| Silicate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Naming | |||
| Binomen | N/A | ||
| Morphology | |||
| Body type | Echinoderm-like | ||
| Intelligence | |||
| Sentience | Unknown | ||
| Sapience | Non-Sapient | ||
| Aggressivity | Very High | ||
| Ecology | |||
| Place of origin | Petrie's Island, Ireland | ||
| Habitat | Rural | ||
| Diet | Ossiphagous | ||
| Locomotion | Crawling | ||
| Status | EX | ||
| Behind the Scenes | |||
| Universe | Island of Terror | ||
The Silicates are a silicon-based species of armored life forms which feed on the bones of humans and other animals. They were accidentally created by Dr. Lawrence Phillips as a result of his research in creating a type of cell that could attack cancer tissue. Having failed to do so using carbon-based cells, Phillips eventually succeeded in creating a silicon cell, but unfortunately, it didn't develop as he expected.
Biology[]
Silicates are large, limbless creatures with rigid bodies resembling a terrestrial starfish. They have a single retractable tentacle used to strangle prey and inject it with enzymes that melt the victim's bones. Silicates feed exclusively on bone. Their victims, both human and livestock, are invariably found dead in a grotesque state with no skeleton.
The Silicate body is enclosed in extremely strong armor, which can resist axes, bullets, fire and dynamite, making them exceedingly hard to kill. They move slowly, but silently, and are able to climb trees and ambush prey by dropping themselves from above. They're strong enough to burst through glass and wooden doors.
Silicates reproduce by binary fission, dividing every six hours. The moment after they divide is the only time in which they're safe to approach, as they become lethargic for a few minutes and will ignore potential prey.
They can be killed by radiation poisoning, such as by consuming bones from animals that have been contaminated by the radioactive isotope Strontium-90.
Appearances[]
- Island of Terror (1966)