Le-matya

Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek content.

The le-matya (sometimes written le'matya) was a predatory animal native to planet Vulcan. They were distinguished by their large size and poisonous claws. (TAS episode: "Yesteryear") While predators, le-matya will also feed on dead aylakim. (TOS short story: "The First Law of Metaphysics")

They were a fierce orange-skinned hunting cat that inhabits various regions on the homeworld of the Vulcan species, the le-matya was known for its lightning-fast reflexes and poison-tipped claws. The cats were known to attack anything they saw or smelled. The deadly nerve toxins in their claws were capable of killing a small animal within minutes, or paralyzed a human. Because they attacked anything they encounter whether they were hungry or not, no le-matya were allowed on any of Vulcan's nature preserves; if one entered onto a preserve it was removed as quickly as possible.

Le-matya were known to live in the deserts near ShiKahr, and travelers beyond the city's walls should take care. Le-matya that lived in the volcanic plains tended to be larger and even more aggressive toward Vulcans and offworlders they might encounter, killing solely so they can drink the blood of their victims. Specimens as large as 90 kilograms had been reported in the vicinity of the Cheleb-khor desert. (LUG: The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans)

During the midsummer they roamed the dsert widely where they sought water as the desert watering holes dried up. When they found prey, they killed to drink bloood even when they were not hungry. (TOS novel: The Vulcan Academy Murders) Burgoyne 172 included a le-matya in his holographic battle program. (NF short story: "Oil and Water")

[edit] Connections

• Le-matya article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.