Pearly Clamclamp
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|---|---|---|---|
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| Appears in | Pikmin, Pikmin 4 | ||
| Scientific name | Ostrum mandimuscae Lapis regrettabilis (Pikmin) | ||
| Family | Snareshell | ||
| Areas | The Impact Site, Serene Shores | ||
| Caves | None | ||
| Challenge Mode stages | The Forest of Hope, The Forest Navel, The Distant Spring | ||
| Dandori Challenge stages | None | ||
| Dandori Battle stages | None | ||
| Attacks | Eat Pikmin | ||
The Pearly Clamclamp (ヤマシンジュ?, lit.: "Hill Pearl"; called the Clampshell in the European version of New Play Control! Pikmin) is an enemy in Pikmin and Pikmin 4. This large bivalve has a pinkish shell, and inside, a small pearl or item surrounded by a clear blue membrane. Their inner weak point can be attacked by Pikmin.
In Pikmin there are only two Pearly Clamclamps in the main story, both of which reside in The Impact Site, one contains the Positron Generator within its shell, while the other has the usual pearl. When killed, they drop whatever they held in their gullet with natural pearls producing 50 Pikmin. When killed, the main body can still consume Pikmin, and is unable to picked up. Other Clamclamps are located in various challenge mode levels
In Pikmin 4 Pearly Clamclamps appear in Serene Shores. In the main story three are found above ground. One contains a bulb of Flarlic, another one contains the Ring-of-Return Shield, and a third one holds the Princess Pearl. Another Clamclamp is located in the Engulfed Castle and has a Castaway within. In Olimar's Shipwreck Tale, another one is found in Serene Shores where the Dandori Battle cave is located usually. Unlike in Pikmin the clam fully dies when its health is depleted, and both its innards and the shell can be carried.
Stats
The following stats apply to the pearl only.
| Weight | Max. carriers |
Seeds | Value | Health | Regen. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 6 | 50 | N/A | 500 | Unknown |
Notes
Olimar's voyage log
Reel notes
Guide book
“To lure then trap creatures that are attracted to small shiny objects, the Ploister turns undigested foodstuffs into round beads with the same secretion that makes up its shell.
The pearl-like substance has a layering that is thinner and weaker then a real Pearl, reducing it in value.”Pikmin Official Player's Guide description
“To lure then trap creatures that are attracted to small shiny objects, the ploister turns undigested foodstuffs into round beads with the same secretion that makes up its shell. The pearl-like substance has a layering that is thinner and weaker than a real pearl, reducing it in value.”
“Shortly after you toss Pikmin into a pearly clamclamp, its shell will snap shut. Don't let the clam gobble up your Pikmin by ordering them in and out of the shell before it has a chance to clam up. If your Pikmin can smack the clamclamp's pearl free from the shell, they can cash it in at an onion to earn 50 seeds.”
Pikmin Nintendo Power Booklet description
“Pearly clamclamps survive on instinct. If a Pikmin touches its sensitive tongue, it slams shut and slowly grinds away at an easy meal. Clamclamps produce pearl-like orbs that you can cash in for 50 Pikmin seeds.”
Locations
Story Mode
They only appear in The Impact Site. There are three, all of them on the beach area at the northwest. One is submerged in water, and has the Positron Generator. Another is in a small island in the pond, and the final one is on the beach itself, to the north of the area.
Challenge Mode
These are the locations of the Pearly Clamclamp in Challenge Mode. These places are in specific hard to reach places and surrounded by enemies.
- The Forest of Hope: one where the Radiation Canopy is in the main game, and another where the Burrowing Snagrets are in the main game.
- The Forest Navel: where the Libra is found in story mode.
- The Distant Spring: where the Massage Machine is, where the Gluon Drive is, and where the Chronos Reactor is, in the main game.
Strategy
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The following article or section contains guides. |
Pikmin
There are three ways to kill the Pearly Clamclamp:
- The first and most dangerous way to defeat this enemy is to gather about 20 to 30 Pikmin and throw them into the mouth of the Pearly Clamclamp, then when the Pearly Clamclamp starts to open its mouth wider, call them back.
- The second and easiest way is to gather up 2 Yellow Pikmin, get them bomb-rocks, and then throw them at the Pearly Clamclamp at a reasonable distance.
- The third way is probably the most time consuming, but is the best for zero death challenges. Bring about 5 Pikmin (any type for Pearly Clamclamps on land), then throw 3 to 5 in the mouth. When the creaking sound of the Clamclamp stops, call the Pikmin back. Repeat until the loot comes out.
Note that it can still attack after its pearl has been taken out.
Oddly, the Clamclamp has been known to take slight damage for a short time after the Pikmin have been called back, meaning that if the creature is already near death, the player can simply withdraw their Pikmin and the Clamclamp will die on its own.
With enough throwing speed, it is possible to defeat the enemy in a single cycle (i.e. before it closes its shell the first time), although this is mostly only feasible in tool-assisted superplays.[1]
Leaders
There is only one place that a Pearly Clamclamp can be killed with Olimar alone. In The Distant Spring in Challenge Mode, go to the area near where the Chronos Reactor is found in Story Mode. There is a Yellow Wollywog nearby. Lure it right next to the Clamclamp, and lie down right next to it. After a few attempts, you'll be in the Clamclamp. It will try to shut on you, like if you were a Pikmin. Attack the pearl with your leader's punch then lay down if the Clamclamp and/or the Yellow Wollywog tries to attack. If you successfully do all these tactics, you will have defeated the membrane surrounding the pearl. Then get out of it, as the enemies will still try to attack. It was originally thought that this could only be done on the New Play Control! version of Pikmin, but it can be done on both versions.
Technical information
Creature
| Pikmin technical information (?) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal name | shell
| ||
| HP | 1 | ||
Pearl
| Pikmin technical information (?) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal name | pearl
| ||
| HP | 500 | ||
Positron Generator
| Pikmin technical information (?) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal name | rocpe
| ||
| HP | 500 | ||
Other information
- Technical name in The Official Nintendo Player's Guide: Ploister
Naming
- Common name: Pearly Clamclamp. The name consists of the word "pearly", referring to the pearl it normally holds, and a combination of the words "clam" and "clamp", "clamp" meaning "to crush and squeeze". In the European version of New Play Control! Pikmin, its name was changed to simply "Clampshell", for unknown reasons; this name is a combination of "clamp" and "clamshell".
- Japanese nickname: ヤマシンジュ?, lit.: "Hill Pearl".
- Japanese name: ハエトリヤマシンジュ?, lit.: "Flytrap Hill Pearl"
- Scientific name: Ostrum mandimuscae. Ostrum seem to be based on the latin word for oyster, ostreum. Mandimuscae seems to be a combination of "mandible", alluding to Pearly Clamclamp's method of attacking, and musca, Latin for "fly". In the Pikmin Nintendo Player's Guide, the scientific name was instead Lapis regrettabilis, where lapis is Latin for "stone" and "regrettabilis" is derived from "regrettable".
- Internal names: Internally, this enemy is simply called
shell, and the pearl is calledpearl. - Prerelease: None.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
 Japanese |
ヤマシンジュ? Yama Shinju |
Hill Pearl |
 French (NoA) |
Coquiperle | Portmanteau of coquille (shell) and perle (pearl) |
 French (NoE) |
Coquiperle | Portmanteau of coquille (shell) and perle (pearl) |
 German |
Amphibienauster | Amphibian oyster |
 Italian |
Chelus perlato | |
 Korean |
먹보진주조개 Muckbojinjujogae |
Tasting pearl clam |
 Spanish |
Bivalvo Opalescente | Opalescent Bivalve |
Gallery
Artwork of the Pearly Clamclamp from Pikmin.
Alternate artwork with the Positron Generator.
A closed Pearly Clamclamp.
Drawings of the Pearly Clamclamp from the Pikmin Official Player's Guide.
A Pearly Clamclamp on an island in Pikmin 4.
A Pearly Clamclamp recorded in Pikmin 4's Piklopedia.
Trivia
- Interestingly, in Pikmin, when its pearl comes out it makes the same sound the Honeywisp makes when hit and a soul floats up, yet the creature is still alive.
- This creature is one of the two second leading creatures in Pikmin production in Pikmin, succeeded by the Smoky Progg and tied with the Armored Cannon Beetle.
- This is the only enemy that carries a ship part where the part is visible before the enemy's death.
- This is the only non-boss enemy in Pikmin not to make a return in Pikmin 2.
- In Pikmin 4's Piklopedia the Pearly Clamclamp will always contain the Princess Pearl within due to never existing without an item in its gullet.
- When returning to the Engulfed Castle, the Pearly Clamclamp located on sublevel 2 will not respawn due to not having an item within its mouth.
See also
References
- ^ YouTube video of a tool-assisted speedrun, in which the enemy is defeated in a single cycle (at 0:55)
