This large organism has the familiar mandibles and cranial morphology of the grub-dog family, as well as the characteristic bulging eyes. As with most grub-dogs, the creature's cranium comprises half of its total length and girth. Showing a scarlet abdomen with white spots, this creature is primarily nocturnal, choosing to prey upon smaller creatures returning to their nests. Originally classified as the spotty bulborb, further research has reclassified this species as the red bulborb. Subspecies of varied colors have recently been discovered, but academics are divided into two rival camps over how to handle their classification.
Structural flaws: eyestalks
Weight: 10
Only a very confident designer would waive through issues like bright red warning colouration and a tendency to sleep in broad daylight. There's no way a frontal assault on this thing will work, so we have to get creative. I'm thinking we should hit its back hard while it sleeps, or maybe targeting those thin-looking eyestalks.
The white polka dots on red is quite a look. Something about it is familiar, but where- Ah. Right. It reminds me of the captain. Not the polka dots-I mean the way it snores as it naps in the sun.
This red bruiser gobbles up Pikmin like candy. The standard approach is to attack from behind while it's still asleep. That may seem callous, but it would do the same to you if it could. Stow those feelings and strike
This nocturnal hunter feeds mostly on small animals returning to their nests at night.
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~ Description of the Red Bulborb in the enemy reel from Pikmin.
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It's considered one of the weakest of the Bulborbs, but can still hold its own against a good-sized Pikmin squad. Attack from behind to gain the advantage. Weakest point: eyeballs.
Red Bulborbs are among the most well-known enemies in the Pikmin games and are often just as much a staple for the games as Pikmin themselves. They were originally known as Spotty Bulborbs until various other subspecies, all with spots, were discovered in Pikmin 2. In Pikmin 3, Hey! Pikmin, and Pikmin 3 Deluxe, it is simply named Bulborb.
This dropdown contains the synopsis of the Red Bulborb's biology.
Red Bulborbs are among the creatures with the most diverse physiology in the Pikmin series. They possess traits similar to those of amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. They have large bulbous eyes, as opposed to the compound eyes of most insects.
Olimar mentions the Red Bulborbs having a set of mandibles. Mandibles are a pair of appendages near an insect's mouth, used for grinding and chewing food. The so-called mandibles Olimar mentions in his notes look nothing like normal mandibles and are instead most likely saber-teeth, used for breaking exoskeletons of prey insects and digging through the soil for roots. Their diet is, however, quite the mystery, as they are equipped with eating both animal and vegetable life, but they are known to fully ignore Spectralids.
It seems that the juvenile Red Bulborb is the favored host of the parasitic Pikmin known as Bulbmin. This type of Pikmin appears to control its host, causing the animal to behave less like a Bulborb and much more like a Pikmin, following a leader (which is naturally an older Bulbmin) and hunting in packs. Red Bulborbs are not observed at the two stages of development displayed by Bulbmin anywhere else in-game (unlike the Spotty Bulbear), so it is unknown whether Bulbmin are a common stage in Red Bulborb initial development or not, as symbiotic cooperation from the parasite would give this slightly weaker form of Grub-dog an advantage in the subterranean environment that all stages of the Red Bulborb species are found in.
Durability: At least Below Average Human level+, likely Athlete level (Though they are one of the weakest variant of the fully grown Bulborbs, it still takes a solid number of Pikmin to defeat it, with a frontal assault being devastating to them)
Range:Below Average Melee physically, Higher the larger they grow
Intelligence:Animalistic (Seems to lack enough understanding to the point where if the enemy runs away or hides and are out of the bulborb's sight, they will go back to sleep despite being attacked. Despite this, they have shown basic thinking capabilities when faced by an unknown threat)
Standard Tactics: The Red Bublorb is a nocturnal creature so it will be asleep during the day, though if awoken it will charge towards the enemy and attempt to eat them.
Weaknesses: The Red Bulborb is a naturally nocturnal creature so it will be asleep during day time, making it very easy to sneak attack. Hitting it's eyes will cause it to shake in pain.
