Iratus bug
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The Iratus bug is a fictional animal species from the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis.
It is a large, black parasitic tick-like creature. It was theorized by the scientific team on Atlantis that the Iratus bugs fed on the humans that inhabited a planet in the Pegasus Galaxy and that a genetic mutation gradually developed in the Iratus bugs, resulting in a hybrid species, the Wraith. Just like the Wraith, the bug can heal itself at an incredible rate.
It first appeared in "Thirty-Eight Minutes", when it attached itself to Maj. John Sheppard's neck. Attempts to remove the creature from Sheppard proved extremely difficult. Shooting it with a pistol caused severe pain for Sheppard and nearly killed him. Lt. Ford and Sheppard concluded that the creature feeds off the life of its host, and any induced pain will be transferred to the host as well. Ford and Teyla noticed that the creature has a soft underbelly, and Dr. Beckett suggested that pouring various substances on it could kill it much in the way that pouring salt on a leech can kill it. Several substances, including iodine, had no effect. When the team tried salt and water, Sheppard was put in even greater pain. As Sheppard weakened, the team searched for a solution by discussing the creature's similarity to the Wraith, conjecturing that a solution could be found by observing the evolutionary similarities of the two species. Sheppard is then struck with an idea. He tells the team to electrocute him with a defibrillator, suggesting that if he is dead, the creature will no longer attach itself to him. Ford reluctantly agrees, and succeeds. Several seconds later, Teyla is able to pull the creature off him, after which Ford shoots it repeatedly.
Thereafter, Sheppard hated any reference to the creature as it flares memories of the incident when the bug attached itself to his neck.
The Iratus bug seem to enjoy damp dark environments, more particularly caves. There they congregate in large 'hives', perhaps similar to the Wraith which might explain their formation of Hives. They also seem to identify each other through smell or perhaps phermones as they attack any intruders that approach their egg sacks which are hung on the roof of the cave by strong webbing. Its interesting to note that when Colonel Sheppard was slowly being converted into a Wraith in "Conversion", the Iratus bugs did not see him as a threat as they did the humans that were approaching their eggs. Though it was implied by Ronon that the Iratus bug are not the top predator on their world and that there is something worse.
[edit] Appearances
- Thirty-Eight Minutes (1x04)
- Conversion (2x08)
| Alien races in the Stargate universe | Edit | |
| Four Great Races | Ancients, Asgard, Furling, Nox |
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| Humans | Tau'ri, Tollan, Aschen, Genii, Athosians, Prior, Jaffa: Sodan, Free Jaffa, Hak'tyl | |
| Goa'uld | System Lords, Tok'ra, Kull Warrior | |
| Other | Asurans, Iratus bug, Ori, R-75, Re'ol, Re'tu, Replicator, "Spirits", Unas, Wraith | |
