The deep ocean holds many secrets. Among them are an elusive species of squid-like creatures: the southern squidray (Na’vi: tsyong). These fierce, intelligent predators live deep below the surface, preferring to congregate near hydrothermal vents on the ocean’s floor where there is abundant food.

Thanks to an evolved biological siphon system that functions much like a turbine, the tsyong are lightning quick hunters, capable of narrowing their bodies into a hyper-efficient torpedo shape to strike their prey. They swarm in packs, grasping prey with elongated tentacles covered in powerful suckers. At the base of these tentacles is a pincerlike beak, which is strong enough to shatter even the reinforced canopies of RDA submersible equipment. The tsyong’s body is covered with millions of pigment cells, which can rapidly change colors to confuse or startle prey. These chromatophores are also used for efficient social communication among the swarm.

Due to their unpredictable temperament, tsyong cannot be domesticated. However, the tsyong do possess kuru, and thus expert Na’vi divers are known to occasionally bond with a tsyong for deep-sea scavenging or strategic defense.