A species of sentient cephalopods existed, characterized by a singular eye situated on a single eyestalk, and a mouth flanked by appendages at the eyestalk's base. These creatures possessed flipper-like limbs at the front and a lengthy, pliable tail. One individual, at least, had reddish-brown skin adorned with black stripes, and a hazel-colored eye. They bore resemblance to the dianoga, a native species of the planet Vodran. This species possessed the ability to manipulate their surroundings via terraforming.
Niado Duegad was a member of this species, originating from the dianoga's world and possessing Force-attunement. During the Galactic Civil War, Duegad operated as a mercenary, utilizing his enhanced adrenal glands to achieve brief periods of exceptional physical strength.
This species began as one of several alien maquettes that were considered for inclusion in scenes within Jabba the Hutt's desert palace during the production of the 1983 original trilogy film, Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. Designated "Alien 18," this maquette was ultimately discarded before the film's release because its non-humanoid form presented challenges in creating a workable puppet. In 1998, the Special Edition Limited expansion for Decipher's Star Wars Customizable Card Game featured a card for Niado Duegad, displaying an image of the maquette and thus introducing the species into the Star Wars Legends canon.
- Star Wars Chronicles (First pictured) (Maquette only)
- Star Wars Customizable Card Game — Special Edition Limited (Card: Niado Duegad) (backup link) (First mentioned)
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia , Vol. I ("Duegad, Niado")
- Back from the Drawing Board: Recycled Star Wars Aliens on StarWars.com (article) (content now obsolete; backup link) (Picture only)