Cheep Cheep

Cheep Cheeps (sometimes formatted as Cheep-Cheeps or Cheep-cheeps) are fish that made their first appearance in Super Mario Bros. in the underwater levels. They are common recurring enemies throughout the Mario franchise. They are found mostly in the water but they can jump out of the water as well like in Mario Super Sluggers. There are many different species of Cheep Cheeps, and they come in different colors, including yellow and green. The most common ones, however, are red with a white patch on their stomach, a yellow (originally white) tail fin, a mohawk-like dorsal fin and wing-like fins. They also have blue eyes and pink lips. Cheep Cheeps have fins shaped like wings and may attack above the surface of the water by jumping out in an arc. Given this, Cheep Cheeps seem to be inspired by flying fish, who behave similarly. Most Cheep Cheeps appear to be affiliated with Bowser and the Koopa Troop, while others, such as the ones seen in Super Paper Mario, are not. When in water, they are extremely passive, simply swimming forward or in an arc, only damaging Mario if he touches them.

Super Mario Bros. / Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
In Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Cheep Cheeps are found in the underwater levels, swimming towards the player, where they can only be defeated with a fireball, or if Mario is invincible. They are found in all of the water levels and can usually be seen with Bloopers. In some levels, red Cheep Cheeps become less predictable obstacles by leaping from the bottom of the screen. These can be defeated in a single jump, but it's hard to do so, as they jump very high. They often appear in pit-heavy areas, and can foul Mario's attempts to cross should they jump directly under him.

There are two kinds of Cheep Cheeps in the game. One of them is colored red and moves moderately fast. The other is colored gray (green in Super Mario All-Stars) and moves more slowly. However, this could imply that the gray Cheep Cheeps were meant to be green, but appear gray due to the underwater palette (and green-colored enemies to appear gray underwater).

Super Mario Bros. 3
In Super Mario Bros. 3, Cheep Cheeps appear in red and green variants. The red ones usually leap out of water and sometimes even lava, while the green ones swim back and forth in water. The game was also to include yellow Cheep Cheeps, which were to move even faster than red Cheep Cheeps and appear in trios, but they were taken out due to unknown reasons. This game also introduced infant and adult male and female versions of Cheep Cheep - Baby Cheep and its mother, Big Bertha, as well as the feared Boss Bass. Spiny Cheep Cheeps also debut in this game, but the NES manual simply calls them "Cheep-cheeps," describing them as thorny.

In addition to the NES version's yellow Cheep Cheeps, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 was also going to feature the beached Cheep Cheeps of Super Mario World in its extra levels, but they were removed. Unlike in Super Mario World, they hurt Mario if he runs into them.

Super Mario World
In Super Mario World, they appear both as a slow-moving fish found underwater and contained in floating bubbles, although they are only found in bubbles when they appear on land. If Cheep Cheeps are on land flipping around, Mario or Luigi can simply run into them to defeat them. They can also be defeated with a Cape, Yoshi, or fireballs.

Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS
In Super Mario 64, Cheep Cheeps (known here as Bubs ) appear in Dire, Dire Docks. They are colored orange and yellow in this game, and have visible scales. These slow-moving fish will follow Mario when he swims, but they don't tend to attack him. However, if Mario touches one, he will be damaged, thus losing health. They are also indestructible. The Player's Guide describes it as "one cool koi" - although, along with their big brother, there are actually only two of them in the game. In Super Mario 64 DS, they were redesigned to resemble the usual appearance of Cheep Cheeps, and they pose even less of a threat to the heroes, though they still cause the heroes to lose health if they run into them.

Super Mario Sunshine
There are three varieties of Cheep Cheeps in Super Mario Sunshine. An orange variety is found in Ricco Harbor, Delfino Airstrip, and sometimes during the King Boo fight in Sirena Beach, a flaming, maroon variant lives in the lava in Corona Mountain, and a pink variety can be found in Noki Bay, Gelato Beach, and Delfino Airstrip.

The orange and charred varieties make huge leaps and can be defeated by either a jump or with F.L.U.D.D., and can also turned into platforms by Yoshi's juice. However, they will keep respawning. If King Boo spins three question marks on the slot machine during his battle, he may spit out two Cheep Cheeps, but they'll flop about upside down. The pink ones will actively hunt Mario down, and, if he gets too close, they will catch Mario in their mouths and drag him down into the water, however, they do not pose any other threat. These Cheep Cheeps are invincible to all of Mario's attacks, and it's unknown if Yoshi can defeat them since they're found in deep waters that Mario typically can't reach with Yoshi. They have blue fins on their tails and back in this game, as well as blue spots on their undersides and a slightly flatter body shape.

New Super Mario Bros.
In New Super Mario Bros., Cheep Cheeps behave the same way as in other platformers and have a larger version. However, three types are introduced: the Deep Cheep, Cheep Chomp and Spike Bass. Deep Cheeps and Cheep Chomps chase Mario when they appear on-screen. Deep Cheeps can't turn around, but Cheep Chomps can. The Deep Cheep also has a larger version. The Spike Bass acts similar to the Boss Bass, except that it uses its spines to attack, damaging Mario, instead of eating him, costing a life. In World 2-4, a strange Cheep Cheep appears in a bonus area. It swims in a wavy line and trails six coins behind it.

Super Mario Galaxy
Cheep Cheeps reappear in Super Mario Galaxy, acting the same way as they did in older games. They only appear in the Deep Dark Galaxy, in the second and third missions. In the second mission, they appear on a small planet, half of which is covered in a thin layer of water, and bounce up and down around the planet. They can be defeated either with a spin or by jumping on them. One appears underwater in the third mission, which can only be beaten with a spin or Koopa Shell. They are also seen in the epilogue, jumping out of the water near Princess Peach's Castle.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Cheep Cheeps also reappear in the game New Super Mario Bros. Wii. In this game, there are three colors of Cheep Cheep: red, green, and golden. Spiny Cheep Cheeps also make an appearance.

The red Cheep Cheeps behave just like they did in the original New Super Mario Bros..

The golden colored Cheep Cheeps, Eep Cheeps, are always found in schools, called Cheep Cheep Schools. They will also swim away from players whenever they get close, the complete opposite of the Deep Cheep's behavior. The Eep Cheeps seem to resemble the unused yellow Cheep Cheeps of Super Mario Bros. 3.

Super Mario Galaxy 2
Cheep Cheeps reappear in Super Mario Galaxy 2, but are much more common than in its predecessor. They appear in water-themed galaxies such as Cosmic Cove Galaxy and Starshine Beach Galaxy, but they don't hop on land. They are now found swimming near the surface and can be defeated by a spin, jump, or by Yoshi's tongue. They can not be stunned with a Star Bit.

Super Mario 3D Land
Cheep Cheeps reappear in Super Mario 3D Land as underwater enemies in some of the levels, including some of World 3. They can also jump out of water. This time, stomping on a Cheep Cheep underwater won't harm Mario. Additionally, they can be flattened by using Ground Pound whilst underwater. They can also be defeated by fireballs, tail whips, boomerang hits, and turning into Statue Mario above them. They first appear in World 1-1 where they will attempt to hit Mario by jumping out of the water.

New Super Mario Bros. 2
Cheep Cheeps reappear in New Super Mario Bros. 2, where they jump out of water trying to harm Mario or Luigi. After the Mario Brothers touch a Gold Ring, Cheep Cheeps (among other enemies) will turn golden. In this state, they are followed by a row of five coins. There are also some that swim in a circle similar to the Circling Boo Buddies.

New Super Mario Bros. U
Cheep Cheeps reappear in New Super Mario Bros. U. They behave exactly like in past titles. Jumping Cheep Cheeps also appear, as well as the Eep Cheeps. There is also a new type of Cheep Cheep, known as the Mecha Cheep, that appears in underwater airships. They seem to be mechanical, and they use propellers on their fins to move forward.

Super Mario 3D World
Cheep Cheeps appear in Super Mario 3D World, but only in the first half of Pipeline Lagoon.

Super Mario Odyssey
Cheep Cheeps will appear in Super Mario Odyssey, where they are found in the Seaside Kingdom. Here, they can be captured by Mario, during which they gain his hat, eyes, and mustache, and allow him to swim more quickly. Other than that, Cheep Cheeps seem to behave in the same way they usually do in their 3D appearances, swimming back and forth in a predictable pattern.

Nintendo Adventure Books
As Luigi and Toad are exploring Water Land in Leaping Lizards, some Cheep Cheeps jump from the water to try and attack them, but most are avoided; some of the fish also appear three weeks later among the crowds at the International Mushroom Games. This book also describes Cheep Cheeps as having crab-like claws when one pinches Toad. In Pipe Down!, Ludwig von Koopa will sic some Cheep Cheeps on the Mario Bros. if they attempt to attack him directly during one portion of the book, and some will attack Mario along with some other monsters if he pulls the wrong nob on Ludwig's giant pipe organ.

If Mario, Luigi, Toad and the Mushroom King are run down by a group of Dino Rhinos in Flown the Koopa, they will lose their tickets to the International Dino-Flying Derby, which will end up being blown into a tree inhabited by Cheep Cheeps by a gust of wind. If Mario is chosen to get the tickets back, he will succeed, stomping the irritated Cheep Cheep he takes them from. If Luigi tries to get the tickets instead, a Cheep Cheep will bite him and cause him to fall out of the tree and into a patch of Munchers, causing a Game Over.

Mario Kart series
Cheep Cheeps are fairly common obstacles in Mario Kart series. They also have a few courses named after them. In the first game, Super Mario Kart, in Koopa Beach 1 and Koopa Beach 2, they are are obstacles that spins out the player if the player collides with one. A Cheep Cheep balloon holds the trophy during the award ceremony, which reappears in Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart: Super Circuit. A giant Cheep Cheep appears in Banshee Boardwalk in Mario Kart 64, though it is not an obstacle. In Mario Kart: Super Circuit. There is a course named Cheep-Cheep Island. Larger Cheep Cheeps can be seen jumping in the background here. The Cheep Cheeps in Koopa Beach 1 and Koopa Beach 2, however, are absent. In Mario Kart DS, Cheep Cheeps again have a course named after them, called Cheep Cheep Beach. Koopa Beach 2 additionally returns, and the Cheep Cheeps reappear as hazards. Banshee Boardwalk also returns, but the giant Cheep Cheep is replaced with a Boss Bass. In mission 1-4, Wario must defeat five Cheep Cheeps with a Star.

Cheep Cheeps make minor appearances in Mario Kart Wii. In Koopa Cape, when the player enters the underwater tunnel, Cheep Cheeps are seen in the background. Also, the Cheep Charger is a Kart that resembles Cheep Cheeps for light-weighted characters. In Mario Kart 7, Cheep Cheeps once again appear on the returning course Koopa Cape. They are minor obstacles in Cheep Cheep Lagoon and Daisy Cruiser, which can push players, but generally swim above them.

In Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, a few Cheep Cheeps appear in the underwater section of one of the courses.

Cheep Cheeps return in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, in the retro track DS Cheep Cheep Beach and again serve as obstacles. Additionally, two golden Cheep Cheep statues are above the start/finish line in Dragon Driftway.

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins again features Cheep Cheeps. Cheep Cheeps hinder Mario's progress through the Macro and Turtle Zones by swimming back and forth in the water, like a Goomba. Among the other fish, they are accompanied by similar-looking Blurps. They can be destroyed by a tossed Green Shell or a fireball.

Yoshi franchise
Cheep Cheeps appear in several Yoshi games, though they are named Flopsy Fish in the English versions. They make their first appearance in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (pictured at right) and reappear in Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3, Tetris Attack (as a character, paired with a Lunge Fish), Yoshi Touch & Go, and Yoshi's Island DS. They are a bit bigger than in most games and either jump out of water or just swim around, and a more aggressive version repeatedly jumps out of the water with its mouth open. They can't be turned into eggs if Yoshi eats them. The level "Lake Shore Paradise" has one of them as a map screen icon. In Yoshi Touch & Go, a blue, spiky version similar to a Spiny Cheep Cheep appears that has not been seen since. In Yoshi's New Island, they more closely resemble Mario series Cheep Cheeps.

More traditional Cheep Cheeps are found in the Yoshi's Story and Yoshi's Woolly World. In the former, they are found in the seas in stages 5-1: Lots O'Jelly Fish and 5-2: Lots O'Fish. Some swim back and forth in one small area, while others swim continuously forward in a more-or-less straight line. Two giant versions from the "Blurp" family also make their debut. In the latter, they appear with a knitted appearance as they are made out of yarn.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
In the English version of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Cheep Cheeps appear under the name Goby. They are actually Cheep Cheeps, as they share the same Japanese name (Pukupuku). Gobies dwell underwater in Kero Sewers. They roam the waterways, battling intruders who invade their territory. In battle, a Goby will lower its head and ram into its enemy. Gobies have no special attacks, and they are weak against lightning-based magic attacks.

The water of Kero Sewers can be drained. Without water, Gobies flop around erratically on the dry ground. However, when engaged, Gobies will use their fins as wings, allowing them to fly for short periods of time. While flying, Gobies attack in the same way as they do when swimming. Gobies also have green-skinned relatives called Mr. Kippers.

Paper Mario series
In the Paper Mario series, Cheep Cheeps are portrayed as sentient and can travel on land. As indicated in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, many even have jobs, such as blimp conductor and chef. The most significant of these land-dwelling fish is Sushie, a female Cheep Cheep who is among Mario's many partners in Paper Mario.

Super Paper Mario
Though they are allies in the first two games, Cheep Cheeps also appear as enemies in Super Paper Mario. A Shayde from The Underwhere told another of his species about how he lost his game and mentioned that he swam like a Cheep Cheep and lost by being eaten by a Boss Bass.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star
Cheep Cheeps return as enemies in the Nintendo 3DS game Paper Mario: Sticker Star. In this game, they are only red, unlike in Super Paper Mario where they were also green. Cheep Cheeps only appear in Whitecap Beach, where they jump out of the water, or poisoned water if Gooper Blooper hasn't been defeated. In this game Cheep Cheeps like poison just like Snifits. They have the same HP as Spinies do and can be defeated without battling them however, they will respawn no matter what. In battle, they can either slam into Mario or shoot a jet of water. Failure to block this attack will have around a 75% chance that could give Mario the Soggy status effect.

A Big Cheep Cheep also serves as a mini-boss and is fought in Surfshine Harbor.

Paper Mario: Color Splash
Cheep Cheeps return in Paper Mario: Color Splash. They have the same appearance and behavior as they do in Paper Mario: Sticker Star. They appear in Bloo Bay Beach, where they jump out of the water at Mario. Small Cheep Cheeps appear in the Sacred Forest.

Mario Golf series
In Mario Golf, either a Boss Bass in its Super Mario 64 design or a Cheep Cheep in its Yoshi's Story design will jump out of the water if the ball lands in it. Cheep Cheep is also the theme of Mario's Star Hole 4. Cheep Cheeps do not make a physical appearance in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour but instead have a course named after them, Cheep Cheep Falls. Cheep Cheeps return in Mario Golf: World Tour, swimming around the Cheep Cheep Lagoon course.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Cheep Cheeps appeared as enemies at the Oho Ocean. They had the same coloration as in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. If the player jumps on them, they turn into Puffer-Cheeps, Cheep Cheeps covered in spines.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Cheep Cheeps reappear in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam as enemies, but this time, instead of blue, they appear in their normal red appearance as seen in various Mario games. In battle, they sometimes fight alongside Urchins. Hammer attacks do not affect them, as they float above the ground. Cheep Cheeps can attack by jumping into or over the Mario Bros. They can also attack by spitting water, which can be countered with a hammer. If they hit Paper Mario with their water attack, he will become Creased and will be unable to use or make copies of himself. If a battle is started with a Cheep Cheep as it is heading back to the water, the Cheep Cheeps will be tired and unable to float, allowing hammer attacks to be used. While they are tired, they will occasionally flee from battle.

Mario Party series
Cheep Cheeps have made multiple appearances with various roles, often as obstacles in minigames, minor non-playable characters, or simple decoration. In Mario Party, stepping on a Happening Space in Yoshi's Tropical Island results in a rather large Cheep Cheep taking Toad in its mouth and switching his position with Bowser. It was renamed "Bubba" in the English release. Cheep Cheeps appear in Mario Party 2, in the minigame Abandon Ship, consuming players that are too slow. They more closely resemble their appearance in Super Mario 64. A single large Cheep Cheep appears in Mario Party 3, in the minigame Cheep Cheep Chase. They look the same as in their previous appearance. Here, it chases players while players dive to avoid mines. Players that are too slow are eaten by the Cheep Cheep.

A single Cheep Cheep appears in Mario Party 4, in the minigame Fish n' Drips. Here, the Fishin' Lakitu drops it in the winning group's jar, which is also shaped like a Cheep Cheep. In the 2 vs. 2 minigame Cheep Cheep Sweep, players catch Cheep Cheeps and release them into a small pool to gain points.

In Mario Party Advance, there are two Cheep Cheeps that appear in Shroom City. One of them is golden, and is a swim coach; the other is the normal red color and is the swim student. Generic Cheep Cheeps also appear in Reel Cheep, in which the player must catch a substantially heavy Cheep Cheep

The Mario Party 5 minigame Fish Sticks features players trying various fishing lines to score Cheep Cheeps. In Fish Upon a Star, Cheep Cheeps of various sizes leap and crash into the star-shaped landmass, causing parts to fall. Players must avoid these Cheep Cheeps and falling. Players in the 2 vs. 2 minigame, Submarathon, cooperate on getting their Cheep Cheep submarine to the finish line.

In Mario Party 6, Cheep Cheeps are one of the possible images in Slot Trot.

In Mario Party 7, Cheep Cheeps appear in many minigames, including Fish & Cheeps, Bridge Work, and Be My Chum!, all serving as obstacles that knock out players if they touch them. There is also a Cheep Cheep in the Grand Canal that will squirt a player who lands on its Happening Space (which is in front of what looks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa) back to the start.

Cheep Cheeps make two cameo appearances in Mario Party 8. One is in the minigame Rowed to Victory. They appear in the background watching the players row their boat. After that, they assist a Big Cheep Cheep in chasing the losers. Also they appear as one of the pictures in Picture Perfect.

In the Mario Party DS minigame Cheep Chump, the player must avoid getting caught in whirlpools Cheep Cheeps create. There is another minigame called Cheep Cheep Chance, where the player must choose the rope with the Cheep Cheep on it.

In Mario Party 9, a giant Cheep Cheep is one of the bosses that appear in the game. It is the mini-boss of Blooper Beach. The Cheep Cheep is faced in the minigame Cheep Cheep Shot, in which the players must attack the Cheep Cheep by tossing shells at it while avoiding its attacks, which are charging directly at a player, or by diving at the players from the air.

Cheep Cheeps also make minor appearances in the game. In the minigame Pianta Pool, Cheep Cheeps appear to leap through the rings the players grab. Three leap through a pink ring, while five leap through the golden ring. Additionally, in the minigame Pier Pressure, players attempt to grab the lines that have Cheep Cheeps on the end. Players are allowed to continue competing as long as they fish up a Cheep Cheep. A Cheep Cheep is also on one of the puzzles to be solved in the minigame Jigsaw Jumble. Additionally, Deep Cheeps from New Super Mario Bros. Wii can be seen jumping over the water in Blooper Beach.

Cheep Cheeps return in Mario Party: Island Tour where they appear as tiles in Match Faker and Tap Dash.

Cheep Cheeps appear in Mario Party 10 in various minigames that usually portray them in large shoals. In the minigame Cheep Cheep Leap, many of them, together with Gold Cheep Cheeps and Big Cheep Cheeps, must be hit by the then-invincible players for points. Also, in the minigame Meanie Match, a Cheep Cheep stands along many enemies that are present on the circular arrangement of pictures. Cheep Cheeps represent the main feature of Cheep Cheep Check, a minigame where three players try to count the number of Cheep Cheeps in an aquarium while the single player moves the Cheep Cheeps and triggers Clampies to spray bubbles at them, in order to confuse the other three players. Aside from these, in Cheep Chomp's boss battle, some Cheep Cheep sentries swim around Cheep Chomp in his maddened phase; they help deflect Koopa Shells shot by the characters.

Cheep Cheeps reappear in Mario Party: Star Rush in the minigame Cheep Cheep Reach, alongside Gold Cheep Cheeps.

Super Princess Peach
Cheep Cheeps appear in Super Princess Peach, where they act similar to the Flopsy Fish in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Yoshi's Island DS. They can be defeated simply by jumping on them. A species under the spell of the Vibe Scepter is the Sad Cheep Cheeps.

Mario Super Sluggers
They also appear in Mario Super Sluggers at Daisy Cruiser, jumping around on the deck at night. Gooper Blooper appears with the Cheep Cheeps.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Cheep Cheeps appear in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker as rare enemies, only found in one stage, where they swim back and forth on the ocean floor. There are no methods of defeating them in this stage, due to a lack of weapons for Captain Toad.

Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS
Cheep Cheeps reappear in Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS as enemies, and can be placed above or underwater. They function the same as previous games, except for not flipping around in the New Super Mario Bros. U game style when the vocals occur. In the Course Maker, they start out as their green variant, go in a straight line and never stop, while they can be shaken to be turned into their red variant which goes back and forth in a straight line if they are underwater, or chase Mario if they are above water. They can be enlarged by a Super Mushroom and given wings, which the latter makes them fly in the air after they jump out of water or swim in a wave pattern when underwater. They can be placed in Bill Blasters, Warp Pipes, and Blocks. If placed in lava in the castle theme, Cheep Cheeps become engulfed in flames while retaining their attack pattern, only now being immune to normal stomps and fireballs.

Super Mario World: Mario to Yoshi no Bōken Land
In Super Mario World: Mario to Yoshi no Bōken Land, a Cheep Cheep is one of the incorrect choices in a question. It doesn't appear anywhere else in the video.

Augmented Reality Games
In the Nintendo 3DS application AR Games, Cheep Cheeps can be caught in the Fishing minigame if the Question Block AR Card is placed on a red surface.

Other
In The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, Trouters (a different kind of fish from Super Mario Bros. 2) appear and behave more like Cheep Cheeps, as they jump out of water and actively pursue the heroes, and are likely a combination of the two enemies.

In WarioWare: Touched!, in the microgame Clawing for More, Cheep Cheeps from Super Mario Bros. 3 are among the random sprites that can be released from the ball after it is broken open.

Cheep Cheeps, along with Lava Bubbles, Goombas, Chain Chomps, Pokeys, Thwimps, Thwomps, Bloopers, Shy Guys and Piranha Plants all appear in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons has Thwimps and Pokeys, and shares Thwomps, Podoboos and Cheep Cheeps along with its sister game, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle: of Ages.

Cheep Cheeps also make a cameo in Lego City Undercover, in which they appear if the player goes fishing when not required.

In the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack in Minecraft: Wii U Edition, Raw Salmon is replaced by Cheep Cheeps.

Language
According to Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Cheep Cheeps have their own language, which is also called "Cheep Cheep". This language is presumably spoken only by Cheep Cheeps and it is only partly heard through the character Chef Shimi (who often mixes words, such as "saved" and "shaved", up due to his unique language knowledge). However, in Paper Mario, the letter Sashimie wrote to Sushie is written in Mario's language.

Gender
In the Super Mario Bros. instruction booklet, Cheep Cheeps are explicitly referred to as female. This makes them the first generic Mario enemy to be entirely female. However, this has changed since the Paper Mario series, in which both male and female members of the Cheep Cheep species have appeared. The Cheep Cheep boss of Mario Party 9 is also referred to as male in the minigame description.