Vulcan's most famous predator, a large, fierce hunting cat with an orange or yellow diamond pattern along its back and rings of the same color on its tail. It has three-toed paws, large fangs, pointed ears, and long back claws. Its fangs and claws are poisonous; the poison sacs containing a le-matya's nerve toxin are located inside the central pads of its paws and at the base of its jaw.
Le-matya may reach a total body length of up to 3.5 meters over curves and weigh up to 380 kg. The average desert dwelling kind often found near Shi'Kahr and in southern Xial tend to be somewhat smaller (up to 270 kilograms).
One of the most fearsome feline predators in the Beta Quadrant, le-matya frequently attack multiple targets and prey larger than themselves (even a sehlat will prefer to avoid confrontation), and they will aggressively hunt down other predators that encroach upon their hunting grounds.
Their preferred habitat are hills and savannahs, but the versatile and relentless hunters are able to adapt to desert and volcanic plains without trouble. When other prey is scarce, le-matya will often subsist on aylakim.
The presence of a le-matye is often presaged by its shrill screech, which can be heard from over 20 kilometers away in the desert.