Nikitaks are mammals. They are warm blooded and their bodies are covered in a very dense, thick fur coat. This is almost always white. Their most notable anatomical departures from the norm are their antennea in the place of external ears and their third set of limbs. Nikitak reproductive organs are similar to those of most quadruped mammals. They have two sexes, males and females. The females carry the unborn for about 12 months and then give birth. The children are extremely small and covered in a very fluffy, downy coat. They usually ride in the fur on their parents, clinging tightly for the first few weeks of their life until their eyes open and they begin to move independantly. Nikitak children begin to speak at about 3 human years of age. By the time they are 15, Nikitaks are aproximately half-grown. A Nikitak is full-grown by the time they reach their mid thirties.

There are no easily visable differences in the sexes between Nikitaks, because their exceptionally thick fur cover their genitals at all times and the females and males have identical builds otherwise. Males tend to have a predominant love towards taking things apart, while females lean more towards psychology and sociology for their passions. A full grown Nikitak on its hind legs is aproximately nine and a half feet tall. Because they are not only large and heavy built but intelligent and dexterous, Nikitaks find themselves in a variety of jobs.

The Nikitak ear system is not truly an ear at all. It is an external muscle-bound organ which is covered in highly sensitive hairs. These hairs sense the vibrations in the air and the information travels down through the antennea into the skull where it is interpreted as sounds. Some experts suspect that this method of hearing is the very reason Nikitaks have a difficult time reproducing identically the sounds of Uni speech- they cannot hear the differences.

Nikitaks have six limbs, but only two are true feet. The rear most set is used exclusively for walking and lacks a thumb digit. Nikitaks can not hold or grasp with their hindmost set of legs, although this is a common misconception. The middle set of limbs is interchangable, used both as feet and hands. A thumb digit is present and the muscle structure allows for either usage. Study of the anatomy proves that neither walking nor hand use is predestined to be dominant. Whether an individual Nikitak walks on this set more often or not usually has to do with whether or not the enviroment permits the Nikitak the space to walk on their hind legs. The front set of limbs is also interchangable, both as feet or hands, but the fingers are slightly smaller under the fur and so it is of more use as a hand than a foot. Under the thick fur of each hand, the digits are actually much more nimble than one would expect- and each one houses a long, curved climbing claw.

Covered in fur, Nikitaks are very similar to most arctic animals in that their outermost coat is more coarse and rough than the inner- which is soft and downy. This layered coat enables them to keep exceptionally warm, and to shake off ice and snow as if it were nothing. Because their homeworld is arctic and wooded, this is an excellent adaptation. For the same reason, most Nikitaks are white. Very few have visable darker markings, and a Nikitak that is by birth any colour other than white is as rare as albinos are in other species. On that note, albino Nikitaks do exist- Other than their red eyes, it is impossible to distinguish them from a regular Nikitak, however.

Despite their evolved natural camoflage, Nikitaks now live in very urban cities for the most part, which are the same colours as any city (except for the frequent snowfall). Nikitaks prefer to keep their cities low to the ground, however, as the ground has always been a prefered nuetral meeting area. Trees, the traditional Nikitak home, can be considered personal territory and so elevated meetings often lead to elevated temperments. Because of their climbing claws and size, Nikitaks are fierce fighters and so battles between them become exceptionally bloody. As such, almost all trading or business is done on the ground.

Inquisitive by nature, Nikitaks welcomed traders from offworld almost immediately and readily set out to join them in space. Nikitaks are a frequent spacefaring race, their warm coats enabling them to remain off-world for much longer than most mammals. Politically, they are notoriously nuetral, something which enrages other races from time to time. Nikitaks are very close with the tiny Chuians, the two races reciprocating friendship for as long back as either had the ability to contact the other. Indeed, far more common on Nikiticha than housing for human-sized aliens is housing for Chuians.

Nikitaks live in family groups all their lives, unless they set off alone to do business or the family unit grows too large to stay under one roof. Several generations will live together, a newly married male usually moving in with the bride's family and raising their offspring there. The warmth and hospitality of a Nikitak homecoming is unmatched, as families are very very important to Nikitaks.

However, because they seek to remain nuetral towards other aliens, they do not impress this philosphy upon others.

Nikitaks adopted Buddism very early on, long before another alien race actually visited their planet. One of the many transmissions sent from Earth over the years reached Nikitichi, and the data inside was gradually decoded into the story of the life of Buddha. The Nikitaks saw the same significance in this story as those who followed Buddism on Earth, and so the religion sprang up anew. Naturally, Nikitaks had no concept of what species Buddha was, and so on Nikiticha he is portrayed as a Nikitak. The teachings were decoded in the now infamous science and technology city of Sorre.

Nikitak art forms include carvings, song, and especially dance. With their long bodies, extra limbs and mobility, Nikitaks are amazing dancers who have developed something which is akin to the dance of the dragon on Chinese New Year's and belly dancing. Many foreign species come to Nikitichi to learn the dancing technique, but it is very difficult for them to study in the cold climate.

The Nikitak language, Nikatii, is a series of low and high vibratory sounds as well as a spoken series of syllabals. To Nikitaks, all foreigners lacking the ability to percieve and replicate the vibratory sounds (created in the chest cavity) are pronouncing their words with an 'accent'- so the knife of language cuts both ways.

Nikitaks are primarily carnivores, hunting solitarily and sharing kills with the family unit. Because meat is not readily available in space, Nikitaks ordinarily take a large amount of supplimental vitamins to keep healthy. Some IV drugs are available for longer term solutions, but for short trips pill form suppliments are advised.

Due to their peculiar form and thick coat, Nikitaks do not wear clothing for the most part. Exceptions to this may include a Nikitak working as a body guard wearing armor, or a mechanic wearing a toolbelt and gloves to protect his hands. All Nikitaks wear some form of eye protection when in space, as the species is extremely succeptable to star-blindness. Other than that, ocassionally they may find hats or scarves amusing and don those.

Nikitaks are most lively during the evenings and mornings, but spend the majority of their time awake during the day where it is warmer on their homeworld.