SCP-1013

Description

SCP-1013 appears to be a small reptile with a distinctly avian head. A wide frill extends from the base of the head, and can be flared out via bony spines radiating through the frill from the neck. The body appears similar to most common reptiles, with the exception of the head and abnormally long tail. While the main body is only 60 centimeters long, the tail is nearly 121 centimeters and exceptionally flexible. SCP-1013 has been observed to use this tail to trip and distract large prey. The head of SCP-1013 is distinctive, appearing to be that of a male chicken on first viewing. However, SCP-1013 does not possess any standard avian markers, besides the superficial resemblance. The beak is serrated, and appears to possess very basic, needle-like teeth. These are used only in feeding, and are not used in any way to hunt prey. The head also lacks any feathers, and has an enlarged wattle.

SCP-1013 hunts by projecting a form of unknown radiation, wave or memetic force into prey items making eye contact with SCP-1013. Subjects report a sudden stabbing pain in most major muscle groups, with full paralysis setting in within three seconds. This paralysis continues for eight minutes, with full recovery after ten. Paralyzed subjects are then bitten, beginning the calcification process. Research in to this effect is ongoing, as no form of venom or viral agents have been detected from this bite, however this contact will initiate a rapid change in cellular structure in the bitten subject. The outer skin tissues will begin a rapid calcification, growing very dense and inflexible over several minutes. This will extend from the point of contact outward across the body, and can calcify a human being in fifteen minutes. Subjects recovering from paralysis mid-calcification report the feeling as “extremely painful”, with a “burning numbness” in fully calcified areas. This calcification extends approximately three centimeters in to the body, leaving most internal tissues undisturbed. Calcification does not appear to affect the eyes, mouth, nose or other major mucus membranes. There is no currently known way to reverse this process.

Remains of Agent ███████. Subject began losing calcified tissue two days after exposure. Subject died from massive blood loss before test data could be recovered.

SCP-1013 will peck through the outer layer of hardened flesh, and begin to consume tissues from the inside, burrowing deep into the body as flesh is consumed. SCP-1013 has a voracious appetite, and will consume nearly twice its body weight at each feeding. SCP-1013 will only consume living tissue, and will ignore dead or decomposing flesh. SCP-1013 has been noted to use natural body openings (mouth and eyes, primarily) when available, and is capable of compressing its body to fit in to very small openings. Prey items often die from blood loss or massive internal damage before feeding is complete, leaving the remainder of tissues to decompose within the calcified tissue. This outer tissue will slowly break down, causing large sections to crack and fall free. This will expose muscle and internal tissues, which are then often predated upon by SCP-1013. SCP-1013 will sometimes wait for this process to begin before feeding.

Addendum:

Recovery Notes:
SCP-1013 was recovered in Egypt, near a former █████████████ ███ ████ facility. Due to this proximity, and the lack of additional SCP-1013 anywhere in the surrounding area, it is theorized SCP-1013 may be an engineered organism. SCP-1013 had calcified several animals and two shepherds, and had been observed on multiple occasions. Recovery was achieved with only one death, Agent ███████ proving much of our initial information on the calcification process. Local communities dismissed the incident with no involvement from Agents.

Notes on behavior:
SCP-1013 is somewhat similar to a spider, and will paralyze and calcify subjects even when not hungry, presumably to keep them for later. This was observed during breach incident 11-Hr (SEE ATTACHED DOCUMENTATION), when SCP-1013 calcified twenty members of staff. SCP-1013 is also very aggressive, and will attempt to stare down and bite any subject that enters the containment area. The neck frill is an amazing adaptation. It lifts abruptly, with a loud snapping sound, and often times causes subjects to look directly at SCP-1013.

SCP-1013 seems to have a “range” of about 54 meters for its “stare”, and appears to need direct eye contact to work. SCP-1013 appears to only paralyze one subject at a time, but can “attack” multiple subjects in rapid succession. SCP-1013 appears to be immune to its own stare, reacting with basic aggression to reflections. SCP-1013 feeds primarily on mammals, attacking animals such as fish, birds or insects only when near starving. SCP-1013 exhibits a preference for soft tissues, eating the eyes and tongue first whenever possible.

Notes on reproduction [LEVEL 2 CLEARANCE REQUIRED]

Ongoing testing in to the feeding habits of SCP-1013 have been partially successful. Questions were raised regarding the near-constant feeding exhibited by SCP-1013, which is highly irregular for a reptile. It was initially theorized that the paralysis and calcification process were metabolically taxing to SCP-1013, requiring enormous amounts of food to fuel the process. It is now apparent that members of SCP-1013 are hermaphroditic, and appear to reproduce in a way similar to budding or basic cellular division.

SCP-1013 will ingest massive amounts of tissue, increasing its body mass rapidly. This mass will then begin to form cyst-like structures in the tail section, each of which contains a juvenile SCP-1013. The process by which this occurs is currently under investigation. After 48 hours, juvenile SCP-1013 will forcibly exit the parent body. Parent SCP-1013 will typically release spawn within calcified prey. Juvenile SCP-1013 exhibit no feeding preference, and will consume any biological material, living or dead. SCP-1013 do not engage in cannibalism, and will exit the calcified remains once food has been exhausted.

Juvenile SCP-1013 will seek out cool, dark places and begin rapid molting, doubling in size every six hours until reaching full adult size. New adult SCP-1013 will quickly establish territories, and begin the feeding/spawning cycle again. Juvenile SCP-1013 seek out areas such as ventilation shafts, plumbing, or discarded clothing/shoes in which to molt and grow. Disturbing a juvenile during this period will always provoke a sustained attack.

This sequence of behavior was discovered after a lock-down event in Site ██, resulting from [DATA EXPUNGED] failure. Recovery teams found the site to be infested with SCP-1013, with over one thousand individuals being reported and destroyed. Final sterilization took eight weeks, and resulted in multiple staff deaths. Research into the control of the rampant reproductive cycle with the goal of eventual bio-weapon designation is ongoing.