Fleeting Splurchin

The Fleeting Splurchin is an enemy found in the files of. It is thought to have been either an early design of the Spiny Coppeller or a creature meant to have accompanied it. It resembles a spiky green ball with a teal pattern on its front, empty red eyes, and an appendage featuring a pair of long wings at its tip.

=In fanon games=

In Pikmin: Wide World
The Fleeting Splurchin is an airborne splurchin appearing in Pikmin: Wide World. They may be found hovering through the air, either in place or around a distinct path, a set elevation above the ground or the surface of a body of water. It completely ignores the presence of Pikmin and leaders, although Pikmin and leaders that are thrown at or forced into it will respectively be skewered on its spikes or harmed. Pikmin that are skewered on a Fleeting Splurchin will eventually die unless they are freed by whistling them. Although Fleeting Splurchins may serve as a hazard to thrown Pikmin and leaders, Winged Pikmin are the most impacted by them as they are also airborne.

Fleeting Splurchins resemble others in the splurchin family, being spherical and covered in spikes. However, they are green in color and have three pairs of translucent insectoid wings distributed evenly around the upper portion of their body.

Like other splurchins, Fleeting Splurchins serve more as an obstacle than an enemy and require unconventional methods to kill. No Pikmin type is effective against one, not even Rock Pikmin, which can not be skewered by it but can not inflict any damage to the creature. Purple Pikmin are able to slightly weigh down and slow a Fleeting Splurchin they are skewered on until they are either whistled free or perish. The only way to kill a Fleeting Splurchin is to blow it up with a bomb rock, the explosion of which killing the creature instantly should the blast be at full power. Because it is always airborne, the explosive must be thrown at the creature, and because it is covered in spikes the bomb rock used will explode on contact with the creature. Upon its destruction, a Fleeting Splurchin will leave nothing behind except.

Olimar's notes

 * "This subspecies of splurchin evolved to survive not only out of water or on land, but in the air which it constantly patrols. How it knows what paths to take while in flight is unknown. Its flight patterns appear deliberate, so it is hypothesized that it is somehow able to detect vibrations in the air, although this is unconfirmed."

Shacho's notes

 * "These things are completely blind to the outside world in every sense of the word, and they still fly better than Olimar could in the Freight Voyager. That blasted ship has to be around this planet somewhere..."

Marie's notes

 * "Not a good candidate for a pet. It's literally a ball of nerves, and how the creature even navigates in the air is a mystery. Not to mention it's covered in spikes, so physical affection is impossible without some form of protection."

Louie's notes

 * "The flesh contained within its spiked shell is bitter, unfit for consumption, and unenjoyable no matter how it is prepared."

Dolphin Lander's notes

 * "Fleeting splurchins are living proof that sometimes there are completely unnecessary steps in evolution. Why would they have had to develop wings to fly around with?! They're already spiked balls with a tough exteriors, for crying out loud!"