Author Notes - Had a little fun with the social structure, but otherwise this family was pretty straightforward.

SQUIRDLER FAMILY

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Myopsida

EMILY'S PERSONAL NOTES

I have no idea how other people feel about squids, but I personally think they're wonderful animals. Then again, I don't think that's really a surprise at this point, especially if you've been reading these in alphabetical order. I really like these guys in particular. I mean, look at them! Even in an ecosystem filled with some gorgeous looking creatures, this is a particularly pretty one.

Out of all the critters on the planet, this one definitely has the most interesting family structure. It's nearly identical to ours! Funnily enough, I actually did find a family of Sputtlefish that was strangely similar to mine. Two loving parents, raising five wild daughters. All we're missing are Ida's wonderful sons and Hannah's little girl, and the whole thing would be complete!

… You know, I thought it would be nice to be separated from my sisters and be able to make a name for myself away from them. Sure, they always overshadowed me in literally everything we did but… I think I miss my big sisters…

PHYSICAL APPEARANCES

The Pseudocephalopoda florascens (Sputtlefish) looks much like a squid, albeit with major differences. It has only two short tentacles that wrap around their big eyes and end with purple leaf-like shapes, their bodies are circular and translucent, and it has a pink flower-like appendage on the end of its body. Inside of the translucent skin is a purple opaque body.

HABITAT

Sputtlefish live almost exclusively in warm waters, in areas such as the Garden of Hope or the Forgotten Cove. They cannot thrive well in colder areas, though can survive in underground ponds as long as the cave stays relatively warm.

DIET AND DEFENCES

Its diet consists of whatever small creatures it happens to find swimming through the waters; it doesn't pay mind to what it is. It grabs its prey with its tentacles and consumes them quickly. Much like many cephalopods, it is rather intelligent and has been known to spring 'traps' upon unsuspecting prey. If it finds itself in a bind, it will spew out a thick cloud of black ink. This ink blinds most predators and often leaves them in a panic, allowing the Sputtlefish to escape safe and undetected.

Due to its symbiosis with zooxanthellae, it is capable of quickly healing its abrasions and cuts via photosynthesis. This healing process is far faster than what is found in most of the ecosystem. If one wants to take one down for any reason, you must defeat it in one sitting.

SOCIAL STRUCTURE

The social structure of Sputtlefish is strangely similar to that found in humanoids. Families typically stick together, with offspring staying with their parents long into maturity. The children are treated very well, though some are spoiled while others are scolded rather harshly. Sputtlefish children are usually rewarded with food or play time, or may be scolded by being forced to 'sit' in the 'corner'. Note that physical scolding is extremely rare, and often ends in couples breaking up. Each Sputtlefish appears to have its own parenting style, and couples often fight over minor things. If a child finds a mate, there is a good chance that the parents will not be happy with them and will encourage the child to 'date' someone else.

COURTING AND CHILDREARING

It is the female Sputterfish that does the courting, dancing for males by fluttering her flower-shaped appendage and twirling her tentacles around. Once she lays her eggs, the male takes over the role of primary caretaker while the female goes out to hunt for food, returning home every night feeling rather exhausted. The offspring typically stay with their parents into adulthood before 'moving out', though rarely they may be 'slackers' and remain with their parents until their death.

Adoptions over children who have either been abandoned or orphaned is not uncommon. It typically happens between same-sex couples, which occur at similar rates as they do in most humanoid species, though opposite-sex couples which suffer from fertility issues will also adopt.

OTHER NOTES

The ink is mildly poisonous. Consuming more than a few mouthfuls of it will result in brief and mild paralysis, which fortunately isn't strong enough to stop any organs from functioning properly. One does not need to fear accidentally ingesting a poorly-prepared Sputtlefish dish, for traces or even a couple spoonfuls of the ink is not enough to cause paralysis.

NOTES FROM OTHER RESEARCHERS

Sputtlefish -

Its tentacles are designed both for locomotion and to spray an obscuring jet of ink to cover its escape. Pikmin tend to panic when soaked in ink, so bail them out quickly. But you also have to chase after it quickly with any Blue Pikmin you have on hand, or it'll regenerate the damage you dealt. Though it's almost a shame to defeat it, since it's so beautiful in motion. - Alph

It's like a flower that blooms in water instead of earth. So elegant...so beautiful...so hungry for Pikmin. I guess every rose has its thorns. - Brittany

Maybe it's something to do with the low friction down there, but all these underwater creatures are so slippery. The black ink it spouts whenever it feels threatened probably contributes to that, come to think of it. - Captain Charlie

Author Notes - And this marks the end of our S-based adventure. Next time, we're going to be talking about a creature that never even got any sort of entry in any game. Not even a Captain's Log thing in the first game. In fact, it was barely even acknowledged at all. Welcome the Ujadani!