10 Lesser-Known Xenos Species of Warhammer 40,000, Explained

Credit:- Games Workshop

In the grim darkness of the 41st millennium, the setting of Warhammer 40,000 leaves us with an entire galaxy of possibilities to explore in a way that few other settings provides its fandom. Thus, along with the Imperium of Mankind, which is the bastion of humanity in this setting, the IP also boasts of other factions of alien species that fans can learn and enjoy.

But apart from the major Xenos factions like the Eldars, the Necrons, the Orks, and the T’au, there isn’t much talk about the numerous other alien species that inhabit the Milky Way galaxy. Therefore, let’s take a look at all the other aliens from Warhammer 40,000 that may be lesser-known but equally fascinating.

Here’s an overview of Warhammer 40,000.

Parent Company	Games Workshop
Founders	John Peake, Ian Livingstone, Steve Jackson
First Tabletop Rulebook	Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader 1st Edition (September 1987)
Media Products	Miniature Tabletop Games, Supplementary Lore Material (Novels, Audiobooks, Codexes, etc.), Video Games, Live Experiences (Warhammer World), Movies and TV Shows.

1 The Slaugth: The Maggot Beings

If you’re fans of grotesque body horror, or the Chaos forces of Nurrgle and the Death Guard, then you have to learn about the Slaugth. The few sightings of these beings that are recorded state them as not being a single entity, but being made up completely of maggot-like worm beings.

And proportional to their hideous and revolting physical appearance is their evil nature. Records claim that these beings are some of the most intelligent alien species in the galaxy, and thus, use infiltration and espionage to achieve their goals, which oftentimes is satiating their hunger for human brains, leading to entire human settlements being toppled.

2 The Rak’Gol: Eight-Limbed Space Pirates

One of the newest additions to the ever-expanding roster of Xenos, the Rak’Gol of Warhammer 40,000 are pirate maurauders who were first seen near the Calixis Sector of the Imperium. The records state that they are extremely vicious and violent mantis-shaped beings, armed to the teeth with cybernetic enhancements.

They usually target loosely guarded Voidships and isolated colonies of living beings within the Koronus Expanse and nearby systems to slaughter indiscriminately and steal minerals, weapons, and other valuable items.

3 The Hrud: Time-Warping Entities

Considered to be one of the most dangerous Xenos species by the Imperium, the Hrud are beings that have long limbs and large black eyes, with mandibles and rows of jagged teeth in the mouth. But the most dangerous aspect of these beings is their arcane ability to wrap time around them by their mere presence.

Imperial Records state that anything, living or non-living, enters a stage of accelerated aging and entropy as soon as it comes near a Hrud, which can turn even the most durable into a frail and rotting version of itself.

4 The Jokaero: Masters of Technological Creations

Despite the Imperium’s hatred for the Xenos, the Jokaero are a species of beings that look like cyborg orangutans, created by the Old Ones 60 million years ago, that have favorable relations with the Imperium, rather than an Exterminatus signal hovering over their heads.

The reason for these amicable relations stems from the Jokaeros’ borderline magical intellect and dexterity in developing weapons. Their signature creations, called Digital Weapons, are highly sought after by the Inquisition, where they can miniaturize the size of a weapon to that of a ring, while still keeping its ability to blow away something as big and imposing as an Imperial tank.

5 The Fra’al: Beings of Psychic Might

Considered as one of the most elusive Xenos species in the Warhammer 40,000 setting, the Fra’al are highly advanced and gifted psychic beings from the Gothic Sector. In fact, even when they are rumored to be part of an empire in the Segmentum Obscurus, not much is known about these beings.

One of the reasons stems from the fact that the Inquisition’s Ordo Xenos keeps a tight lip about these beings while also trying their best to keep their existence under wraps, which leads many to believe that the Fra’al can pose a serious threat to the Imperium if it tries. This fact is only emboldened by the stark similarities between the Fra’al and the Eldars in the setting, and we all know just how dangerous the Space Eleves can be when it comes down to it.

6 The Mandrakes: The Beings of Shadows

Once considered to be Dark Eldar, the Mandrakes are beings that reside in the darkest alleys of Aelindrach within the Dark Eldar capital, Commoragh. This species is said to have been mutated beyond recognition due to multi-dimensional existence after being in the Webway for too long.

The Dark Eldar state that these beings can pull themselves into any region of space-time through another being’s shadow. And since they are almost shapeless with a dark, free-flowing energy making up their physical features, they are some of the most terrifying beings you’ll ever see in the setting.

7 The Thyrrus: Space Squids

The Thyrrus are squid-like Xenos beings that are fascinated by war as a spectacle, which means that rather than the concept of winning or losing, they want to make war as beautiful a performance as it can possibly be, similar to the Orks of the setting and their love for big explosions.

Since they are a fairly new species of Xenos, not much is known about them other than their batsh*t insane obsession with putting on a violent show in a war. This is also their reason why their weapons are utterly dazzling and flashy, which makes one wonder whether they are related to the Greenskins or not.

8 The Cacodominus: The Psychic Terror

Not much is known about this being, to the point that Imperial Records have only one encounter recorded in relation to coming into contact. But even that record of a single being recorded by the Inquisition gives us a terrifying reality check about the horrors of the galaxy. While so far, it seems like the Cacodominus was only one example of such a being, there’s a possibility of more beings like it being present somewhere across the galaxy.

It was recorded that the Black Templars chapter was deployed to hunt down and eliminate a being of such psychic might that it exerted its psychic influence over an area of 1,300 planetary systems. And when the chapter was able to eliminate this threat, its dying psychic cry killed almost a million psykers across the galaxy in an instant. In core essence, the death of the Cacodominus was like the death of Sanguinius, only this time, the Psykers were spared from a fate worse than death.

9 The Void Whales: Gargantuan Beings of the Void

Cover page of Carcharodons: Void Exile | Credits: Warhammer 40,000 and Games Workshop

Void Whales are a Thallasophobe’s worst nightmare, as there are gargantuan beings born in the Void that resemble Blue Whales in physical appearance. But unlike Blue Whales, which only measure to the size of a big yacht, the Void Whales can be almost as big as an entire country’s length, if not more.

And similar to whales in real life, these beings mostly mind their own business without trying to deliberately hurt anyone. Unfortunately, other beings like the forces of Chaos and Xenos species exploit them for their own evil plans and goals

10 The Rangda: The Forgotten Xenos

Even bringing up the name of the Rangda is considered heresy, as any information about this Xenos species has been purged from Imperial records following the devastating effects of the event known as The Rangdan Xenocides. Taking place during the Great Crusade, some rumors claim that this was one of the toughest and most destructive clashes between the Imperium and a Xenos empire that could’ve ended humanity and the Emperor of Mankind’s dream of human superiority over the galaxy.

It’s also rumored that the missing Primarchs of the IInd and XIth Legions perished here at the hands of the Rangda warriors, and it took all of the Emperor’s might, as well as the rest of the Primarchs’ and their legions, to bring this Xenos species down.

Here’s a summary of the aforementioned Xenos species of Warhammer 40,000.

Xenos Species	First Encounter in the Lore
The Slaugth	Late 30th Millennium (Close to the Rangdan Xenocides)
The Rak’Gol	710, M41
The Hrud	The Great Crusade Era (M30-M31)
The Jokaero	N/A
The Fra’al	The Great Crusade Era (M30-M31)
The Mandrakes	N/A
The Thyrrus	784, M41
The Cacodominus	M34
The Void Whales	N/A
The Rangda	Late 30th Millennium

Here are some common FAQs regarding the Xenos of Warhammer 40,000.

Which Xenos species on the list fascinated you the most? Tell us in the comments below.