Lesser Spotted Jellyfloat

The Lesser Spotted Jellyfloat is an enemy in  and. It resembles a large, blue, floating with yellow spots, that floats through the air. It attacks the Pikmin by inhaling them and trapping them inside. The Pikmin will then be digested over a considerably long period of time, specifically 1 Pikmin per 30 seconds, but can be saved by defeating it. This creature is related to the Greater Spotted Jellyfloat. It is also similar to the Medusal Slurker in the fact that they have clear bodies and keep Pikmin trapped inside of them. In Pikmin 4, they can't digest Pikmin, and they seem to have a limit of about 40 Pikmin. They also can no longer be weighed down by Pikmin, likely to facilitate the use of the new Ice Pikmin to defeat them.

Lesser Spotted Jellyfloats sing a faint song while idling, that is easiest to hear when music is turned off in the options menu. Upon death, they swirl around the air and brilliantly explode in an array of small sparkling lights.

Pikmin
If you encounter one, stay out of its path and throw Pikmin at it. If it is above your Pikmin, it will suck them up. It is vulnerable on all parts of its body, and has moderately low health. Purple Pikmin will automatically make this creature fall due to their weight; they are also good for defeating it, as stunning it will prevent it from getting back into the air. When defeated, all undigested Pikmin will be recovered. The creature will also shake Pikmin off, both in the air and when it recovers flight. Know this and whistle your Pikmin back before the enemy shakes, as to avoid having the Pikmin lose their flower status.

To note is that if a Lesser Spotted Jellyfloat digests a White Pikmin, it will not take damage from it. This is also the case with the Greater Spotted Jellyfloat, at least in Pikmin 2.

In Pikmin 4, Lesser Spotted Jellyfloats are harmless as they cannot kill Pikmin. They are still an annoyance to fight, as most Pikmin latch onto the tentacles, where they can be inhaled. Purple Pikmin cannot be inhaled. Inhaled Pikmin will often have their flowers close or buds wilt, so it is still advised to avoid absorbtion.

If frozen, a Lesser Spotted Jellyfloat will fall and shatter on impact with the ground, making Ice Pikmin ideal to use against it. This is doubly useful in Dandori Challenges, as it cuts down the time needed to defeat them and retrieve Pikmin inside without the worry of destroying it's corpse, which it wouldn't leave behind either way.

Leaders
With the Rocket Fist, a leader can hit a Jellyfloat above him with his third punch. Without this upgrade, the only way to do damage is to hit the creature while on a raised ledge next to it. Both of these methods take a long time, however, so using Pikmin is recommended.

It is also possible to kill a Lesser Spotted Jellyfloat with the use of an Armored Cannon Beetle Larva. If the larva is at the same height as the Jellyfloat, or even a little lower, and the player lures the Lesser Spotted Jellyfloat into using the sucking animation, the boulder shot by the Armored Cannon Beetle Larva can hit the floating enemy. However, this strategy requires a lot of timing and precision, and the best place to see it happen is in the sixth sublevel of the Dream Den. This technique is easier to apply if the Lesser Spotted Jellyfloat is grounded. This strategy also works against a Greater Spotted Jellyfloat.

Trivia

 * If a leader approaches a Lesser Spotted Jellyfloat without any Pikmin in their group, the enemy won't be interested at all and will stay idle, unlike its taller counterpart.