See the following copypaste-able code. Below it, there will be an explanation of what kind of information is meant to go in each section.
===== Numerical characteristics ===== ===== Anatomy and physiology ===== ==== Shape and features ==== ==== Motion and locomotion ==== ==== Senses and perception ==== ===== Taxonomy and evolution ===== ==== Ancestry and relatives ==== ==== Variations ==== ===== Biology ===== ==== Genetics and reproduction ==== ==== Development and life history ==== ==== Life expectancy ==== ==== Cyclicity ==== ===== Ecology and habitats ===== ==== Population ecology ==== ==== Dietary needs and habits ==== ==== Predators ==== ==== Symbiotic and parasitic organisms ==== ===== Behaviors ===== ==== Sociability ==== ==== Courtship ==== ==== Migration ==== ==== Territoriality ==== ===== Society ===== ==== Structure ==== ==== Naming conventions ==== ==== Gender conventions ==== ==== Relationships ==== ==== Taboos ==== ==== Average technological level ==== ===== History ===== ===== Relations with other species ===== ===== Known individuals =====
Vital statistics. Size, weight, lifespan, color, etc.
In general, what do members of this species look like? How are they shaped? How many limbs do they have, and of what kinds? What colors do they come in?
How do members of this species move around? What kind of reach do they have? Can they fly or swim? How, if at all, can they manipulate objects?
What senses does this species have, and how do they compare with those of humans?
What biological grouping does this species belong to? What species are closely related to it?
What variations exist within this species? Are there races or subspecies, and if so, how do they differ?
How does this species make more of itself? What kind of mating system do they have? How many offspring at a time, and how often? Is there anything noteworthy about how traits are inherited?
How do members of this species develop throughout their lives? How do they change as they grow up?
How long is this species capable of living? How long can they expect to live, given the lives they lead?
How does daily life and behavior track with natural rhythms in this species' environment? How do they deal with day and night - are they diurnal, nocturnal, crepuscular, or cathemeral? What happens to them as the seasons change?
What biomes, environments, and geographical locations does this species live in? What environmental factors are important for it to survive and thrive?
What is the population of this species, and how is it distributed? What strategy does it use for population increase?
What do members of this species eat? What methods do they use to get it?
Are there any species that will try to eat this one? How does this species deal with it?
Are there other organisms with which members of this species share their lives - whether it helps them or not? If sapient, have they domesticated any creatures to aid them in tasks?
How do members of this species react to the presence of another of their own kind? Do they live with or around each other? What strategies to they use to mediate their interactions?
How do members of this species choose their mates? What traits are looked for? Are there any ritual behaviors engaged in to attract the opposite sex?
How much do members of this species move around? Do they do so only at particular times or in particular situations? How far will they go?
How possessive are members of this species of land or resources? If they have their own claims, how do they treat other members of their species who trespass? How do they decide who is a threat?
For sapient species: how are their societies arranged? Are there any underlying patterns to their forms of government, the power structures in their organizations, the way they arrange their settlements?
For sapient species: are there any species-wide patterns to how individuals are identified?
For sapient species: are there any patterns in the expectations for the various genders are expected to look or act?
For sapient species: what kind of bonds are found in this species? Are there any tendencies in what families look like? Are there close groupings besides those of blood and marriage?
For sapient species: what is it that this species will almost universally not tolerate? What cannot be said or done without offense, and what would the consequences be?
For sapient species: how does this species compare with humanity in terms of technological development? Are they still using flint arrowheads, or do they have lasers? If magic is used in some of the same ways as technology, what is this species doing with it?
What were prominent events in the history of this species?
For sapient species: if this species is in contact with any other sapients, what is their relationship like? Do they get along? How do they feel about each other?
Are there any particularly prominent members of this species that a reader should know about?