Specimen #990 is a black-furred canine with a skull-mask with bright white eyes. It's one of the most advanced specimens and has been the most common specimen used for the CIP program. It is also the most popular among TSC staff as it has gained a reputation of being intelligent and friendly.
Specimen #990 is a social creature that doesn't rely much on a set tribe structure and can form mere groups of others of their own kind, which may reflect some similarity they have discovered with each other. They can form emotional bonds with each other and may defend each other when under threat.
It is also a highly adaptable specimen, capable of changing its routine and behaviour according to their situation. Which has allowed it to be comfortable in drastically different environments, ranging from cold to hot or spacious to cramped. Additionally, it has been able to slightly adjust its personality to different people according to the first impressions of the being they are interacting with. Allowing it to gain trust of others faster.
Moreover, Specimen #990 has a heightened sense of curiosity, which has led to their wilfulness to seek exploration of whatever being or object that is seen as foreign by the specimen. Leading to sometimes attempting to escape to see the object or being they may have curiosity over.
Furthermore, Specimen #990 has an exceptional ability to memorize and learn thru repeating patterns. Allowing it to recognize patterns and learn the consequence of said patterns and how to influence the outcome. Which has given it overall a heightened degree of intelligence, relying on learning rather than instincts to behave and act.
A unique trait from Specimen #990 is that it may recollect memories of past test subjects who may have been exposed to the specimen and have gotten infected with Specimen #990. Meaning that if a humanoid #990 forms, it may have memories of long forgotten times combined with the memories of an entirely different test subject who had just recently been terminated within the chamber. Resulting in interesting yet confusing results for the researchers, due to eerily close resemblance to people who may have died long ago, almost appearing as alive again, but instead being formed as a sort of amalgamation of multiple other deceased test subjects.
Thanks to its memory, it could remember faces of people and creatures alike with ease. Which has been an essential ability for the #990 to form alliances with other beings alike, and to recognize dangers.
Physically, #990 enjoys enhanced stamina, allowing it to perform a task for longer periods of times, without feeling any drastic exhaustion. Along with overall stronger legs, allowing it to run faster as well. It also possesses an improved ability of smell. Being able to sense objects from afar and locate things with ease. However, it has also a limited vision, thanks to the skull mask attached to its face. Which has impeded a clear vision for it and resulted in tunnel vision which led to it not being able to see things unless it is in front of it.
Specimen #990 is a naturally curious being, resulting in it being willing to learn about different specimens. If faced with a foreign specimen it would cautiously approach it and attempts to interact with it if it seems safe enough to do so. However, it would also be more hesitant to approach foreign specimens that are bigger than them, as it might intimidate them.
If faced with humans however, it may attempt to infect the human if the opportunity is presented to it. Specimen #990, although not as strongly instinctual compared to other specimens, has still an instinct given by its own biology to infect humans if possible.
Specimen #990 is predominantly omnivorous, meaning it can consume anything. Ranging from plants to meat. However, being a canine, it does tend to prefer meat instead of plant-based food. Thanks to its drastically different biology from a typical living being. It is completely independent from any requirement of eating food. And can survive without any food at all, without feeling any urges to eat food either. Instead, Specimen #990 eats food for enjoyment, rather than out of necessity.
Its high adaptability allows it to be highly flexible on their habitat and could easily switch their habitat if its convenient to do so. However, most of the days of a #990 is spent within their designated containment chamber, thus making Specimen #990 even more willing to move to somewhere different if the opportunity is presented.