Squalrises were a sentient species of humanoids with yellow skin. They originated on the planet Ifmix VI, situated within the Colonies region. These people were known for their corpulent bodies, the bristly hair that adorned their faces, and a distinctive rounded crest that ran along the top of their skull. A strong desire for wealth and elevated social standing was the primary motivation for Squalrises, which made them highly effective in business and negotiations. Their natural charm and sociable nature were advantages in these endeavors. They generally favored flamboyant clothing as a way to display their affluence and status.
The Galactic Republic welcomed Ifmix VI into the galactic community early in its history. The establishment of the Perlemian Trade Route in that area enabled Squalris merchants to expand their commercial activities beyond the Ifmix system. One such merchant was Sanglui, who established an import-export business on Vorzyd V located in the Outer Rim Territories. When the Galactic Civil War began, Sanglui sided with the Alliance to Restore the Republic and secretly used his influential position to support the Rebellion against the Galactic Empire.
Squalrises were typically stocky humanoids, standing at an average height of 1.6 meters. Their thick, yellow skin offered them a degree of protection against injuries. They had five fingers on each hand, each featuring a tough fingernail on the dorsal side. Coarse, thick, yellow hairs grew from the chin and jowls of a Squalris, framing their wide face. The mouth was broad, with full lips positioned just beneath a small, flat nose. Their eyes, typically yellow with either a yellow or red iris, were set deeply under bony brows. Some members of the species had bare brows, while others had black eyebrows. A slender crest extended from just behind the eyes to the back of the head, running along the top of the skull. On either side of the head, a floppy ear fringed with bristly hairs was present.
Squalrises reached adolescence at the age of eleven standard years, and adulthood at nineteen standard years. Middle age commenced at fifty-five. The average lifespan for a Squalris was ninety standard years.
Squalrises were generally affable and outgoing individuals, recognized for their easy-going and generally peaceful nature. Known for their charisma and skill in negotiation, Squalrises were dedicated capitalists who enjoyed bargaining and haggling in business dealings. Their reputation for shrewd negotiation was so widespread that traders along the Perlemian Trade Route used the expression "slick as a Squalris" to describe a skilled dealmaker. The most effective way to provoke a Squalris was to threaten their business interests. This business acumen typically resulted in the average Squalris being wealthier than their counterparts from other species, aligning with their general desire for success, wealth, property, and elevated social status. They flaunted their wealth through extravagant clothing, including elaborate boots and jewelry, as well as luxurious tunics, trousers, overcoats, and robes, all adorned with intricate embroidery and precious stones.
The Squalrises considered the planet Ifmix VI to be their homeworld. Their native language, also named Squalris, existed in both spoken and written forms. Most Squalrises also learned to read and write Basic. Many Squalris names consisted of a single part, for example, Feemus, Irallish, Klabelon, Muaago, and Sanglui. Others had two parts, such as Zlorr Uluj.
The Squalrises evolved on Ifmix VI, a planet known for its harsh climate, characterized by constant turbulent winds and tornadoes. They became part of the galactic community shortly after the establishment of the Galactic Republic, with contact from outsiders occurring between 27,500 and approximately 25,000 BBY. Following the development of advanced hyperdrives in 25,000 BBY, Ifmix VI became a part of the newly established Perlemian Trade Route, situated between Yabol Opa near the Core and Shulstine V towards the Rim. Squalris merchants soon became a common sight in spaceports and trading stations, particularly along the Perlemian Trade Route. The Ifmix system was incorporated into the Colonies region. The Squalrises' homeworld remained within the Galactic Republic's sphere of influence throughout numerous conflicts, from the Great Sith War of 3996 BBY to the Clone Wars of 22–19 BBY. By 137 ABY, the Squalrises' home system was under the control of Darth Krayt as part of his Galactic Empire.
Travelers using the Perlemian Trade Route often encountered Squalrises, especially Squalris nobles and scoundrels operating as merchants. These individuals were typically focused on enhancing their personal reputation through success in business and trade.
During the Galactic Civil War, at least one Squalris supported the Alliance to Restore the Republic. This individual, named Sanglui, was publicly known as the wealthy owner of an import-export company, with luxurious offices located atop a skyscraper in the High Town district of Efavan on the planet Vorzyd V. Using his persona as a lively but harmless socialite among Vorzyd V's elite, Sanglui interacted with the wealthy and influential, all while secretly working to undermine the Imperial presence on the planet. Sanglui led the Rebel cell in Efavan. In this role, he received a secret message via message droid from a Rebel contact deeply embedded within the Vorzyd V government. Sanglui was tasked with organizing a meeting between the contact and a Rebel operative on the planet as part of a strategy to cut off the Empire's access to Vorzyd V's financial resources, which came from the casinos that had earned it the nickname "Gambler's World." Sanglui, Leia Organa, Paxin, and Luke Skywalker drew straws to decide who would meet the contact, and Skywalker was selected.
Russ Manning, both artist and writer, created the Squalrises and introduced them in the Gambler's World comic strips series, which was distributed by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate from March 12 to September 8, 1979. The story features the Squalris character Sanglui, although his species is never explicitly named. This part of the story was later reprinted by Dark Horse Comics as Classic Star Wars: The Early Adventures 3 in 1994. For this republication, Ray Murtaugh added color to the original strips, depicting the Squalrises with yellow skin for the first time. Gambler's World has since been republished as part of the trade paperback Classic Star Wars: The Early Adventures and as a webstrip on the Hyperspace website.
In 2004, Wizards of the Coast released the book Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds. This book provides an in-depth look at the Squalrises, revealing their species name, homeworld, temperament, and other characteristics. It also includes rules for players of The Star Wars Roleplaying Game to create Squalris characters, with statistics that make them less agile than Humans but more resilient and likeable. The species also receives a bonus to resist damage due to their thick skin, to diplomacy, to sensing hidden motives, and to starting wealth. Craig Robert Carey, Jason Fry, Jeff Quick, Jeffrey Quinn, and Daniel Wallace co-authored the book. The book features an illustration of a Squalris by Mark Tedin.
There has been some ambiguity regarding the location of Ifmix VI, the Squalris homeworld. The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia indicates that it is situated near the Perlemian Trade Route. However, The Essential Atlas depicts it as located on the Perlemian Trade Route. This article follows the latter source, as it is the more recent publication.