Startle Spore
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| Appears in | Pikmin 4 | ||
| Scientific name | Taraxacum fungenesus | ||
| Family | Chrysanthemum | ||
| Areas | Primordial Thicket | ||
| Caves | Engulfed Castle, Trial of the Sage Leaf | ||
| Dandori Challenge stages | None | ||
| Dandori Battle stages | None | ||
| Attacks | Eat Pikmin, spew poison | ||
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This article or section is about an upcoming or recently released game. |
The Startle Spore is an enemy introduced in Pikmin 4. It has a similar appearance to the Creeping Chrysanthemum, but it mimics red mushrooms instead of flowers. It hides as a cluster of said mushrooms, with its eyes being the only thing differentiating it from the true mushrooms. When a leader, Oatchi, or Pikmin come near, it hops up and attempts to attack them with its long, poison spewing tongue.
Stats
| Weight | Max. carriers |
Seeds | Value | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 20 | 12 |  × 12
|
2000 |
Behavior
A Startle Spore hides partially underground, mimicking mushrooms. When something gets close, its eyestalks will turn to look at its target, while a dramatic sound plays. It will hop out of the ground, knocking over anything on its body. It shakes off Pikmin by inflating its cheeks and throat. Almost immediately, it will launch out its tongue to eat Pikmin, leaving a splatter of poison on where it landed, which can only be traversed safely by White Pikmin or Oatchi when he has the Sniff Saver. It will eat any Pikmin who get stuck on its tongue, but it will hit itself with said tongue and be stunned for a bit if it catches no Pikmin. It can also catch the player, but will regurgitate them instantly. When its prey is close, it will take chase, but it will re-enter hiding if its prey strays far away, returning to its original spot.
Strategy
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Notes
Dalmo's Notes
Olimar's Notes
“The defining characteristics of the fungi that grow from its head differ from that of the Chrysanthemum family's Creeping Chrysanthemum, but the makeup of the body out of which they grow is mostly the same.
As a result, we can theorize that like fellow Ambuloradicis the Bulbmin, this species is not an evolutionary variation, but that the body is a parasite that has nestled inside a group of mushrooms. Because the hosts are mushrooms, the Startle Spore cannot photosynthesize. Instead it gains nutrients by catching its prey with highly poisonous fluids, or by absorbing the nectar in the ground left behind as creatures killed by its poison decompose.”Louie's Notes
Naming
- See more: Chrysanthemum family#Naming.
- Common name: Startle Spore. It would most likely startle players by hiding as mushrooms, and mushrooms produce spores. Note that it has a similar naming scheme to its relative, the Creeping Chrysanthemum.
- Japanese nickname:
- Japanese name:
- Scientific name: Taraxacum fungenesus.
- Internal names: BIKKURIKINOKO. Bikkuri is the Japanese word for surprised, while Kinoko is the Japanese word for mushroom.
- Prerelease: None.
Names in other languages
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| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 French |
Sporiflore surprenant | From spore and flore (flora) | |
 Portuguese (NoA) |
Fingi | Pretengi | The name is a portmanteau of fingir (to pretend) and fungi |
 Spanish |
Seta Pasmosa | Startle Mushroom |
Gallery
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A Startle Spore still underground.
A Startle Spore that has emerged.
A Startle Spore attacking Oatchi and a group of Ice Pikmin.
A deceased Startle Spore.
Trivia
- The Startle Spore, much like the Creeping Chrysanthemum, shares a genus name with the Dandelion even though they are in separate families; in real life, this is impossible, as different species cannot be in the same genus and different families. This is likely a mistake.
