Capricorn

Conservation Status: NT (Near Threatened)

Alias(es) known by: Sea goats, manatees

General Description: https://i.servimg.com/u/f11/19/46/08/46/capric10.jpg
Capricorns are air-breathing, warm-blooded aquatic creatures, in shape closely resembling a Terran manatee. They have broad snouts, curling horns on either side of their head, a “beard” made of prehensile fleshy tendrils, two flippers connecting to the body at the shoulders, and a long body that tapers down into a broad tail. Skin is generally gray, usually in the medium hues, although melanistic and albino individuals exist. Males typically weigh 700 pounds and are 8 feet long, while females are somewhat smaller at an average of 500 pounds and 7 feet long.

Verbal communication is impossible for this species, so tendril sign language and written messages are the norm. Some minotaurs possessing telepathy work as translators for capricorns.
Life expectancy is around 100 years. Individuals are physically mature at around 25.
The species has no magical ability, and outlier individuals are extremely rare.
The species can survive out of water for a limited amount of time. Mobility on land is poor, and their skin dries rapidly. They are also uncomfortable in cold waters and will eventually develop hypothermia, and are thus mainly found near the equator of Haakon, especially in freshwater rivers.

The species is generally peaceful, and traditionally migrated in large, polygamous groups. After they invented written language, they took to traveling less, preferring to stay near beaches where they could carve their knowledge on driftwood. Once contact with minotaurs was established, minotaurs were able to develop waterproof writing technology and temperature controlled living conditions for the capricorns, and the two species were able to settle into a symbiotic relationship where capricorns (who are almost entirely a literate species but are not well equipped to build things) worked on theory, and minotaurs (who are often unable to learn to read but have the advantage of not needing to use their chins to hold things) actually built the inventions.

These days, capricorns live in carefully maintained canal and tank complexes in minotaur cities, where they work side by side for the good of both species. Capricorns in the military are most often pilots due to their naturally excellent grasp of the three-dimensional environment of space (thanks to their experience swimming in water), but are sometimes trained as captains or navigators on larger craft, and are a prominent demographic in the military's strategic division. They never take infantry roles, as they are incredibly poorly suited for combat. They also have a strong influence in government, as both minotaurs and capricorns are by law required to each hold at least 40% of all seats in senate (the remaining 20% are flexible, and can be held by elected members of any species).

Capricorns are still generally uninterested in mating for life.

Place of Origin: Haakon, near the equator

Notes:
The “beard” of a capricorn is made of twelve or more tentacles, which are generally around sixteen inches in length and a bit thicker than Terran fingers. They function much like an elephant’s trunk, and thus have impressive dexterity and strength, and can move rapidly enough individually to touch type, or can work together to complete tasks that require greater strength.