Ethnic diversity among aliens

[BrotherBenny]

^Even if they weren't, I would suspect that the differences between arthopodoid and mammalian phenotypes would be somewhat more than skin deep.

Exactly. We're talking about fundamentally different biologies here, not just differences in skin color or nose size.

You're confusing the difference between phenotype and genotype. Genotype is the species, ie Xindi. Phenotype is the differing genetics that create all the divergent sub-species, all of which are still identifiable as Xindi.

It's like the Humans and the Neyel from the Sundered/Red King. Genetically human, phenotypically different, look completely different, have prehensile tails etc...two different species but still genetically human.

 

[Myasishchev]

I know exactly what genotype and phenotype mean. However, there is very little possibility that a species with an exoskeleton and compound eyes and lays eggs is the same species as one with hair, mammary glands, and has live birth.

The Arboreals and Primates may be phenotypically dissimilar members of the same species, but that's pretty much it.