Diagram of an individual verugament
Verugament surround the USS Cerritos
The verugament were a type of migratory space-dwelling organism. They were classified as incandescent extremophiles that subsisted on microscopic food. Their bodies were bioluminescent and bore three pairs of charged tentacles that inflicted painful electric shocks if touched. Verugament produced a natural scattering field that interfered with transporter function.
In 2381, a large swarm of verugament passed between Earth and Luna, temporarily disabling surface-to-space beaming. During Ensign Beckett Mariner's abortive attempt to steal the USS Cerritos, the starship was placed in the path of the swarm. The verugament began synthesizing carbon off the Cerritos' hull, which initiated a mass reproductive event on and within the ship. To cover for Mariner, Ensign D'Vana Tendi claimed to Starfleet Security that they were on a biological survey mission to study the reproduction of the "endangered creatures" and assist in transferring their gametes. Their lie was then corroborated by Captain Carol Freeman, who proceeded to leave the lower deckers to clean up the "sploof"-soaked shuttlebay. (LD: "Grounded")