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Virgle Creatures
Though the classic martian depiction with the large oval eyes and gangly limbs is a thing of fantasy, the latest exploratory rovers and scouting droids have discovered some extraterrestrial organisms to treat with extreme caution. The Virgle Welcoming Council (VWC) wishes to assure you that the proper precautions have been taken in order to assure the safety of the settlements. However, in the legal obligation of full disclosure, here are the alien life forms that have been observed.
Scalebacks
If you've ever worked in your backyard, you've probably come across sow bugs (commonly called "rolly pollies"). If you can imagine one of these bugs about the size of a dog with razor sharp, retractable scales, then you've got a good picture of a scaleback. Though the latest safety-tested* Virgle spacesuits are equipped with area motion detectors and organism identifiers, sometimes scalebacks aren't picked up by the monitoring equipment. Since these space creatures are cold-blooded and frequently lie in "rest state", thermal and motion scans often miss their presence until an encounter is made.
Scalebacks exhibit an agressive, territorial disposition when surprised. They tend to migrate in groups so it is advisable to be cautious when entering martian cave pitted valleys or dense, rock strewn fields.
The only surveillance on record is from a mapping droid near the hilly regions of quadrant V-1138. Apparently it disturbed a hive of approx. 40 scalebacks which promptly swarmed the droid and dismantled its titanium reinforced exoskeleton. Thankfully the visual records were transmitted before the video unit was destroyed (note: these records are currently classified and are unavailable for public viewing).
Phobos Crawlers
These nocturnal space creatures stay deep underground in dormant volcano tubes for the majority of the martian summer season. Their incredibly tough carapace has a silvery-red hue that appears reflective in the light of the martian moon.
Phobos crawlers are reminiscent of crabs but are much larger and quite agile. They have been clocked scuttling across the rocky martian terrain at over 40 miles an hour. Their size ranges from 6 to 15 feet in height and 20 to 30 feet in diameter. Their large, powerful alien claws have been observed crushing sturdy metal condensers and terraform generators.
Since the initial Mars landing parties have begun establishing settlements, the sightings of these alien life forms have decreased. It has been theorized that these space creatures are reclusive by nature as they scare away easily when bright lights and/or loud sounds are present. Virgle zoologists are cautiously optimistic this behavior will continue.
Gliding Scorpid
The latest species reports have detected an airborne variety of martian life form that has been classified as a gliding scorpid. These creatures were initially thought to be no larger than mosquitoes due to their tendency of gliding on thermal drafts high in the atmosphere. Upon closer investigation however, the creatures appear to be human sized with wing spans in excess of 15 feet.
When traveling in swarms, their maroon carapace and charcoal wings create the illusion of a swiftly moving dark cloud. They have long, segmented tails that strike with a whip like motion and release toxic poison upon contact. Their behavior becomes erratic and territorial when temperatures spike so it is advised to seek cover whenever possible during peak hours of martian summers.
*Virgle spacesuits, while currently classified under "prototype" status proudly maintain a 92.3% success rating under optimal conditions. Though extreme subzero martian winters drastically lower this rating, V.I.S.I.O.N. is confident that ongoing research will achieve greater results in the near future.
