Dragonsnake/Legends

Dragonsnakes were long ferocious creatures native to the swamps of Nal Hutta and Dagobah.

Biology and appearance

Dragonsnakes were well armored with razor fins, and had rows of sharp fangs in their mouths. They used their wide tails to propel them through their watery habitat; their long arms were mostly used for digging or grasping. In mass, they could be up to 50,000 kilograms. The dragonsnake was a patient predator, usually lying in wait under the water until its prey wandered too close to the water's edge. Lashing out with fins and fangs, the dragonsnake would drag its victim underwater, coiled in its body, until it drowned.

Only a few fellow Dagobah creatures posed a threat to dragonsnakes as their scales were durable enough to withstand most melee and vibroweapons and even small arms fire. Dragonsnakes were known to fight the monstrous swamp slugs of Dagobah. Even if devoured by the giant beasts, dragonsnakes could gnaw through the swamp slug's stomach and burst out of its belly. Dragonsnakes rarely mated more often than once every ten standard years, with females laying one to six eggs. These were buried and abandoned, usually resulting in consumption by predators. Hatchlings achieved full size within months and were adults.

A breed of dragonsnake that resided on Nal Hutta differed greatly in its physiology, notably lacking arms and long external ears. Their body was covered in bioluminescent nodules, giving them a similar appearance to the Colo claw fish of Naboo.

History

During the Clone Wars, while Obi-Wan Kenobi and Quinlan Vos searched for Ziro Desilijic Tiure on Nal Hutta, an individual of the planet's variety of dragonsnake attacked Obi-Wan. It was killed when Obi-Wan impaled its head with his lightsaber.

The dragonsnakes living in the Dragonsnake Bog near Yoda's hut were oppressed by the King of the Dragonsnakes, a large specimen that dominated the swamp, and suffered due to his greed. When Luke Skywalker arrived on Dagobah in 3 ABY, the King of the Dragonsnakes swallowed his astromech droid R2-D2, but then spit the droid back out due to its being indigestible. After that, he waited for the opportunity to strike at Skywalker himself. When the opportunity presented itself several days later, the King of the Dragonsnakes found out that his prey was armed with a lightsaber, managing to harm the King and escape. The other Dragonsnakes saw the King's failure as the sign of his weakness. Humbled, the King retreated to his Lair. Skywalker, accompanied by Yoda, followed him there and confronted the King in his very own lair. Using the knowledge of the Force, he subdued the King to his will and retrieved his prize—an egg of an Accipiptero. Afterwards, the other Dragonsnakes were no longer afraid of the King and the swamp returned to the balance.