The Gurlanins were a polymorphic species originating from the planet called Qiilura. Typically, they appeared as canine creatures completely covered in black fur. Their mouths were filled with incredibly sharp teeth extending along their snouts, and four prominent fangs projected beyond their lower lips, each with a bifurcated tip. This gave them a distinctive, almost humorous, lisp. A striking feature of every Gurlanin was their orange eyes, which many other species found unsettling. However, a standard Gurlanin possessed the capacity to transform into nearly any shape, up to the maximum size of a fully grown Human. Generally categorized as marsupials, female Gurlanins possessed a pouch on their abdomens where they carried their offspring. Unusually, their ears were located within their snouts, allowing them to employ loud snuffling sounds for echolocation. Their voices were notably smooth, often described as hypnotically calming, akin to a flowing liquid. Furthermore, Gurlanins exhibited strong telepathic abilities among themselves, enabling communication without spoken words; they could also reach out to individuals sensitive to the Force. This led the Jedi Etain Tur-Mukan to believe that the Gurlanin Jinart was a Force user. They couldn't, however, delve into the minds of beings outside their species. This capability was a natural expression of the Force within their kind. The species as a whole enjoyed considerable longevity, with an average lifespan of 700 years.
Despite their aversion to the Galactic Republic, the Gurlanins consented to aid the Republic during the peak of the Clone Wars following the Separatists' establishment of a control base on Qiilura. Throughout their history, the Gurlanins had suffered fear and mistreatment at the hands of Qiilura's settlers, and they considered the Separatists the worst offenders. Their support for the Republic forces stemmed solely from the desire to expel the Separatists and liberate the Gurlanins.
Once the Separatists were driven out, the Gurlanins then demanded the removal of the Republic settlers (who had also assisted in ousting the Separatists). They threatened to use their inherent abilities to undermine the Republic's war efforts if their demand was not met. Consequently, Etain Tur-Mukan commanded a clone detachment under Commander Levet's leadership to Qiilura, with orders to forcibly remove the settlers if necessary. Tensions escalated when the settlers — previously trained and armed by Etain — felt betrayed by the Republic's actions. After repeated deadlines set by Etain were ignored by two thousand settlers, the Gurlanins provided intelligence to the Separatists, resulting in the destruction of a troop transport carrying over 10,000 soldiers. Etain then instructed Levet to proceed with the forced removal of the settlers, an operation estimated to take several weeks.
With the removal of all settlers completed, all Gurlanin spies also made their way back to Qiilura.