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-[[Image:headcrab.jpg|250px|thumb|'''Left:''' A headcrab from ''[[Half-Life]]''. '''Right:''' Its appearance in ''[[Half-Life 2]]''.]]
-A '''headcrab''' is a fictional [[extraterrestrial life|alien]] [[parasitoid]] found in the ''[[Half-Life]]'' and ''[[Half-Life 2]]'' [[Video game|computer game]] series created by [[Valve Software]]. Headcrabs are also referred to as '''head-humpers''' by [[Barney Calhoun]] and '''parasitics''' by the [[List of humanoid and synthetic Combine in Half-Life 2#Humanoid Combine|Combine Overwatch]]. They are the most numerous and arguably most iconic aliens in the series.
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-At present, there are three different headcrab variations (two of which were introduced in ''Half-Life 2''), all possessing the ability to attach to [[human]]s and [[transhuman]]s to form [[#Headcrab zombie|zombies]]. While appearing similar to the original headcrab, both headcrab variations differ in a sense that they strictly use their four longer limbs for movement, attacking and standing, as opposed to the generally shorter limbs from the original headcrab.
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-== Standard headcrab ==
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-=== Physical description ===
-[[Image:HalfLife WalkingHeadcrab.png|thumb|While walking, a headcrab can be seen lifting its larger claws upward, leaving a pair of stubby legs to provide frontal support. In ''Half-Life 2'', the motion of its legs is more prevalent, suggesting that they are, in fact, part of the headcrab's walking mechanism.]]
-Often referred to as a normal, original, or classic headcrab to distinguish it from the other two headcrab species, the standard headcrab is a small creature consisting of a rounded body with four legs for movement (two stubby legs at the front, obscured by its claws, and two hind legs at the back; see picture) and a pair of larger frontal claws for attacking prey or as additional support when standing still. Under the headcrab's body is a large rounded mouth surrounded by pointed flesh (which also includes the headcrab's stubby front legs) with sharp claw-like "beaks." Standard headcrabs have a mottled tan-coloured skin and reddish legs.
-[[Image:HalfLife BabyHeadcrab.jpg|thumb|left|An underdeveloped infant headcrab, as seen from [[Gonarch]]'s Lair in [[Xen (Half-Life)|Xen]], ''Half-Life''.]]
-In ''Half-Life'', the standard headcrabs are shown to be the offspring of a giant creature named [[Gonarch]] (also known as "Big Mama"), which shares similar physical qualities with headcrabs. Underdeveloped "baby" headcrabs spawn at a rapid rate from a sac that dangles beneath the creature.
-<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:HalfLife2 Headcrab.jpg|thumb|right|A Headcrab from Half-Life 2.]] -->
-The design of the headcrab changes between ''Half Life'' and ''Half Life 2'', with the original headcrab having exposed teeth and intestines at their mouth, while the ''Half Life 2'' version does not. As such, it is initially apparent that the headcrab only walks with its large front claws and hind legs, while the stubby legs form part of the headcrab's mouth. The headcrabs found in ''Half-Life'' are also noticeably smaller than those in ''Half-Life 2'', which have bodies approximately the size of a [[watermelon]]. The description for the [[plush]] headcrab collectible item indicates that the six-inch toy is quarter-scale, meaning that a normal-sized headcrab is typically two [[Foot (unit of length)|feet]] in length.
-''Half-Life'' and ''Half-Life 2'' also oppositely depict the headcrab's tolerance to water and toxins: while headcrabs in ''Half-Life'' can swim but die in toxic environments, headcrabs in ''Half-Life 2'' drown instantly in deep water but easily survive in contaminated pools. The headcrab's resilience towards toxic and radioactive materials appears to be passed on to their hosts, as zombies are frequently found in conditions that would otherwise be hazardous to their hosts.
-The games also establish that while headcrabs are parasites that prey on humans, they are also prey to the creatures of their homeworld. [[Bullsquid]]s, [[Vortigaunt]]s, and [[Barnacle (Half-Life)|barnacles]] will all eat headcrabs (it should be noted that the barnacles will eat whatever they can grab); Vortigaunts can be seen cooking them on several occasions. Even humans will eat headcrabs, though they are apparently not fond of the taste ("they don't taste like crab", a human comments in ''[[Half-Life 2: Episode One]]'').
-=== Behavior ===
-By itself, a single standard headcrab is no great threat to the player or anything else. They are relatively slow-moving and their attacks do very little damage. In addition, they can be killed very easily, a single swipe of the player's crowbar or a few bullets being sufficient to dispatch any variant. The headcrab's only advantage is in its ability to leap surprisingly fast over great distances. In flight, it will tilt upwards to face its mouth towards its target, attempting to attach itself to its target in order to control it.
-Headcrabs have a penchant for lying in wait in dark corners and [[Ventilation (architecture)|ventilation shafts]]. In more open environments, headcrabs are known to bury themselves in the ground to hide, then climb out to the surface and attack when a victim draws near. Headcrabs are often seen clustered in groups to make up for their individual weakness. They will pursue their prey with single-minded determination, never fleeing despite the death of fellow headcrabs or any other dangers.
-Headcrabs can produce a variety of vocalisations. When they are not hunting, headcrabs usually emit squeaks and fairly quiet, repetitive calls while gently swaying their bodies back and forth. When attacking, headcrabs emit a sharp, shrill shriek as they leap towards their victims.
-== Fast headcrab ==
-[[Image:HL2Fastcrab.jpg|thumb|A fast headcrab.]]
-The fast headcrab, alternatively named the spider headcrab, is introduced in ''Half-Life 2''. This version, though similar in color to the standard headcrab, has long, spider-like legs, which allows it to move much faster. It does not have a "beak" like the other varieties, instead using the sharp talons at the ends of its legs to latch to hosts. It is also capable of clinging to walls and ceilings using its talons, an ability first seen in ''[[Half-Life 2: Episode One]]''.
-The origins of this species of headcrab are unclear as they were not present in the original ''Half-Life'', even when exploring regions of [[Xen (Half-Life)|Xen]] in its late chapters. It has been speculated, therefore, that these headcrabs were genetically modified by the [[Combine (Half-Life 2)|Combine]] for their own use.
-== Poison headcrab ==
-[[Image:HL2Poisoncrab.jpg|thumb|left|A poison headcrab.]]
-The poison headcrab (also known as black headcrab and venom headcrab) is also introduced in ''Half-Life 2'', shortly after the fast headcrab. This version is identifiable by its dark sage green color skin (sometimes with a wet shine, attributable to a lighting problem with ''[[Valve]]'s'' ''Source'' engine) and thick hairs on the joints of its inward bending legs. To distinguish it further it has white bands that encircle its knee joints. It also makes a chirp at range and a hissing/rattling similar to that of a [[rattlesnake]]'s tail when it detects a viable host. Unlike the other headcrabs, the poison headcrab has some survival instinct, as it will retreat when injured.
-A poison headcrab will move slowly and cautiously when maneuvering, but like the other headcrabs will quickly leap with an angry squeal when it has a clear line of sight to a potential host. At walking pace, the poison headcrab is the slowest of the headcrabs, but will run much faster than a normal headcrab if injured. Several poison headcrabs will group together on a single host once one is found; the attacking poison headcrab controls the host while the others use the new host as transportation. Since poison headcrabs are the slowest of the headcrabs, they have adapted by having the host throw them at new hosts. It should be noted that the hosts of "poison" headcrabs are quite swollen in an unnatural way.
-The most notable aspect of the poison headcrab is its namesake [[neurotoxin]] delivered from four fangs on its "mouth": in one attack this neurotoxin will reduce the player's health to one [[hitpoint]], regardless of the current health amount or HEV suit charge. However, assuming the player is not injured further, the HEV suit will provide an antidote, restoring the player to their original health total (minus that of the damage inflicted by the headcrab) at intervals of ten points every two seconds. The attack also reduces the HEV suit's charge (if any), which is not restored. While this makes it next to impossible for even a large group of poison headcrabs to kill the player, it does make fighting other enemies at the same time (other headcrabs, zombies, Combine, etc.) far more dangerous. According to ''Half-Life 2: Raising The Bar'', the development team noticed that upon hearing the poison headcrab's cries, playtesters would frantically start looking around for the poison headcrab so they could destroy it, regardless of any other present dangers.
-== Headcrab zombie ==
-A headcrab's primary goal is to attach to the head of a suitable [[host (biology)|host]] using its mouth (typically covering the face and most of the head). The headcrab then burrows its claws and hind legs into the host, whereupon it takes control of its victim's body, rendering the unfortunate individual a mindless [[zombie]]-like being known as a '''headcrab zombie''', or "[[Necrosis|necrotic]]" as the Combine Overwatch calls it.
-Once the headcrab is attached, it opens up portions of the skull with its mouth. By incorporating parts of its biological workings with the motor cortex of the host's nervous system, it is able to utilize motor functions of the host.
-Interestingly, no Xen species are seen infested with headcrabs. Indeed, the physical makeup of the headcrab, and its apparent need to clamp on the "head" of a [[humanoid]] makes it unlikely that it is capable of "zombifying" other creatures of Xen. As such, it is unclear how headcrabs subsist in their native environment, and even more unclear how this ability evolved. [[#Lamarr|Lamarr]], [[Doctor Isaac Kleiner|Dr. Kleiner]]'s pet headcrab, is fed [[watermelon]]s, which suggests that headcrabs are [[omnivore]]s.
-Like standard headcrabs, both fast headcrabs and poison headcrabs are also capable of attaching to a host's head, although these headcrabs each induce different forms of mutations on their hosts and the resulting zombies employ different strategies of attack. An unusual characteristic of both zombie variations is that only three middle fingers of the five on each zombie's hands develop into claws, compared to all the fingers on a standard headcrab zombie. In addition, neither two variants have a describable "maw" nor the chest cavity that normal headcrab zombies possess, although fast zombies do have cracked rib cages and seemingly no internal organs, creating a hollow space.
-In most cases, a headcrab remains attached to its host until destroyed. In ''Half-Life 2'', however, they have the ability to abandon their host if it is wounded significantly. Removal of the headcrab reveals that the host's face and head has been eaten away by the creature; the degree of such damage on these areas depends on the type of headcrab in control (for example, a standard headcrab zombie will have, at most, have a pale distortion to their face and blood spewed at the ends of their hair, while a fast headcrab zombie will have only their skull visable). In ''Half-Life 2'', horrified sounds emanating from headcrab zombies imply that, while wounded to a point which would make loss of headcrab control fatal, the host creature is at least partially aware of its horrific situation. Playing parts of a victim's sound file backwards produces extremely disturbing yells of pain. The cries have been interpreted as "God, help!", "Kill me!", "Why! Why! Why!", "Get it off me!", "Help me!", and, usually when they are on fire, "Why light me?!" and "I like this!".
-=== Standard headcrab zombie ===
-[[Image:Headcrab ZombieComparison.jpg|thumb|A standard headcrab and host from the original ''[[Half-Life]]'' (left) and ''[[Half-Life 2]]'' (right).]]
-When a standard headcrab successfully attaches to a host, the host becomes a standard headcrab zombie. The headcrab's alien [[physiology]] causes various [[mutation]]s to rapidly manifest in its host, giving it elongated claws, increased strength, and what appears to be a sharp-toothed "mouth" that bisects the victim's chest cavity from neck to groin. This giant mouth has inspired the nickname "Mawmen". In ''Half-Life 2'', their appearance is slightly different; the "teeth" of the mouth are clearly revealed as protruding ribs: a ripped open chest cavity and no sternum. The official Prima game guide for ''Half-Life 2'' still mentions the "Mawmen" nickname, however. An effect that signals a zombie's presence in the run-down areas of City 17 is the buzz of flies, showing that the corrupted body of the victim is rotting.
-<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:New Zombie.jpg|thumb|100px|The Zombie for the new Half-Life game Black Mesa Source.]] -->
-The standard headcrab zombie can be detected by the moaning sound it makes when moving, which also suggests that it is in pain. Once it detects a victim, it slowly and purposefully edges its way towards them, using its claws and enhanced strength to beat them to death. Because headcrab zombies are slow, they are often found in confined spaces and/or in large numbers to compensate. In addition, standard headcrab zombies will often feign death until the player approaches, catching them off-guard. The zombies appear to retain very little of their former intelligence and blindly pursue prey, oblivious to other dangers. This makes them especially vulnerable to traps, and the town of Ravenholm in ''Half-Life 2'' is primed with fire and crushing traps to capitalize on this. In ''Half-Life 2'', they can swat loose objects on the ground when they run into them, creating potentially lethal projectiles. Some of the zombies encountered in the game have no body below their waists; they crawl around with their arms and swing at the player. Though slower, these half-zombies are harder to approach.
-[[Image:HalfLifeOpposingForce Gonome.jpg|thumb|125px|left|A gonome in ''[[Half-Life: Opposing Force|Opposing Force]]''.]]
-===Gonome===
-The gonome is apparently the next step of a standard headcrab zombie's mutation. It is larger, stronger, and more intelligent than "ordinary" zombies; it also produces a volatile [[saliva]] (similar to that of a [[bullsquid]]) that the creature can retrieve from its chest "maw" and throw as a weapon. Gonomes can create lairs, or "nests", for themselves with enough time. Gonomes appear only in the [[expansion pack]] ''[[Half-Life: Opposing Force]]''.
-=== Fast headcrab zombie ===
-[[Image:Half-Life 2 fast zombie.jpg|thumb|100px|A fast headcrab zombie.]]
-When a fast headcrab attaches to a host, it produces a fast headcrab zombie. These zombies are stripped of their outer [[skin]], some [[biological tissue|body tissue]], and most or all [[Organ (anatomy)|organs]], leaving large parts of the victim's [[human skeleton|skeleton]] exposed. They retain the elongated claws like the normal headcrab zombies. As the name suggests, the fast headcrab zombie is, like the headcrab that spawned it, much faster than the normal variant. It can not only run, but can also jump great distances and rapidly climb walls, despite the absence of most of their muscle tissue. They also move on all four limbs, but stand on two legs when attacking a victim.
-Fast zombies, if not visually detected well in advance when leaping across buildings, betray their presence with the ear-piercing howl they let out. They also scream when they are about to attack. A fast headcrab zombie's usual method of attacking, when given a clear distance between it and its prey, is to leap forward several yards in an attempt to tackle and claw its prey into the ground. Though they are not as numerous as standard zombies, they often attack in groups of two to three.
-=== Poison headcrab zombie ===
-[[Image:Half-Life 2 poison zombie.jpg|thumb|100px|A poison headcrab zombie with several additional poison headcrabs riding on its back.]]
-Poison headcrabs produce the poison headcrab zombie, a bloated, reddish/purplish, slow-moving, and hunched-over "carrier" for other poison headcrabs. It is the strongest and most resilient form of headcrab zombie in terms of damage capability and overall health. It should be noted that when (or after) killing the poison zombie in Half Life 2, the host is missing most of the skin on its back thereby revealing its spine. This has most likely been stripped away as food source for the poison headcrabs that ride on the back, or to allow for other headcrabs access to the host's neural system.
-A poison zombie reveals its presence with its distinctive, strangled, heavy breathing and muffled moans. Despite being created from a poison headcrab, poison zombies cannot poison others, though the poison headcrabs it carries certainly can; the poison headcrab zombie, like other zombies, attacks with its claws. Though the poison zombie can do great damage if the player approaches it, its most dangerous weapon is the extra poison headcrabs it carries. The poison zombie can grab the poison headcrabs on its back and hurl them great distances. Furthermore, poison headcrabs hurled in such a manner are always in attack position, guaranteeing that the player will be poisoned if they connect. The poison headcrabs can also jump off by themselves if the player approaches. Whenever a poison headcrab zombie dies, it usually emits noises that bear a vague resemblance to a [[wild ass]].
-[[Image:Zombine2.jpg|thumb|100px|left|A Zombine.]]
-=== Zombine ===
-''[[Half-Life 2: Episode One]]'' introduces headcrab zombies created from [[transhuman]] [[List of humanoid and synthetic Combine in Half-Life 2#Combine Soldier and Nova Prospekt Prison Guard|Combine Soldier]]. [[Alyx Vance]] coins the term "Zombine" for them as a [[portmanteau]] of "Zombie" and "Combine". Only Zombines controlled by normal headcrabs appear in ''Episode One'' and ''Episode Two''. The introduction of the Zombine enemy was meant to show that, in the wake of the devastation caused by the player in ''Half-Life 2'', what was once a valuable weapon in the Combine arsenal is now just as dangerous to them as humans.<ref name="Devcomlowlife">''Half-Life 2: Episode One'', Chapter III: Lowlife, Developers commentary [2006]</ref>
-In terms of physical characteristics, a Zombine is more or less built the same as a standard headcrab zombie. The differences lie in what the victim was wearing at the time: the body armor of the Combine soldier still covers the Zombine's body, hiding the chest mouth and making them harder to kill. Removal of a Zombine's headcrab reveals that, aside from the lower jaw and small lower portion of skull, no head or helmet remains on the soldier's corpse. The official Prima strategy guide for ''Episode One'' indicates that the lack of a head is meant to be an intentional mystery, but also suggests that headcrabs do not require a brain to connect to their host. Zombines might also manifest at least partial awareness of their state, much like regular zombies. This is evidenced by its "speech" which is composed of zombie growls and Combine soldier reports, such as "Necrotics inbound" or "Sector's not secure". Another theory behind this is that the Combine have a built in autonomous system which produces reflex responses.
-<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:Zombine.jpg|thumb|100px|"Look out! It's got a GRENADE!"]] -->
-Zombines, like regular zombies, groan constantly, which are filtered through the soldier's [[vocoder]] (this occurs despite the fact that the Zombine has a total lack of skull and mask, presumably because the voicebox is implanted in the neck). Zombines move faster than normal headcrab zombies (capable of short sprints), but slower than the fast variety. They do more damage than their normal counterparts and are more resilient as well, owing to their genetic enhancements and armor. Aside from their regular attack, Zombines will occasionally pull out a grenade, turning them into potent if brief walking bombs. Zombines often opt to chase the player upon producing the grenade, making them all the more likely to cause damage with it. The player can use the gravity gun to pull the grenade out of the Zombine's hand and punt it away towards other enemies, thereby negating the danger.
-===Headcrab zombie torso===
-<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:Half-Life zombie torso.jpg|thumb|100px|A Crawling Zombie Torso.]] -->
-Headcrab zombie's torsos are scattered around ''Half-Life 2'' and comprise of the top half of a headcrab zombie. They move by crawling across the floor, and once in range of the player will attempt to swipe at them with their claws. As they have no legs, they move slower than full-bodied zombies. Some headcrab zombies, when chopped in half, become zombie torsos. It would appear that the others die from the impact.
-Similar to normal headcrab zombies and headcrabs, there are different spieces of zombie torsos, only two of which have been seen thus far. Standard headcrab zombie torsos were present in the original ''Half-Life 2'' and were rather slow. Fast headcrab zombie torsos were found in ''[[Half-Life 2: Episode 2]]'' and faster than their standard counterparts. They are present primarily in the Junk Yard, but can be found elsewhere.
-<!-- This subsection requires an image for a fast headcrab zombie -->
-== Lamarr ==<!-- This section is linked from [[Lamarr]] -->
-[[Image:HalfLife2 Lamaar & Kleiner.jpg|thumb|[[Doctor Isaac Kleiner]] attempts to coax Lamarr into hopping on his head in ''[[Half-Life 2]]'' (due to Lamarr's "debeaking", the headcrab can no longer attach firmly to a victim to control it).]]
-Introduced in ''Half-Life 2'', Lamarr is the domesticated headcrab belonging to [[Doctor Isaac Kleiner]]. Having been debeaked, thereby eliminating her ability to attach to and control a host, Lamarr has been rendered into a semi-tame pet for Kleiner and a nuisance to anyone else she comes into contact with. Kleiner states that "the worst she might do is attempt to couple with your head…fruitlessly," behavior that leads [[Barney Calhoun]] to dub her "freakin' head-humper." Lamarr is named after the late 1930s [[actor|actress]] and [[inventor]] [[Hedy Lamarr]], as evidenced when Dr. Kleiner alternatively calls her "Hedy" in the conclusion of the chapter "Entanglement".
-Lamarr serves as the catalyst for the first few chapters of the single player campaign is in ''Half-Life 2''. When [[Gordon Freeman]] attempts to use Kleiner's teleporter, Lamarr jumps from a vent and damages it while Gordon's teleport is in progress, forcing Gordon to proceed on foot once the malfunction subsides and leaving Lamarr behind in one of the accidental destinations of the teleport. When Alyx and Gordon return to the lab some time later, Alyx has to stay behind to help Kleiner catch her, as Kleiner refuses to leave without her. Lamarr makes her final appearance in ''Half-Life 2'' after the credits, dropping down into a black background and then leaping towards the screen as part of a [[post-credits scene|stinger sequence]]. Lamarr is safe and sound in ''Episode One'', where she makes a brief cameo appearance, causing further mischief to Dr. Kleiner during his live and unedited evacuation broadcast in City 17. She makes yet another appearance in ''Episode Two'', where the player can see her climb into [[Arne Magnusson|Dr. Magnusson]]'s rocket, which is launched shortly before the end of the game. Later conversation about the launch implies that Lamarr may have gone up with the rocket.
-== Use as biological weapons ==
-[[Image:HalfLife2 Headcrab-Shell.jpg|thumb|Headcrabs emerging from a deployed headcrab shell.]]
-While headcrabs are merely wild parasites in ''Half-Life'', ''Half-Life 2'' shows that the Earth-occupying [[Combine (Half-Life 2)|Combine]] alien race have put them to use as an unstable but effective [[biological weapon]] against the human Resistance. By storing several headcrabs into "Headcrab shells", man-sized [[shell (projectile)|projectiles]] fired from a mortar-like launcher (only one is featured, in ''[[Half-Life 2: Lost Coast]]'', but there would presumably be more for such a weapons system to be effective), the Combine can bombard distant areas with them. The payload of each shell is released into the open shortly after impact, free to infest or kill nearby victims without risk to the Combine forces. As in the unfortunate case of the devastated town [[Ravenholm]], repeated bombings can neutralize entire towns in a short space of time.
-Headcrab shells commonly carry standard headcrabs and fast headcrabs, as can be seen throughout ''Half-Life 2''; poison headcrabs are only seen emerging from headcrab shells during the church battle in ''Half-Life 2: Lost Coast'' and in the ''Exit 17'' chapter of ''[[Half-Life 2: Episode One]]''. The only example in ''Half-Life 2'' is where the player can enter a house which has been bombed by a headcrab shell during the ''Highway 17'' mission. Searching the house will reveal several poison headcrabs and a poison headcrab zombie, but no other types, indicating that the shell contained poison headcrabs. The number of headcrabs in a missile varies between species of headcrab.
-<!-- Verification that more Fast headcrabs are present would be nice ;) -->
-The Combine's mechanism for obtaining large numbers of headcrabs for use in these shells was revealed in [[Half-Life 2 controversies and criticisms#Source code leak|''Half-Life 2'''s 2003 code leak]], in which a model of an amputated [[Gonarch]] sac could be found suspended in a Combine-built frame.[http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showpost.php?p=1422652&postcount=30] Officially, however, no reason has been given. It is also speculated that the species of fast and poison headcrab were genetically modified by the Combine for their own purposes.
-==Merchandise==
-[[Image:Headcrabhat.PNG|thumb|A Valve Headcrab plush toy.]]
-In order to fulfill their fans' demand for headcrabs, Valve released a [[plush]] headcrab for sale at the [http://www.store.valvesoftware.com Valve Store]. It featured posable limbs, a number of teeth and claws and a gaping maw. The headcrab went out of sale within a few months. For a 2006 Christmas special, along with the re-release of the plush headcrab, fans can buy a headcrab hat, specially designed to give the impression that the wearer is under attack from the parasitic alien.
-==Similarities to other fictional creatures==
-The headcrab is very similar to the [[facehugger]] in the ''[[Alien (film series)|Alien]]'' movies, as both have no visible eyes and must leap onto their host. Although their purposes for their hosts are different, there are many similarities between the creatures. For example, the fast headcrab zombie is similar to the [[Xenomorph (Alien)#Runner|Runner or Dog Xenomorph]].The [[brainsucker]] aliens of ''[[X-Com: Apocalypse]]''.  [[Brainsucker]]s are small four-legged yellow creatures that leap onto a victim's head, though [[brainsucker]]s fall off and die following a successful zombification.  The [[Flood (Halo)|Flood]] parasite from the [[Halo (series)|''Halo'' video game series]] are also similar to headcrabs, to the point that some new players refer to the Infection Form as "headcrabs". Remotely similar to the headcrabs, the Flood parasites send needle-like tentacles into the victim's neck to control the victim via the spinal column, though they are filled with flammable gas and explode violently when killed. They also turn their victims into zombies, although they act more intelligently, using firearms and vehicles.  They too, have many different forms as of ''[[Halo 3]]''.  Though the first ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved|Halo]]'' game was released after ''Half-life'', the conceptual genesis of the Flood actually pre-dates Half-life with Bungie's earlier game ''[[Marathon 2: Durandal]]'' as can be seen in some of the concept art for that game.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.bungie.net/projects/marathon/asset_popup_viewer.aspx?at=51&cc=33&item=2|title= Marathon Series Concept Art|accessdate=2007-11-09 |format= [[HTML]] and [[JPEG]]|work= Concept art by Robert McLees}}</ref> The headcrab's parasitic ability is also speculated to be inspired by the capability of the [[Emerald Cockroach Wasp]] to paralyze and control "zombie" cockroaches, in a manner that could be similar to how a headcrab controls its host [http://loom.corante.com/archives/2006/02/02/the_wisdom_of_parasites.php].
-Similar plot devices are used though fiction such as in [[Ian Livingstone]]'s fighting fantasy book ''[[Island of the Lizard King]]'', involving a creature called a "Gonchong" whose proboscis would burrow into the head of a host to control it, [[Clark Ashton Smith]]'s short story ''The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis'' features slug-like creatures that eat away human skulls, then control their victims through neural stimulus; unlike the Gonchong, the headcrab does not actually bury into the skull of the host. In the [[Star Trek]] film ''[[Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan|The Wrath of Khan]]'', [[Ceti eel]]s are used. In all these examples an animal is used to control the thought and or actions of a human host.
-==References==
-{{reflist}}
-{{Half-Life characters}}
-[[Category:Fictional parasites]]
-[[Category:First-person shooter creatures]]
-[[Category:Half-Life characters]]
-[[es:Hadcrab]]
-[[fr:Crabe de tête]]
-[[uz:Hedkrab]]
-[[pl:Headcrab]]
-[[pt:Headcrab]]
-[[ru:Хедкраб]]