Startle Spore

Startle Spore
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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The Startle Spore (おったまダケ^?, lit.: "So-Spooked Shroom") 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	milo	2000

Behavior

Startle Spores will hide partially underground, mimicking mushrooms in the nearby area. Occasionally, if observed long enough, it will open its eyes to look around. Much like the Skitter leaf and the Desiccated Skitter Leaf, it can't be spotted on the Map while it's burrowed underground. When something gets close, its eyestalks will turn to look at its target, while a dramatic sound plays to note it's awakening. It will hop out of the ground, knocking down Pikmin, Captains, and Oatchi too close to it. 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 (however, this will still release poison). It can also catch the player, but will regurgitate them instantly. It shakes off Pikmin by inflating its cheeks and throat when too many have begun to attack it. 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

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

Use the same strategy as it’s cousin but be aware of the Posion it spews

Notes

Dalmo's Notes

“These don't just mimic a growth of mushrooms for the fun of catching you by surprise-they also use the opportunity to spread poison around quite indiscriminately. But that's just this little darling's idiosyncratic method for catching its prey. We could learn from the way nature embraces such unique and varied creatures.”

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

“If you can successfully remove the tongue's poison glands, you'll enjoy a rare opportunity to appreciate the umami synergy of the mushroom and meat combo.”

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: おったまダケ^?. It is a combination of おっ魂消る (flabbergasted) and 茸 (mushrooom).
Japanese name: キノコヅモリ^?, lit.: "Mushroom Forest". It is based off of the Creeping Chrysanthemum's Japanese name, "キクヅモリ", but with "キク" (chrysanthemum) replaced with "キノコ" (mushroom).
Scientific name: Taraxacum fungenesus. "Fungenesus" is a combination of "fungen-", which means "fungi", and "esus", which means "eaten" in Latin.
Internal names: BIKKURIKINOKO. "Bikkuri" (吃驚) is the Japanese word for surprised, while "kinoko" (茸) is the Japanese word for mushroom.
Prerelease: None.

Names in other languages

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Particularly: Fill in the names in other languages, for the main languages at least.

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	おったまダケ^? Ottama Dake	So-Spooked Shroom
French	Sporiflore surprenant		"Sporiflore" is a portmanteau of "spore" (spore) and "flore" (flora)
Portuguese (NoA)	Fingi	Pretengus	The name is a portmanteau of "fingir" (to pretend) and "fungi" (fungus)
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.

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