Homo mermanus is a fictional race of gilled aquatic humanoids that has appeared in numerous comic book series published by Marvel Comics. This race is best known as the people who live in the Atlantis of Marvel's shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe. The most notable member of the race is Namor the Sub-Mariner.
An offshoot of the Homo sapiens species with an as yet undisclosed origin, Homo mermanus are a mammalian species, but with some fish-like characteristics. Each one possesses two twin gills located on their necks near the clavicle bone, which allow them to breathe underwater. Their skin pigmentation can be either blue (most Atlanteans) or green (most Lemurians and nomads)
Their physiology is also much stronger and more durable than that of the Homo sapiens, necessitated by their exposure to the vast pressure of the deep sea. As a consequence they are physically much stronger than regular humans and can swim up to 30 miles (48 km) per hour. The typical lifespan for a Homo mermanus is 150 years. However they cannot survive outside of water for longer than five minutes without aid.
The total population of Homo mermanus has been estimated at over 1,000,000 globally.
Atlanteans first appeared in Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 (April 1939).
The Homo mermanus are often referred to as Atlanteans, as it is in the city of Atlantis that their first complex society emerged. Like humans they learned to domesticate animals, such as dolphins, while humans domesticated horses, dogs and camels.
Atlantis itself had been a small above ground continent with many human settlements, when an event 10,000 years ago called the "Great Cataclysm" caused it to be submerged into the sea. 2,000 years later, a group of Homo mermanus made the ruins of the human settlements in Atlantis their home and went on to develop a society there using as much of the material as they could scavenge from the wreckage. Many of the warring tribes united under a single emperor (although by the 20th century there were still some barbarian tribes).
500 years after the settlement of Atlantis, another group of Homo mermanus left Atlantis to found their own city -this time in a part of the ruins of another continent submerged during the Great Cataclysm - Lemuria in the Pacific Ocean.
These "Lemurians" would discover the Serpent Crown in the ruins of their city, and through their Leader Naga's exposure and extensive use of the ancient mystical device, they would become more serpent-like in appearance than their Atlantean cousins.
Many Atlanteans worship Neptune, Roman god of the sea.
During the 20th century the Homo mermanus race began to come into sustained contact with their human cousins. These contacts have often been hostile, and have included many aborted invasions (Atlantis Attacks etc.) and even separate occasions when large numbers of Homo mermanus were rendered comatose or sterilized for periods. During the Second World War the kingdom of Atlantis also fought against the Axis Powers in alliance with the Allied Powers.
However, not all interactions between Homo sapiens and Homo mermanus have been hostile - during the 1920s a Homo mermanus female, Princess Fen of Atlantis mated with the human sea captain Leonard McKenzie - a union which produced the first human/Atlantean hybrid - Namor {avenging son in atlantean}, the Sub-Mariner.
In the aftermath of the Civil War and the World War Hulk events the homo mermanus, being blamed for the terrorism due to the actions of Kamar, militaristic son of Namor, are forced to leave the seas, using the established sleeper cells to live within humanity. The Atlantean Army resided in Latveria, guests of Doctor Doom, and the civilians lived alongside the rest of humanity.
After their leader Namor allied with the X-Men, the Atlanteans began to build a support pillar that would keep the newly established mutant nation of Utopia (near the coast of San Francisco) from sinking. Around this pillar, called the Atlantean column, they established a city called New Atlantis.
As part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel event, Atlantis was later attacked by the Squadron Supreme in retaliation for Namor and the Cabal having destroyed the worlds of some of its members. After Hyperion beheaded Namor and Power Princess killed Attuma, the Squadron Supreme recalled the information of Atlantis' previous attacks on the surface world. Hyperion then lifted Atlantis above the ocean and then threw it onto the ground enough to kill the other Atlanteans present.
Homo mermanus is divided between the Atlanteans and the splinter group that settled in the sunken continent of Lemuria and took the name of Lemurians. They differed as they possessed a more reptilian greenish skin color compared to the blue skinned Atlanteans.
Namor McKenzie - Ruler of Atlantis; member of the Invaders, Defenders, Avengers; retained his mutant powers after M-Day
Blabek
Byrrah - Cousin of Namor and Challenger of the Throne; currently deceased
Chemil - Wartime Nurse
Cogolla
Daka - Uncle of Namor and possibly the Father of Byrrah; briefly took over the crown of Atlantis before Pearl Harbor; later allied with the Nazis and the Seal People and led an invasion of Argentina
Daro
Dorma - Wife of Namor; currently deceased
Ertve - Wartime High Priest and member of the Council of Three.
Fen - Mother of Namor; currently deceased
Folma - Wartime Lieutenant
Harla
Jadda
Kalo
Kamara
Karal - Royal Guard
Lerza
Lucas
Mara
Mel
Mephistios
Naka
Namora (Aquaria Nautica Neptunia) - Cousin of Namor
Narvick - Member of the Atlantean High Council
Nostromas - Wartime Physician
Petrod - Wartime Sentry
Rad
Rathia
Sarna
Sigor
Tarna
Tarot
Thakorr - Grandfather of Namor; currently deceased
Til
Tor
Toro - Atlantean Tailor
Vayos
Zarot
Zolma
Abira
Achak
Amir - Member of the Royal Guard, Sleeper Agent; currently deceased
Amo
Andromeda Attumasen - former member of the Dragon Circle and the Defenders.
Aradnea
Arath - Mutant Terrorist and Member of Sleeper Cell 13
Argos - Military Officer
Arkus - Military Officer
Arno
Ashur
Askid
Attuma - Barbarian Warlord and Usurper
Attumacht
Azir
Azor
Balaal
Banara
Beemer
Betty
Bloodtide - member of Fathom Five
Bobo - Cousin of Namor
Brodar
Burka
Byrrahna
Chelwid
Cirin
Corak
Coral - currently deceased
Crab - Member of School
Crosta - Mutant
Dakkor
Dara - Cousin of Namor, currently deceased
Dashak
Deathcharge
Delta Nine - Atlantean Clone
Dorma Clones - Atlantean Clones of the Lady Dorma
Dorma (Heroes Reborn) - Heroes Reborn version of Dorma
Dragonrider - Outlaw; member of Fathom Five
Eel - Mutant; Leader of SURF
Elanna
Epititus - currently deceased
Fara - currently deceased
Farax
Gelva
Gorgul
Gort
Govan - Ambassador of Atlantis
Grokko
Harran
Hana
Husam
Husni
Ikthon - Head Scientist
Immannu
Jakka - currently deceased
Janus - Sleeper Agent
Jian
Joe Atlantis
Kadar - currently deceased
Kalen
Kamar - son of Namor; former member of 13th Cell; currently deceased
Kamuu
Kasim
Kavor
Keerg - Warlord
Kida
Kitano
Kor-Konn
Kormok - High Priest
Korra - Grandmother of Namor; presumed deceased
Korro
Krakos
Krang - Exiled Warlord, Former Member of the Serpent Squad
Kurod Ormaon - (aka Bernard Waterman)
Kyral - Geneticist
Lida
Lorvex
Madoxx - Elder Statesman; Member of the Council of Three
Mako - Genetic Creation of Vyrra; presumed deceased
Mako
Mako - Test Tube Atlantean; member of Young Masters
Manowar - Mutated Warrior; member of Fathom Five
Mara
Marcan
Mato
Minnow - Member of School
Morcan - Criminal
Morel
Mussels - Member of School
Namita
Namorita Prentiss - clone of Namora; former member of the New Warriors; killed by Nitro
Nara
Nautak - currently deceased
Nereus
Nia Noble - Half-Atlantean; Queen of Neptunia
Numara D'athahr
Opistho
Orelem
Orka - Mutated Warrior; Former Member of Heroes for Hire; currently deceased
Orthus
Orrek
Ossem
Oudvrou
People of the Black Sea
Politus
Porphyr
Proctidae
Proteus
Proteus - Rebel Shapeshifter
Raman - Gate-Keeper of Atlantis
Ramin
Ramon
Relun
Remora
Rennar
Ronga
Ruthar
Saru-San - presumed deceased
Seahorse - Member of School
Seaweed - Member of School
Selach - Subcommander to Krang
Serestus
Seth - Cousin of Namor
Shakkoth - High Priest and member of Council of Three and At'La'Tique
Shalak
Sharkskin - Mutant; Member of SURF
Shem
Squid - Leader of the School
Stegar
Sulomor - Delegate to Mazikhandar; currently deceased
Talan
Tanas
Tareva - Sorceress
Teneel
Thakos - Warlord and member of the Council of Three
Thallo
The Mad Twins
Timoran
Tornaga
Trident Team
Tulem
Tyrak - Size-Changing Criminal
U-Man (Meranno) - Nazi Sympathizer
Undertow - Mutant; Member of SURF
Unforgiven Dead/Old Ones
Vashti Cleito-Son - Grand Vizier and Member of Council of Three
Vayor
Volpan - Technician
Vyrra - Outlaw Geneticist; currently deceased
Watersnake (Faira Sar Namora)
Waya
Whalesong
Worta
Wurta
Xiomara
Yorlo
Zantor
Zantor - Scientist
Zarina - Aunt of Namor
Zartra
Zoga - Mutated Rebel; currently deceased
Zoran
Karthon
Merro
Naga
Nagala
Llyna
Llyra - Half-Lemurian
Llyron
Llyron - Pseudo-Clone of Namor; member of Fathom Five
The Atlanteans appear in the Fantastic Four episode "Now Comes the Sub-Mariner."
The Atlanteans appear in The Avengers: United They Stand episode "To Rule Atlantis."
The Atlanteans appear in the Fantastic Four episode "Imperious Rex."
The Atlanteans appear in the Avengers Assemble episode "Depth Charge." Attuma leads his Atlantean soldiers in attacking Manhattan and trying to sink it. In "Beneath the Surface," it is revealed that Attuma's chief adviser Lady Zartra and those with her have gotten tired of Attuma's tyranny and planned to use the Serpent Crown to control Giganto into helping them fight against Attuma's army. Following a misunderstanding between Lady Zartra's group and the Avengers, both groups work together to fight Attuma's army when he obtains the Serpent Crown and controls Giganto. After Attuma is defeated, the Atlanteans on Lady Zartra's side gain the trust in the Avengers. In the episode "Avengers Underground," some of the Atlanteans on Attuma's side arrived in Manhattan only to encounter Hyperion. The Atlantean soldiers present were annihilated by Hyperion after he threw one of them back into the ocean to inform Attuma what he just saw and that Earth is under the Squadron Supreme's rule.
The Atlanteans appear in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. The game features a stage where the players must travel to the underwater city of Atlantis to stop a riot orchestrated by Attuma, who believes he will become the sea kingdoms' new ruler as foretold in the Atlantean Chronicles. Attuma uses sonic emmiters to cause the Atlanteans to riot and turn against Namor. Attuma is assisted in his goal by Byrrah, Tiger Shark, and Warlord Krang. When Attuma and Tiger Shark are defeated, Tiger Shark mentions that Doctor Doom was their benefactor in Attuma's plot. Within the game, there is also a temple devoted to Negrete, whose shrine is protected by temple guardians trained to defeat any trespassers. The Eyes of Negrete are holy objects used by the temple priests for access to the inner sanctums of the temple. In the Atlantis briefing, Captain America mentions that the Atlanteans dislike surface dwellers.
