Editing Sandbelching Meerslug

|image       = Sandbelching meerslug.png

|size       = 200px

|icon        = Sandbelching Meerslug icon.png

|custom_icon = y

|pikmin3    = y

|name        = Gastropoidae anguilii

|family      = Meerslug

|attacks    = Shoot clumps of sand, create sand pit and eat Pikmin

|areas      = [[Tropical Wilds]]

The '''Sandbelching Meerslug''' ({{j|オオスナフラシ|Oo Suna Furashi|Giant Sand Rainer}}) is a [[boss]] in ''[[Pikmin 3]]'' and the third major boss encountered in [[Story Mode]], at the [[Tropical Wilds]]. It is a light brown eel-like creature resembling a {{w|lamprey}}, with very small eyes, thick purple lips and two rows of large sharp teeth. Further down its body, it gets wider and harbors spike-like protrusions. It is one of the largest bosses in the [[Pikmin series|''Pikmin'' series]] to date.

Upon attempting to [[Dig|dig up]] the [[Folded Data Glutton]] buried in the center of the arena, the Meerslug appears from beneath the sand, eats the device, and begins to attack the leaders and the Pikmin. It tunnels beneath the side, causing waves of sand to appear across the surface, which signifies its location. It will try to trap and eat Pikmin by creating a sinkhole in the sand that sucks them in. The most effective way is to throw a bomb rock into its open mouth. The eating attack it performs at the bottom of its sinkhole does the most damage to leaders out of any attack in the game, taking out thirty percent of a leader's health in a single chomp. It can also spit balls of sand, which can plant Pikmin. These planted Pikmin can still be eaten by the Meerslug. Upon its defeat, it will spit out the Folded Data Glutton as well as the [[Crimson Banquet]], which breaks into pieces upon hitting the ground.

 

 

 

When the Sandbelching Meerslug creates a large pit, you can either avoid the attack or toss a Bomb Rock into the creature's mouth to temporarily incapacitate the creature.

Whenever you manage to incapacitate the Sandbelching Meerslug, send your Pikmin charging in to deal heavy damage.|block=y}}

The Sandbelching Meerslug moves quickly and does not show itself while on the move. Due to its enormous size, however, it can easily be seen burrowing just below the layer of sand in its arena. It will chase any [[leader]]s or Pikmin down and then follow up by emerging from the sand, where it will spit sand balls, and at the same time be left vulnerable, or burrow deeper into the sand and create a sinkhole to bring Pikmin down to its mouth, where they are eaten at a considerable rate. When damaged enough or fed a [[bomb rock]], the Meerslug will be forced from the ground and lay as a massive target for all Pikmin for a moment. Afterwards, it will burrow back into the ground and repeat its attacks.

The Meerslug has a few basic attacks, but has many ways of executing them. It will either create a sinkhole to draw in and eat any Pikmin, including those which are buried, or shoot boulders of sand (hence its name) to bury the Pikmin. As its [[health]] gets lower, the attacks get more dangerous:

Bomb rocks can also be thrown into the creature's mouth whilst it is creating a vortex to cause damage. This also causes it to jump out of the sand, which makes it the only of getting your Pikmin army to safety should you and your Pikmin be caught in its deep wall sinkhole. Therefore, it's highly recommended that you harvest all the bomb rocks in the arena before starting the fight. When you use the charge command, Pikmin holding bomb rocks will gather in their own group away from the action and when a Pikmin with a bomb rock is thrown into the creature's sinkhole, it'll drop the rock and run out of the hole without even needing to be whistled. This means that there's almost no drawbacks in getting the bomb rocks early.

 

==Badges==

Badge 12 meerslug.png|Duel in the Dunes. The badge shows an illustration of the Meerslug.

 

 

 

===Names in other languages===

|SpaA = Babosa arenosa

|SpaAM = Sandy slug

{{p3enemies}}

[[Category:Pikmin-altering enemies]]

[[Category:Pikmin 3 bosses]]