Mirelurk (Fallout 3)

Mirelurks are mutated crustaceans living in the Capital Wasteland in 2277. They can be commonly found together with the reptilian mirelurk kings.

Characteristics
All mirelurks, except for mirelurk kings, are surrounded by a thick shell which is difficult to penetrate, even with powerful ballistic weapons such as the Gauss rifle. Their only weak spot is the face, but the area is small and difficult to hit. When charging, mirelurks will lower their head to protect this area. However, they will thrust their heads up in a headbutt and exposing their faces. The utilization of V.A.T.S. and an accurate weapon, such as a rifle, can be helpful. Low level players will find mirelurks to be among their deadliest enemies.

Mirelurk meat, especially the soft shell variety, is highly nutritious and grants some of the highest HP replenishment of any food in the game. This is reinforced by Grandma Sparkle, as she will tell the player that mirelurk meat is "the best meat in the wastes". Both are slightly radioactive, but no more than typical food. Chefs throughout the wasteland have developed many culinary uses for mirelurk; the most prominent being the creation of mirelurk cakes. In fact, a recipe for them can be found in a fridge in the Anchorage War Memorial.

Mirelurk
The basic type of the mirelurk.

‡ Due to their hard shells, shots on the torso only do half of the normal damage.

Swamplurks (designated "mirelurk" in-game) are a variation of mirelurk which inhabit the swamps of Point Lookout. They are visually identical to mirelurk hunters except for their size, their green, mossy shells from the swampy environment and the lack of vestigial limbs on their abdomen.
 * "Swamplurk"

The swamplurk is a name used to refer to mirelurk hunters found in Point Lookout, subordinate to swamplurk queens. Long-term exposure to swamps resulted in a thick coating of algae on their shell, giving them an unique, earthen coloration.

‡ Due to their hard shells, shots on the torso only do half of the normal damage.

Mirelurk hunter
A mature crab mirelurk found in the Capital Wasteland. The hunter has a reddish-brown shell and body, combining the usual mirelurk aggression with increased resilience, strength, and speed.

‡ Due to their hard shells, shots on the torso only do half of the normal damage.

Mirelurk king


† Torso shots only do 2/3 of the normal damage. ‡ Instantly cripples target's head. Cannot be used if their head is crippled.

Nukalurk
A mirelurk hunter variation that can be found exclusively in the Nuka-Cola plant. They are oddly colored, having a dark blue exoskeleton stippled with glowing blue features along certain regions of their bodies. This coloration is due to prolonged exposure and/or consumption of the radioactive strontium-90 isotope that was used in the Nuka-Cola Quantum before the Great War. Interestingly, Nukalurks appear in both "regular" and "hunter" versions like their mirelurk cousins, yet there is no difference between the two versions besides their size and appearance.

Their meat is notable for a small boost in AP as well as radiation and health; 4 rads, +10 AP, and +20 HP. However, only ten nukalurks appear in-game, limiting the amount of meat available to no more than ten.

‡ Due to their hard shells, shots on the torso only do half of the normal damage.

Swamplurk queen
Swamplurk queens are a variation of the Capital Wasteland's mirelurk kings that inhabit the swamps of Point Lookout. They look extremely similar to kings, but share the mossy coloration or swamplurks and have shimmery glowing yellow eyes.

Unlike mirelurk kings, the swamplurk queen spits acid from its mouth, similar to a centaur. Although not radioactive, this acid is highly damaging.

Strangely, even with its lack of clothing, the swamplurk queen can be pickpocketed, allowing for the player to reverse pickpocket explosives for an easy kill, if they can get close enough with a sneak. However, this results in a negative karma.

† Torso shots only do 2/3 of the normal damage. ‡ Cannot be used if their head is crippled.

Catfish mirelurk
A humanoid, mutated catfish known as a "catfish mirelurk" also appears in The Art of Fallout 3, the art book available with the collector's edition of Fallout 3.

Related quests

 * The Wasteland Survival Guide

Appearances
Mirelurks appear in Fallout 3 and its add-on, Point Lookout.

Behind the scenes

 * Scylla serrata is the binomial for the common mud crab, not the horseshoe and blue crabs from which mirelurks mutated.
 * A mire is a tract or area of wet, swampy ground, bog or marsh, so the mirelurks' name is fitting, as they tend to lurk in mires.
 * The mirelurk kings and lakelurks are similar in appearance to the creature from Creature from the Black Lagoon.
 * Early in the development of Fallout 3, when undetected, mirelurks would crouch down and fold their limbs under their shell to avoid view, making predators merely view them as a rock. When anything came closer, they would slowly stand up.

Bugs

 * Mirelurks killed in water will often flip over on their fronts and twitch. This is purely a graphical glitch related to their wireframe. Sometimes they will twitch so much they fall right through the floor, or become trapped in walls and doors while constantly playing a collision noise that can alert other enemies.
 * Sometimes when mirelurks are killed on land, body parts will sink into the textures on the floor, as much as half their body, and the remaining parts will flail and bounce.
 * If you have a follower in the water as a mirelurk swims by he/she will get stuck on the mirelurk.