Infocard of insectoid liminals from the anime series, although the classification of the Scorpion Liminals in this group is to be viewed with uncertainty.
Insectoid is a term used to refer to liminal species that posses insect-like features. As revealed in Killa's secret pages, Insectoid Liminals belong to the group of Arthropod-like Liminals, a generic term that also includes spider-like Liminal species like the Arachne.
While diverse in appearance and culture, most insectoid species share the trait of possessing an outer exoskeleton made of chitin and have a sensitivity to the temperatures in the environment.
Physiological Attributes[]
- Chitin Exoskeleton: Most insectoids possess an exoskeleton consisting of a rigid, usually chitinous structure that would usually act as a skeletal structure for organisms that lack a supporting endoskeleton within their body. The advantage of exoskeletons is that they are tough, hard and provide a protective shell stronger than any flesh-based skin. Disadvantages include being inflexible, restrictive and once breached, liable to infection.
- Exoskeleton Mix: As revealed in Killa's secrets, unlike most normal insects, which only possess an exoskeleton, all arthropod-like Liminals possess a bodily construction consisting of a mix between endo and exoskeleton. But it is primarily the exoskeleton that supports the body, and in most areas covered by the exoskeleton, Insectoid Liminals have no endoskeleton. However, in the areas where both skeleton types are present, the endoskeleton is extremely weak.
- Temperature Sensitivity: Due to their Arthropod nature, Insectoids are very sensitive to both high and low temperatures. Higher heat or cold that beings like humans or Centaurs would still be comfortable with would already be too extreme for an Insectoid. Due to this, they cannot tolerate hot baths or snow very well. While it's unknown if they are cold blooded, Insectoids will enter hibernation if the surrounding temperature is too low.
- Smoke Intolerance: Insectoids have a natural dislike for large amounts of smoke.
- Proboscis: Some Insectoids possess a tubular proboscis that they can use to suck liquids like nectar. Coiled and sheathed within their mouth when not in use, an Insectoid's proboscis is around 5-9 millimeters in diameter, with variable length, and is completely prehensile and dexterous enough to be inserted into most tight spaces.
- Flight: Using insect wings, some insectoids able to fly at speeds greater than those of a running Centaur. However, their wings make a loud buzzing noise, preventing them from being stealthy.
- Venom: Some insectoids possess a stinger and venom. Using their stinger, an insectoid is able to inject a large amount of venom in their victim. If spread through the air, the scent of the venom is able to attract and control other insects, allowing the insectoid to send them to attack their opponents as well.
- Most Insectoid Liminals seems to have both genders, as Chapter 89 confirms that there are male and female Honey Bees and Honeypot Ants, while the wording in Killa's Secret that male and female Killer Bees have different types of antennas also confirmed that there are male and female Killer Bees.
- Metamorphosis: According to Monster Girl Report, at least Papillion Liminals are known to spend a life-cycle as caterpilar-like Liminals in their youth, before undergoing a metamorphosesis later in adulthood, similar to real butterflies. It is not known whether this larva life-cycle occurs only in Papillions or is a feature of most insectoid Liminals. If the latter were the case, the question would also remain open as to whether Silverfish-type Liminals like Shii-Mii undergo a metamorphosis, since also normal silverfish in real life don't undergo a metamorphosis.
- Diabetes Risk: Although not absolutely confirmed, at the very least both Honey Bees and Honeypot Ants are at risk of diabetes from overconsumption of sugar, such as from honey, as mentioned/implied in Chapter 89.
Species[]
Honey Bee[]
Honey Bees are an insectoid demi-human liminal race who have four insectoid limbs, antennae, compound eyes, a bee abdomen complete with stinger, and wings, with which they can fly. Much like how most female mammals, including humans, produce milk, female Honey Bees can produce Royal Jelly from their breasts, which is said to be highly nutritious and valuable. But they also produce honey in their breasts, like their insectoid counterparts but it wasn't explained under what kinds of conditions are they able to do so.
Queen Bee[]
A Queen Bee is a humanoid subspecies of Honey Bee that has been specifically raised from birth to create and rule her own hive/colony.
While born amongst a number of other "Queen" candidates, by the time they reach adulthood there is usually only one ruling Queen Bee in a single hive/colony, with all other bees within the colony loyally following and fiercely protecting her when threatened. She is usually the mother of most, if not all, of the bees in her hive. However, if the hive/colony was inherited from a previous Queen, the children of the previous Queen (who has since died or otherwise relinquished her position to the new Queen) will serve her as if she was their biological mother.
It is assumed that, like the Honey Bee, Queen Bees can produce Royal Jelly from their breasts, which is said to be highly nutritious and valuable.
Killer Bee[]
Killer Bees are an insectoid pseudohuman race who have four insectoid limbs, antennae, compound eyes, a insect abdomen complete with stinger, and wings. Though similar to the Honey Bee race in biology and societal structure, the Killer Bee race is thought to be considerably more aggressive in both philosophy and temperament and as such has been considered a problematic race in terms of diplomacy.
Mantis[]
Mantis are an insectoid pseudohuman race who have four insectoid limbs (the most prominent of which are similar in shape and form to the "raptorial legs" of their mantid cousins), antennae, compound eyes, an insect abdomen, wings and other traits of a praying mantis.
Mosquito[]
- Main article: Vampire
Mosquitos are an insectoid pseudohuman race who have four insectoid limbs, antennae, compound eyes, an insect abdomen, wings and other traits of a mosquito.
Members of the race posses a needle-like proboscis inside their mouths that they use to penetrate the skin of their prey and suck liquids such as blood. Their saliva possesses anesthetic properties that they spread over the flesh of their prey before penetrating them. While they mainly subsist on blood, they can also drink honey and fruit juices.
Mothmen[]
Mothmen are an insectoid pseudohuman race of beings who possess moth-like attributes. Encountered extremely rarely, Mothmen are thought of as agents of destiny and heralds whose presence precede catastrophic events where loss of life is expected, however, they do not actually posses these abilities. Nocturnal, like their animal counterparts, they are easily distracted by bright lights and often camp outside of 24-hour convenience stores due to this.
Silverfish[]
Silverfish are an insectoid pseudohuman race of beings who are known for being nocturnal, solitary, shy, residing within humid environments and are legendarily known for eating the paper of old books and newspapers (although their diet is not limited to just paper).
Empusa[]
- Main article: Vampire
Empusa are a psuedohuman race with mantoid attributes. Appearing in Greecian myth, the Empusa were said to be servants of the goddess Hecate who were charged by the goddess to guard specific roads from travellers. According to mythological texts, the Empusa feasted by seducing young men and, as they slept, drank their lover's blood and ate their lover's flesh. It is unknown whether this is actually true.
What is confirmed is that Empusa actually possess a timid nature, and will run and hide at the sound of insults.
Papillion[]
Papillions are a psudeo-human liminal species that share many attributes with the butterfly.
Like a butterfly, a Papillion spends its life-cycle between two forms; a caterpillar "larval" stage and an adult "butterfly" stage. The transformation between larva and butterfly presumably occurs on the cusp of adulthood and within a type of cocoon.
While the larval Papillion seem to have a vegetarian diet, adult Papillions require a liquid diet.
The species is known for sharing a symbiotic relationship with Alraunes where, as the Alraune lures prey in with their sweet smelling nectar (which also doubles as an aphrodisiac), the Papillion would paralyze the prey with their scales, whereupon they would both feed upon the helpless prey.
Honeypot Ant[]
Honeypot Ants are an ant-like, insectoid liminal species that live together in phyla or colonies led by a queen, although the term 'queen' in this regard is more akin to leader without royal status. Female Honeypot Ants, just like Honey Bee Liminals, produce honey in their breasts, whereby there are even 'nutritional storage workers' in their tribes, who have developed particularly large breasts through training and modifications to their bodies from a young age in order to fulfill their 'duty' to provide the other members of the tribe with honey and energy. Honeypot Ants generally seem to tend to be almost military in their issuing orders, although they are not a violent liminal species.
Members[]
In the Manga[]
- Killa (Killer Bee)
- Moskii (Mosquito)
- Shii-Mii (Silverfish)
- Avis (Honey Bee)
- Milme (Honeypot Ant)
- Honey Bee Queen (Honey Bee)
- Honeypot Ant Queen (Honeypot Ant)
In the Game[]
Gallery[]
See Also[]
Trivia[]
- The sexual attraction to insects is known as Formicophilia.
- While it is unclear whether they are capable of this in Monster Musume canon, Okayado once made an illustration of a Killer Bee girl as a parasitoid; meaning they lay eggs inside the bodies of other liminals like real-world wasps. Possessing an ovipositor at the end of their second abdomen, after subduing or otherwise entrapping their prey, a Killer Bee would place the end of their second abdomen to one of the prey's primary orifices (mouth, vagina, anus) and express their ovipositor into the orifice to penetrate inside the prey's body. Once their ovipositor is deep enough inside their prey's body the Killer Bee would start ovipositing her eggs which would then incubate inside the prey's stomach or womb and eventually hatch. This could potentially kill the prey if the eggs are not expressed out of the prey's body before they hatch.
- On the infocard for OAD 2: Everyday Life when Rachnera Disappears of the anime, Scorpion Liminals are listed as insectoid liminals, but this classification is dubious, as also normal scorpions are not insects but arachnids. Actually, the fact that Scorpion liminals have eight legs contradicts the claim that they are insectoid liminals, as it is a fundamental feature in the physique of insects that they have only six limbs. Most of the insectoid liminals in Monster Musume also possess this trait, as many of them have four arms, which, together with their legs, equals six limbs.
- It is possible that the classification of the Scorpion Liminals as insectoids was a mistake to the animation studio of the anime series, possibly out of unknowledge, since even in modern times there are still some people who believe that arachnids belong to the insects.
- It is also possible that the infocard refers more generally to Arthropod-like Liminals, in which case Scorpion Liminals could be included, although they do not belong to the group of Insectoid Liminals.
- It is possible that the classification of the Scorpion Liminals as insectoids was a mistake to the animation studio of the anime series, possibly out of unknowledge, since even in modern times there are still some people who believe that arachnids belong to the insects.
- While Monster Musume Online states that Queen Bees are a subspecies of the Honey Bee Liminals, in contrast to this, Chapter 89 of the manga series reveals that 'Queen Bee' is rather just the name for the leader of a Honey Bee Liminal tribe without a true royal status. Also, Honey Bee Queens and Honeypot Ant Queens don't have the same role as their animal counterparts, as they are not the 'mothers' of an entire colony, but merely act as leaders over a group that are not their sons and daughters and may not even be really related to them.
- As shown by Avis and Milme, the appearances of male Honey Bee Liminals and Honeypot Ant Liminals aren't much different from their female counterparts, a clear difference to many other liminals with animal-like features in the manga series such as Orcs or Minotaurs, whose male representatives, especially their heads, are much more similar to the animals they represent. However, it is unclear if this also applied to other insectoid Liminals and furthermore, it's also unknown if there are purely female Insectoid races. According to Killa's secrets, male Killer Bees have different kinds of antennae than female Killer Bees, implying that there are subtle physical gender differences at least among some other insectoid liminal species.