Author Notes - Since we'd otherwise be dealing with another single-membered family, we're looking at another unused enemy today! Specifically, a Blinnow-like creature found in the code for Hey! Pikmin, which goes without a name so I have dubbed it the 'Dashing Blinnow'. And, like I did with the Bubbly Blowhog, it'll be treated as a near-extinct creature to explain why you never see it in the game itself.

ELIPS FAMILY

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anabantiformes

EMILY'S PERSONAL NOTES

These fishy guys would make a great mascot for Valentine's Day. A fish with big lips meant for kissing is perfect. And have you seen the way they court? Adorable! Better yet, they seem to court with whoever the heck they want, so same-sex couples are shockingly common. So they would be a mascot that's INCLUSIVE!

I mean, I've already said that I've crushed on both Alph and Brittany in my life. If you've read all the entries up until this point, then you should already know that I'm bi. Now I just have to hope that this paper doesn't get censored in places where I would be 'illegal'. Oh, who am I kidding? They've probably already removed that note I made about having a crush on Brittany, while saying they have to make it 'safe for the kids' or something. Because apparently, my existence isn't okay for the kids! … Oh goodness, I'm getting horribly sidetracked.

If only these fish weren't a complete pain in the butt to fight. I mean, why do you have to jump up and eat my Winged Pikmin? I was just passing by!

PHYSICAL APPEARANCES

Members of this family are fish with a prominent caudal fin. Any other fins typically seen on fish are either too small to be usable or even completely absent. Sizable lips are perhaps this family's most notable trait, and is in fact their namesake.

The most well-known member of this family is the Narrolingus piscatum (Puckering Blinnow). Its body consists of two segments - its round head, and its tear-drop-shaped body. Its pale purple body has a large series of purple spots travelling from its head to the end of its tail, with four more spots going across the body on both sides. It has a notable beak much like a dolphin, and a single green caudal fin that spans most of its lower body.

The little-known member of the family is the Narrolingus velocitas (Dashing Blinnow). This rarely-seen species resembles a Puckering Blinnow on a basic level, but otherwise looks quite different. Its jaw does not pucker and resembles that of a swordfish instead, with small sharp teeth lining its lips. Its caudal fin is orange and extends to the top of its tail. Most notably, it has red and two shades of blue travelling down its body like racing stripes, with a white underbelly. Its pectoral fins remain, though serve little purpose due to their small atrophied size.

HABITAT

Puckering Blinnows are capable of living anywhere there is a sizable body of water. However, they thrive best in warmer waters and exhibit lethargic behaviours if found or transported to colder climates. Most of the bodies of water they are found in are above ground lakes and ponds, though they can also be encountered in underground lakes as well.

Dashing Blinnows, in contrast, are significantly harder to find, to the point where many consider them an endangered species. Their habitats are extremely remote, and very few have a chance to find them. This researcher in particular found them by complete accident, in a small lake approximately five kilometres away from the Tropical Wilds. Compared to their Puckering counterparts, which have a substantial population, Dashing Blinnows are estimated to only have about 20,000 living specimens remaining worldwide.

DIET AND DEFENCES

Blinnows are primarily carnivorous, though they can eat plant life in a pinch. Their preferred prey is small aquatic animals, though Wogpoles and Pikmin are snacked upon when the opportunity arises.

The Puckering Blinnow appears to be defenceless, but it is anything but. Its slim body and powerful caudal fin allow for it to move quickly through the water, while its sizable eyes provide it with a far range of sight. Though it lacks visible teeth, its lips are surprisingly sharp and can tear apart any foe unfortunate enough to get caught in a matter of seconds. However, the teeth aren't so effective on plant matter, hence why the plant-like Pikmin can survive quite a bit longer than other prey.

The Dashing Blinnow, as its name implies, relies on its speed. It charges at its prey with its mouth wide open, and the sharp teeth attached to its lips will tear its prey to pieces as it passes by. Its ability to turn is poor, however, so if it misses it can become a sitting duck for bigger targets. This weakness may have left them as fodder for their Puckering cousins, who are swift enough to dodge and retaliate.

One must be careful around Blinnows, for they will not only attack beings in the water. If there is prey flying above them, such as flying insects or Winged Pikmin, they are more than willing to leap out of the water and snatch prey right out of the sky. Usually, they will judge their jumps before leaping so they don't end up on land, but sometimes they will end up beached. Some beached Blinnows are able to flop back onto land, but many of them fail to make it.

SOCIAL STRUCTURE

Puckering Blinnows are always seen in schools, typically ranging between two and five. Unlike most grouping creatures in this ecosystem, which usually follow a strict sex ratio - one male and multiple females, for instance - these groups have no such 'guidelines'. The sex ratio varies wildly, anywhere between all-males to all-females and a mix of both. Often these groups are siblings, but other times they can be totally unrelated.

Dashing Blinnows, in contrast, are typically solitary creatures. This is perhaps another reason for their declining numbers compared to their Puckering counterparts, who could've ganged up against them and won based on numbers alone.

Both known members of this family may have wildly different social structures, but they do have something in common - they appear to make no distinction between male and females, and in fact the only difference between both sexes is what kind of genetic material they make. Otherwise, male and female Blinnows are essentially identical.

COURTING AND CHILDREARING

Blinnows court a little strangely compared to most animals, even in this ecosystem. Typically, males and females seek each other out for reproductive means, while some same-sex couples (contrary to popular belief) do indeed contribute by raising offspring who are lost or abandoned. This is not at all how Blinnows court. As previously stated, they make no real distinction between males and females, but this applies to more than just their social structure.

Like many kinds of fish, they swim upriver to spawn. Their uncanny ability to leap from the waters helps them immensely with this task. Once a suitable spawning spot is chosen, the Blinnows will proceed to dance with each other in a (rather adorable) manner resembling something an animal instructor may train their fish to perform. While there are many different dances, they all incorporate moving around in a heart-shaped pattern at least once, ending with a kiss much like how humanoid beings may express their love. Mating is a free-for-all, and one Blinnow, regardless of sex, will mate with many other Blinnows at once.

Once they have courted each other, the Blinnows will return to where they hatched. The females will lay the eggs, and any male who happened to mate with her prior will fertilise her eggs. This often results in the eggs having plenty of genetic material to work with. After laying and fertilising these eggs, the Blinnows will perish. The eggs hatch after a few weeks, and the young hatchlings - called 'fry' - will work together to have enough food to reach maturity. They gather up into schools and separate once they hit maturity, where they live together until mating season returns and the cycle repeats.

OTHER NOTES

Old bones and fossils appear to indicate that the Puckering and Dashing variants used to live in the same areas together. More specifically, the bones of the Dashing variant. No doubt their inability to recover from a misaimed attack led to their Puckering counterparts hunting them down to near extinction.

The scales of both variants of Blinnow will change colour somewhat during spawn season. The Puckering Blinnows will turn more pink, while the blue scales on the Dashing kind will turn purple instead.

NOTES FROM OTHER RESEARCHERS

Puckering Blinnow -

They swim in schools. Not only do they hunt prey in their own habitat, but they can jump out of the water and go for prey in the air too. I hadn't expected to see them operate in such different environments, but now that I have, I'm definitely taking notes. - Alph

I saw one swim at the captain and thought they were playing around. Then one came right at me, and owwww. These things don't play! You'd better act fast to call Pikmin back if one of these things catches them. - Brittany

Be advised that you're not safe just because you're out of the water. As I know now from experience, they can jump out, catching prey that strays too close to the surface. How can lips be so sharp?! - Captain Charlie

Dashing Blinnow -

This is a great example of natural selection. Their inability to recover from a missed attack led to their numbers getting overwhelmed by those of their Puckering cousins. It's a shame too, because that speed is impressive! - Alph

I would feel bad for them, since their numbers are dropping by the minute, but I really can't. Look, I'm all for conservation and everything, but do you SEE these scratches and bite marks?! - Brittany

I will be honest… the thought of this species potentially going extinct does sadden me. They're such persistent fighters, but they won't get anywhere if they don't get their act together. I hope we can change that, but nature can be so cruel sometimes. - Captain Charlie

Author Notes - I decided to make Emily bi for no other reason than because why not? The world still needs some bi representation, and I might be bi myself (in more ways than one) so... you know. Also, screw Puckering Blinnows.

Anyway, next we're dealing with the Flint Beetle family. And by that, I mean I combined the three main members into the one family, because despite the game allocating them under three different families, they all have the same genus so THAT MAKES SO SENSE! *insert nerd rant here*