Dragonsnake

Living in the murky waters of swamp-covered planets such as Dagobah and Nal Hutta, the dragonsnakes were large serpentlike beasts with sharp fangs. Although voracious, they were incapable of digesting metal. They hid under the muddy water, waiting for their next meal to come close enough. After snatching its prey, a dragonsnake would then dive back under the water.

Biology & 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. At some point during the pan-galactic conflict known as the Clone Wars, the Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Quinlan Vos attempted to track down Ziro the Hutt on Nal Hutta. During the mission, Kenobi was attacked by a local dragonsnake. The creature was killed when the Jedi Master thrust his ignited lightsaber in the dragonsnake's head. In 3 ABY, the aspiring Jedi Luke Skywalker accidentally landed in the middle of watery peat bog on Dagobah. A hungry dragonsnake that hid there snatched Skywalker's astromech droid R2-D2, mistaking him for a living organism. Upon realizing that its prey was inedible, the dragonsnake forcefully spat out the droid, who survived the encounter unscathed.