Night time in Jarvis Swamp

technical details:

Modeled in Blender 2.71 
Rendered in Cycles

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The aborigines of Carver's World taught the original colonists about the pharmacopoeia available in Jarvis Swamp.   Known to the aborigines as Tluk'ta'nogga several examples of the bounty are visible in this image.  The tree in the center was dubbed a "Jacobs Tree" by the colonists from Earth.  The leaves of the Jacob Tree can be made into a tea that does wonders for respiratory ailments.  An extract from the bark has antibiotic properties.  The glowing globes are a predator called Ke'Ke'Tal by the aborigines is a nocturnal feeder.  During daylight hours or on nights where a wind over 2KPH exists live in caves and rock crevices. At night they inflate to the shape seen here and when detecting prey they extend tentacles that can move very quickly to snare their prey which consists of small rodents, fish and small birds.  The Ke'Ke'Tal will also feed on insects that stick to its body. 

Captured Ke'Ke'Tals can be "milked" for bodily fluids that can be used as a tranquilizer. Contact with the skin of a Ke'Ke'Tal by humans without protection will cause the ingestion through skin pores of a neural toxin that can cause affects ranging from temporary localized paralysis to death. 

This image was taken during the mating season of the Ke'Ke'Tals.  The smaller male in the background has been pursuing the female in the foreground for three nights in a row and has failed to attract her.