Skeeterskate

Skeeterskate
	File:P4 Skeeterskate.png
Appears in	Pikmin 3, Pikmin 4
Scientific name	Gerridus clavomacula
Family	Spitterspatter
Areas	Distant Tundra, Twilight River, Serene Shores
Caves	Doppelgänger's Den
Mission Mode Collect Treasure! stages	Silver Lake, Forgotten Cove
Mission Mode Battle Enemies! stages	Garden of Hope Remix, Fortress of Festivity, The Rustyard, Clockwork Chasm
Side Story days	Pikmin Reunion
Dandori Challenge stages	None
Dandori Battle stages	None
Bingo Battle stages	Stagnant Sea, Parched Brook
Attacks	Spit water at Pikmin

The Skeeterskate (ミズンボウ^?, lit.: "Watery Pond Skater") is an enemy that appears in Pikmin 3 and Pikmin 4. It skims around the surface of the water, and attacks by shooting small jets of water at the Pikmin and leaders. It can be killed in one hit by throwing a Pikmin on top of it, much like a Dwarf Bulborb.

Stats

Game	Weight	Max. carriers	Seeds	Value	Health
(?)	2	4 (normally)	3	× 5 × 5	45
	2	4	3	× 2	45

Behavior

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The skeeterskate stands over water with it’s feet when idle. When a captain or pikmin is near it, the skeeterskate will quikly get distanced from the captain or pikmin and will start shoting water to the, that can kill pikmin that are not resistant to water. Each shot of water comes from the buble on it’s head and when it runs out of water, it will start drinking to recharge.

Appearance

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Locations

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Strategy

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

The Skeeterskate will skim across the water aimlessly until Pikmin are nearby. Once it spots Pikmin, it will inflate the sac atop its head and fire jets of water at them. A single shot of water will splash on the ground and affect all Pikmin within a small radius.

Skeeterskates are easiest to hit when the water sac is empty, as they will stop to refill it, so it is a good idea to run behind it with Blue Pikmin and throw them at such a time.

In certain areas of the game, the player is forced to fight them without any Blue Pikmin. In this case, it is possible to walk into the water underneath, then swarm them with Winged Pikmin. If a Skeeterskate is close enough to land, it is also possible to kill it with any other kind of Pikmin with a single toss, but the player must be ready to rescue any Pikmin that risk drowning.

Notes

Alph's comments

“Structural flaw: weak hide
Weight: 2

The genius of this design is that it uses its habitat of water to fuel its spout attacks. It can spray three times on one tank! Top marks for efficiency. The most glaring downside is that it can't move while it's refueling. You'd think someone would have realized what a golden opportunity that presents to attack.”

Brittany's comments

“Mostly what this thing does is suck up water and spit it out to attack. I completely hate it. It keeps getting in the way of collecting fruit! I need that fruit NOW! It's not like I asked anyone to wash it for me first!”

Charlie's comments

“I've been watching this one, and I have a little theory about how it skates on water without sinking. Ready for this? It's so busy getting from place to place that it doesn't have time to sink.”

Louie's comments

“The extremities cannot be used for food, but you can drink the liquid inside for a stimulating apéritif!”

Olimar's comments

US version

“Skeeterskate
Gerridus clavomacula
Spitterspatter family

It skates on water at high speed thanks to tiny hairs on the tips of its feet. These hairs are coated in an ultra-hydrophobic substance to minimize friction against the water's surface. Its long proboscis functions as a straw to take in water, which is stored in a reservoir in its head, as well as to spout it as a weapon against small insects. While taking in water, it also takes in microscopic plankton, meaning that its prime means of defense is also a feeding mechanism.”

European version

“Skeeterskate
Gerridus clavomacula
Spitterspatter family

It skates on water at high speed thanks to tiny hairs on the tips of its feet. These hairs are coated in an ultra-hydrophobic substance to minimise friction against the water's surface. Its long proboscis functions as a straw to take in water, which is stored in a reservoir in its head, as well as to spout it as a weapon against small insects. While taking in water, it also takes in microscopic plankton, meaning that its prime means of defence is also a feeding mechanism.”

Dalmo's Notes

“Clean water is a necessity for this water-walking sweetheart, and a lot of it at that. In water soiled with oils, detergents, or other pollutations, it could lose the surface tension that supports its specially evolved feet and drown! This is an extraordinary creature that could only exist on such a water-rich planet.”

Pikmin 3 Prima Guide

“The Skeeterskate is a spindly aquatic creature that skims along the surface of the water. This creature utilizes long-range water attacks to drown its targets from an impressive distance.”

“To defeat a Skeeterskate, toss a Blue Pikmin onto its head, or use a squad of Blue Pikmin to charge the creature. When that's not an option, use Winged Pikmin to attack a Skeeterskate above the water – just be prepared to rescue any Winged Pikmin that get caught in the enemy's attack.”

Pikmin Garden

Text

“水上を滑るように素早く移動する、ミズンボウ。プランクトンを主食とし、ストロー状の口で水と一緒に吸い上げる。縄張り意識が強く、近くを通る小虫に対して見境なく水を撃ち出す。

特徴その1 水に浮く

足先が水をはじく毛で覆われていて、表面張力によって浮くことができる。

(Image text: 超疎水性の細かい毛がびっしり)

特徴その2 水を撃ち出す

ストロー状の口で水を吸い上げて、縄張りに入ってきた外敵に対して水を撃ち出して威嚇する。

(Image text: 貯水袋が空になるとまた水を吸い上げる)”

Translation

“The Skeeterskate moves quickly as if gliding on the water. Its main food is plankton, which it sucks up along with the water with its straw-like mouth. It is territorial and will shoot water at any small insects that pass nearby.

Feature #1: Floating on water

The tips of its feet are covered with water-repelling hairs, which allow it to float due to surface tension.

(Image text: "Full of ultra-hydrophobic tiny hairs")

Feature #2: Shooting out water

It sucks up water with its straw-like mouth and shoots it at enemies that enter its territory to intimidate them.

(Image text: "When the reservoir is empty, it sucks up water again")”

Technical information

Pikmin 3 technical information (?)
These values are the same in Pikmin 3 and Pikmin 3 Deluxe.
Internal name	`amembo`
HP	45
Rock Pikmin throw hits to kill	1
White Pikmin ingestions to kill	0
Bomb rock explosions to kill	1
Bomb rock ingestions to kill	0
Number of direct hits on top to kill	1
Damage to leaders	0
Territory radius	500
Mission Mode value	5

Naming

See more: Spitterspatter family#Naming.

Common name: Skeeterskate. From "Skeeter", slang for "mosquito", and "skate", a reference to the pond skater.
Japanese nickname: ミズンボウ^?, lit.: "Watery Pond Skater".
Japanese name: タテジマミズンボウ^?, lit.: "Vertical Stripes Watery Pond Skater".
Scientific name: Gerridus clavomacula. Clavomacula could be derived from the macula part of the retina creatures use to see with 20/20 precision, possibly in reference to the Skeeterskate's accurate shots when hitting targets.
Internal names: Its internal name is amembo, which refers to the word アメンボウ^? (lit.: "pond skater").
Prerelease: None.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	ミズンボウ^? Mizunbō	Water Pond Skater	From 水^? (water) and アメンボウ^? (pond skater)
Chinese (traditional)	瓶子水黽 Píngzi Shuǐmǐn	Bottle Pond Skater
Chinese (simplified)	瓶子水黾 Píngzi Shuǐmǐn	Bottle Pond Skater
Dutch	Waterschieter	Water shooter
French	Ragnée d'eau	Water pider	The name comes from "araignée d'eau" (pond skater, lit.: "water spider")
German	Wasserflitzer	Water Dasher
Italian	Idrospruzzatore	Hydrosprayer	From "idro-" (hydro-) and "spruzzatore" (sprayer)
Korean	물쟁이 Mul-Jaengi	Water Pond Skater	From 물 (water) and 소금쟁이 (pond skater)
Portuguese	Hidrosquito	Hydrosquito	Portmanteau of "hidro-" (hydro-) and "mosquito" (mosquito)
Spanish	Acuatirador	Aquashooter	From "acua" (water) and "tirador" (shooter)

Gallery

Pikmin 3

Artwork of the Skeeterskate from Pikmin 3.
A Skeeterskate in the Distant Tundra.
The creature locked on.
A Skeeterskate with no water in its water sac.
Early E3 2012 screenshot of Skeeterskates in a water-based location.
A Skeeterskate shooting water at the camera.
A Skeeterskate slurping up water to refill its water supply.
The corpse of a Skeeterskate.

Pikmin 4

2 Skeeterskates in a Pikmin 4 trailer.
An idle Skeeterskate in the Serene Shores.
Artwork of a Skeeterskate from Pikmin 4.
The Skeeterskate's Piklopedia icon in Pikmin 4.

Trivia

The Skeeterskate and the Quaggled Mireclops are the first tripedal creatures in the series.
Olimar's notes for the Skitter Leaf in Pikmin 2 mention a "pond skater";^[1] however this creature is implied to be in the skitterling family, rather than the spitterspatter family that the Skeeterskate is in.

References

^ “The skitter leaf is a relative of the pond skater that shed its wings and adapted to life on the ground. With no residual traits of its airborne past, the skitter leaf can neither fly nor skit across the surface of the water. The wings have since evolved into the leaflike structure on its back, which serves to hide the skitter leaf through mimicry. It appears quite effective, as few predators can see through this clever disguise.” – Captain Olimar in Olimar's notes for the Skitter Leaf

[1] “The skitter leaf is a relative of the pond skater that shed its wings and adapted to life on the ground. With no residual traits of its airborne past, the skitter leaf can neither fly nor skit across the surface of the water. The wings have since evolved into the leaflike structure on its back, which serves to hide the skitter leaf through mimicry. It appears quite effective, as few predators can see through this clever disguise.” – Captain Olimar in Olimar's notes for the Skitter Leaf

[1]