An adult qlygh performing a mating call. Note the peculiar black enamel of the teeth.
Qlygh are a species of heterothermic amphibian predators native to Khar'shan. Qlygh were the apex predators in the great marshlands of the southern hemisphere of Khar'shan before being domesticated by bronze-age ancient batarians beginning to settle in the region at the time.
Biologically, qlygh are close to amphibians, though they are warm-blooded and have a mammal-like heart and blood circulation system. The reptilian-looking black fangs of the qlygh are covered by an additional layer of enamel made of an extremely hard, keratin-like substance. Both the front and hind legs have massive sharp claws capable of eviscerating an adult neeru in moments. Qlygh are able to breathe underwater for a limited time through rudimentary gills and skin pores. The beasts are capable of running over 50 km\h in short sprint bursts on any terrain, long precise leaps, scaling vertical obstacles and setting up eerily clever ambushes. Combined with the fact that an average adult weighs about 200 kilos, this makes for a truly terrifying predator. Another notable feature is the set of four eyes, typical for the higher lifeforms on Khar'shan.
Qlygh hatch from eggs, each female lays about a dozen eggs in each clutch. Hatchlings are considerably different from adults, being a fully-aquatic larval form. They develop into the adult form over a short period of about 16 days, the complete form grows to fully-adult size from that point.
Qlygh are mostly solitary, though their territories tend to overlap and they are capable of occasional collaboration in hunting more difficult prey. The intelligence of the beasts is comparable to that of varren and dogs and tends to improve in captivity, if the owner takes the training seriously. Qlygh raised from the larval form are completely loyal to the owner and are remarkably disciplined.
Besides the combat variations, a certain civilian breed of qlygh exists, bred for non-aggression, large bodymass and frequent egg-laying. The meat of this qlygh breed is fairly popular on some colonies. The fertilized eggs with half-developed embryos are cooked as the main component of an expensive dish called "kruottolk", bearing a notable semblance to terran "balut".
The great aggressive quadrupeds were not the first predators to be domesticated by batarians, but they were the ones first used as full-fledged warbeasts by the beastmasters of the southern tribes. The beastmaster tradition soon spread globally, encompassing other domesticated species. The tradition survives to this day, both in civilian and military forms, though modern spacefaring batarian beastmasters favor varren over other species.
A wild qlygh at a major flooding site on Khar'shan. Picture taken circa 2188.
Qlygh are limited to humid environments with abundant fresh water by their biology. Arid conditions are extremely detrimental to their health, leading to skin problems and breathing difficulties. Still, exports of qlygh from Khar'shan to other planets are not unheard of, eventually leading to small infestations of the beasts on several garden planets, such as Zorya and Eingana. The devastation of Khar'shan by the Reapers did not affect wild qlygh population negatively. Quite on the contrary, the destruction of a number of great river dams, leading to catastrophic flooding of numerous locales led to an explosion in the population of amphibian beasts, quickly making the newly formed marshlands their home. Qlygh are remarkably resistant to environmental contamination, including acids, heavy metals, radioactive materials and even Element Zero. The main limiting factor for qlygh population growth is hunger, with limited amount of fitting prey. Attacks on remaining batarians remaining in the flooded regions have become a commonplace hazard.