Porquillion

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Porquillion
Appears in	Pikmin 4
Scientific name	Castanutum pricklirus
Family	Sharpshell
Areas	Sun-Speckled Terrace, Hero's Hideaway
Caves	Plunder Palace
Dandori Challenge stages	None
Dandori Battle stages	None
Attacks	Impale Pikmin

Porquillions are spiky enemies in Pikmin 4. One appears as the first enemy encounter of the game, and another atop a hill in the Sun-Speckled Terrace. In both fights, the creature serves the role of a mini-boss and the music correspondingly changes. It attacks by shooting out the spikes on its body, though this leaves it vulnerable until it grows them back. The spikes have a chance to stun or outright kill Pikmin. The first one encountered in the game drops the Interstellar Radio.

Behavior

When idling, it simply roams about the area, with its spikes at the ready. When prey get near, but not close enough for the spikes to reach, the Porquillion faces the next quadrant of its body that it plans to attack with towards the threat, and starts shaking in anticipation. If its target ends up getting closer, it will launch all spikes in that segment of the body outward and upward, aiming them so that they land on its prey. It will keep choosing a new quadrant and attacking until the threat is gone, or until it runs out of spikes. Once out of spikes, regardless of there being targets nearby, it will pause for a moment, charge up, and secrete new spikes on all segments of the body, ready to attack again. It will not regenerate spikes in any situation unless it is completely empty.

Appearance

The creature's bulbous back is red and filled with pores from which its white spikes come out. It is also divided into four distinct parts like leaves on a clover with a texture similar to inverted sponge. The remaining part of its body is much like a hedgehog's, including four paws, some small eyes at the front, and a tiny snout.

Strategy

The following article or section contains guides. The strategies shown are just suggestions.

The Porquillion cannot be harmed while its spikes are extended, but any quadrant of its body that it has launched the spikes from will remain vulnerable until the spikes grow back. As it is not especially fast, it can be dispatched with ease by rushing at the exposed parts.

Notes

Dalmo's Notes

“When it cowers down to roll up, it looks like it's feeling lonely. If you get closer, the needles all over its body become projectiles that it will launch at you. I can’t help thinking this is just a plea for attention. It's OK, prickly bean! I'll be your friend!”

Naming

See more: Sharpshell family#Naming.

• Common name: Porquillion. May be a combination of 'Porcupine', 'Quill', and 'Million'.
• Japanese nickname: ハリアラシ^?, lit.: "Needle Storm". It may also be a combination of ハリネズミ^? (lit.: "hedgehog") and ヤマアラシ^? (lit.: "porcupine").
• Japanese name: ドドメイガグリヒコウ^?, lit.: "Mulberry chestnut burr scarlet shell".
• Scientific name: Castanutum pricklirus. Pricklirus is derived from "prickly", referring to the creature's sharp spikes.
• Internal names: Unknown.
• Prerelease: None.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	ハリアラシ? Hari Arashi	Needle Storm
Korean	고슴도저 Goseumdojeo	From "고슴도치" (hedgehog) and "호저" (porcupine)
Portuguese	Tatulha	From "tatu" (armadillo) and "agulha" (needle)

Gallery

• 

  The enemy with no spikes.

• 

  The enemy's corpse.

• 

  The enemy as seen on the website.

• 

  The enemy as seen in the trailer.

See also

• Large Splurchin