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Snavians are a family of serpentine bird creatures that bury and live underground. The attack by ambushing surface-dwelling prey. The Snavians, specifically Snagrets, are one of most widespread families after the Grub-dog family, having adapted to numerous climates and environments across PNF-404.
They are found in all four Pikmin games, often constituting boss fights. However, some members of the family reside as more of minibosses in Pikmin 2, and the first Snavian that was a normal enemy (that being the Downy Snagret) in Pikmin 4.
Burrowing Snagret[]
The Burrowing Snagret is an enemy in the Pikmin games that hides underground, waiting to burst out when Pikmin approach. They are able to quickly snap up Pikmin on the ground with their beaks. Although a large portion of the Snagret's body is vulnerable in the first two games, it sustains the most damage when its head is attacked. When killed in the first game, they explode, yielding many pellets, and, in the case of one, the Geiger Counter. In Pikmin 2, only the Burrowing Snagrets' head remains after defeat, and they are smaller and have lower health, making them less of a threat. In Pikmin 3, they act slightly different than in the first two games. If a Snagret misses when pecking Pikmin, its head will get stuck in the ground, allowing the player an optimal chance to swarm the beast. Additionally, instead of exploding, the Snagret's corpse stays intact after its demise. The Snagret also has a single foot, similar to the Pileated Snagret. However, it cannot be seen in the first two games as the Snagret never completely leaves the ground. They also appear in Pikmin 4, having one aboveground encounter in the Blossoming Arcadia alongside a small multitude of underground appearances. In the latter two games, only the head is vulnerable, which is advised to keep in mind during battles.
Pileated Snagret[]
The Pileated Snagret is a larger, rarer, and more dangerous species of the Snavian family. It has a green, scaly body, and a bright orange head. It is called 'pileated' because it has a crest of feathers it bears, and its eyes are decorated by some eyebrow-like features. The Pileated Snagret behaves much like the Burrowing Snagret, but it is able to completely emerge from the ground and hop around on its one clawed foot. This means it can chase its prey, and makes its head harder to reach.
Downy Snagret[]
Unlike all other enemies of the Snavian family, Downy Snagrets are regarded solely as normal enemies, albeit tough ones for their lacking breadth. They take the shape of small Burrowing Snagrets, and have been confirmed to be its larva, as they share a scientific name. With a much less elongated torso, a smaller head and beak, and one small foot, they don't originally appear formidable. However, in battle, they have a surprising amount of health, not being susceptible to lower-leveled Rushes like most enemies of such size, and can devour Pikmin quite quickly.
Burrowing Snarrow[]
A creature only mentioned by Olimar in Pikmin and Pikmin 2, the Burrowing Snarrow has not ever been seen in-game. It was recorded by Olimar to look almost exactly like a Burrowing Snagret, however supposedly being unique by different markings on its body when emerged from the ground. It is also said to lack the blue hue of the Snagret, possibly appearing white like that enemy in the beta version of Pikmin. It is unknown if it is even part of the Snavian family, but it's likely that's the case. To this day, over two decades after the enemy was first mentioned, the mystery of who it may be is still almost completely unsolved.