- up ▁choices . ▁He ▁chose ▁actor ▁Leonard ▁N imo y ▁because ▁of ▁his ▁" high ▁S lav ic ▁che ek b ones ▁and ▁interesting ▁face " ▁and ▁" with ▁those ▁che ek b ones ▁some ▁sort ▁of ▁pointed ▁ear ▁might ▁go ▁well ." ▁N imo y ▁later ▁commented ▁that ▁Rod den berry ▁felt ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁an ▁al ien ▁would ▁" est ab lish ▁that ▁we ▁were ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 3 rd ▁century ▁and ▁that ▁inter plan et ary ▁travel ▁was ▁an ▁established ▁fact ." ▁ ▁V ul can ▁sal ute ▁ ▁The ▁V ul can ▁sal ut ation ▁is ▁a ▁hand ▁gesture ▁consisting ▁of ▁a ▁raised ▁hand ▁with ▁the ▁pal m ▁forward ▁and ▁the ▁thumb ▁extended , ▁while ▁the ▁fingers ▁are ▁part ed ▁between ▁the ▁middle ▁and ▁ring ▁finger . ▁Typ ically , ▁the ▁phrase ▁" Live ▁long ▁and ▁prosper " ▁is ▁utter ed ▁when ▁making ▁the ▁sal ute . ▁An ▁appropriate ▁reply ▁would ▁be ▁to ▁return ▁the ▁gesture ▁and ▁utter ▁either , ▁" Live ▁long ▁and ▁prosper " ▁or ▁" Pe ace ▁and ▁long ▁life ". ▁ ▁Bi ology ▁ ▁Phys ical ▁characteristics ▁V ul c ans ▁are ▁dep icted ▁as ▁similar ▁in ▁appearance ▁to ▁humans , ▁as ▁budget ▁constraints ▁in ▁The ▁Original ▁Series ▁did ▁not ▁allow ▁for ▁elaborate ▁make - up . ▁All ▁V ul c ans ▁have ▁arch ed ▁and ▁ups we pt ▁e y eb rows ▁and ▁point y ▁ears . ▁C au cas oid ▁actors ▁port ray ing ▁V ul c ans ▁are ▁given ▁a