Gold-horned Tangars are a brightly colored tropical breed. They are primarily herbivores, and eat a wide variety of fruits and flowers in addition to the occasional bird. Tangars are well suited to life in the trees; their slender bodies make them light enough to be supported by thinner branches and agile enough to avoid obstacles while flying. Their brightly colored horns, found in both males and females, are used to attract mates.

Dragons are highly-intelligent reptilian creatures that—from a human perspective, at least—appear to live forever. Many different varieties of dragon exist, each with their own unique qualities, habitats, and behavior. Adolescence in dragons is usually marked by the growth of a hatchling’s wings, although not all breeds of dragons grow wings and some breeds have other traits that indicate the beginning of maturation. In Galsreim, dragons and humans coexist peacefully.

Due to a vicious fight between Terezi and a wild dragon, she is blind in both eyes, which are now milky white and glazed over. However, her visual handicap does not stop her from scouting out morsels of fruit. She has an incredible sense of smell, as well as a heightened sense of her surroundings via her sharp hearing. Her feet are extra sensitive as well, although she is not the most coordinated flier due to her blindness. She has a mischievous streak, and loves to play pranks on her friends, especially Karkat. Though he claims to hate the attention, the fact that they spend so much time together dismisses his claim.