Bloomcap Bloyster

Bloomcap Bloyster
Appears in	Pikmin 4
Scientific name	Molluschid florera
Family	Mollusking
Areas	Giant's Hearth
Caves	Cavern for a King
Dandori Challenge stages	None
Dandori Battle stages	None
Attacks	Eat Pikmin

The Bloomcap Bloyster (ハナガサケメクジ^?, lit.: "Hanagasa Kemekuji") is an enemy introduced in Pikmin 4. It is the original species from which the Ranging and Toady Bloysters originate, and as such possesses traits later found in both species, namely the tail-like gills, and the tentacle-like tongues. Unique to the Bloomcap Bloyster is the shell protecting its back, which protects its body from damage; this shell can be folded upwards, which traps Pikmin attacking its gill but exposes the rest of its body to attacks.

Stats

Weight	Max. carriers	Seeds	Value	Health
1 + 7	2 + 14	10 + 15	× 10 + 5	3000

Behavior

The Bloomcap Bloyster can be found patrolling its territory, searching for food. Upon noticing a Pikmin or leader, it begins to slowly chase them. Any Pikmin that touch its mouth are eaten and killed almost immediately. After eating 5 Pikmin or damaging a leader, the Bloyster stops to swallow. It can also eat treasures, or other items such as bomb rocks, in the same way that it eats Pikmin; however, after eating a bomb rock or other explosive item, it takes damage equal to roughly two thirds of its health. The Bloomcap Bloyster can normally only be damaged by attacking its gills, but if it is attacked enough, it folds its shell upwards to shake off attacking Pikmin. Folding its shell upwards protects its gills, but exposes the rest of its body to attack.

Appearance

The Bloomcap Bloyster looks very similar to its sibling, the Toady Bloyster, but with key differences. It notably has a large blue shell, its eyes are on larger stalks compared to its sibling's, and its gills are red and smaller compared to the rest of its body. Its gills also glow orange, similar to those of the Ranging Bloyster, for its appearance in Cavern for a King.

Locations

Strategy

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

If you're not careful, the Bloomcap Bloyster can quickly kill Pikmin, as anything that touches it's small tentacles coming out of its mouth will be eaten in seconds. It's best to get behind the Bloomcap Bloyster with Oatchi and to throw your Pikmin onto it's tail. Doing so will result in it's shell folding upwards, giving you a good opportunity to Charge it or to ram into it with Oatchi.

If you want to play it safe, feed it a Bomb Rock, Mine, or Trackonator, two of them will kill it. Or use Ice Pikmin or Ice Blasts which will make the Bloyster's entire body vulnerable and prevent it from hoovering up Pikmin, allowing for an easy defeat.

Curiously, the Bloomcap Bloyster will not notice you if you sneak up behind it and attack by throwing Rock Pikmin. Rock Pikmin can also use their sturdy headbutts to attack the bulb-like gill with a charge attack, and won't mind the shell flying upwards since they don't latch on anyway, as little as 30 Rock Pikmin can reliably defeat this beast with little assistance from the player. Another safe option is to use Winged Pikmin, who are able to home in on the enemy's gill and are immune to its eating attack while airborne.

Notes

Dalmo's Notes

“With a peaked carapace and undulating mouth, it goes around cleaning up everything in its path. It’s the organic vacuum cleaner of the natural world. If you startle it, it opens up its top like an umbrella, which can be quite a surprise to whoever is watching!”

Olimar's Notes

“The origin species from which the Ranging and Toady Bloyster evolved, it still carries a large shell on its back. The exposed head and legs are covered by a layer of tough muscle, so it barely moves even when attacked.

On the other hand, it has extremely sensitive flowerlike gills that are characteristic of the Mollusking family. When the gills are touched, the Bloyster cannot breathe and must open its shell, exposing its soft body.

Amphibious with a gentle demeanor, it simply swallows up anything that happens to enter its field of vision, kind of like a living vacuum cleaner.”

Louie's Notes

“The fatty muscle that controls those undulating motions must be eaten fresh. All that quick movement means the meat toughens quickly.”

Other information

Pikmin 4 Piklopedia number: #105
Musical theme: Boss battle (cave)

Naming

See more: Mollusking#Naming.

Common name: Bloomcap Bloyster. "Bloomcap" can describe its shell, which can "bloom" like a flower in self defense.
Japanese nickname: ハナガサケメクジ^?, lit.: "Hanagasa Kemekuji". The hanagasa refers to how its hat looks like a hanagasa.
Japanese name: デメハナガサケメクジ^?, lit.: "Bug-Eye Hanagasa Kemekuji". It refers to its eyestalks.
Scientific name: Molluschid florera. Florera is Latin for "flowers", again strengthen the shell's flower comparison.
Internal names: PATROLLER. It refers to how it patrols an area until it spots something it can pick up or attack.
Prerelease: None.

Names in other languages

The following article or section is in need of assistance from someone who plays Pikmin 4.
Particularly: Fill in the names in other languages, for the main languages at least.

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	ハナガサケメクジ^? Hanagasa Kemekuji	Hanagasa Kemekuji
Dutch	Verkapte platslak	Disguised flat snail
French	Éventraille patelliflore	From "éventrer" (disembowel), "entrailles" (innards), "éventail" (fan), latin "patella" (a small dish) and "flore" (flora)
German	Schirmflunder	Screenflounder
Italian	Blostrica florbella	From flora, bella (beautiful) and Blostrica (Bloyster)
Portuguese	Marisduá-pétala	Petal Marisduá	"Marisduá" is a portmanteau of marisco (shellfish) and tamanduá (anteater)
Spanish	Berberéchido Floral	Flower Bloyster