Armored Cannon Larva

File:15armoredcannonbeetlelarva.png

An Armored Cannon Beetle Larva.

Armored Cannon Beetle Larva

Granitus chukkulinae

Armored Cannon Beetle Larva are enemies in the Pikmin 2 game. They resemble large larvae with some of the simliar Armored Cannon Beetle eyes and mouth. Unlike the full-grown Armored Cannon Beetle, its mouth functions both as inhaling and spitting boulders. It acts the same as the Armored Cannon Beetle, but turns and spits at a faster rate and has much less health. They come in two types; one that walks around and one that burrows out of the ground. These are not different at all except for the fact that one cannot move around. They are vulnerable all over their body, but can buck the Pikmin off when attacked. You can manipulate them into destroying other creatures by making them spit rocks at you when you are beside an enemy. Move out of the way before the rock hits you, and the rock will hit the enemy that was behind you. As a note, the rocks it shoots out cannot be petrified.

File:Armoredcannonbeetlelarva.jpg

An Armored Cannon Beetle Larva buried underground, only exposing its upper body.

Olimar's Notes

This specimen is a lithopod larva. This expedition was unable to confirm the existence of any mature lithopods, leading to the concern that this species was extinct on this planet, but the discovery of creatures in larval form eased such concerns. Lithopods, like flint beetles, use internal metabacteria to aid in chemical digestion. These metabacteria can only survive in certain environments, such as within the body of certain insects, so lithopods do not contain any metabacteria immediately after hatching. Larvae feed on partially digested ore regurgitated by mature lithopods, ensuring the larvae obtain metabacteria they would not have normally obtained.

Louie's Notes

Carefully remove every grain of sand, peel back the exoskeleton, and slurp heartily!

How to Kill

Pikmin

Throw Pikmin onto it (preferably from behind), and keep the other ones out of the way of its boulders. If the beetle bucks, call back your Pikmin as quickly as possible and repeat.

Captains

Run up to it and punch it until it's about to buck, run away, then return to finish the assault. If you have idle Pikmin nearby, be sure to keep the cannon beetle's focus away from them or move them out of the way.