Jokaero
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The Jokaero are a minor independent alien race who appear on page 197 of the first edition Warhammer 40,000 Rule book Rogue Trader. They closely resembled orangutans. They were described as not being a truly intelligent species, but instinctively knew how to create incredible technologies.
Examples of Jokaero devices included polyhedral ships capable of incredible movement and miniature versions of weapons, known as Jokaero digital weapons because they fit on a finger. These weapons usually contained things like flamers, or laspistols, usually good for one shot only. They could be fired by sharply bending the finger the ring is on.
Digiweapons are also in Inquisitor game, althought Jokaero are not menioned.
The Jokaero also invented a surveillance device which incorporated tiny mechanical bees, all controlled by one main computer, which requires some form of psychic input, which suggests that the Jokaero are a sentient race, but in a different manner to that of the rest of life in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
Early 40K scenarios featured Jokaero raiding small areas and constructing incredible weapons to defend themselves as the game progressed.
The Inquisition War trilogy and other books list them as an "Imperial Protectorate". This indicates that while they are a xenos race the Imperium has some sort of compact with them. They appear to exchange the advanced technology they create for continued tolerance and safety.
Jokaero are considered by some to have been written out of canon, but occasional indirect references can be found. For example, a wargear entry for digital weapons in the 3rd edition Codex: Witch Hunters describes them as "Ancient relics thought to have been created for the Imperium by an alien race" (pg 21). However, the Jokaero are not specifically referenced by name or description in the Witch Hunters Codex. They are mentioned by name in the 3rd edition Codex: Necrons as a "technology-mimicking" (pg.26) race created by the Old Ones in the twilight hours of their empire. In the Black Books publication Horus Rising by Dan Abnett, Horus mentions the Jokaero amongst a list of creatures faced during the Great Crusade.
Only one model was produced for the Jokaero, which strongly resembles an orangutan, including a 'tree swinging' poise.1
1: * A photograph can be found here: [1]
