The Hermit Crawmad is a freshwater crustacean-like creature indigenous to the shallow pools of PNF-404, discovered by Captain Olimar.
Biology[]
Hermit Crawmads are stout lobster or shrimp - like crustaceans. The exact size of the Hermit Crawmads are various between 30 to 60 millimeters in size.
On first glance, these creatures hold resemblance to that of Earth squillas: made up of Mantis Shrimp, and many of their features do seem to mirror the animals. Hermit Crawmads have small pincers at the front of the body, which they used to capture prey in surprise attacks from their shallow burrows. They have reddish shells on the front of the body is resilient, but its backside is considered fairly vulnerable.
Evolution[]
Hermit Crawmads may appear like a member of the squilla family, but are actually in fact related to hermit crabs. The ancestors of the Hermit Crawmad migrated further inland away from the sea, adapting to life in underground burrows.
The first discovered Hermit Crawmad.
Upon the first initial encounters described by Captain Olimar and other explorers, it is noted that the pincers on these specimens more resemble fins, much like aquatic squilla species it's mistaken for. The likely explanation for the change in its claws is to capture more resilient prey on land compared to underwater prey.