History Literature / Expedition

* {{Kaiju}}: The Emperor Sea Strider is estimated in ''Expedition'' to be ''620 feet tall'', as tall as London's BT Tower. That is, by Creator/{{Toho}} standards, ''three {{Godzilla}}s standing on each others' shoulders!'' Given that Darwin IV has much less gravity, the Sea Strider has less issues with size constraint(and can support such a mass, considering it literally eats its enviroment.). The beast is also less dense than earth creatures, making it lighter.

* BioluminescenceIsCool: Many species have this. Which is odd, since no eyes ever evolved on the planet, so light is pointless.

* Expy: Considering Wayne Barlowe was a co-designer in ''Film/PacificRim'', it's really no big surprise that one Kaiju in the film, named Mutavore, shares features of some creatures found in the book.

** A lot though, are so bizarre, one doesn't think "That's a really weird creature," but "What am I looking at? Is this ''even'' supposed to be alive?" The Sea Strider in particular looks utterly abstract.

* ArtisticLicense-Biology: Some of the creatures appear to be inspired by man-made Earth machines. For example, the Skewer's gas pods and birdlike shape evoke a World War II jet fighter, and the Gyrosprinter's leg arrangement and side-mirror-like halteres bear more than a passing resemblance to a motorcycle.

* {{Kaiju}}: The Emperor Sea Strider is estimated in ''Expedition'' to be ''620 feet tall''. That is, by Creator/{{Toho}} standards, ''three {{Godzilla}}s standing on each others' shoulders!'' Given that Darwin IV has much less gravity, the Sea Strider has less issues with size constraint(and can support such a mass, considering it literally eats its enviroment.)

** The Daggerwrist also has a projictile appendage on its chest that is usually tucked under the head, giving the illusion of a jaw.

** An animal on Darwin IV may be an Earth creature's equivalent in terms of ecology, but looks nothing like it.

* {{Kaiju}}: The Emperor Sea Strider is estimated in ''Expedition'' to be ''620 feet tall''. That is, in Toho standards, ''three Godzillas standing on each others' shoulders!'' Given that Darwin IV has much less gravity, the Sea Strider has less issues with size constraint(and can support such a mass, considering it literally eats its enviroment.)

* SwallowTheCamera: An Emperor Sea Strider, with mouths on its feet, swallows Ike's camera by stepping on it.

* Expy: Considering Wayne Barlowe was a co-designer in [[Film/PacificRim]], it's really no big surprise that one Kaiju in the film, named Mutavore, shares features of some creatures found in the book.
** The Ass-Blasters from [[Film/Tremors]] look an awful lot like the Daggerwrist.

** One of the two-pronged "trees" [[VideoGame/{{Half-Life}} looks familiar to anyone who's been to Xen]].

* DemotedToExtra: The Littoralopes get such a treatment in Alin Planet, which even ignores their double-head trick and never explains them in detail.

* {{Kaiju}}: The Emperor Sea Strider is estimated in ''Alien Planet'' to be ''620 meters tall''. That is, in Toho standards, ''three Godzillas standing on each others' shoulders!'' Given that Darwin IV has much less gravity, the Sea Strider has less issues with size constraint.

** Some (thankfully feathered) Velociraptors appear briefly in a scene in Alien planet depicting the Gyrosprinter.

* BinarySuns: An aspect of the Darwin system, a dim red giant and a much smaller bu brighter white dwarf. The term "''suns''light" is used to remind us.

** The Sac-back is an exception, having male and female forms. While the male waddles about on three limbs, the female is an immobile, sessile creature buried underground, requiring feedings from her mate as she is unable to move around.

* HandicappedBadass: The Gyrosprinter resembles an equine build but has its ''front legs and hind legs fused together,'' leaving it with a single forelimb and a single hindlimb, which raises balance issues. Fortunately they evolved balance- aid halteres, allowing them to ontinue careening along the Darwinian plains despite what would normally be a faally deleterious disablity.

* LivingGasbag: Eosapiens, Rugose Floaters, Skwewrs, and many fliers on Darwin IV.

* AllCavemenAreNeanderthals: The Eosapiens may be sentinent, but their level of technology is limited to sticks and clubs. They also end up smashing the two probes, not out of hostility, but because they mistook the camera as an attack.

* BinarySuns: An aspect of the Darwin system. The term "''suns''light" is used to remind us.
* BioluminescenceIsCool: Many species have this. Which is odd, since no eyes ever evolved on the planet.

* BizarreAlienLocomotion: All sorts. There's the Rimerunner, a vaguely-kangaroo-like creature that hops on one leg, the Skewer, which flies by gas turbines on its wings, the Tundra Plower, which drags its face along the ice, the Gyrosprinter, a horse-like creatue with ''a single front leg and a single hind leg'', and the Forest Slider, which is born a quadruped but loses its hind legs when its ''hind skid'' replaces them.

* ButtMonkey: In a world of amazing, strange of frightening creatures, there's the Bladderhorn, a big,blue beast with baloon like antlers and a comically flatulent call. It serves rather as comic relief in all the weirdness going on.

* BizarreAlienSenses: Sonar seems to be the primary sensory input for Darwin IV species.

* BinarySuns: An aspect of the Darwin system.
* BioluminescenceIsCool: Many species have this.
* BizarreAlienBiology: Plenty bizarre, but [[MostWritersAreHuman recognizable]].
* BizarreAlienLocomotion: All sorts.

* LivingGasbag: Eosapiens
* {{Planimal}}: Grovebacks

* StarfishAliens: Most of the species presented.

* BioluminescenceIsCool: many species have this.
* BizarreAlienBiology: plenty bizarre, but [[MostWritersAreHuman recognizable]].

[[https://waynebarlowe.wordpress.com/artwork/expedition/ The author's website for the book can be found here.]]