Octopod

Octopods are pill-shaped Octarian enemies that first appeared in Octo Valley and reappeared in Octo Canyon, and in the Octo expansion. They explode into purple ink when close to the player.

Description
Octopods are small, mechanical Octarian contraptions with two large, purple eyes, a nozzle for a mouth, and two legs adorned with indigo colored sneakers. When undisturbed, Octopods are calm and meander slowly in various directions. However, when close to a player, they become angry, jumping and hissing while charging at the supposed threat. When they are close enough to their target, they explode in a burst of purple ink. However, if Octopods are destroyed by ink before this occurs, they will instead explode in a burst of that ink.

According to the Octopod mem cake unlocked by the player in the Octo Expansion, it is possible that Octopods may indeed be outfitted Octarians, based on the fact that the mem cake reflects Agent 8's own memories of the Octopod corps and hints at their own remorse for the danger they are forced to put themselves in for the Octarian cause.

Octo Valley

 * Lair of the Octoballs (Mission #2)
 * Gusher Gauntlet (Mission #4)
 * Floating Sponge Garden (Mission #5)
 * Propeller-Lift Playground (Mission #6)
 * Inkrail Skyscape (Mission #10)
 * Inkvisible Avenues (Mission #11)
 * Tumbling Splatforms (Mission #19)

Octo Canyon

 * Welcome to Octopia (Mission #2)
 * Enter the Octohurler (Mission #4)
 * Spinning Campground (Mission #8)
 * Dancing Floors (Mission #13)
 * Propellerland (Mission #20)
 * Underground Expressway (Mission #22)

Octo Expansion

 * Bumpin' 8-Ball Station
 * Goose Station
 * Duh-Oh Station
 * Coccyx Phase

Splatoon 3
Octopods have been confirmed to return in the September 23 Nintendo Direct. It is unknown how they will function or where they will appear.

Trivia

 * Octopods could possibly be outfitted Octarians. According to the Mem cake, So principled you might explode, But when you burst who's really cursed? Your loved ones have to bear that load.
 * Unlike several Octarians, such as Octotroopers or Twintacle Octotroopers who become stationary when in "enemy" ink, Octopods will slowly wade through the player's ink, where they can be easily splatted.