Andorian: Difference between revisions

==Physiology==

:'''''See also:''' [[Andorian/Gender and Reproduction|Gender and reproduction]]''

Andorians have a very dense bone and muscle tissue that gives them incredible physical strength. In fact the average Andorian can easily lift twice their body weight with little effort. While they have a normal skeleton like any other humanoid race they also have cartilage plates under their skin that act as a partial exoskeleton. This gives added protection to their vital organs, but it also provides addition strength to their muscles. The Andorian digestive system cannot tolerate chocolate.  

An Andorian's antennae aid in balance as well as the sensory enhancements mentioned above. If one is lost an Andorian's balance is temporarily disrupted, rendering them unable to fight, but they could adapt to its loss within a day. Antennae take up to nine months to grow back, though electrical stimulation and cranial massage therapy can cut regeneration time in half. While it is true that if they lose their antenna they will grow back in about 9 months, most Andorians prefer not to survive the loss. The loss of an antenna is similar to losing an ear, and Andorians suffer from a wide-spread fear of this loss. There is also the fact that while waiting for their antenna to regenerate that they are at a severe disadvantage in situations that require their balance to be unimpaired such as physical combat. Antennae are moved by muscles that can be controlled separately from one another.

Andorians, with a higher metabolic rate than Terrans, are especially vulnerable to phase pulse infection; even minor phase injuries could prove fatal. However, they have demonstrated resistance to a wide range of environmental conditions. In a climate where the temperature is near the boiling point of water, an Andorian could still thrive, despite losing 10% of their body weight in two days. It is also due to this increased metabolism that they tire quicker during periods of physical exertion.