Powamp

Powamps were passive organisms which dwelt within the depths of Maridia on the planet Zebes where they would simply float around within the water, keeping themselves at a neutral buoyancy through unknown means. Their defense was similar to that of pufferfish in that should a potential threat come too close they would inflate their bodies many times its original size, likely inhaling water to do so as a pufferfish would. Despite their otherwise passive nature, however, they will fight back if they believed they are under attack, and can bite or otherwise cause injury straight through metal. However since their mouths have not been precisely identified, it is likely that they are filter feeders and it is the spikes within their body that cause this damage.

They are capable of being latched onto with a Grapple Beams, allowing them to be utilized as a makeshift Grapple Point. They are also vulnerable to beam technologies and so if one plans to use them as Grapple Points, they ought to avoid shooting them, especially since this explosion will send several spiked projectiles from inside of their body in all directions as the force of their detonation will cause them to move quick enough to pierce through armor.

When Zebes was destroyed, the Powamp were thought to be extinct; however they were soon after discovered aboard the Biologic Space Laboratories research station. Even so, these were very quickly infected by the X Parasites, which then caused all of their demise and mimicked them. When the BSL was destroyed, the Powamp were officially declared extinct.

Trivia

 * It is worth noting that Powamps resemble Phantoon, though no connection is expected to exist between the two.