These are just notes on changelings I've gathered to help me in future work, character creating and story building.

Well, I've come to a conclusion that the changelings are more insect then animal.

I also found and I'm compiling notes here for future use.

On the most part I'll be comparing them to insects.

First off is the changelings coat. Up till recently I never questioned whether or not they had fur, but after studying a picture from the season 2 finale I noticed that unlike ponies, they had a shine across several parts of their black bodies which shows that they are smooth or bald. Since they are insect like I considered their skin to be that of chitin.

The plating covering their back is also made of Chitin, something mentioned in the MLP Wiki when researching Chrysalis appearance.

Since their bodies seem to be more or less a solid unbroken form then it's likely their entire body is covered in the flexibly, leathery Chitin. If that's the case then they would have a skeleton structure on the most part.

As for their holed hooves that show no consideration for muscle nor bone, I believe the simplest and most logical application to this is that they have Anthropod legs. This more or less removes the implication of bones below the forearm and hock and explains the lack of muscle and bones that keep the legs solid and the changeling standing.

As for the holes themselves, a possible answer for that is it may reduce their weight making for easier flight, a natural evolution if you will. This is of course, pure speculation.

A minor point to stand out is like most insects they can cling to walls and possibly ceilings which is shown in the season 2 finale.

Their wings seem to be of the indirect flight variant of insects due to the to the ability to hover. This means that their wings are attach to the thorax and their muscles deform it for flight. These muscles are most likely protected under the plating they have on their backs and upper sides.

However, they show some ability for maneuvering here an there which is present more in Direct flight, wings connected to the body by powerful muscles which allows them to move each wing individually, it's possible they have a combination of the two flight styles though this is unlikely since they don't show this maneuverability during combat.

(The overall conclusion for their flight styles or combination isn't fully clear but it rests heavily on Indirect Flight.)

The final and most difficult part of the Changeling, their eyes.

Thus far they have shown two eye types, the Queens eyes (the eye type found in cats.) and the generic Changelings simple eye or pigment pit usually found in small insects.

If the queens eyes are as cat like as they appear then she may be a nocturnal creature that isn't restricted to night.

However, since two eye types exist for Changelings a question lingers, is the slit-eyes restricted to the queen, is it random or is it genetically past on. There may be a possibility that Chrysalis is of a different species of Changeling.

Since the Changelings are usually shown in one form much like the Pegasi or Unicorn militia of Canterlot then the question may never be answered.

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I've separated this for those who have yet to read the first MLP comic and don't wish for any kind of information.

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In the comic Twilight reveals her notes on the Changelings which reveals that the plating on their backs are not a part of their bodies. It also introduces helmets into the Changelings armory.

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