Madalinas are small, soft-bodied creatures that have sparked much debate about whether they are intelligent or not. In their normal state, their bodies have hard bones and poisonous spines, but if kept at a specific temperature for a while, their bones dissolve, and their bodies swell. Because of this, some cosmic species treat them this way and then eat them. Both the process of dissolving their bones is painful for Madalinas, and being eaten is an unfortunate fate. Therefore, some activists for the rights of cosmic species have filed lawsuits against this habit. Although Madalinas themselves have not shown signs of high intelligence and have not actively participated in these disputes, the fact that they often live in tightly packed groups is often considered evidence of their intelligence. Especially since in these communities, there is usually one larger individual in the center, seemingly coordinating the behavior of the others.
Origin: The name of these creatures is derived from the French word for the Madeleine cookie, and the beginning of the book “Dazimada” makes an allusion to Marcel Proust’s “In Search of Lost Time,” which famously starts with a reference to the Madeleine cookie and the connection between scent and memory.