Crawmad family
The crawmad family consists of crustacean-like enemies who live in holes they bury using their sharp claws in Pikmin 2, Pikmin 3 and Pikmin 4. There are currently two known species; the Hermit Crawmad and the Bug-Eyed Crawmad. Their main method of attack is to lunge at leaders and their Pikmin, grabbing some, and scurrying back to their hole to eat them.
Members
Bug-Eyed Crawmad
- Main article: Bug-Eyed Crawmad.
Scientific name: Camabarus subterranid
The Bug-Eyed Crawmad is a much larger relative of the Hermit Crawmad. Notable differences include large eyes on stalks as opposed to just the pupils, and the carapace now protects the creature's backside as well. It also features intimidating yellow spikes on its back. Because of its larger size, it does not need to leave the hole to attack Pikmin. Doing so wouldn't endanger it anyway, due it's backside being protected. Instead, the player must attack its larger eyes before it burrows underground. Doing so will cause it to flip over, and reveal its vulnerable, fleshy belly. Unfortunately, it cannot be charged at, due to its belly being raised in the air.
Hermit Crawmad
- Main article: Hermit Crawmad.
Scientific name: Camabarus rustica
The Hermit Crawmad is a small crab-like enemy with a strong carapace protecting the front part of its body. It's backside, however, is vulnerable and fleshy. In order to attack the backside, the player must lure the creature out of its hole using Pikmin, and then attack it. A quick charge with 40-50 Blues should defeat it in 1 or 2 tries.
Despite its similarities to the squilla, it is actually related to the hermit crab, from which it originally evolved from.
Naming
"Crawmad" is likely a combination of the words "crawdad" and "nomad" given their resemblance to the real-world crustaceans and the nomadic patterns of the hermit crab, which the Hermit Crawmad is also named after. The Japanese names of members of this family refer to the word シャコ?, which means mantis shrimp, a real world creature that highly resembles the Hermit Crawmad.
Members share the Camabarus genus, which is a play on the real world genus for crawfish, cambarus.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
 Japanese |
アナシャコ科? Ana Shako Ka |
Burrow mantis shrimp family |
 Chinese(traditional) |
穴瀨尿蝦科 | |
 French |
crabamoks | From crabe (crab) |
 German |
Greifer | Grablers |
 Korean |
구멍갯가재 과 | |
 Portuguese |
Tamuracuarídeos | From tamarutaca (mantis shrimp) |
 Spanish |
Cavalocos | Crazydiggers |
