Need help with Sci-Fi critter that looks kinda like a Piscoloth (NaNoWrMo)

[FreeXenon]

I am attempting to participate in in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) which is in the month of November and I am planning on writing some sci fi. The main character is an alien species that looks like a Mass Effect'esque piscoloth. I am curious if anyone might be willing to give me some ideas to flesh this species out - like a decent name...

image of piscoloth: http://www.sigil.cz/images/articles/sfery/sfery-fiendi/alternate/piscoloth.gif

Description

The current name I have chosen is "Slistar". I need a better name here. Anyone have a better name for this critter. If you have any suggestions for their technology, culture, etc... I would like to hear it. I am also not really sure about their primary deity... it feels so cliche: The Slistari are a bit of a territorial and war like species whose primary religion is focused on competition and combat. *sigh*

They are the only other known sentient species, besides humans. The Slistari have been space faring for a century or more than humans and their technology is a bit more advanced than ours. They look like a more humanoid form of a piscoloth - a chitinous carapace with dark black eyes, 3 fingers and toes with slight claws on both that are sharp enough to gut a human if they want to. They do not see so well in an oxygen based atmosphere but hear really well into high and low frequencies that we can not. They must usually wear visor/headphones helmet combo to process light so that they can see as well as a human, attenuate specific frequencies (high and low) so that they do not hurt their "ears" while living in human atmosphere. In order to "breath" in human based atmosphere they require a special shot that allows them to process human air into something that they can use (or a gas mask like thing). In order to speak so that humans can understand they need to use a voice modulator with an neural/aural interface. They are omnivorous and can eat about anything, from fruit, vegetables, to still squirming humans.

 

[raexgames]

To me from the image the fact that they eat humans means they are predators. Omnivorous works that they take what they can get, but since the creature's eyes are on the sides and it has a carapace it already has a huge defensive quality to it. Being from a society of slave like creatures or from a past that bred them to be dominated by another species makes their current makeup fit. Their shell protects them from rear attackers and their eyes help them see oncoming enemies from the sides. The pincers are more for cutting and breaking away thick materials that block their path like thick seaweed.

The talons and the feet are the strange element of the creature making them early land walking creatures in their evolution, but at the same time they seem to have scales which implies that they live in a wet environment. You stated they don't do well in oxygen based environments so whatever atmosphere it is they live in is most likely very moisture filled and un polished or smoothed terrain.

The anatomy of the creature seems to tell its own nice little back story. To me it looks more like a victim and less like a predator though.

-T.