Meerslug family

The meerslug family is a family of -like creatures introduced in, although the family went unclassified until. Members are known to dig through the ground (usually sand) and lure prey into traps. It is named after its only member, the Sandbelching Meerslug. Members belong to the Gastropoidae genus.

Sandbelching Meerslug


The Sandbelching Meerslug is a boss in and the third major boss encountered in Story Mode. It is a light brown amphibian-like creature resembling a lamprey, with very small eyes, thick purple lips and two rows of large sharp teeth. Further down its body, it gets wider and harbors spike-like protrusions. It is one of the largest Pikmin bosses to date.

Naming
The word "Meerslug" might come from "", an animal known to dig through dirt and sand, and "", which Meerslug members resemble.

The "Gastropoidae" genus comes from the real-world class "", which encompasses most slugs and snails. Idae is a common suffix in taxonomy, mostly for genus names.