Changeling

Changelings are a species of insectoid-like equines from a land neighboring Equestria.

History
The Changelings were born from a monstrous plant that sprouted in a magic pool, which was filled with the remains of various creatures. Starswirl the Bearded came across the pool on one of his journeys, and left a warning sign on it before departing in a hurry. Unfortunately, his actions allowed the first generation of Changelings, led by, to emerge and begin preying upon the world. In their wanderings, they briefly traveled to the Crystal Empire, but soon sought departed after witnessing the fury of the Umbrum. Their early conquests included the cities of Timbucktu and Trot, though their victory over the latter was marred by the arrival of.

Defeated by her, the Changelings were imprisoned in a volcanic mountain, but eventually escaped due to an encounter with the Dragon Sergio. Having determined that Equestria's inhabitants were a prime food source, Chrysalis sought to make it available to her people by conquering the land.

Biology
Most Changelings are similar in build to, with similar builds, limbs, and heads, but possessed fangs and had holes through various limbs and other body parts. Originally almost all Changelings were dark blue, almost black, in color, with blue eyes and wings and dark bluish-gray neck and tail fins. Some exceptions were known to exist, including Pharynx, who possessed purple eyes and wings and red fins. The most notable individual Changeling was Chrysalis, who was more obviously Pony-like in form and features, almost resembling an Alicorn with Changeling wings and a long horn.

Originally Changelings fed on love by extracting it from other creatures, and this hunger was their primary motivation. When Thorax began sharing love instead of taking it, he lost this hunger, and his wings gained a crystalline sheen to them. After Thorax and most of the Changelings embraced love, they took on new, more colorful forms in a variety of hues. The metamorphosed Changelings are more varied in features, with some lacking wings or horns or possessing large, antler-like growths.

Changelings are capable of assuming a variety of different forms, though in the past their desire to feed on love could be used to cause them to revert to their normal forms. They have demonstrated the ability to take on the form of living or non-living things, imitating them so perfectly that-at least at first glance-even other Changelings can't tell them from the original. According to one source, ordinary Changelings cannot match the size of an adult Dragon even when taking on its form.