Talk:Tribble

"The Great Tribble Hunt"

I doubt that the Tribble species ever actually became completely extinct, for we saw a few of them in the bar in ST3. --Clementi 07:05, 1 Jan 2005 (CET)

Not to mention in the hands of children evacuating the Enterprise-D's saucer section in "Encounter at Farpoint". -- Josiah Rowe 09:20, 1 Jan 2005 (CET)

I can't speak for the alledged appearances in "Encounter at Farpoint" but as for the bar Tribbles in ST III, Worf said that by the end of the 23rd century they had been eradicated, so at the time of the film the Klingons still would have had about fifteen years to exterminate every last tribble.--T smitts 05:31, 12 Jul 2005 (UTC)

Are you sure you're thinking of Encounter at Farpoint? Either way, I am 100% sure there's a tribble in Star Trek Generations. (I just watched it) Just before the ship seperates, there's a human boy carrying a tribble (followed by a Bolian kid). - AJHalliwell 06:46, 21 Jul 2005 (UTC)

Could it be that this was a toy tribble, much as kids today have toy dinosaurs? – The preceding unsigned comment was added by 67.68.206.220.

I checked "Encounter at Farpoint" again, there's another Vulcan boy being evacuated but he's not holding a Tribble, like in Generations. There's no Tribble at all in that scene, so I'll remove the Encounter at Farpoint-appearance from the main article. --Jörg 16:25, 25 February 2006 (UTC)

There is a Tribble in "When The Bough Breaks" and the fact that the girl used a cage to prevent escape suggest it was not just a toy. I do not see the Tribble becoming a toy in the ST universe. Dinosaur's were very famous, and if it was popular enough to be a toy, in DS9 they would have neither been confused by the extinction or need to ask what a Tribble is. --TOSrules 18:40, 25 February 2006 (UTC)

Alexandra's toy

I don't think this is a Tribble. Here's a screenshot from the episode that shows that the toy has a braided tail and a black button or something similar, both not features of Tribbles. Furthermore, the script identifies the thing as a "stick-em toy". At the very end of the episodes, when Alexandra and Wesley Crusher come to the bridge to thank Picard for saving them, the toy sticks to Picards uniform to the amusement of the others. --Jörg 01:24, 19 March 2006 (UTC)

Other appearances

A Tribble?

I am thinking that perhaps the appearances list on this page should be unique, with a short note about where in the episode/movie they can be seen, as they are a popular topic with new fans and not always the easiest little critters to catch. Also, I remember Bashir holding one while watching Vic in the holosuite at the opening of an episode but I can't remember which one, if someone could add it? Tyrant 23:04, 9 Jun 2005 (UTC)Tyrant

I also seem to remember Bashir holding one at Vics. Jaf 00:47, 19 March 2006 (UTC)Jaf

Could that have been the Coonskin cap held by Bashir and Vic at the very beginning of "Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang"? --Jörg 01:05, 19 March 2006 (UTC)

Haha, it very well could be. Got a screen cap? Jaf 01:07, 19 March 2006 (UTC)Jaf

Sure, here you go: --Jörg 01:14, 19 March 2006 (UTC)

Jeopardy

According to this web site [here] Tribbles were on Jeopardy! Can someone confirm? Jaf 03:47, 22 Jun 2005 (UTC)

I remember seeing Tribbles on Jeopardy. No other confirmation yet though. Katie

I also remember seeing this as a kid. It would make for a nice picture in the background section. – The preceding unsigned comment was added by 72.139.2.213.

Tribble Genetics

-From the site: McCoy refers to the tribbles as "bisexual" which is incorrect. They are in fact reproducing asexually.

Is this from canon? If they are asexual, they should reproduce by mitosis and all tribbles should be the same color. If color were environmentally caused, you'd expect all of the tribbles that were found in the grain stores to be the same color, from eating the same food. I think McCoy is right, that they are bisexual. I suggest the comment be removed. --205.237.164.127 02:18, 25 May 2007 (UTC)

Well, I don't know if it's technically canon or not, but I believe in David Gerrold's book on writing the episode, he himself mentions that bisexual is incorrect, and that it (probably? been awhile since I've read it) should've been asexual. (Whether asexual is correct or not, is certainly open to debate, although I don't know that "asexual" necessarily = "reproduces by mitosis" anyway.) --umrguy42 02:48, 25 May 2007 (UTC)

Asexual could also refer to parthenogenic reproduction, which is the internal development of offspring without the need for mating. McCoy's quote is that, as far as he can tell, "they're born pregnant." Sounds like parthenogenesis to me. Of course, in parthenogenesis, the individual produced is genetically identical to its parent. This is not necessarily a problem, as for all we know tribbles are genetically identical, they just express the genes randomly based on other factors. Another possibility is that they have a high mutation rate, which would come in handy to maintain genetic diverstity in a population that doesn't mate.Wolff359 04:05, 25 May 2007 (UTC)

I got to go with McCoy on this one. First, he IS the Chief Medical Officer; I doubt that he would say "bisexual" when he meant "asexual." His quote about them being "born pregnant" sounds more like McCoy's wry sense of humor -- a bit of hyperbole surrounding how fast they reproduce -- than a statement of fact. "Bisexual" (present day PC attitudes aside) essentially means one is "hermaphroditic" (see http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bisexual). For example, there are many bisexual plants on Earth that are capable of "self-pollination" as well as "cross-pollination" -- both of these types of reproduction are "sexual" not "asexual." As for being "born pregnant," even were that a serious comment, it would only require that the sex organs be functional, and self-fertilization be possible, prior to birth. Nowhere is there discussion of "spores" or "fission" or "budding" or any other method of "asexual" reproduction. (Note: "mitosis" as mentioned above is generally used in reference to "cell division"; "fission" would be the proper term to use on a multi-cellular level. Technically, "fission" is reproduction by spontaneous division of the body into two or more parts each of which grows into a complete organism. (Note: From a practical perspective, bodily division doesn't necessarily have to be "spontaneous" -- which is why shell fishermen no longer hack up starfish and toss them back into the ocean ;-) In a couple of camera shots we see two tribbles sort of "joined" together and it is not clear if we are seeing some sort of mating or there is a "fission" process going on. Based on what we can adduce in the episode, '60 censors aside, I have to go with "mating" and agree with the fellow at the top of this page; the comment should go ;-) FWIW: Sesquipedalian101 2008.03.22.21.30 (PDT) 66.45.178.73 04:30, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

'Star Trek: 25th Anniversary' reference

According to "Star Trek: 25th Anniversary" games computer: "Their rapid reproduction requires all Tribbles to be 'fixed' before any sale may occur". --Fulltwistnow 23:40, 12 February 2006 (UTC)

They're no tribble at all. 65.163.112.225 02:47, 10 October 2007 (UTC)

Is this right?

However, a single tribble brought aboard the USS Enterprise quickly multiplied to 1,771,561. Isn't that the same number Spock said were in the storage compartment on K7? – The preceding unsigned comment was added by 75.19.98.88 .

Jadzia Dax used the same formula to come up with that number on the Enterprise. -Nmajmani 13:32, 23 August 2007 (UTC)Nmajmani

Nmajmani, I must agree with whoever wrote the unsigned comment, unless you can show me proof (or at least let me know where you got your information from). I own the episode from the original series, Trouble with Tribbles, and as far as I can tell, the number 1,771,561 is the total number of tribbles that was on Deep Space Station K-7 at the time the Enterprise (NCC-1701) was "protecting" the shipment of grains to be sent to Sherman's Planet as calculated by Mr. Spock based on several assumptions regarding the tribbles, the amount of grain that was on the station, and the total storage space of the storage compartments. --TrekCaptainUSA 23:29, 8 November 2008 (UTC)

Quark and Tribbles

Not a happy Quark.

The tribbles on DS-9 may have been sold, since Quark was seen examining them, to sell them. 65.163.112.225 02:53, 10 October 2007 (UTC)

The look of Quark's face was not that of a Ferengi examining a product to sell. --OuroborosCobra ^talk 08:16, 9 November 2007 (UTC)

Born pregnant for sure?

Has it been established that tribbles are literally "born pregnant"? McCoy stated that they were "practically" (or "virtually") born pregnant, but not literally. Has this been stated elsewhere? Mal7798 13:34, 13 March 2008 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure that they are born pregnant, because if I remember the quote correctly, McCoy said "As far as can tell, they're born pregnant". He seems to believe that either they are born with children, or that they are born with the capability to quickly produce children at the drop of a hat, and mind you, any hat. --Nmajmani 13:43, 13 March 2008 (UTC)

Here's the exact quote:

• MCCOY: "The nearest thing I can figure out is they're born pregnant, which seems to be quite a time saver."
• KIRK: "I know, but really."
• MCCOY: "And from my observations, it seems they're bisexual, reproducing at will. And, brother, have they got a lot of will."

--Jörg 13:48, 13 March 2008 (UTC)

After several paragraphs of discussion -- isn't it at least possible that tribbles can store spore or other reproductive material from previous generations over unusually long periods of time? in that way, they could be transexual or bisexual but still reproduce by conjugation of genetic material, producing diversity. -- Captain MKB 00:10, 9 November 2008 (UTC)

Is there anywhere within canon Star Trek knowledge that specifically states the exact information about Tribble anatomy and other relevant biological information, including information about Tribble reproductive systems? If there isn't, then won't this "debate" about tribble reproduction just be left to speculation, and not be supported by solid evidence? On another note, I would personally stand by the statements made by McCoy in the original series, because as far as I know, there has not been a truly canon explanation of how exactly the tribble reproductive systems work apart from what was said by McCoy. --TrekCaptainUSA 02:34, 9 November 2008 (UTC)

Total speculation, TCUSA -- but it is a theory that explains McCoy's comments as truthful -- If you notice the discussion a few sections up on this talk page, there was a suggestion that McCoy was mistaken or possibly joking, I'm just pointing out the simpler explanation than a joking statement is taking him at his word of tribbles being born pregnant, of variable/dual sexes, without the troublesome-to-accept-possibility of being asexual and inseminating themselves or dividing or something like that.

I think that there was some tribble literature seen on screen in Keiko's classroom, but not much of it was readable -- but some of the explanations for this that were being discussed above could be clarified by the details of that graphic -- it was published in an old Trek reference manual. -- Captain MKB 02:47, 9 November 2008 (UTC)

Captainmike, I will agree with you that McCoy's remarks are probably speculative, but I don't believe my original question was answered: Is there any source within canon Star Trek that contradict's McCoy's observations/speculation? If there is, then we can rely on that, but if not, then the only other reference source to tribble biological data is McCoy's speculation, no?

On another note, Captainmike, I have a Star Trek encyclopedia, and I will look up tribble anatomy/biological information to see if I can find any additional proof to contradict McCoy's speculative remarks.

EDIT: I looked at the information on Tribbles, and could not contradict McCoy's remarks based on the information in the Star Trek Encyclopedia.--TrekCaptainUSA 01:43, 12 November 2008 (UTC)

I believe Keiko's tribble diagram was derived from the late-1970s's Star Fleet Medical Reference Manual -- the reason the diagrams from that book were used is because the authors, Drexler & Mandel, were employed as DS9 production staff preparing the art for that set. -- Captain MKB 01:54, 18 November 2008 (UTC)

What you Leave Behind

Miles O'Brien later recalled seeing the tribbles on the Enterprise with Julian Bashir when he was leaving Deep Space 9 at the end of the Dominion War. (DS9: "What You Leave Behind")

I don't remember this.--EnterpriserNX01 11:25, 9 May 2009 (UTC)