Ampeel

Ampeels are an aggressive fauna species found dwelling in the Bulb Zone and the Blood Kelp Zone, as individuals or in small groups of two, three, four, or if the player is unlucky enough, five.

Zapping noises can be heard when around the Ampeel, and when it uses its electrical attacks against other life forms or the player. Its shocking attack deals about 15 damage to the player's health, and its bite will take away 45 health.

Appearance
Ampeels are huge, serpentine creatures with a segmented body, covered with prongs capable of generating powerful zaps of bio-electricity. Their dorsal side is dull green in color, while the underbelly is light tan. The body is composed of a head segment, eight body segments, and a tail segment.

The Ampeel's head segment has six prongs, four being placed in line with the prongs on the body segments, with an additional pair located on either side of the creature's mouth. It has two bluish-green eyes sitting in hollows in the otherwise smooth head. Its mouth has many small teeth.

Each body segment has four prongs situated 90 degrees apart, except its end segment, where there are four prongs extending out posteriorly. The prongs are a brownish-red in color, green towards the bases with bright white tips, these emit a very bright cyan bioluminescent glow, and are capable of generating electricity.

This electrical current is most likely generated by a natural unfinished circuit, and with the addition of water as a means to close the circuit and generate electric arcs from prong to prong. Because of this, not only would it be unlikely for them to generate a current on land, but it also allows them to activate the circuits at will, by generating a slightly larger current to "kickstart" the system, and make visible arcs of shocking power.

Behavior
Ampeels swim around passively, and frequently re-orientates itself to swim in another direction. It generates electrical arcs that run along its body, from head to tail. The Ampeel will enter an aggressive state when the player approaches it; generating an electrical barrier that surrounds its entire body by using all of its prongs at once. It then may try to zap or bite the player.

The Ampeel's electricity can severely damage a Seamoth, especially past its safe depth. The Seamoth Perimeter Defense System has no effect on an Ampeel, likely due to the fact that it uses electricity itself. A better defensive tool to use would be the Stasis Rifle, Repulsion Cannon or a Torpedo System. Ampeels are one of the few creatures that can deal damage to a Cyclops, though the damage they deal is minimal and it takes several attacking at once to pose any real threat to the vessel.

When the Ampeel is attacked, it will turn around and attack back by either zapping the attacker or biting it much like a Boneshark, shortly after this, the Ampeel will flee.

Gallery
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Trivia

 * Ampeels were originally called Shockers.
 * The name Ampeel is a portmanteau of the words "Ampere", a measurement of electric current, and "Eel", a family of fish in our real world.
 * Ampeels are an overexaggeration of a real-world species: the Electric eel, capable of generating small electrical shocks, much smaller than the Ampeel's.

Anguille Tesla