Monsterology: the study of monsters

[Forlong]

Thought it might be interesting to have a thread on the natural state of the monsters in the series. And what are they like when they aren't trying to eat Link?

I was wondering why the Gohmas look different in each game. Then it came to me that they are all different species in the same genus.

Blue Gohma
About 6 feet tall and 20 feet wide, this species supports its weight on all six legs. Males have a large crab-like claw.
"Legend of Zelda", "Link's Awakening", & "Oricle of Seasons"

Parasitic Gohma
The second largest species of Gohma, standing over twenty feet. Only species of Gohma that can scale walls.
"Ocarina of Time"

Flame Gohma
The largest species of Gohma, thirty feet long with massive claws in their front legs. They thrive in valcanos.
"The Wind Waker"

Armogohma
A fifteen-foot long Gohma that looks more like their spider relatives than any other species of Gohma.
"Twilight Princess"

Note: I know I missed the Gohmas from "Four Swords", but I haven't found any pics of them.

[TheManInTheMoon]

I'll throw this in here too

Stal- is a prefix that applies to anything skelatal (Stals, Stalfos, Stalchild, Stallord)

-fos is applied to humanoid creatures (Stalfos, Lizalfos, Dinalfos, Chilfos)

-blin applies to the various goblin-like enemies (Moblin, Miniblin, Bokoblin, Bulblin)

-mola applies to serpent-like creatures (Lanmola, Swamola)

Geld- (japanese version- Gerud/Gerudo) applies to desert enemies (Geldarm, Geldman)

Octo- applies Octopus-like enemies (Octorok, Octoballoon, Octogon)

Also, OoT's gohma was not 20 feet tall, maybe ~10

[Avenged]

This is because Gohma is advanced enemy, proven in The Legend of Zelda when you fight more than one Gohma. Why is there more than one Stalfos? Why is there more than one Dodongo? Why is there....more than one Link? They rehash enemies/characters to keep the series legit.

[TheManInTheMoon]

Actually, I forgot about this

http://www.vgrc.net/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=2310&view=findpost&p=10857

[Forlong]

Refining my Gohma theory...

Gohma family
Gohmas are a family of scorpions that are noted for three traits: a single non-compound eye, air sacks (that cancel out some of their weight), and three large spiracles for breathing. The last two traits allow Gohmas to grow incredibly large, the smallest the size of a house-cat. They actually have six pairs of limbs, but some of them are small and used for feeding, Gohmas are separated in Genuses based on how many legs they use to support their bodies.

Four-Legged
Tektite
Unlike other Gohmas, these travel in pods, attacking anything they consider a threat. There are over twelve different species.

Bombardier Gohma
A horse-sized Gohma that has one spiracle modified to shoot fire. They actually have a third pair of legs in the back of their bodies, but they are incapable of supporting any weight.

Parasitic Gohma
Standing 10 to 15 feet high, this was long thought to be the largest Gohma. It doesn’t actually support it’s weight on four legs, but uses most of them to manipulate food. Dispite weighing almost a quarter of a ton, they can scale walls. Females can lay eggs at will and males have the largest stinger on record.

Six-Legged
Crab Gohma
Coming in a variety of colors (blue and red being the most common), these Gohmas are highly similar to crabs. Males even possess a large claw on their right.

Crayk
Mistaken for a true crab, it is the only Gohma that takes a giant snails shell. Before taking it, the Crayk will often eat the resident occupant.

Eight-Legged or Spider Gohma
Armogohma
A spider-like Gohma 14 feet long with a large eye in the center of their bodies, as well as eight fake eyes on the “face”.

Digdogger
Varies species rang from 6 to 10 feet in width. Has vary sensitive hearing.

Twelve-Legged
Magtail Gohma
Not an actually Magtail, but vary similar. It is fire resistant and the largest species of Gohma, 25 feet long. They have the largest claws on record.

[Inflexus]

Is this a theory on the evolution of Ghoma throughout the game? Are you stating they all came from Ghoma herself?