Maiamai

Maiamais are a jointly snail and squid-like species appearing in. The Lost Maiamais are the children of Mother Maiamai, scattered across the lands of Hyrule and Lorule.

History
When Link first meets Mother Maiamai, she pleads for the hero to collect her children and return them, promising rewards in exchange. For every ten lost Maiamais Link finds, Mother Maiamai will upgrade one of his items (provided he owns the weapon and is not merely renting it from Ravio). In total, one hundred lost Maiamais can be found in the overworlds of Hyrule and Lorule, each of them crying for their mother.

After all Maiamais have been found, Link's Spin Attack ability will be improved to the Great Spin Attack, and Mother Maiamai will leave her cave with her children to a different dimension. After this, a single female Maiamai will stay behind in the cave, telling Link that she is the 72nd that he saved, and asking the young hero to wish her luck on being as good of a mother as Mother Maiamai.

Trivia

 * If Link stands near a Lost Maiamai, he will turn his head and stare at the Maiamai, which can be useful to find its exact location if it is hidden. This also works when Link and the Maiamais are at different elevations.
 * The Lost Maiamais are very similar to the Gold Skulltulas, as exactly one hundred are dispersed, and their capture will earn various gifts.