Comparative Biology of Pureblood Sith
The current Sith species is comprised of the original red Sith of Korriban that have interbred with human Dark Jedi exiles. After the initial hybridization, the population cultivated and bred itself into the species that is recognized as the modern pureblood Sith. Although there are many similarities between the Sith and humans, there are some key differences that have been retained from the original Korriban Sith which are important to note.
This particular document will overview the basics of Sith biology and physiology. Many comparisons will be made to the human body since it is currently held as the Imperial Standard for biomedicine; all measurements regarding time will be in Imperial Standard Time (IST). For any additional information more in depth documents regarding any of the specifics can be found in the Empire’s Public Database.
Sith are a red skinned, humanoid species that originate from Korriban.
They are classified as omnivorous endothermic mammals.
It should be noted that the figures shown are averages and both species show a large range of diverse body types outside of these.
Overall, Sith are bigger and heavier than humans. They are the marginally larger species and feel warm to the touch of humans with a healthy adult Sith having a body temperature of 38-39° C compared to 36.5–37.5° C of humans. They generally have a slower metabolic rate that contributes to their prolonged lifespan, but sustaining their body and physiology leads to Sith consuming a lot more food. This results in a caloric intake of about 4500-5000 kcal per day as opposed to the recommended 1800-2500 kcal for humans.
The average lifespan for a Sith, without any assistance from medical technology, is around 250 years. Taking into account that Force sensitive beings have extended lifespans, most Sith can reach up to 400 years. By comparison, unmodified humans having a lifespan of around 100-120 years with the Force sensitive individuals have extended lifespans of around 200 years. Records show that a particular human Jedi was able to live up to 800 years, and our great Emperor has been alive for more than 1000 (may he reign forever). In both species, any individual may extend their lifespan through medical treatments and various organ replacements. Although Sith have the potential to far outlive humans, many often die before they reach 200 due to their innate nature for conflict and seeking battle.
Sith growth and development is incredibly similar to that of humans, which is no surprise given the initial interbreeding between the original Sith and human exiles. The only differences noted are the extended period of adulthood and the slower descent to senescence.
Infancy
Sith are considered to be infants from birth to 2 years of age. Around half a standard year old, the infant will begin to teeth. After their first birthday they can be introduced to solid foods, and usually around two years of age is when the infant is fully weaned.
Like all infants, Sith at this age are considered incredibly vulnerable and require near constant watch by at least one parent. Many years of selectively breeding amongst themselves, as well as the social practice of culling weaker, defective children in the days of the ancients, has lead to the lowest infant mortality rates of any species among the Sith in modern times.
This stage is also when Sith are most susceptible to illness and disease, though it is rare for a Sith infant to come across any pathogens that could harm it thanks to the antibodies in their mothers’ milk.
Childhood
A Sith is considered a child from the age of 5. It is usually signified by the mastery of motor skills as well as fluency in language(s). During this stage, it’s fairly common for signs of Force sensitivity to appear, especially among the more noble bloodlines. Sith younglings are inquisitive and highly active, more so than their human counterparts of the same age. Their brains develop and mature faster than humans, allowing the social, emotional, cognitive, and emotional developments to appear earlier.
Adolescence
Sith enter puberty a couple years later than humans, reaching full sexual maturity later as well. For females, it usually starts around 11-14 standard years of age, while for males it’s 13-15. While growth and sexual hormones fluctuate during this time, Sith teenagers do not have a libido found with adolescent humans until they are fully mature. Human teens, on the other hand, often feel a spike of libido and can reproduce during their adolescence while Sith cannot.
As with any organism that transitions from youngling to adult, Sith experience a general transformation in their body and the development of secondary sex characteristics. It is during this time that the facial spurs and tendrils grow, though it isn’t uncommon for these features to start showing up in childhood. Due to the influx of hormones causing the physiological changes, Sith can also become quite emotional and mentally unbalanced during this time. It’s often seen as critical that their mental and emotional well-being be taken care of in addition to the needs of the growing physical body.
Adulthood
When a Sith is sexually mature, they are considered an adult both biologically and culturally. This usually happens around 20 standard years of age while humans can be sexually mature in their teens, becoming a biological adult, and reaching legal adulthood at 18 within the Empire. Not only are adult Sith fully capable of reproduction, their brain chemistry is also stabilized, allowing for more reasoned and disciplined individuals.
Old Age
Around 200-250 years, Force-sensitive Sith bodies will begin to experience senescence. Though many do not make it to this age, those that do experience the typical symptoms of growing old with the slow deterioration of everything in the body from the cells to the mind. However, many Sith can extend and prolong the onset of senescence by using the Force, advanced medical treatments, or both. As such, it is often hard to distinguish a Sith’s age by appearance alone.
Skin
Sith skin comes in a variety of reds, oranges, and even violet. It’s speculated that these skin tones developed as a means of passive camouflage against the reddish landscapes of Korriban. This hypothesis is also supported by an old myth that states the humanoid Sith may have descended from a predatory animal ancestor.
The ridges and spurs were predominantly comprised of bone in the past, but most of that is cartilaginous with current Sith. Sith infants are born lacking tendrils, spurs, and ridges; these features all come with the onset of puberty.
Due to Korriban’s native climate, Sith can tolerate the cold better than humans. Their skin, on average, has ⅓-½ less sweat glands than humans. This makes them much more susceptible to overheating, which is reflected in their great dislike of heat and humidity. The armor and suits commonly worn by Sith almost always have a temperature control device built into them. Otherwise Sith risk heat exhaustion in battle on the warmer planets. Some even have respirators that may filter chilled air in the tepid climates.
Hair
Unlike humans, which are covered in very fine coat of hair all over the body, the Sith are truly hairless with the exception of a few select spots. The most notable being on top of the head, where both males and females have hair. Some males will sometimes have facial hair along with their face tendrils, but the Sith consider this to be a trait inherited from interbreeding with humans in the past. The other place where hair can be found on a Sith is pubic hair, which is quite rare and usually less than what humans normally have. Lastly, all Sith have hair in the form of eyelashes which is used to keep debris out of the eye. Their hair color ranges mostly in dark reds, browns, and to black.
Nails
The original Sith had true claws while the modern Sith have “claw-like” nails. Like humans, Sith have their nails at the end of each finger and toe. The shape of Sith nails have a sharper end and are usually tougher and thicker than humans. While human nails are only attached at the skin’s surface, Sith retain the claw-like feature and have their nails attached to the actual digit. Their nails also can come in either “clear” or black colors.
Sith have thicker bones to support their denser muscles. This makes them incredibly strong, even without the Force, and very heavy for their size. The bones are exceptionally durable and nearly impossible to break by means of blunt force. The bones not only provide for structure and attachment site for muscles, but like humans, the marrow produces vital blood cells.
Sith have up to twice as much myofilaments packed into the same space as humans, creating the denser and stronger myofibrils. Of course, having all these extra muscles means that the Sith must consume more energy to maintain them. Generally speaking, Sith do not have a much in the way of body fat with some exceptions, so they must eat often to compensate for the lack of stored energy.
Being so dense for their size means that Sith are susceptible to drowning in large bodies of water if they do not know how to swim properly. Even if they do, most Sith tend to avoid open bodies of water on instinct
Records show that the original Sith had black blood, but through the alchemic cross breeding, the color has been diluted. It isn’t quite the same bright red found in humans, but appears more like a dark maroon. Among the Sith, darker blood is considered to indicate a purer lineage.
Human blood needs to stay in a pH range of 7.35-7.45, but Sith blood can dip down to as low as 7.2 without any serious harm. One microliter of blood contains around 10-12 million erythrocytes, which is nearly double what humans have due to the fact that their denser muscles require more oxygen to maintain. In that sample, there should also be around 6,000-30,000 leukocytes depending on the body’s state with the rest being made up of around 450,000-700,000 thrombocytes floating around in plasma.
A Sith heart is heavier than a human’s, though the difference isn’t as drastic as the one with skeletal-muscles. Also, the heart is slightly larger, allowing for more blood to be pumped through it at any given time. And compared to the placement of a human’s heart, a Sith’s heart is more upright and centered.
The respiratory system is the same in both Sith and humans, with the function of drawing air into the lungs through the trachea and into the lungs to provide the body with oxygen. Both species diffuse molecules of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the alveoli. The diaphragm is also present in both species expanding and contracting with each breath and separating the thoracic and abdominal cavities. The only difference is that humans have an uneven and asymmetrical pair of lungs, allowing for a cardiac arch in the superior lobe of the left lung. Sith, on the other hand, have an even number of lobes on both lungs, which are basically mirror images of each other. They lack the cardiac arch since the positioning of the heart differs from that of humans.
Sensory
Sith have several improved senses including better sight, hearing range, smell. They differ in touch sensitivity and sense of taste.
Sight
The eyes of some Sith have a Tapetum lucidum. This is a membrane at the back of the retina that improves night vision and reflects light back out in dark environments. However, not all Sith have this in their eyes, and those that do are seen as purer than their counterparts who lack it. The range of their color vision, on the other hand, is the same as humans.
Smell
The olfactory bulb is two to three times as large in Sith than it is in humans. This is mostly due to the fact that the olfactory sense is linked with the ability to detect and use pheromones, but also allows Sith to differentiate smells better.
Hearing
The hearing range for Sith is from 5Hz-15kHz compared to humans at 20 Hz-20 kHz. Low frequency “purrs,” inaudible to humans, are emitted when Sith are very relaxed and content.
It is also thought some of the infrasounds emitted from Sith is a part of the reason many humans find their company to be unnerving.
Taste
Sith taste buds differ from humans. Although they both detect the same major tastes: sweet, salty, bitter, etc., Sith cannot detect spice the same way as a human. Spicy foods contain the compound known capsaicin that interacts with certain receptors inside human mouths. These nerves are then tricked into thinking the mouth is literally on fire, creating the burning sensation humans associate with spicy. However, this neural “illusion” does not occur with Sith, and they are able to eat what would be nearly caustic flavors with no hindrance.
The other main difference is the shape of the tongue with Sith have a pointed end.
Touch
In Sith and in humans, the somatosensory cortex processes all of the sensory information from the entire body. These are transmitted through the many nerves that connect to each other and eventually to the spinal nerve and brain. However, since the Sith lack body hair, the nerve endings in the epidermis are extra sensitive to tactile touch as opposed to low vibrations felt with human hairs.
Digestion starts with the mouth and Sith are considered to be heterodont-diphyodont. They go through two sets of teeth in their lifetime. The first set of teeth are usually lost over a span of few years from age 9-13, allowing for the permanent teeth to take root just as the onset of puberty occurs.
Sith have four more teeth than humans in the form of an extra pair of canines in the upper and lower jaw. All teeth, excluding the incisors, are a bit sharper than humans but still comparatively dull with a species like the Cathar.
The slightly sharper edges on their teeth allow them to cut and chew through their food more effectively. Since Sith can live for centuries and they only have one set of permanent teeth, their food is often softened before consumption. This is mainly reflected on how the main dishes in Sith cuisine revolve around boiling as their primary cooking method.
It should be noted that although Sith are true omnivores, they have a much harder time digesting starches. Simple sugar molecules are easily digested, but the more complex ones commonly found in starches are not as easily broken down. This is due to the fact that Sith lack the enzymes needed to break down the starch into simpler sugars. They are still able to consume some amounts of starch, just not in the abundant amounts as humans since they produce only very little of the needed enzymes. As such, too much of these carbohydrates will often ferment and causing an overgrowth in bacteria that lead to such symptoms as bloat, irritable bowel syndrome, and stomach ulcers.
The renal system which consists of kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra, have the same functions in both humans and Sith. The kidneys filter blood, removing waste products, pH is maintained at a steady level, and the blood pressure is regulated. Nephrons look and work the same in both species, the only note difference is that the Sith kidneys are lobed. The lobes provide no additional function and seem to be a vestigial feature from early development while humans have a smooth outer cortex upon birth.
Sith have a rather resilient and effective immune system. Most of it operates much in the same way as humans and most organic beings. Their immune system can be divided into the innate immune system and adaptive immune system.
The innate responses include physical barriers such as skin and mucosal membranes, specialized phagocytes, and even triggering the inflammatory response if needed. Adaptive immune system is something all beings acquire throughout their life. Human infants can get a supply of the adapted antibodies from their mothers’ milk, but those don’t last long and the young humans need to be inoculated often against common galactic diseases. Sith infants also get the adapted antibodies from their mothers however, unlike with humans, Sith tend to retain the acquired immunity and thus they need to be vaccinated much less frequently.
Overall the Sith have a very effective immune system that wards off against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites—with the exception of one. Like humans, the Sith are also host to their own species specific ectoparasitic mites and both species are covered in these parasites. While humans have two different species of mites, the Sith only have one, but in both cases the mites are harmless. For human mites, they congregate around hair follicles, especially where sebum is produced. But since Sith lack body hair the Sith mites tend to congregate around the ridges of their body. Most of the time, the mites do nothing, except in more humid and damp conditions (especially like the predominant weather of Dromund Kaas). In these conditions the mites can multiply too quickly and the resulting massive die off leads to what’s known as ridge rash.
The endocrine system functions much in the same way with Sith as it does with humans. It consists a collection of different glands throughout the body that secrete various hormones into the circulatory system to effect the target organs. There are various hormones that do numerous jobs from regulating other hormones, promoting and stopping growth, aiding in digestion and absorption, keeping a steady circadian rhythm, managing the reproductive system, and many more.
However, unlike humans, Sith have a complex exocrine system that uses a multitude of pheromones. Unlike endocrine glands, the exocrine system uses ducts in the dermis that secrete pheromones out onto the epithelial surface. And while humans do have some exocrine glands, none of them emit pheromones. Within the nasal cavity, Sith have a vomeronasal organ, which is a part of the olfactory sense, that takes in and transmits the chemical information from the pheromones to the olfactory nerve. As with other species with the vomeronasal organ, Sith use pheromones as a way of chemically communicating with each other. These chemicals are all but undetectable to other species, and Sith are only affected by the signals emitted by their own kind. These pheromones, like the hormones, have a range of functions from signifying mood, assessing the health status of an individual, forming social bonds, aiding in reproduction, and so forth. Some pheromones are completely out of conscious control, while others can be managed with time and age. And while pheromones are typically thought to elicit a physiological response, which is true with certain ones, Sith can also ignore and disregard the chemical messages sent by others. The most common example is how adult female Sith will release a particular pheromone during estrus and nearby Sith males will ignore it and go about their day.
Like all organisms with a centralized nervous system, the Sith have a brain, a neural network and uses neurotransmitters to maintain everything in the body. The central and peripheral nervous system works the same in both species. The main difference lies with the Sith brain having more sulci and gyri which allows for Sith to learn and retain information better than their human counterparts. This is especially apparent with Sith and human children where Sith children learn and mentally mature faster.
Sith are a sexually reproducing species that share many similar traits with humans. With the onset puberty young Sith will gain a surge of sex hormones that will mature their body with secondary sex characteristics. However, unlike humans who are capable of reproduction in adolescence the Sith are not. Hormones prepare and develop the Sith bodies, but they are unable to attract fully matured adults or reproduce with anyone until reaching adulthood themselves, which is usually around the age of 20 and only then can the pheromones involved with reproduction are emitted. Aside from the anatomy that look and function in similar fashion, there are a vast array of differences between the two species. Every retained adaptation from the original Sith is to aid and ensure a successful fertilization.
Male Reproductive System
The male Sith reproductive system consists of the same anatomical features as humans. The main difference lies with the presence of ridges on both the superior and inferior sides of the penis that become very pronounced when aroused. These ridges help to stimulate the female vaginal tract during intercourse. When climax is achieved, the grooves of the female tract will line up with the male’s ridges to where the tip of the penis meets the entrance of the cervix, and lock the couple in place for 4-7 minutes. This prolonged period of orgasm is referred as the “embrace” among the Sith and allows for a greater number of sperm cells to be deposited closer to the uterus and oviducts. Furthermore, being able to ejaculate for a longer period of time allows for male Sith to produce around 100 billion sperm cells while human males ejaculate only 200-500 million sperm cells.
Female Reproductive System
When a female hits the ages of 11-14, the levels of growth and sex hormones increase which lead to the development of the secondary sex characteristics similar to humans as well as starting her estrous cycles. Sith females are polyestrous mammals that go through estrus 3-4 times per Imperial Standard Year, with each estrus period lasting approximately one standard day. During estrus, females may feel an increase in restlessness and libido. And since they have an estrous cycle and not a menstrual one, they do not menstruate. Instead, if fertilization does not take place, the uterine wall is reabsorbed rather than expelled like in the case with humans.
There are two key differences unique to this species. The first being the placement of the clitoris. Imperial records show that originally, the Sith clitoris was on the internal wall of the vagina. After hybridization, the clitoris became external but remained very close to the vaginal opening. This allows for more effective and direct stimulation during copulation. The other difference is that sperm is deposited in the cervix, rather than the vagina, and therefore closer to the uterus and oviducts. This is assisted by the Sith female’s specialized vaginal tract that is lined with grooves to match and lock with the ridges of the male’s penis.
Pregnancy and Development
All of these specializations allows for the sperm to be deposited closer, shortening the distance it has to travel and results in a much higher success rate of conception. If a pair of humans engage in intercourse on the most fertile part of a woman’s cycle, the day of ovulation, the rate for a successful pregnancy is 33%. But when Sith copulate at the time of estrus, and consequently ovulation, the rate of a successful pregnancy is 87%. There are instances of successful fertilization when Sith copulate several days before estrus if enough of the sperm manages to hold out until the ovum is released. But for both human and Sith, after ovulation has passed, the rate of fertilization drops drastically.
After fertilization, the female must have access to adequate food and water. If there is a shortage of food or water during the first half, the body will often self-terminate the pregnancy to avoid competing for resources. Xenobiologists speculate that this developed within the Sith species since their original natural environment is usually very harsh. Therefore, rather than have the fetus siphon the mother’s resources, the mother’s body will either reabsorb the embryo or expel the fetus (depending on the progression of development) during times of dire stress. It is not only physical stress that can affect a pregnancy, but mental and emotional as well. If a pregnancy fails, the mother can retry when conditions improve. However, due to the modernization of the species onto the galactic stage and the advent of medical science, the chances for miscarriages among Sith are considered very rare these days.
A human pregnancy lasts around 56 standard weeks and a Sith pregnancy lasts 40 weeks. Unlike humans who track their pregnancy into trimesters, Sith divide the gestation period into “quarters.” During the first two quarters of gestation is when the fetus is vulnerable of being terminated via absorption or expulsion if the mother is under any kind of dire stress. After the halfway point, however, the fetus is secured within the uterus and grows exponentially faster than the first half of gestation. And while Sith, much like humans, usually release one ovum per estrus, their rate of twinning is higher at around 8% rather than the 3% with humans.
All of the information presented only refers to Sith purebloods and does not include data on any hybrids. For more information regarding how hybridization with humans and alien species affect pregnancy, please refer to the Imperial Database.
Of course one of the most noted things, if not the most notable trait, about Sith purebloods is how the entire species is considered to be Force sensitive. Although non-Force sensitive Sith exist, they are often ostracized, disowned, or even culled by their family to preserve a state of honor. Thus, it is uncertain what the actual rate of Force non-sensitivity is. But for the rest of the Sith, Force sensitivity has become embedded into their very biology; heightening their already sharpened senses, adding to physical strength, and improving mental functions. Usually, a Sith child reveals their Force sensitivity fairly early on, with some even showing signs in infancy. Typically a Sith will be determined Force sensitive or not by the time they are 12, right before the onset of puberty. Although in some very rare cases, a Sith may find Force manifestation occurring after adolescence and perhaps even into adulthood.
(MOAR Tomato alien cultivation??)
A BIG THANKS TO THE AWESOME @rhomellegacy WHO IS THE WONDERFUL AND TALENTED ARTIST BEHIND THE ILLUSTRATIONS!
Also a shout out to @spaceyquill who helped to proofread this so y’all wouldn’t be drowning in my typos and crappy sentence structures. x3c
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