Croctopus

A Croctopus holding a "D" letter in the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country.

Croctopi are octopus-like enemies found underwater in Donkey Kong Country. Their name is a portmanteau of crocodile and octopus. These creatures attack Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong by spinning their sharp, poisonous tentacles at any passersby. Their tentacles are even fatal to the Kongs' ally, Enguarde the Swordfish. Purple Croctopi move in fixed patterns around blocks of coral reef, while in the level "Croctopus Chase", several blue Croctopi chase the Kongs for a long stretch. Although Croctopi do not appear in Donkey Kong Land, the game does feature a single stage which features several Nautili, which, according to the game's instruction manual, are called "Nemo". Several Croctopi can also be seen in the Donkey Kong Country comic published in the Club Nintendo magazine; one of them attacks the Kongs and Enguarde.

Trivia

• The color scheme of a Croctopus is similar to that of the extremely poisonous blue-ringed octopus.
• Several octopi similar in appearance to a Croctopus, appear in the game Banjo-Tooie in the level "Jolly Roger's Lagoon".
• In the Game Boy Advance remake of Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble, a boss named Kroctopus appears. Despite the similar name, Kroctopus is extremely different from a Croctopus: it is large, green, has three eyes, and crab-like claws on the end of its tentacles.