Protoorian
Protoorian refers to a hypothetical early stage in the development of a species or civilization, particularly in speculative fiction or theoretical biology. It suggests a precursor form from which a more advanced or distinct entity later evolved. The term implies a lineage or ancestral relationship, indicating a being or group that possessed some, but not all, of the characteristics of its descendant.
In science fiction, Protoorians are often depicted as primitive, less intelligent, or physically different from their
The idea of a Protoorian also finds parallels in real-world evolutionary biology, where scientists study transitional