Flagisallus

From SGCommand

"I know — [the Ancients] were terrible at naming things. I’ve just, um... I’ve just called it “whale” for now."

—Rodney Mckay

A Flagisallus is a type of large fish found on Lantea, capable of surviving at ocean depths well below 350 meters. Due to their appearance, members of the Atlantis expedition have taken to identifying the creatures as whales, although the creatures are not mammalian. They do, however, seem fairly intelligent and possess a form of language.

[edit] Overview

Flagisallus are capable of projecting auditory and visual signals; the Ancients constructed a device that could facilitate communication with them, and attempted to teach the flagisallus their own language. The flagisallus stored several details of at least one event in their genetic memory, using it to warn the Atlantis expedition of an impending coronal mass ejection. They are also sensitive to changes in the solar magnetic field.

The species communicate with their own echo location by using low frequency sonar, amplified by an EM field, creating vibrations that can be uncomfortable to humans. In one case, it can kill a human.

Male flagisallus possess a "prominent feature" that easily distinguishes them from the females of the species. (ATL: "Grace Under Pressure", "Echoes")

The tail of a Flagisallus.

A large pod of Flagisallus seek shelter beneath Atlantis' shield.

The eye of a Flagisallus as it passes a Puddle Jumper.