Golden Clamclamp

The Golden Clamclamp is a close and exceedingly rare relative of the Pearly Clamclamp. As its name would imply, the Golden Clamclamp has a shiny golden shell, and in its mouth lies a golden pearl worth one hundred Pikmin seeds. It has more health than a Pearly Clamclamp and snaps shut faster than its relative does. The Golden Clamclamp is also quite protective of its pearl and may remain shut for a long time after closing.

=In other games=

In Pikmin: Wide World
The Golden Clamclamp appears in Pikmin: Wide World as an oysnap that is only encountered in the farthest reaches of the deepest caves. Golden Clamclamps can always be found with their mouths open and their golden pearls exposed. When it feels a leader or a Pikmin on its tongue, a Golden Clamclamp will open its mouth farther, accompanied by a squeaking sound, pause, and then snap shut, eating anything still in its mouth besides it pearl. The creature won't eat leaders, but it will chew them up quite a bit before spitting them out alongside a small portion of Pikmin it snapped shut on if any were in its mouth at the time. After this, a Golden Clamclamp will eventually open its mouth again to repeat the process. Golden Clamclamps keep their mouths shut for much longer than ordinary clamclamps and won't open back up for some time. If nothing was inside its mouth when it snaps shut, it will simply open its mouth again instead of chewing first.

As their name would imply, Golden Clamclamps are golden. They greatly resemble the Pearly Clamclamp in shape and size, but the exteriors of their shell halves, as well as their pearls, are golden. The interiors of their shell halves are a pearly white color and their tongue is pink. The membrane around its pearl is blue and white.

Dealing with Golden Clamclamps is more of a matter of timing than an actual battle. Throw any type of Pikmin onto the creature's tongue so that they attack the membrane around its pearl, calling them back just before the creature snaps shut. Because Golden Clamclamps do not open back up until after a bit of time has passed, it's better to go away and start or accomplish another task while waiting for it to open up again and then return to the creature. Repeat the process until the membrane is destroyed. Unlike in Pikmin 1, when the membrane surrounding a clamclamp's pearl has been destroyed, the pearl will not fly out of its mouth; instead, it must be carried out. Note that a Golden Clamclamp can still attack after its pearl has been taken and that the creature itself cannot be slain. The pearl can be taken to the Lander Pod to either immediately gain or be saved for later to gain fifty Pikmin seeds of any discovered color of choice at the Master Onion. These rewards can only be acquired if the cave is left using an escape geyser, however.

Olimar's notes

 * "An exceedingly rare oysnap, the golden clamclamp can only be encountered deep underground. It is very defensive of its pearl and will keep its mouth shut for far longer than other oysnaps to protect it. What causes it to take on such a brilliant hue and shine is unknown."

Shacho's notes

 * "This creature reminds me so of the Freight Voyager after Olimar and Louie casually worked to repay my debt to the All-Devouring Black Hole Loan Sharks. I had to sell its gold plating... Maybe I could use this creature to get a lot of Pokos and get the Freight Voyager back again to the way I like it!"

Marie's notes

 * "As beautiful and low-maintenance as this creature is, I wouldn't recommend having one as a pet. They just sit there, waiting for something to crawl onto its tongue, and... well, we all know the rest."

Louie's notes

 * "Grind the creature's golden covering off of its shell, and sprinkle the thin shavings onto its tongue after cooking it. A fine feast fit for a king!"

Dolphin Lander's notes

 * "I wish a creature as glamorous as the golden clamclamp lived on the surface. Nothing quite captures the beauty of this rare, reclusive, subterranean oysnap."