Adult Ceti eel
The Ceti eel was a burrowing desert animal, capable of surviving to many extremes, native to the planet Ceti Alpha V. The Ceti eel was the only known native survivor of the orbital shift of Ceti Alpha V following the explosion of Ceti Alpha VI. The Ceti eel had green blood.
Ceti eels incubated their larvae within the plates of their jointed carapace. Upon emergence, the eel larva could enter the ear of a larger animal, where it wrapped itself around the cerebral cortex. This caused the host extreme pain and rendered them extremely susceptible to suggestion. As the larva matured, the subject grew increasingly mad and might attempt suicide; eventually death was the most likely result if the larva finished maturing. Khan Noonien Singh's wife was killed by a Ceti eel in this fashion.
- Marla McGivers is widely believed to have become Khan's wife, although the film does not make this clear.
In 2285, Khan used Ceti eel larvae to compel the cooperation of Captain Terrell and Commander Chekov from the USS Reliant. Chekov survived the parasite, however, Terrell was driven to madness and killed himself. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)
Background
Detail of D275777
As part of its campaign to protect its exclusive right to market Star Trek related items, Paramount sought and obtained a Design Patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the Ceti eel. Called an "ornamental design for a toy animal" it was issued in 1984.