As the name suggests, the Zeta Reticulans are a reclusive species native to the Zeta Reticuli star system. They tend to be more insular than other spacefaring species, this means that a lot of details about their various cultures and societies are simply not known.

Zeta Reticulans average between 3’ and 4’ in height with a distinctly stooped posture, creating the appearance of having their bodies being draped over their think hind legs. Their forelimbs are significantly smaller than their hind legs and are adapted for fine motor manipulation with two long, four-jointed fingers and an opposable thumb on each hand. Their large, black, oval-shaped eyes dominate their heads, on close inspection it is evident that these are compound eyes giving them excellent motion perception light sensitivity, and a wide field of view, leading to more than a little speculation as to the conditions of their homeworld to facilitate vertebrate animals to retain compound eyes over more complex eye structures. Their mouths are tucked under their heads such that they are generally not visible when looking at Zetans head-on. The Zeta Reticulans’ skin is grey and leathery with a white underbelly, though there is a common variant phenotype wherein the skin is a solid blue-grey color and more bumpy, and with more prominent patterning on the compound eyes; for a long time this variant was believed to be a separate species, but new evidence has revealed that they are, in fact, one and the same.

Due to their reclusive nature, not much is known about their internal physiology. It is currently speculated that they may have a low chemical tolerance. This hypothesis is based on frequent testimonies by abductees of the Zetans of being put into a catatonic stupor rather than being put fully unconscious, as there doesn’t appear to be any benefit to deliberately doing this the consensus is that this is due to the Zeta Reticulans underestimating the needed doses of anesthetics to put subjects under; this might possibly be because they are basing the doses off their own physiology hence the hypothesis that their bodies have a lower than average tolerance to chemical stimuli.

The culture and social structure of the Zeta Reticulans is also virtually a mystery. Based on observations and the few direct interactions there have been a few things can be extrapolated about them, but as it stands none can be verified. The Zeta Reticulans are a space faring species that is more meddling than most, not only using subliminal and other methods to indirectly influence the social and cultural development of other species, but will also attempt to influence their physical evolution through genetic engineering towards a specific goal. The specific goal of the Zeta Reticulans in each instance has varied, sometimes in contradictory ways, suggesting that the Zeta Reticulans are divided into separate factions as opposed to operating as a unified species. However regardless of the intentions of any given Zeta Reticulan “faction” they all tend to be rather flagrant with their meddling and lack any communal sense of accountability for any problems their meddling might cause for the species in question. It should be noted that, strictly speaking, there is no real species they won’t try to genetically augment or mentally manipulate, however they do tend to show more caution around species of similar technological development.