Acklay

The acklay was a non-sentient creature, a hybrid of crustacean and reptile, possessing amphibious qualities that allowed it to thrive both in the water and on the land of its homeworld, Vendaxa. This massive creature was shielded by a robust, shell-like armor composed of bony nodules. It moved on six sturdy, skin-covered claws and possessed grasping hands. Its mouth was armed with incredibly sharp teeth, and it utilized an organ located beneath its chin to detect the bio-electricity emitted by its prey, which it would then impale with its pointed legs. This species possessed highly elastic stomachs and three eyes.

Acklays were predatory and carnivorous beings. Although they typically resided underwater on Vendaxa, they would venture onto land to hunt lemnai on the planet's plains. Surprisingly nimble, acklays scurried about on their six sharp legs, employing an organ under their chins to sense the bio-electricity of their targets. They used their claws to spear their prey, tearing through them with razor-sharp teeth and either severing limbs or swallowing them whole into their expandable stomachs. Known for their bite, these ferocious creatures displayed agile fury and animalistic rage, possessing the strength to bite through a polearm and topple a stone pillar.

Acklays were known for their use as deadly beasts in execution arenas, such as the one found in the Petranaki Arena on Geonosis. Geonosian picadors maintained control over these creatures by poking them with static pikes, while at other times, the beasts were restrained with chains.

The acklays' intense appetite and ferocity caused them to be sought after as combatants in arena battles on the planet of Geonosis. By 22 BBY, at least two acklays were housed in the Petranaki Arena. This mated pair shared a pen situated beneath the stadium and were used as execution beasts by the Geonosians. During the attempted execution of Senator Padmé Amidala, Anakin Skywalker, and Obi-Wan Kenobi by the Confederacy of Independent Systems, one of these acklays was unleashed. The picador directed the acklay toward Kenobi, and it proved to be a formidable adversary for the unarmed Jedi. However, the Jedi Knight skillfully outmaneuvered the beast, causing one of its powerful claw strikes to sever the chain that bound him to a pillar. The acklay relentlessly pursued Kenobi, tearing holes in the arena floor with its claw-like legs. Kenobi armed himself with a polearm taken from a picador, but the acklay disregarded his strikes and bit the spear in half. In the end, Kenobi triumphed over the beast after acquiring a lightsaber when Mace Windu's Jedi assault team arrived to engage Count Dooku's battle droids. Kenobi severed the acklay's legs and delivered a final, fatal blow with his blade.

Acklays were present in the Petranaki arena during celebrations for the Eve of Meckgin and the homecoming of Poggle the Lesser. They were chained alongside reeks while Poggle announced the Stalgasin hive's involvement in the Death Star project. Even these execution beasts were quieted as Poggle delivered his speech to the silent arena.

Acklays were considered a rare sight during the Imperial Era. One acklay was kept on a Class four container transport, with the intention of transporting it to the Emperor's personal zoo, but it was released by the pirate Hondo Ohnaka.

The fight between Obi-Wan Kenobi and the acklay in Star Wars Episode II Attack of the Clones drew inspiration from the 1961 film Mysterious Island, where a shipwrecked sailor battles a giant crab.

In the LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures episode "Crossing Paths," following the Battle of Hoth, Luke Skywalker and Rowan Freemaker diverted an acklay on Felucia in order to retrieve a component of their starship. Rowan utilized Force-sensitive flowers that attracted bugs favored by the acklay to distract it and recover the part.

Ultimate Star Wars classifies acklays as amphibious crustaceans, while Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia identifies them as reptiles.