrath of Kant, in which people are defined by their actions as opposed to memories.[16] The symbionts have been dismissed as a "just memories"[17] rather than a true person, although in other cases they are described as a "sentient symbiotic organism".[18]

Reception

In 2017, ScreenRant ranked the Trill as the 8th most bizarre aliens in Star Trek.[19]

Home planet: T-Rogoran Prime in the Gamma Quadrant.[8] Members of the Dominion.[8] Subjugated the Skreea as slaves.[8][9]

Vorta are a member race of the Dominion. A small subspecies made primarily of genetically cloned humanoids. Vorta were created by the Dominion to act as governmental administrators, field commanders, scientists and diplomats.

Vulcans are a warp-capable humanoid species from the planet Vulcan, widely known for their logical minds and stoic culture.

The Xindi /ˈzɪndi/ is the collective term for six fictional races in the science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise. The entire third season, broadcast in 2003 to 2004, centered on this group of previously unknown aliens. They are native to the planet Xindus in a region of space known as the Delphic Expanse. They consist of five species resembling familiar Earth animals (a rarity for alien races in Star Trek) and a sixth resembling humans. At first they appeared as violent enemies wanting no interaction with humanity, but common ground gradually emerged as the crew of the Enterprise discovered that the Xindi were being manipulated into this enmity by the Sphere Builders. Some Xindi became important recurring characters as the 24-episode story arc unfolded.

During the thirteenth live-action film in the series, Star Trek Beyond, the Xindi were mentioned along with the Romulans as aliens that humanity fought wars against in the years leading up to the formation of the Federation. Their defeat and eventual alliance was the cause behind Edison's mutiny against the Federation, leading him to become the villain Krall.

The Xindi's presence was established in the second-season finale of Star Trek: Enterprise, "The Expanse", in which the Xindi launched a probe that attacked Earth in April, 2153, killing seven million people in a strip of destruction stretching from Florida to Venezuela. They appeared again in the third-season premiere, "The Xindi", to play a major role in the primary story arc of season three.

The Xindi are a collective of six intelligent species which evolved simultaneously on the same planet (Xindus). Despite the radically different appearance of all six species, they all share identical ridges on their cheekbones, and have very similar DNA. All six of these species were involved in a war lasting about 100 years and ending in the 2030s. Alliances among the Xindi species were forged and changed continuously throughout the war, so much that 50–60 years into the war, most Xindi forgot what started it. However, everyone remembered how it ended. In an act of desperation, the Insectoids and Reptilians detonated several charges beneath the eight largest seismic fissures of the geologically-unstable planet Xindus, leading to its destruction and ultimately the extinction of the Avian race.

After the war, the Xindi scattered throughout the Expanse into several colonies. As a whole, they have a passionate desire to establish a new homeworld and unify all Xindi, but differ greatly on how to accomplish this and on who should hold the ultimate reins of power. The Xindi then spent the early part of 2153 deciding how to confront the threat of humanity and planned a biological weapon based on the human genetic profile. This was ultimately rejected by the Xindi Council (the Reptilians went along with the bio weapon but were eventually foiled) and so they worked on a weapon to destroy Earth. (They technically succeeded, however the timeline in which this occurred was undone.)

Sphere Builders

The Xindi were actually pawns in the Temporal Cold War, as interference in their history began shortly after the ending of their civil war, with the appearance of a trans-dimensional alien race, who guided them to new homelands and resources. The Xindi came to revere these "Guardians", whom they later understood to be the same species as the "Sphere Builders". These aliens were also similarly revered by the Triannon, who believed that deities, who they called "The Makers," constructed the spheres to transform the expanse into a paradise. This led to a devastating religious civil war, as seen in the episode "Chosen Realm".

The Xindi were also informed by the Guardians, at least as early as 2152, that they would be victims of a genocidal attack from humans in the 26th century. Following their guidance, the Xindi launched a pre-emptive test strike on Earth as a precursor to a devastating second attack. In Daniels' timeline, Xindi crewmen serve in the Federation in the 26th century, in a battle with humans and Xindi against the Sphere Builders. With the help of Captain Archer's evidence of the future cooperation, the Xindi Council began to split over the issue of whether the Guardians were the real enemy or not. The split widened when Reptilian Council Member Dolim killed Primate Council Member Degra.

With the help of the Guardians, the Reptilians and Insectoids then took control of the finished Xindi weapon and set on a course for Earth, thus triggering a new civil war. A combined fleet of Arboreals, Primates and Aquatics pursued the weapon. En route to Earth, a rift appeared in the Reptilian-Insectoid alliance when the Insectoids proposed delaying the destruction of Earth in light of Archer's revelation about the true nature of the Sphere Builders. The Reptilians, determined to see the task completed, eliminated the accompanying Insectoid vessel. Arriving near Earth, an Andorian vessel, commanded by Shran, suddenly destroyed the Reptilian vessel, allowing humans to board the Xindi weapon and destroy it. At the same time, Enterprise was able to destroy the entire sphere network, stopping the spatial anomalies. With the Sphere Builder threat ended, the Xindi Council reconvened (the Reptilians were eventually convinced to return), and the Xindi abandoned their belief in the Guardians, and their hostile intent toward humans.

Xindi-Aquatics

Xindi-Aquatics resemble Earth sirenians, swimming underwater and speaking through echolocation. Aquatics have a reputation for taking a very long time to make a decision, but are more readily convinced by visual evidence. The Xindi have a saying, "It's easier to count the stars than it is for an Aquatic to reach a decision." The appearance of the Aquatics in the series was inspired by the Mosasaurus.

Even though the Aquatics are peaceful, they have a strong military. Their warships resemble large Earth manta rays and are filled with water. However, there is at least one section of the ship that is sealed and filled with air for land-based races. This room also has a window so the visitors can communicate with the Aquatic crew. Aquatic vessels can emit a field that disrupts targeting scanners. This can also be applied to protect other ships. However, their ships are very slow and cannot travel much faster than Warp 2. Aquatic ships also carry extremely powerful weapons and are more than a match for Insectoid and Reptilian ships. Aquatic warships are huge and one of them was depicted carrying the Enterprise NX-01 to Earth inside a chamber within the vessel after the Xindi weapon was destroyed.

Xindi-Arboreals

Xindi-Arboreals are covered with hair, and resemble Earth sloths. They run kemocite-production facilities throughout the Delphic Expanse. Gralik, a Xindi-Arboreal, gave Degra a shipment of impure kemocite, to sabotage production of the Council's weapon prototype. They have shown the least interest in destroying humanity. Arboreals are also afraid of the water. They are well known as scientists. Jannar was a friend of Degra and an ally of Captain Archer.

Xindi-Avians

Xindi-Avians were birdlike Xindi with the ability to fly, although all that is ever seen of this species is a single skull, identical to that of a giraffe. They once darkened the skies of Xindus, the Xindi homeworld. They are thought to be extinct since the Reptilians and Insectoids planted explosives that destroyed the Xindi homeworld after the Hundred-Year War. The Avians, having primitive technology, could not leave the planet and were wiped out. Because of this, the Reptilians say that their lair, in which the Xindi Council now convenes, has a "stench of failure."

Xindi-Insectoids

Xindi-Insectoids resemble a cross between six-foot Earth praying mantids, flies and ants. Insectoids have an average life span of 10–12 years. They reproduce asexually by laying eggs, which take about a week to mature. Egg sacs are suspended from ceilings, and tubules connected to them spray chemicals that cause passers-by to reverse-imprint on the hatchlings, protecting them as a parent would. Hatchlings are so important to Insectoids that hatcheries aboard starships are heavily shielded. As seen in episode "Hatchery", the Insectoid crew will sacrifice themselves to preserve their unborn offspring.

They speak a clicking language, of which there are 67 known dialects. Insectoid iconography is radically different from that of other Xindi. Insectoid personal names get longer with age. Insectoids have a reputation for rushing into decisions. Insectoid starships are designed differently from other vessels. They don't have one area designated for bridge duties; command functions are distributed throughout the ship. Insectoid chairs and assault vehicles are designed for Insectoid anatomy and not humanoids. They have a long-standing alliance with the Reptilians and together they destroyed the Xindi homeworld after the Hundred-Year War.

Xindi-Primates

Xindi-Primates resemble Earth humans and have a similar brain structure to the Xindi-Reptilians. They were one of the first Xindi species (including the Reptilians) to be informed of the "threat" posed by humanity. Degra, a Xindi-Primate, was assigned to develop the weapon which was to destroy Earth. In late 2153, the crew of the Enterprise boarded and studied a Primate's vessel and interrogated the crew. In the episode "Stratagem", Archer learned from Degra that a colony of Primates resides on Azati Prime, where the weapon was being constructed. Like humans, Xindi-Primates have differences in skin tone. The chairman of the Xindi council was a Xindi-Primate.

Xindi-Reptilians

Xindi-Reptilians resemble a cross between several Earth lizards. This species is responsible for a preemptive attack on Earth in 2153. Aided by trans-dimensional beings, the Reptilians also traveled to 2004 to collect blood samples for their bio-weapon in the future but were foiled by Jonathan Archer and T'Pol. Reptilians prefer to be low to the ground, as opposed to high-rise buildings. They use weapons with regenerative biometric power cells that overload if another species tries to use them. They use thermal chambers on board their ships to keep their energy. They are the most aggressive race of Xindi and seem to be more interested than the other races in destroying Earth. The military leadership of the Reptilians appear to be obsessed with eugenics. The Xindi-Insectoids are the race that the Reptilians are closest to. Along with the Insectoids, they are responsible for the destruction of the Xindi homeworld. The attack squadrons seen at Azati Prime consisted of two Reptilian ships and two Insectoid ships. Commander Dolim was the Xindi-Reptilian representative on the Council.

The Xindi Council is the joint governmental body of the Xindi races, as seen Season three of Star Trek: Enterprise. The Council was formed after the destruction of the Xindi homeworld Xindus in the 2030s. It consists of two representatives of each of the Xindi species, and was formed to find a new homeworld for all the Xindi races. However, although they found a few suitable planets, they could never agree on a final choice. The Council chamber is located on a planet 15.6 light-years from Azati Prime. The land-based races sit at a large round table in the center of the room, while the Aquatics look on from a large tank adjoining the chamber by a window. The chamber has built-in equipment for holographics and a viewscreen for telemetry. The chamber itself was actually a stronghold built by the Xindi-Avians before they were wiped out.

Circa 2152, the council discovered that humans were going to destroy them in four hundred years. In a panic, they assigned the Primate scientist, Degra, to construct a weapon to destroy Earth. After a number of disagreements, the Council was dissolved. In order to do the Sphere Builders' bidding, the Reptilians and Insectoids broke away from the Primates, Arboreals, and eventually the Aquatics. Civil war ultimately broke out when Commander Dolim killed Degra. After Dolim was killed, the Sphere Builders were discredited, the super-weapon destroyed, and the Council reconvened. The names of council representatives as revealed in "The Council" were:

• Arboreals: Jannar
• Aquatics: Kiaphet Amman'sor
• Insectoids: unknown- (most Xindi Insectoid names are unpronounceable by humans; called "Shrest" in the novelizations[20])
• Primates: The Chairman, Degra
• Reptilians: regimental commander Dolim

• Kessick - Primate, enslaved on a Trellium-D mine
• Thalen - Primate, Degra's assistant
• Gralik - Arboreal, chief technician of kemocite facility

In 2017, ScreenRant ranked the Xindi the 13th most bizarre aliens in Star Trek.[21]