mynock

• Appeared in:
  
  I
  II
  III
  IV
  V
  VI
  CW

• Homeworld:
  Ord Mynock (presumed); inhabits Hoth asteroid field

• Size:
  1.6 meters long

• Diet:
  stellar radiation

• 

From the Movies

Leathery-winged manta-like flyers, mynocks are a common pest faced by spacers. The parasitic creatures attach themselves to hosts via their bristly suction cup-like mouth. Pilots need to examine their ships for mynock infestations as the creatures like to affix to starships and chew on their power cables. Mynocks travel in packs and typically grow to be 1.6 meters long with a wingspan of approximately 1.25 meters.

From the Expanded Universe

Scattered throughout the galaxy, the mynock's home-world is unknown, but they derive their name from their supposed world of origin, Ord Mynock.

Mynocks, like plants, are nourished by stellar radiation. Their black leathery surfaces are well suited at absorbing electromagnetic radiation. They ride the stellar winds by unfurling their wings.

Mynocks also feed on silica and other minerals for the purposes of reproduction. The creatures are asexual, reproducing through fission once enough raw material has been absorbed and metabolized.

These silicon-based lifeforms can only exist in the vacuum of space, and find planetary atmospheres fatal. A number of variant mynocks have been discovered, however, that not only can survive planetfall, but also reproduce via larval forms.

Behind the Scenes

Early sketches by Ralph McQuarrie had the mynocks appearing similar to bats or avians, before the sucker-mouth manta ray design was finalized.