Sun Suckers are machines. They are classified in the order Real Artificial Life. Sun Suckers have stout flat bodies. Their skin is a large photovoltaic cell that is usually shiny, although in a few species they are dull and opaque.

Sun Suckers have one large compound eye (photoresistor) situated on the top of the body. This large eye can read how bright the sun is during the day and detect when night falls. Beside the eye is a thick whisker. This sensor (thermistor) measures the ambient temperature in close proximity of the Sun Sucker.

Sun Sucker’s sound and communicate with each other. They are notorious singers. Their song is a call produced by sensing the current light conditions and temperature. Each species has its own distinctive call and if you listen closely and get to know the calls you can find out what the weather conditions are. To learn more about Ken Gregory’s Sun Suckers–the only Real Artificial Life species to have developed such an effective and specialized means of producing sound–and where you can find one, click here.