Ass-blaster

Ass-blasters are a developmental stage of Graboids, produced after a Shrieker sheds its skin, in the Tremors series. They are most notable for their ability to launch themselves into the air, causing chemicals produced in their body to combust behind their tail.

Physiology
Ass-blasters, like Shriekers, are bipedal with three-toed feet, ending in black talons. They also have long mandibles and jaws, though they lack the distinctive tongue, and use infrared vision to locate prey (though their field of vision seems to be wider). However, they have red/pink sail like structures on their backs and tail, and a dorsal sail down extending from neck to tail. These enable the creature to fly after launching itself up. Like all stages in Graboid development, they have a distinctive scent and orange blood.

The chemicals must be mixed near the colon, and seem to be the stomach acid of the creature mixed with another secretion. The combustion is rapid and powerful, explosive and high-temperature (as seen when one attempted to melt through a metal bulkhead). Burt describes the chemicals as 'almost like pure sodium', which reacts strongly with water. (Perhaps the chemicals are isolated in an oily substance to prevent an internal explosion)

For unknown reasons, they fall into a coma after excessive food consumption, unlike the shriekers which reproduce.

Intelligence
The creatures hunt by flying over the landscape, scanning the ground for heat sources.

They learn at a prodigous rate, idenfying the danger posed by Burt's flaming spikes (launched from an improvised potato gun). An ass-blaster who had witnessed the destruction of its fellows learnt to dodge the projectiles.

Development
After a shrieker has lived for about 24 hours, it moults to become an ass-blaster.

Ass-blasters carry a graboid egg, which will hatch into a Dirt Dragon. This is speculated during the third film to enable wide dispersal of the eggs.