Cybermat

Cybermats were small cyborgs used as advance guards and plague carriers by the Cybermen.

Physical characteristics

Variants

From early in the Cyberman's history before they froze themselves on Telos, some variants had crystalline eyes and antennae through which they receive commands. These Cybermats tended to resemble oversized metallic silverfish and have segmented bodies with cilia-like tactile sensor probes along the base of their heads. Some, though not all, small Cybermats of this kind could easily fit in the palm of a humanoid hand. (DW: The Tomb of the Cybermen)

In the 21st century when the Cybermen attempted to infiltrate Space Station W3 they had photoreceptors for eyes rather than crystalline based eyes. Otherwise they looked similar. (DW: The Wheel in Space)

When the Cybermen infiltrated Nerva Beacon in a plot to destroy Voga the Cybermats had segmented, eyeless, flat worm-like bodies without cilia. (DW: Revenge of the Cybermen)

Cybermen from the 30th century who traveled back to 1940 also employed Cybermats and harvested humans to make more of them. (PDA: Illegal Alien)

Another variant shown in a Doctor Who VG are shown to be sleeker and more high-tech versions of the Telos version of the Cybermats. Unlike the Telos version, these Cybermats were pruposed with biting humans and infecting them with a virus much like the Cybermats in Revenge of the Cybermen. However, instead of being deadly, the virus mutated flesh into metal and the victims became Cyberslaves. (VG Blood of the Cybermen)

In recently seen clips from (DW Closing Time), the Cybermats are shown to be smaller and more toy-like in appear. However, their faces hide organic sharp teeth used to bite enemies. They also suck out electricity for the Cybermen's purposes and can be easily reprogrammed by the Doctor for extracting power from the Cybership.

Weaknesses

Cybermats shared the Cyberman's weakness for gold. (DW: Revenge of the Cybermen) They could also be disabled with electric charges. (DW: The Tomb of the Cybermen)

History

The Cybermats originated on Mondas during the earliest phases of Cyberman history, when most of the planet had not yet converted. (BFA: Spare Parts) The Cyber-tombs on Telos had tunnels for the Cybermats to move from the tombs into the main control rooms. (DW: The Tomb of the Cybermen) Some accounts show that the Cybermats were created by Cybermen using bodies (or parts of bodies) of humanoids not suitable for Cyber-conversion: pets, very young children or babies. (BFA: Spare Parts, PDA: Illegal Alien, BFBS: The Crystal of Cantus)

Behind the scenes

Wood lice inspired the creation and look of the Cybermats. In their first appearances in The Tomb of the Cybermen and The Wheel in Space, they were realized in the studio by a number of techniques, including clockwork and radio-controlled models. In some shots they were pulled by wires or simply pushed into shot. Shots of the Cybermats leaping onto their victims were achieved by pulling the Cybermat away via wires and then playing the film backwards.
Cybermat effects in Revenge of the Cybermen used a combination of strings, puppetry and CSO, which did not look very convincing. The Cybermats (or rather the single Cybermat which appeared) went through a radical re-design and resembled a cybernetic silverfish.