Rukh and his species, the Noghri, first appeared in Timothy Zahn's 1991 Star Wars novel "Heir to the Empire" as the personal bodyguards of Grand Admiral Thrawn.
This is Warwick Davis's first animated Star Wars character, as well as the first time he plays a Star Wars character whose name does not begin with the letter 'W', after Wicket W. Warwick; Weazel; Wald; Wollivan and Weeteef Cyubee.