Blighter

This article is about the Blighter. You may be looking for the Biter.

Blighter
Category	Carnivores
Tab	Fauna
Attitude	Aggressive
Health	10
Damage	Bite: 7
Biome	Blood Kelp Caves Blood Kelp Zone
Active During	Cathemeral (Day and Night)
Debug Spawn	blighter

The Blighter is a close relative of the Biter that has adapted to deeper waters. The Blighter can be found around the Blood Kelp Caves and Blood Kelp Zone. Much like its relative, the Blighter is a very territorial creature and will attack the player when nearby.

Appearance

The Blighter closely resembles a Biter, with a few differences which, in general, give it a far more withered, but menacing appearance:

• Its eyes have dark brown sclera and milky-white pupils, giving off a "zombified" look.
• Its body is golden-ish brown on the dorsal side with a pale white underbelly, giving a similar look of .
• On its front, a short protrusion emitting a dull red bioluminescent glow is featured.
• A single tail (fin) suggests that movement for this creature must be very hard, which implies that in order to supply that massive muscle, it needs a surprising amount of food.

Behavior

The Blighter's main differentiating traits from the Biter are its slower speed and smaller aggressive range, which may be a result of its blindness. The Blighter does not share the Biter's pack-forming mentality, preferring to hunt as individuals. It slowly patrols its vicinity and often emits ghastly screeches and hisses. The Blighter will attack creatures that come too close, dealing 7 damage to the player.

Data Bank Entry

Small predator that shares close resemblance to the more common biter, but tends towards a more solitary, less aggressive hunting style. 1. Olfactory Stalk: While the red-tipped protrusion on the blighter's head once served as sensory apparatus, it has adapted not to chase but to coax its prey into its path. As prey creatures are attracted to the dancing of the stalk, the blighter can dart forward to catch and consume them. 2. Teeth: One row of sharp, piercing teeth is all the blighter needs to tear through its prey. 3. Eyes: This creature has found little use for eyes in the deep, dark caverns it inhabits, and its eyeballs are likely sensitive to nothing more than broad fluctuations in local lightsources (e.g. when a meal is crossing its path). Assessment: Avoid or incapacitate

Gallery

• Screenshots
• Concept Art
• Models

Front view

Side profile

Dorsal view

Bioluminescence

Size comparison to the player

A Blighter in the Blood Kelp Trench

A Blighter within the Blood Kelp Caves

Concept art

Model from Sketchfab

Trivia

• The Blighter has a similar appearance to both the Angler Fish and the Tadpole.
  • The word blight, when used as a verb, means to spoil, harm, or destroy. It also is linked with fungal infections which, coupled with its appearance, may be hinting at fungi such as ophiocordyceps unilateralis, also known as "zombie fungus" that infects ants.
• The Blighter was one of several creatures used as a placeholder species in Subnautica: Below Zero early in its development.