Thunder Lakitu

A Thunder Lakitu is a Lakitu that shoots out a ball of energy, setting the ground on fire. This fire moves out in a disappearing wave shape. They make their first appearance in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island in the level, BLIZZARD!!!. These pink Lakitus make a loud noise and the screen flashes when they attack, so the player can detect when they are about to attack. Thunder Lakitus reappear in Yoshi's New Island, where they are only found in the level Bandit Valley.

In Mario Power Tennis, the Thunder Lakitu has a major appearance in the DK Jungle Court. They are able to clear the field from Klaptraps, by burning them with lightning bolts in the gimmick courts mode. Here, their skin and shell are that of a normal Lakitu.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

 * Shogakukan guide: 雲の上から雷を落とす. あたり一面を火の海にする. 早めに倒さないとめんどう. (It drops lightning from a cloud. The entire area becomes a sea of fire. It is very troublesome if not defeated early.)
 * Player's Guide: Not only do Lakitu fish without a license, they also set bonfires without proper permits.

Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3

 * Shogakukan guide: 雲の上からかみなりを落とす. 地面に落ちたかみなりは炎の波となって移動するので、早めに倒さないとやっかいだ. (It drops lightning from a cloud. Lightning that strikes the ground travels as a wave of flame, so it can be troublesome if not defeated early.)

Yoshi's New Island

 * Shogakukan guide: 雲に乗って空を漂い、雷を落とす. 地面に落ちた雷は左右に広がり、触れるとダメージを受ける. 雷を落とす前に動きが止まるので、このときタマゴで倒そう. (Drifting in the sky on a cloud, it drops lightning. The lightning that strikes the ground spreads out to the left and right, damaging the player when it touches them. They stop moving before they drop lightning, so use an egg at this time to defeat them.)

Trivia

 * Thunder Lakitus may be based on the Japanese thunder god, Raijin who also wears a set of drum-like ornaments on his back, has red skin and can control lightning.
 * In Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen! (which predated the existence of Thunder Lakitus by 9 years), a Lakitu uses several weather-based features from his cloud to wake up his Spiny's eggs. When he uses lightning, his cloud gains a Raijin-like set of drums, giving him a noticeable resemblance to a Thunder Lakitu.