Are non-humonoids independently evolved (without seeding)

Question

I've started watching the original Star Trek again and in the first two episodes I watched the Gorn in "Arena" and creature in "the Man Trap" are strikingly not humanoid as most aliens in Star Trek are. Are such creatures descended from the same seeding ("The Chase") that populated most of the galaxy with human-like aliens?

Answer 1

It is implied but not specifically mentioned they were not part of the original seeding process mentioned in "The Chase".

• The seeding mentioned in "The Chase" was specifically designed to explain the particular predominance of humanoid life-forms who shared a compatible genetic heritage consistent with the human form. This tended to include most bilaterally-similar humanoids who had a bio-form relatively comparable with Homo Sapiens Sapiens.

• Whether these other species developed on their own is still up for debate since there have been many other powerful races who may have had a hand in the development of more primitive species if it suited them. See: The Q (species), The Douwd (species).

Out of Universe: This was meant to explain why there were so many humanoid species with various forehead bumps, ridges, and colors but were basically human in their overall appearance.

• This would include most of the well-known species of Star Trek: Humans, Vulcans, Romulans, Klingons, Bajorans, Cardassians, Ferengi, Trill, and numerous others.

• This would not include species such as the Gorn, the Breen, the Horta, the Salt Creature, the Sheliak, the Founders, or Species 8472, whose natural environments may be too harsh or difficult for life similar to ours to exist.

Given the diversity of life shown on Star Trek, it is not difficult to imagine there were plenty of other forms of life developing right along side the "seeded" worlds.