Thank you, SilverWook - that sounds a very plausible explanation and I’ll take it!
Not being a Trekkie in the slightest, I have never heard of these Talosions. According to Wikipedia, the pilot episode wasn’t aired back in 1965 but much of the footage was used for a two-part story in 1967 including this alien race. It may well have been an influencing factor for the casting of Marjorie Eaton.
Bluto