Ma'at
Semi-aquatic, mammalian-analogous, large and powerfully built
Semi-quadrupedal (comfortable on two legs or knuckle-walking)
Ancient supercivilization; widespread monolithic ruins; extensive colonization across 3/4ths of Andromeda
(Unknown)
Unknown (within Andromeda Galaxy)
Extinct
Native to Andromeda Galaxy
Discovered independently by multiple species across several centuries
The Ma'at
The Old. The Forgotten. The Dawning. The Ma'at are an ancient, extinct species of unknown nature. They are the former Andromedaic supercivilization, judging by what scattered ruins have been found.
Overview
The Ma'at were the original superpower in the Andromeda Galaxy. Theirs was a civilization that, judging by fossil records, formed some 197 million years prior to the modern day. Their society seems to have inhabited well over 3/4ths of the Andromeda Galaxy in colonies of various sizes.
Their species appears to have been large, powerfully built semi-aquatic beings of a vaguely mammalian-analogous nature. Semi-quadrapedal in nature, they seem to have been comfortable on two legs or in a knuckle-walking fashion.
Their homeworld within the Andromeda Galaxy is unknown, as any structures that may have existed on this world have long since been reduced to nothingness by the ages of time.
Discovery
The Ma'at civilization was initially discovered independently by a dozen or more species, all believing them to be various races of unknown natures. It was only after several centuries of ruin discovery and inter-species corroboration that many came to the conclusion of the Ma'at peoples presence.
Hundreds of thousands of worlds have the periodic dotting of particularly monolithic structures, those that were able to survive through sheer scale. Many deep-space and orbital facilities also exist in near-pristine conditions, which several races have retrofitted to suit their own needs.
History
The Ma'at seem to have been the first society to exploit the particularly verdant nature of the Andromeda Galaxy, often arriving on worlds within a century of multicellular life's development.
Their colonies seem to be more developed going towards a space in the outskirts of the Andromeda Galaxy, yet, on searching this region various species scientists found only massive gravitational anomalies on their sensors, which appeared to be a vast collection of black holes. It is unknown what calamity befell this region, but, it is believed to be due to the Ma'at's own indulgence in reckless scientific progress.