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Example of lekku; these belong to Bib Fortuna
- "Oh, yes. Wormheads. Twin tendrils off head."
- ―Vilmarh Grahrk
Lekku, singular lek and also known as tchun-tchin or (by other species) braintails or head-tails were the tentacles hanging from the heads of all Twi'leks[2] and Togruta.[3]
Twi'lek[]
A female Twi'lek slave with shorter lekku
The prehensile lekku protruded down the back of the skull and contained part of a Twi'lek's brain. A Twi'lek's lekku served many purposes in their daily lives and culture, storing fat and other qualities. The Twi'lek's native language of Twi'leki was spoken using a combination of words and subtle movements of the lekku.
A Twi'lek's lekku were highly sensitive, and grabbing them forcefully was so painful that it could easily incapacitate almost any Twi'lek. Despite this, some Twi'leks would cover their lekku with elaborate tattoos;[4] alternatively, they would be glitter-painted.[5] Since the top portion of the lekku near the head housed parts of a Twi'lek's brain, damage to this part of the lekku also caused lasting brain damage, since the tissue within governed basic motor functions, as well as housing repressed subconscious memories.[source?]
Rianna Saren[6] had her right lek completely severed from her head below a certain point, but did not appear to suffer any permanent brain damage, and was able to function well with a prosthetic.
They could be bent around the neck or shoulders in varying combinations for aesthetic purposes, more or less compared to how Humans cultivate and arrange the shape of their hair.
The quadruple lekku of Twi'lek senator Orn Free Taa
Long or multiple lekku were considered great status symbols, and often went hand in hand with respect, influence and wealth. Larger lekku brought with them some indistinct positive connotations.[source?] Most male Twi'leks had longer lekku than the average females. Males also featured large bumps on their brows above each eye. The brow deposits on some truly corpulent males developed into a second set of anterior lekku. Such individuals were common in the aristocracy of Ryloth. On their homeworld, both the increased weight and the extra lekku were signs of wealth and status.
Their braintails were a source of great pride to Twi'leks, especially when confronted by other species. The name "tchun-tchin" actually referred to each lekku—tchun being left lek while tchin was the right. In casual conversation the Twi'leks would usually refer to their lekku as "tchun" or "tchin".
The Twi'lek Desvin Tor'thal had his lekku modified by Thaum Rystra using Sith alchemy, to give them stingers that could fire poison.
When a Twi'lek drank too much alcohol, their lekku would become greenish in color.[5]
Togruta[]
Togrutas also sported head-tails.[2][3] Similar to the lekku of Twi'leks, Togruta lekku also functioned as sensory organs[7]. This species, however, had three (rarely four) head tails, the two at the side of the head and one from the lower-back of the skull. The stripes on their lekku would become more or less vibrant according to their emotions such as getting embarrassed.[8] Togrutans' native language of Togruti was similar to Twi'leki in the fact that both languages involved the use of the head-tails.
Combined with their head-tails, Togrutans also had two hollow montrals which could ultrasonically detect objects. These montrals, along with their three head-tails, did not grow fully until adolescence. A Togruta's head-tails were generally longer than a Twi'lek's and were draped forward due to the third head-tail in the back.
