Wirrn

The Wirrn are a race of human-sized insects native to the Andromeda Galaxy.

Physical characteristics
The Wirrn are roughly human-sized, though with an anatomy more like an Earth-based insect. The head is made of two large golden eyes, long, floppy antennae and a three small mandibles. Underneath the head are larger mandibles which they use to talk. The head in attached to a long thorax which has six long arms attached to it. Underneath the thorax is a long abdomen.


 * While in an area with gravity, the Wirrn somehow move on their abdomen. This may be accomplished by a modified Ovipositor. In space, on the other hand, the Wirrn just drag themselves along with their arms.

Wirrn naturally live in space and have a well adapted body for it. They can reuse their waste products with special enzymes, allowing them to survive without fresh air for years. They will only land on planets to gather air or food or to breed. They are very tough, being able to survive repeated energy blasts. The Wirrn's most important weakness is their vulnerability to electricity. (DW: The Ark in Space)

Life Cycle
Wirrn have an unusual life-cycle which was shown on the Ark. The Wirrn start breeding with a queen, who searches for a suitable planet. The Wirrn used cattle-like creatures in the Andromeda Galaxy, but they can also substitute humans. When the queen finds a suitable host, it lays an egg in the host. The larva gains all the racial memories of the Wirrn, as well as the host's knowledge. Eventually, the larva eats the host and escapes.

This larva is a large, green, slug-like creature with several small limbs. These larva, while not as tough as an adult are still resistant to a large amount of damage. The larva can also infect other creatures and turn them into adult Wirrn. These infected individuals gain all the knowledge of the Wirrn and the previous host.

Eventually, the larva start to metamorphasize, turning into large pupa. After a few hours, full grown Wirrn come out of the pupas and set out to do the bidding of the swarm. (DW: The Ark in Space)

History
Far in the future, humans were able to reach the Andromeda Galaxy and encountered the Wirrn. After a long war, the Wirrn were driven out of their galaxy and were forced to move into the Mutter's Spiral. One queen discovered the Ark, which contained thousands of cryogenically frozen humans. Though the queen was killed by a security device, it was able to implant an egg in one of the humans (Dune). Eventually, the larva escaped and was able to infect Noah. The Wirrn intended to use the sleeping humans as a food source and claim the "empty" Earth. However, Noah's human side reasserted itself and led the Wirrn into the Ark's transport ship even though he knew it was rigged to explode. (DW: The Ark in Space)

Trivia

 * The name of the species is spelled Wirrn in the serial The Ark in Space, but spelt Wirrrn in the novelisation.

Major appearances

 * The Ark in Space